As Bill, Ryan, and I reflect on our wonderful two-day, one-night stay at The Hotel Hershey the last week of April 2022, kindness reigned supreme around the entire campus. From the magnificent docents at the Hershey Gardens and Butterfly Atrium to the delightful staff upon check-in, we were amid the marketing of genuinely being at The Sweetest Place on Earth. It seemed all contact with the team was about the guests’ comfort. No ask was too big or too small. Excellent customer service and satisfaction is front and center.
When I purchased the package “deal” for the night we stayed, the package included tickets to two Hershey attractions and dinner the night we checked in and breakfast the following day. I had no idea what ordering food at each restaurant meant but figured the package did not include alcohol, which was correct. At dinner, our server, Danielle, a first-rate 26-year wait-staff veteran, quickly rattled off that we could pretty much order anything we wanted on the menu from the three subgroups: appetizers/salads, entrees, and dessert. Easy peasy.
After Danielle memorized our orders, we enjoyed the stately restaurant atmosphere and each other’s company until the first course was served. Everything was delicious from all the food we ordered. By the time the dessert menu appeared, though quite full, we each had a little room left for a sweet bite of somethin’ somethin’.
Ryan and Bill each ordered something from the dessert menu that they deemed special. Since I am not a fancy dessert orderer or eater, I could not find anything on the menu that I would eat. It’s not only here I cannot eat a dessert, it’s anywhere in the world. And although they were not on the menu, I would eat a chocolate chip cookie or a brownie if offered. They are my favorites.
Thankfully, Danielle seemed to understand my predicament. She even lamented that her two adult girls do not eat any dessert like me. Danielle also tried to share the kids’ dessert menu with their two types of pie. I don’t eat pie either - ever. (I know, I’m a weirdo!). She was puzzled about the solution, but we could see she was bound and determined to find something for me! It was all right if I had nothing, no cookies or no brownies. I was content and happy from the meal itself.
However, Danielle wanted to make things “right” with her cookie-loving customer. After a few moments of going back and forth with the kids’ dessert menu with me, she said, “I am going to see if we can locate a chocolate chip cookie somewhere in this hotel.” I smiled politely back at her and thanked her for trying, but it would be quite all right if they did not materialize. She ended the conversation with, “I think we can do this.”
Several minutes later, a young server guy came through the restaurant with a tray of cookies and beelined to the kitchen. Ryan and Bill both said at the same time to me, “there are your cookies.”
Two minutes later, Danielle brought our desserts, including the gelato and cheesecake the guys ordered and (4) warm chocolate chip cookies! I couldn’t believe it! They were scrumptious!
And so the saying still applies, ’never underestimate the power of a chocolate chip cookie.’ And now, ’never underestimate the power of Trevi 5 server Danielle! She pleases her customers by making cookies appear for dessert!
bSoleille!
Terri
