Recently I received an email from a reader of this blog about a review I had done on a restaurant. The point the reader wanted to get across is that I should leave the servers out of it and that my review should only be directed at the owner of the restaurant.You see, I named the server in the article.

I thought about it and felt I needed to write about it. When I go to a restaurant, my experience does include the server. They are one of the first to greet me and the last when I leave a restaurant. How that server treats me and other patrons while in that restaurant is a direct reflection of the restaurants core values is it not?

Let’s take a few steps back. In this posting I mentioned the server by name in the review. In fact, she was one of the redeeming qualities of my stay. I think the reason I mentioned her at all is that she provided good service to me and that my review of the restaurant was not directed at her. The reader who wrote into me felt that it was not fair that I “hide my identity” and that I should give that same respect to the server and that the comments should be directed to the owner.

Well, here’s the deal. I don’t hide who I am. I always leave a business card with my name and email address on it. In fact, on this particular visit, I told them up front that I was from a new food blog and she was delighted if not tickled pink that I was writing a review. In fact, she seated me near some good light since she knew I was taking photos of my meal.

Yes, unfortunately I wasn’t tickled pink about the food, but the experience was good. Should I not have mentioned the server’s name in the article?