Guaranteeing our return

 

Celebrations mark life's wonderful moments and reinforce blessings. Yesterday's celebration of the day we met focused on our shared joy and gratitude - discovering one another's perfection as life partners and the gift of close connection and our happy marriage.

Based on experience, we expected we'd get good service having lunch at Sassafraz, and that the anniversary mentioned in the reservation would receive minimal recognition. Exceed those expecations, and you make a raving fan, and exceeded they were at yesterday's lunch.

(At two different restaurants this year we made 3 reservations for birthday dinners and followed up with emails requesting that our guest's birthday be recognized... one birthday was acknowledged and made a fuss of by the restaurant; the other two went completely without notice - guess which ones we won't book birthday or celebration dinners at again?)

We stepped into Sassafraz and were greeted with "Happy Anniversary". Nice. We were offered our choice of tables, and the hostess as well as the maître d' came to our table at appropriate breaks in the service to wish us as well - very unexpected, and impressive. We felt honoured, appreciated for our custom - and, this is where the difference in knock-your-socks-off service always comes in - we were made to feel the service and special treatment was about us. 

We were presented with chocolates with our coffee at the end of the meal with 'Happy Anniversary' in chocolate icing written on the plate... and when we left, the hostess made a huge point of thanking us for coming - when we thanked her for the great lunch and service, she said, "No, thank you for returning here every year to celebrate with us. We love your story! We're so thrilled that you met here and come back to celebrate." 


WOW!! We were already delighted - closing the experience displaying a personal interest. How fortunate Sassafraz is to have her on their team. 

Sure, it's like water rolling down hill to celebrate meeting at the place you met (we did miss doing this on two anniversaries; one was after Sassafraz had a fire, and the other was when they closed because of a power failure in the area).... but we're not possessed of the idea we need to return anywhere where we didn't feel like our business mattered.

Yesterday's experience means we will be coming back to celebrate the beginning of our 17th year together - and guaranteeing we'll be coming back long before then. They made us delighted, raving fans of the restaurant and offered us a personalized celebration - the finest example of business development I've seen in a restaurant in a very long time.

Thanks, Sassafraz!