My thought – there are so many restaurants here that restaurants should not count on second chances. But, if I have heard good reviews from friends or the media, I will give almost any restaurant a second chance.

If the restaurant does not have much of a good reputation, I will probably not go back.

Cecily Mathis, West Palm Beach: “ONE chance.”

Ken Steinhoff (www.palmbeachbiketours.com): I give every dog one bite. If the food is bad or the service is lousy and I don’t get any satisfaction from the manger, the joint goes on my cold-day-in-hell list.
I believe in voting with my feet.

Joyce Reingold, writing from Palm Beach: I think that’s a tough but fair policy. Because hopefully, if the food’s good but the service stinks, the manager still has a chance to make things right. If it falls apart there, too — adios!

Hilary Carmichael, Okeechobee: Depends on how I like the restaurant to begin with. If it’s one I’ve liked in the past I’ll give it another chance. If it’s a first time for me and service or food is not to my liking, I don’t come back at all.

He/She is supposed to provide safe, good-tasting food at a reasonable price in a reasonable period of time by wait staff that is competent, somewhat pleasant and attentive.

My part is to pay the bill and not steal the silverware.

If the manager doesn’t live up to his/her part of the bargain, I’m still legally obligated to pay. I am NOT obligated to go back. I AM morally obligated to pass on my unsatisfactory experience to everyone I know.

Doing a smug Happy Dance when I drive past the eating establishment and see that it’s out of business six months later is optional.

BTW, if you need a dining partner, I would love to join you.

If I show up and there is a long line outside, then I calculate whether (a) it will take me longer to go somewhere else, (b) will someplace else be equally busy, (c) do I have a particular craving for my first choice?

If I elect to stay, then I don’t complain about the wait unless it’s exceptionally longer than estimated.

If I sit down, I expect someone to take my order in a reasonable amount of time.

If they have delivered my drink or anything and then disappeared for anything approaching 10 minutes, then I’ll go to the register, ask for a manager and ask him/her how much I owe for what I’ve received and explain that I would have spent a lot more with him if someone had bothered to take my order.

His/her response will determine whether I come back again. Either way, I’m walking at that point.

A place gets one chance with me. If I’m not happy, I’ll ask for the manager on the way out the door. If I’m REALLY not happy, I’ll look for a corporate feedback card and explain why that establishment will NEVER get my business again.

I’ll send Jan a copy of a letter I sent to one hotel chain. I’ll let her decide if she wants to post it.