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The Secret Ingredients of Great Hospitality | Will Guidara | TED

Restaurateur Will Guidara’s life changed when he decided to serve a two-dollar hot dog in his fancy four-star restaurant, creating a personalized experience for some out-of-town customers craving authentic New York City street food. The move earned such a positive reaction that Guidara began pursuing this kind of “unreasonable hospitality” full-time, seeking out ways to…

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Restaurateur Will Guidara’s life changed when he decided to serve a two-dollar hot dog in his fancy four-star restaurant, creating a personalized experience for some out-of-town customers craving authentic New York City street food. The move earned such a positive reaction that Guidara began pursuing this kind of “unreasonable hospitality” full-time, seeking out ways to create extraordinary experiences and give people more than they could ever possibly expect. In this funny and heartwarming talk, he shares three steps to crafting truly memorable moments centered in human connection – no matter what business you’re in.

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63 Comments

  1. Christopher Reyes

    October 31, 2022 at 11:33 am

    I would use another word instead of hospitality economy. We are switching towards the EXPERIENCE economy. If a business fails to provide the best experience for a guest despite making great food and drinks, then the business will fail. Great Ted Talk.

    • Lorra

      October 31, 2022 at 12:01 pm

      There are supper clubs near where I live that are all about the experience… They make you feel wanted and seen, not just a dollar sign in the cash register

    • Rishi Datta

      October 31, 2022 at 12:33 pm

      I absolutely second the experience economy tag. I’m so thankful to have come across such a powerful video

  2. Tennessee Jed

    October 31, 2022 at 11:36 am

    Did he say hospitality or horse brutality?

  3. Mosa Chobokoane

    October 31, 2022 at 11:53 am

    This just made me cry. I’m a suckered for excellence and excellent service and I live in a country where mediocrity is king. I honestly am working towards starting my own cafe and pray to God I can make people feel warm ,comfortable and welcome.

    • Guy Gonzales

      October 31, 2022 at 1:35 pm

      You will achieve your goal. Take this as a sign to keep moving towards it. ❤️

  4. Allen Crowe

    October 31, 2022 at 11:53 am

    Will Guidara laying down some beautiful, inspiring words! Thank you!

  5. de0509

    October 31, 2022 at 11:54 am

    Now we need a reddit post about some travellers having fine dining who talked about not getting a hotdog and then have it served

  6. Lorra

    October 31, 2022 at 11:58 am

    Worked as a night shift barista at a chain coffee shop
    My favorite customers had very specific requests and I enjoyed fulfilling them simply for the joy on their faces when I served them exactly what they asked for
    I miss that the most…

  7. Leigh-ann Cowie

    October 31, 2022 at 12:04 pm

    I have built a really successful business on the basis of people will always remember how you make them feel’ . I really enjoyed this Ted talk 🙌

  8. Elisha mghase

    October 31, 2022 at 12:08 pm

    Inspired

  9. Lovewin Cherian

    October 31, 2022 at 12:39 pm

    Truly inspiring

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      October 31, 2022 at 12:43 pm

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  10. TV Week Highlights

    October 31, 2022 at 1:18 pm

    A modern spin on that old English Axiom “Manners cost nowt” – it’s never been out of fashion for those with empathy… maybe the reason we don’t often encounter this excellence is that those that get it right are too quickly promoted away from front line service duties..

  11. Curt Bohling

    October 31, 2022 at 1:19 pm

    So good! As a chef for thirty five years. Beginning my journey at the Ritz Carlton and learning to listening to my guests and serving them what they like👍
    Thanks for the reminder of what hospitality is!

  12. Lily

    October 31, 2022 at 1:23 pm

    Totally. It’s about connection- not showing off.

  13. Natalia Vasin

    October 31, 2022 at 1:27 pm

    I HAVE INCURRED SO MUCH LOSSES TRADING ON MY OWN…I TRADE WELL ON DEMO BUT I THINK THE REAL MARKET IS MANIPULATED… CAN ANYONE HELP ME OUT OR AT LEAST TELL ME WHAT I’M DOING WRONG ?

