Where I live there are two local restaurants with bar/lounge areas within them. One place has a relaxed atmosphere, more a pub feel, but has the most awful bartenders. The other place has an excellent bartender but is far too formal and stuffy to just relax with a beer. I wish there was some way to merge the two together to get a restaurant and bar with a perfect atmosphere.
Some restaurants are just more comfortable than others. We've all been in a restaurant that has nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't feel welcoming. A comfortable ambiance doesn't just happen. Restaurant owners need to make sure that not only the design of their restaurant will welcome customers, but that also their staff will as well. Customer service goes a long way in creating that "right" feeling in a restaurant.
It still amazes me how many owners/managers neglect training their staff in good customer service. After all, isn’t this a “service” industry?
A little training and accountability goes a long way.