In hospitality, it’s often the smallest moments that leave the biggest impression. That’s the message bestselling author, chef, and entrepreneur Erin Wade brought to life during her recent interview on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio. Sharing insights from her book The Mac & Cheese Millionaire, Wade offered a fresh perspective on frontline service — one that encourages teams to embrace creative thinking, micro-goals, and emotional intelligence. One standout idea from Wade? Ask

5 Reasons Why You Should Use a Secret Diner for Your Restaurant     The restaurant industry is fiercely competitive, and success requires more than just serving great food. To truly stand out, your restaurant must deliver the complete package — an exceptional dining experience that leaves a lasting impression.  Every detail matters, from the ease of booking to the warmth of the welcome, the quality of the meal, and the overall ambiance. Each element

15 years ago, mystery guest reports were very much about ticking boxes:   ‘Was cutlery delivered on a tray?’ ✅  ‘Was your beer set down with the label facing you?’ ✅ ‘Were you offered coffee?’ ✅   Then, the nitty gritty, protocols became more relaxed, and the mystery guest reports became more about engagement and subjectivity, focussing on how customers were made to feel:   ‘How did you rate the food/service/ambiance? Please explain’. 💯   Subjective

Karen Bosher wrote a great post about the sadness of the demise of another burger chain and how many hospitality groups are only surviving through perpetual investment. It prompted the expected cheerleader comments of “here, here” support. Except for one comment from an MD, not in hospitality, which got me thinking. He said it was down to ‘poor business planning, and that ‘the market is saturated with food joints’.  Harsh! But is he wrong?    

I run a mystery guest company which aggregates reviews as one of its services but, I’m ashamed to say, even I have fallen foul to a company that faked its reviews. It cost me thousands and I had a near breakdown as they failed to build a time-critical e-commerce website. Google didn’t give two hoots, nor did Trust Pilot, and, nor did the Action Fraud or HMRC when, further down the line, we discovered that

How Mystery Shopping can identify the small things so that your customers leave on a high and not on a sigh! This was my lunch earlier this week. After several attempts to open the ‘sachets of dread’, I went without vinegar. For my life! I don’t know why we still have these tiny packets of frustration. I don’t know the percentage of the human race that can open them, but it must be under 5%,