Good restaurants will always pay the utmost attention to service. When you go to a restaurant, it can feel as if the staff are just going through the motions. If you’re given a glass of champagne for your birthday, it’s not really a heartfelt gesture – it’s just company policy.

Enlightened hospitality aims to avoid this. It’s supposed to make a customer feel as if he’s an individual being catered to and looked after. You have to know what your guests want and give it to them.

The  better you know your guests, the better you can serve them. So strive to remember important details about your regular customers, like their preferred menu, preferred table, or allergies.

Remember however, a first time customer is as important. Collect any bits of information you can find about them, so they feel listened to and taken care of.

Seating, for example is a key to great hospitality. Put a table for two near the walls for more privacy, and bigger groups in the center. But ultimately, listen to what your guests want, and seat them where they are comfortable the most.

For enlightened hospitality to work well, you need one crucial thing : you need the right people working at your restaurant.