A Year of Gratitude - Day Ninety-two

Day 92 - Good Service

It was a beautiful warm Sunday - the kind that makes “Indian Summer” something to look forward to.  I was early to Randy’s birthday party at a great little restaurant in NW Portland called Cha Taqueria and Bar - a Mexican-inspired menu and a fun atmosphere.  They had a whole bunch of miniature (two-topper) picnic tables set outside their pony wall on the sidewalk, so I sat down on one of the benches to wait for our group.

As I was sitting there, a pretty young woman came out to ask if I needed help.  I told her I was early for a birthday party, and she went back in to check on it.  Yes, it was confirmed, though no table had been set aside yet.  She asked if I wanted something to drink while I waited for my group (water, thanks!).

The group arrived, and we needed to push three tables together to accommodate us; we wanted to sit outside, so we had to wait for a table to clear.  Leah helped us every step of the way, seating us at two of the tables and then instantly clearing the third when it emptied.  She ended up being our server, too.  

Leah explained the menu, offered advice on choices, and throughout the meal she was attentive, helpful, and fun.  She helped with the birthday cake - offering a tea light candle since she didn’t have any birthday candles available - and was a delight.  It turns out she is only there on Tuesday and Saturday nights, and just happened to have taken the Sunday shift.  We were the beneficiaries.

As explained here, it may not sound like she did anything special.  It was how she did it all that made it great.  It appeared that she wanted to be there and was having as good a time as we were.  She seemed happy, not just content to be a server.

Good service is easy when you enjoy what you do.  (I enjoy eating.)  She enjoyed our group.  It was a good meal, a good party, and I will go to Cha again and ask for Leah’s section.

Fun.