    • Yenny Budiman

      October 31, 2022 at 5:44 pm

      +1

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      October 31, 2022 at 5:44 pm

      62642

    • Yenny Budiman

      October 31, 2022 at 5:44 pm

      72175

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      October 31, 2022 at 5:44 pm

      Tell her I referred you ASAP

    • Ceren Atalar

      October 31, 2022 at 5:45 pm

      @Yenny Budiman 🙏Thanks, I’ll msg her shortly

  14. Lisa Wehler

    October 31, 2022 at 1:28 pm

    Lovely chat! The thinking is beyond extravagant! They must charge a a lot for that dinner! I only see one downside. I have run a store for 20 years and I find it difficult to serve each person this way. I have limited time funds and help. I find if I do extra for people they expect it all the time. People just want more and expect more. I find I can’t do everything they expect from me. I know that hospitality is everything in a business but it’s having the resources to do it. Also, if I was going to a fabulous restaurant and I got fabulous food and fabulous service, that would really be enough for me. If I got a blow up kiddie pool and some odd faux experience I may think it’s intrusive. The hot dog thing was excellent but the other examples i thought were intrusive and perhaps unwanted. You would really have to know each one of these clients very well before you made such a gesture as it could be considered as intrusive. I also think that this type of ‘service’ feeds our increasingly narcissistic society. A society where everyone is over pampered and over served and focused on the self. It’s great that you want to provide this but the burnout rate for this over servicing is going to be high.

  15. Моран Морансон

    October 31, 2022 at 1:36 pm

    I would not keep a restaurant and moreover work in it even for very big money, this is the very case when dislike for people exceeds greed and love for prosperity

  16. sok sreymom

    October 31, 2022 at 2:10 pm

    Found it really encouraging people to go the extra mile.

  17. Keith Bell

    October 31, 2022 at 2:38 pm

    Provide excellent service,
    and the customer may tell 4 or 5 people.
    Provide lousy service and they will tell 40 to 50 people.
    The word hospitality stems from an ancient hebrew word that means “kindness to strangers”.
    I will be as brief as I can in comparing what hospitality is vs what it isn’t from my own experience as a patron at 2 different restaurants.
    1) I will refrain from naming this first restaurant, because the service was so outrageously disastrous that it would smear the reputation of that entire national chain. A group of us arrived to enjoy a good meal. It would be 1 1/2 – 2 hours later that the food finally arrived at our table. We complained to the waitress who pretty much snubbed us. So we took it up to the store management. I stood back incredulously and watched as some of those in our group had to literally barter with this guy and convince him how terribly the service was, how we were treated and how lousy the food was when it finally arrived. He should have been falling over himself apologizing. But just the opposite as he tried to make excuses. Afterwards I told the entire group that if they ever wanted to go back to this restaraunt, count me out. It would be a few months later that the restaraunt closed down.
    2) As for an example of restaraunt hospitality: ROY’S.
    Remember that name. Roy’s Japanese Cuisine. Fine dining. Pricey. But when it comes to outstanding service, in my experience they HAVE IT DOWN. My wife and I enjoying our anniversary dropped by to try them out. Didn’t expect it. Didn’t feel that we deserved it. But nonetheless they gave it to us! They treated us like royalty. NO JOKE. We just showed up for good food and got so much more than we expected. The service, the staff the valet service. I kid you not everything was top notch!
    A good freind of ours used to work with this construction crew, on the way home she would drop by their establishment, and inspite of her appearance- dirty and in shabby construction clothes they literally rolled out the red carpet for her!
    ROY’S. To this day I sing that name from the rafters!
    Hospitality can go beyond just doing for others what you want done for you. When you have that skill, you can do more for them than what they anitcipated.

  18. Akshay Bodla

    October 31, 2022 at 2:52 pm

    This is so cool! I finished this guy’s interview with Simon Sinek and this is just as sweet

  19. Cabdullaahi Bootaan

    October 31, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    Great talk Will. I noted all. Be present, be serious on what you do and one size fits one.

  20. LegendFromWoW

    October 31, 2022 at 3:40 pm

    This guy has a great attitude, take note folks!

