Danny Meyer and Will Guidara have each written fabulous books about hospitality.
They missed one thing.
The customers who get the most authentic and lasting hospitality are the ones who deserve it.
And the ones who deserve it actually enjoy it the most.
Extraordinary hospitality offers someone more human effort and delight than they expect.
You’re not entitled to something human simply because you paid for your ticket or your table. The kids who show up on Halloween get a piece of candy, but the ritual ends there. When someone with a great costume, or singing a song or simply creating a bit of connection or magic shows up, it’s different. That’s the one we remember, the reason we answered the door and our chance to show up and return the energy. Or even a full-sized ethical chocolate bar.
For too long, the entitled customer has demanded emotional labor without offering support or sustenance in return. It’s exhausting and unfair, for both parties.
When you’re the best customer we’ve had all day, it’s likely we’ll be the host you’re hoping for.
And the best part is, that no matter how it turns out, simply trying to be the best customer of the day is its own reward. We care because we can.
