“Often I talk about how important it is to feel cared for at a restaurant”, says judge Abigail Donnelly.

Knowledge and confidence contribute to exquisite service. Well-trained staff that are comfortable in their position are better equipped to provide genuine, helpful service that is not overbearing or condescending. A great server is approachable, and aims to accommodate your needs, but the best server offers you everything you need before you even realize you need it.

Great service, like great beer, requires craftsmanship and attention to detail. A friendly demeanor and a touch of personality are the two elements that add the spark and keep diners coming back.

Timing is important too. Waiters need to know when to give a table room to breathe and when to offer them assistance. They need to know how to pace a meal, so that diners do not feel rushed or that they’ve waited.

It’s also important to manage all the stages of the guests’ experience. From the process of making the booking, to the welcome from the front-of-house team and up until the guest leaves the establishment.

Last year’s winner of the award, Rust en Vrede exemplified this kind of devotion to the craft:

“The team at Rust en Vrede makes you feel that you’re the only person there. Guests are treated with care and hospitality and there’s an air of professionalism and calm. The restaurant has an amazing harmony with the Rust en Vrede philosophy evident in the flow from the moment you are met at the door, right through to your handmade parting gift as you leave. While it is a fine dining establishment, it isn’t pretentious. You just feel really special. It’s posh, but not stiff and never intimidating. Rust en Vrede takes service to the next level.”  –   Abigail Donnelly

The winner of the 2014 Eat Out Grolsch Service Excellence Award will be announced at the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards on 16 November at Thunder City in Cape Town. Tickets to the glittering awards ceremony are on sale now.

More about Grolsch:

A beer that’s become synonymous with craftsmanship and creativity, Grolsch is pioneering in it’s approach to collaborations, consistently choosing to go the unconventional route, while staying true to the traditions that have distinguished it from the rest. The opportunity to celebrate service excellence at the Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards speaks directly to the brand’s uncompromising dedication to their heritage of excellence. From their decision to preserve the distinctive Swingtop bottle, to their hops varieties, Hercules and Magnum, which give the beer its distinctive taste, Grolsch has always been independently-minded. The perfect fit for the individual who chooses to see the world a little differently, Grolsch lives by its theme, #ChooseInteresting.

Visit our food and beer pairing page for ideas on foods to pair with Grolsch.