  21. Vaibhav Gupta

    October 31, 2022 at 4:32 pm

    this is just Jerry McGuire, if it was real life.

  22. Vaibhav Gupta

    October 31, 2022 at 4:32 pm

    Jerry McGuire, the restaurant.

  23. FillUmUpp

    October 31, 2022 at 5:21 pm

    I work front desk in a hotel, and I never used to be hospitable until I started working with my current co workers. They are like this guy, very hospitable and good energy. It has rubbed off on me, and when I upgrade someone’s room, and send them some chocolate covered strawberries, and a note to their room for what ever occasion they might be celebrating, it really does make you feel good.. there are nasty people in the world too, but you really have to just ignore them and focus on the people you can make happy! Because there are more good people than bad, and making people feel good, feels good..🤗

  24. wenyan shao

    October 31, 2022 at 6:07 pm

    The hospitality makes people happy and I love it.

  25. Savannah Diego

    October 31, 2022 at 8:50 pm

    smart

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      October 31, 2022 at 9:10 pm

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  26. Tom Christensen

    October 31, 2022 at 11:23 pm

    Absolutely love this concept.

  27. Stacy Urbina

    November 1, 2022 at 4:01 am

    Loooove this so much!

  28. Kate Park-Yallop

    November 1, 2022 at 4:30 am

    Haha WHAT THE …. his first part was great. The beach thing was just absolutely just bullshit unless they had been asked before hand.

  29. Shashikanth Narasimhiah

    November 1, 2022 at 7:58 am

    One of the most inspirational presentations I have heard/seen. Great topic, great oratory. We are not serving a meal, we are serving an experience – something to that effect – brilliant, just brilliant. Well done Will. Hope your horizon becomes unlimited for you to master. All the very best.

  30. thousand miles

    November 1, 2022 at 8:28 am

    Tell this to the orange man who was supposed to be the leader of hospitality and instead, money laundered and stole public tax money his whole time as a public official.

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      November 1, 2022 at 4:10 pm

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    November 1, 2022 at 8:43 am

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  35. Lisa Yuan

    November 1, 2022 at 9:56 am

    is this just the next level of people pleasing?
    and will this lead to greater levels of ’empathy fatigue’ if we have to care ‘a little’ more for every single customer and go out of our way to make them ‘feel’ something?
    will the managers and companies also care ‘a little more’ and work ‘a little’ bit harder for us as employees?

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      November 1, 2022 at 4:10 pm

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  36. Ken Anderson

    November 1, 2022 at 11:55 am

    This is what i’ve been searching for, thank you very much.

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      November 1, 2022 at 4:10 pm

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  37. Qurbon Davlatmirov

    November 2, 2022 at 5:10 am

    Yes serving people with hospitality is very important

  38. l.w.i

    November 2, 2022 at 5:13 pm

    Used to do this when I was a bookseller: Before computers (and later with them), I went the extra mile to find out which kind of book they were looking for exactly, or finding them the rare edition they’d been searching for ages.
    It was easy and gratifying for me to do, because I shared their passion: If you can make your job one of your passions, and if you can truly listen to people, you will be much happier at (almost) any work you do.

  39. Bobby Backmarker

    November 3, 2022 at 11:24 am

    Yet people are leaving the hospitality industry word wide in their droves! Why? Is it demanding, rude, drunk, mean guests? Do we need to look at our behavior as patrons?

  40. Jagoh Kampong

    November 3, 2022 at 2:28 pm

    This video makes me sleepy

  41. J A

    November 3, 2022 at 5:37 pm

    GOAT <3

  42. Harley

    November 3, 2022 at 11:50 pm

    I recently started studying IT Service Management, and there is a huge focus on value and *outcomes* (not outputs) of processes for customers and users. Co-creating value is another huge focus, as well as user and customer experience. Everything you said sounds just like that, but repeated in a culinary sense. It’s kind of incredible to see the same things, but in a completely different field, applied in a much different way!

  43. Luiz Junior

    November 4, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    Amazing talk

  44. mohit kothari

    November 5, 2022 at 5:17 am

    By far the best talk I’ve ever seen.

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