Last Saturday, driving around the city, we happend to face a restaurant that looked nice, smelled nice and had a patio. So we decided to stop and check it out. The name "Paramount" didn't tell much on what kind of food to expect but it smelled like BBQ. Parked and got in. The clients were a mix of people dressed in North American style and some dressed in Middle East style. So I am thinking they were somewhere from Jordan, Syria or Lebanon but I might be wrong. In any case, the thing I thought of was " How does it work to get food here?" because everyone seemed to be lined up on 2 counters with some yellow sheets on their hands, some people were moving from outdor to indor and vice versa, tables had some menues stuck on some standing clips and there was no hostes to give any direction on tables. Waiters moving around were about 6 that I could see. 2 guys that were dressed like they were going out on Saturday night to a club, 2 other very young guys that were in uniform letting me know that they had absolutly no power there and could do from waiting to cleaning the floor, and there were also 2 girls with a perfect makeup that seemed concern to keep an eye on the guys that were comming around. This was what I thought but my husband's first words was "Can we go somewhere else?" I guess the women that had their hair covered, scared him but I insited to stay and give it a chance. We took a table outside. Managed to get a waiter to explain us how it works. He said that we should go inside and order there, at the counter. So we go inside and we noticed that there were 3 counters. Changed mind and decided to sit inside. Started with the first counter where I noticed people were ordering food with yellow sheets. So I assumed I was at the right spot. Nope! That was the spot to order Manakeesh and desserts only. For drinks was a spot on the right of it and for food was the counter on the opposite side of the first counter. The counter in the middle was to pay! Puzzle solved but at that point I was really frustrated and my husband couldn't be more ready to run away. I still wanted to give it a chance and also to tell my husband that he should not be so american like. So with this anger inside, I lined up at the right counter and was waiting for someone to come and ask me what do I want to order. Nope! There was a girl there, but she was busy as I said to keep her makeup perfect and to look at the tables with guys. So I took the courage and asked "Is it here where I order?" And yes, off course, the girl took a yellow sheet and started marking with numbers the dishes I wanted. YES! I got a yellow sheet! So now we had to wait for the waiters to bring the food on our table. Table 5! While waiting, my daughter noticed that some kids had some coloring sheets and she was asking me to get one for her. I had no idea at what counter I could ask for one, so I just went and asked the mother (not the father) of one of the kids that were drawing. She told me that the girl at the counter were you pay has those. Went there and the girl pulled up a sheet and 2 crayons. It felt like she gave us something from her own house. Back to table 5, waiting, I started now looking around as a person that has nothing to do. There are 2 entrances to that place, one from the back door and one from the front patio. The front patio door had 2 sides to enter but one was blocked and had a sign saying to use the other side. Not sure why? Was completly clear to use that door and would have helped the traffic. Most of the clients were families, with kids. Loud, screaming kids. Why did those kids were constantly screaming so much that we were turning heads in surprise to see what could have possibly happen to create that scream? Nothing much really...just usual kid not getting what is asking for. Families where women had covered their hair, were more quiet because moms were close to kids and fathers were giving annoying looks to moms when kids were complaining. It was not extremly busy but people were all wondering around like we did until we got the yellow sheet. They all had good intentions and nobody was trying to create any problem. They were out with their families to eat some good food, but only very confused by the way that place was running. Waiters seemed annoyed and I totally agree with them. Clients were all over their territory and there was not much room for them to move around with dishes in their arms. The patio outside was very nice but there were no omrellas. Why? Not everyone can deal with heat and direct Sun burning !! There was no system to keep children quiet becasue the drawing sheets were at the counter were you go to pay, not to order. Who asks for drawing sheets when they pay? To make things worst, the girl at that counter was Chinese. Let me say it again. The girl behind the counter where you pay is Chinese!! So after a very messy Middle East experience, you get to deal with a Chinese girl on solving out the yellow sheets from different counters where you have requested food or drink or dessert.
In general, the place was clean and nicely decorated. There was a very good selection of baklava and kadaif there that I had a hard time resisting. The food was very good too and in good portions.
So, all I could think was " They need very little to be very good!" I was thinking that probably this is how restaurants run in their country as well. And if restaurants run like that, then maybe a whole lot of other places, function just like that. People are used to function like that.
And while I was putting our left over food on a container that I was able to get from the first counter, I came up with some suggestions for the peace on Middle East. Here we go.
1. Create a system and process.
It would help to have 1 counter were you go and order all you want and then pay. But if you have to have 4 counters, it would be great to let people sit and the waiter to take orders from the table. A lot of hectic traffice, confusion, irritation and anger would be avoided. Such a small thing!
2. Create a hosting system.
If only someone would have stayed at the entrance and answer all the questions on how the place runs!! People would all be lined up at the first counter and then at the second on the other side of the restaurant and then at the third beside. It is already crazy that you have 4 counters with 4 different confusing objectives!
3. Create conditions for people to be busy but focused
Give to kids drawing sheets at the entry point would save a lot of noise, scream and parental annoyance. I was busy to figure out how that place was running, but I was creating a lot of problem to waiters that were moving around and to other clients that were confused like me. Have a menu for drinks and then while waiting for drinks, get people to be busy reading the food menu. After the food menu, bring the dessert menu. I would have bought desserts if I had a menu. But like that, I was too tired to stay in line at the secound counter and order desserts that I had no idea how to order (in pieces or on grams?). Also, just adding a couple of ombrellas outside, would keep people busy exploring the road and find problems with the business on the other side of the street rather than look at what you do wrong inside.
4. Do not add China in the mix
Middle East already has its own way of thinking and dealing with things. I am trying here to give suggestion to make them better. But, if you add there China, things are out of control. How do you expect me to deal with the Chinese girl that can't even pronounce Falafel properly, forget baklava!! I understand that China is powerful and is good to be on your side, but just keep them behind scenes. You can have Chinese girls working in the kitchen after some training, or prepare drinks, or clean around. Don't put China on public relation roles
5. Keep doing what you do well
Food was good, place was kept clean, people were dressed nice, even those that had covered the hair. I would probably give another chance now that I know how it works, but I am worried that my husband won't.
