Take a breath and apologize. Yes, it’s that simple. Don’t blame or ask 20 questions. Say you’re sorry and fix the issue. This goes for in-house, online, and phone conversations. Get to the reasons behind the complaint when you’re out of the public eye. Then take steps to prevent problems from happening in the first place.

While you can’t prevent rude customers, the actions you take before the complaint and how you address a customer grievance ultimately impacts your restaurant’s success.