Eight ways to get the most out of your restaurant experience

EXCELLENT restaurant service can transform average fare into a memorable experience. Here's how to get the most out of your meal.

dining out

EXCELLENT restaurant service can transform average fare into a memorable experience, just as poor service can ruin the taste of award-winning cuisine. Here's how to get the most out of your meal.

The best kid-friendly restaurants in Australia

Do you clean up after your kids in restaurants?

1. Prime the kids...

A family meal out needn't end in a hasty and embarrassing exit to the soundtrack of curdling screams. Well-rested children will be better behaved, so schedule in an afternoon nap. A snack on the way to the restaurant should hold off hunger tantrums. At the restaurant, don't seat the kids side-by-side - they'll only stab each other with the cutlery.

2. ...and inspire their curiosity

A sure-fire way to charm wait staff - and fellow diners - is to bring along children who are genuinely interested in food. Nurture their curiosity by helping them experiment with simple recipes at home. If that doesn't work? "We always bring out the colouring books and pencils - and food - immediately," says Longrain co-owner Sam Christie.

3. Do unto others

Clicking your fingers to get the waiter's attention implies they're not worth the effort required to speak. And whatever you do, don't yell, "Garcon!" We're not living in belle époque-era Paris. Being polite signals you're there to enjoy the experience, not lord it over everyone as if you were a mining magnate.

4. Don't make a scene

It was meant to be a romantic dinner, but it's turned into Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. You may be spitting chips - metaphorically speaking - but that doesn't mean you can scream, throw things or start sobbing. If you do, expect a word from the maitre d'. "Hopefully, the interruption will be enough to change the focus at the table," says Graham Ackling, manager of Sydney's Otto Ristorante.

5. Who's the boss?

Doing business over lunch? The host should make themselves known to wait staff to avoid awkward situations, such as when Joe from accounts is handed the wine list. The leader also sets the tone. "Diners want to follow their host's lead, such as ordering a drink or having an entree as well as a main," says Ackling.

6. Bank on the banquet

A boisterous night out with friends can be a nightmare for wait staff, as diners are too busy gabbing to look at the menu or hear the specials. How can wait staff shift the focus without crashing the party? "Humour is a good tactic," says Anna Augustine, manager of Melbourne's Vue de Monde. For a seamless evening, order the banquet menu, advises Jonathan Barthelmess, chef and co-owner of The Apollo in Sydney. "Guests can engage with each other and not worry about ordering."

7. Befriend the bartender

Attitudes to parties of one have changed, maintains Augustine. "Solo diners are given respect, as we know they really want to eat with us and aren't intimidated." These days, you're more likely to be seated near the open kitchen or at the bar, rather than next to the toilet. Strike up a conversation with the chef or bartender - you might even get something on the house for being friendly.

8. Say what you really think

Found a fly in your foie gras? Voting with your feet might seem the easy option, but restaurants value feedback. Saying your meal "was OK" raises alarm bells. "Our staff are trained to look for clues that a guest is dissatisfied," says Augustine. "But if they don't communicate, it's difficult to determine."