In Outstanding Customer Service From A Restaurant! I discussed the incredible service we received at Caffe Positano on Semoran Boulevard in Apopka Florida in the Orlando area.

Because we were treated like kings on Sunday, we returned Thursday with a larger group. We had our same amazing server, and this time we got to meet the owner, Pasquale. He was an amazing man from the actual city of Positano, Italy. And while we had the same incredible food and service, this night we got to know them a little more.

As the truckloads of food started coming, I commented to our server Jesse that it must be an incredible place to work. That’s when he dropped the first of a couple of bombs on us. He told us that he was the new guy and that he’s only been there eight years. What?! Not only that, but some of the staff has been with them for 24 years. GET OUT!!! In a restaurant?! How can this be?!

The folks that have been with them for 24 years actually followed them from New York, when they moved to Florida 17 years ago. It gets better. I said that Pasquale must be phenomenal to work for. That’s when bomb numero due dropped. Jesse was in a really bad car accident years ago. Due to the lawsuit, he couldn’t buy the house that he was wanting to get into because he couldn’t get a loan with everything up in the air. (Insert my take on loans.)

Somehow Pasquale found out, called him into his office, and wrote him an $8,000.00 check, so he could get in. AND he furnished the place, no questions asked. Do you think that creates a loyal team member? The third bomb really wasn’t a bomb, it just made sense. Jesse then told us that he has three degrees and could care less about working in any of those fields. Why would he?

Instead, he works three nights a week at an incredible job, makes amazing money due to the immense amount of repeat customers, and has leadership that takes care of him like this. We experienced the customer service coming from how amazing the working environment was.

Guess who came back Friday night. Yep, you guessed it, with an even bigger group! This time we brought 13 of our folks. Problem was, we had to be taken out with a dump truck. AGAIN the food was amazing, but Pasquale pulled out all the stops this time. Here is a list of the foods he brought us:

• Hot rolls and out of this world dipping oil
• Salads
• Our main dishes – mine was penne with shrimp in a lobster bisque sauce AHHHHH!!!!!

We had already planned on the best cannolis on the planet, but Pasquale brought out a tray of amazingness before with:

• Homemade strawberry danish
• Incredible chocolate mousse
• Some crazy good things with chocolate on them
• and cannoli cream to go on all of them

If that wasn’t enough, he then brought out:

• Coffee
• Cannolis
• Chocolate souffle

Whew! Surely we’re done. Nope! Jesse walks by with an antipasto plate and asks if we would like to try they’re handmade stretched mozzarella. Now you would think there’s no way we would even want to try that. Wrong. It was the best mozzarella I’ve ever had!!! How can this be?! I told Jesse that he had to cut us off. Apparently that didn’t make it to Pasquale, who showed up with another tray of:

• Italian cheesecake
• Tiramisu
• Orange ricotta sponge cake

This is where the dump trucks just rolled right up to our tables and took us back to the hotel. Folks, is there any question as to why we went there three nights in one week? Is there any question as to why the staff has been there so long? And is there any question as to why they have the repeat clientele that they do? With customer service like this, you get the results that they do.

Question: If you’re ever in the Orlando area, will you be eating at Caffe Pasitano?