It’s Valentine’s Day and as such, men would try to impress women by taking them out on dates to upscale restaurants where great food, ambience and service are expected. 

For some, service in restaurants may mean the time it takes for the food to be served, or the manner by which the waiter attends to customers’ needs.

It can also be seen in the establishment’s location and atmosphere, the quality of food, as well as the availability of certain amenities.

Indeed, this type of service can be evaluated in different terms, but in a competitive restaurant business, the one always aiming for “utmost consumer satisfaction” is more likely to attract the market.

A client may be pleased with the food’s taste, but lose appetite upon dealing with a rude attendant.  Another may find the dining ambience relaxing, but frown at the lack of a clean toilet or wash room in the area.

However, it can be said that convenience comes at a price.  Some people say they are even willing to pay extra if the food and service in a restaurant are excellent.

Despite having to shell out more money, consumers get to enjoy specialty cuisine such as French, Vietnamese, Italian or Chinese dishes.

The room is air-conditioned; interior design is tasteful with well-selected furniture.  Pipe-in music is played to match the mood of the place, while silverware and table napkins are neatly placed on the table.  Credit cards are honored and paying is much easier as the waiters do all the walking.

Then there are the no-frill, small eateries catering to the masa, which usually offer Filipino favorites such as bulalo, goto, tapsilog and other local dishes. Though the best of service, ambience and entertainment here cannot match those of larger establishments, the affordable food, Filipino custom and familiar taste are what drives people not to miss this gastronomic experience.

But upon citing these options whether the consideration is upscale or economical, the health of consumers should never be compromised.  This brings to mind another critical component of excellent restaurant service—food safety.

An establishment that has caused illness or poisoning to just one customer from the improper preparation, handling and sale of food loses its potential customers and faces a plummet in earnings.  Likewise, the owner can be charged with violating relevant health laws.

Presidential Decree 856, known as the Sanitation Code, requires restaurants to acquire a Sanitary Permit from the local government prior to operation.  This law applies to all food establishments and facilities, including sidewalk vendors and others located in vessels, food containers and vehicles.

The Sanitation Code provides for standards in terms of structure (floors, walls, lighting, ventilation), anti-overcrowding measures, sanitary facilities (wash-hand basins, toilets, water supply), sewage and garbage disposal, vermin control, washing utensils (including sanitizing, handling and storing), among others.

As guide to consumers, the Sanitary Permit should be posted at a conspicuous place within the restaurant.  The local government is mandated to conduct regular inspection to monitor the compliance of these establishments, as well as to suspend or revoke the permits of those who violate the code.

With the Sanitation Code in place, consumers are advised to dine only in establishments that have secured a Sanitary Permit and are duly registered with the local government.

Aside from regulating food safety, the government through the Department of Tourism also accredits restaurants, hotels and other tourist-oriented businesses to measure the country’s tourism program.

For these establishments to be accredited, they have to comply with a list of requirements pertaining to structure (lighting, ventilation, parking space, adequate bedding articles), presence of lobby or reception area, toilet and bathroom amenities, among others.

The guidelines also require service and staff from restaurants to be well-trained, well-groomed, experienced, efficient and courteous.

Establishments aiming for excellent service not only promote ethical and high-standard business but, more important, signify their concern for the welfare and satisfaction of consumers.

A single lapse in service can easily lose a customer and can cost an establishment to pay a high price.  Thus, the critically small but personal things that these establishments extend determine if the customer will pay another visit.

THE government has secured a $300-million Asian Development Bank loan that will help local government units (LGUs) pursue financing and budget reforms, President Arroyo announced Wednesday.

CEBU CITY—Cebu furniture exporters are pinning their hopes on new markets, particularly in the Middle East and in Russia, to cushion the effects of a reported US recession and the strengthening peso.

FEED millers are asking the Department of Agriculture (DA) to consider the suspension of tariffs levied on alternative raw materials used for making animal feeds to help them cope with the increasing cost of corn both in the local and international market.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap led the inauguration of a P33-million Zamboanga del Norte corn postharvest processing and trading center, which is expected to raise production of the grain in the province by as much as 10 percent and farmers’ incomes by as high as 50 percent.

INDEPENDENT think tank Ibon Foundation said there is a possibility that the government will resort to more taxes this year to address the fiscal crisis and ensure that it can continue its debt-servicing efforts.

THE national government is still liable for the loan obligations of the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) for existing loans secured prior to Transco’s privatization.

It’s Valentine’s Day and as such, men would try to impress women by taking them out on dates to upscale restaurants where great food, ambience and service are expected.