How often do we find ourselves thinking, “Service just isn’t what it used to be,” as we go about our daily lives? As technology has advanced, the hospitality industry has made certain concessions. Human-to-human personalization has increasingly been replaced by personalization through technology. Yet the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, is often quoted as saying, “You will succeed if you have delighted customers. So don’t settle for satisfied.”
Few understand this better than Will Guidara, New York restaurateur and author of Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect. Guidara said he believes that when businesses turn good service into unforgettable experiences, they unlock the potential to elevate any industry.
At the heart of his message is the idea that exceeding expectations, delighting people with intentional, personal touches, can drive loyalty, deepen emotional connection, and fuel business success.
Too often, hospitality is viewed as exclusive to restaurants or resorts. But any organization, especially in retail, can adopt these principles to build stronger relationships with customers, employees, and the broader community.
Independent natural retailers often cite education and “The Human Connection” as their most important differentiators. People crave that connection. Emotional generosity, making others feel seen and cared for, is powerful. Even in business, people remember how you made them feel.
Great hospitality starts with your team. Empowered employees who feel trusted and inspired will create memorable, unexpected moments for your customers. As the store owner, it’s your responsibility to build a culture where creativity and care are celebrated.
Details matter. Small, seemingly insignificant gestures, like remembering a customer’s favorite supplement or celebrating a health milestone—can transform an ordinary transaction into something unforgettable. Yet, these are often the first things to go when budgets are tight, and staffing is lean.
But remember hospitality doesn’t have to be expensive. Intentionality always beats extravagance. The most meaningful gestures are often the simplest, and the most thoughtful.
Guidara’s book challenges small businesses to redefine excellence, not as flawless execution, but as human-centered service that leaves people feeling truly valued.
Creating Memories Through Customer Experience
Guidara tells the story of “Eleven Madison Park” (EMP), a restaurant he helped transform into one of the best in the world. Under his leadership, EMP earned four stars from The New York Times and three Michelin stars in a single year, the first restaurant ever to go from one to three Michelin stars that quickly.
When he first took over, Guidara focused on integrating the best aspects of other successful restaurants into his own. He hired exceptional staff, individuals with experience in top-tier restaurants—and together they improved the dining room, elevated the food and invested in better drinking glasses and plates. But despite these upgrades, something was still missing.
He turned his attention to the guest experience, studying it carefully and identifying subtle pain points. One insight stood out: while hospitality is about creating meaningful connections, the act of paying at a restaurant often breaks that connection, making the interaction feel transactional. To counter this, he introduced creative gestures. For example, when guests received their check, it came with a bottle of fine cognac and an invitation to help themselves. Even the process of paying became a moment of generosity and warmth.
One story marked a turning point. Guidara overheard a table of guests saying they had chosen EMP as their last meal before leaving New York City but regretted they hadn’t gotten to try a New York hot dog. He quickly ran to a nearby vendor, bought some hot dogs, and had them served as part of the meal. He explained he had overheard their conversation and wanted to make their experience unforgettable. He shares that in his entire career of serving some of the highest end food in the world, he had never seen such excitement in a customer as to when he served a hot dog.
Afterward, he obsessed over that moment, what allowed it to happen, and what needed to be in place for that kind of magic to be possible all the time. The answer, he realized, started with presence. He had to be fully engaged in the room, caring more about the guest in front of him than about his endless to-do list. He had to slow down and listen, both to what was said and what wasn’t.
Second, it required taking the work seriously without taking himself too seriously. Too often, rigid standards and ego get in the way of giving people what they truly want. Letting go of formality allowed him to create something more authentic.
Third, if you want to create a sense of genuine belonging, you must make people feel seen, not as commodities, but as individuals. That $2 hot dog likely made a bigger impression than a complimentary bottle of wine or plate of caviar ever could. To help scale this mindset across the restaurant, he introduced a new role: the “Dreamweaver.” This person’s job was to research guests and orchestrate personal touches based on what they discovered. In one case, when a couple had to cancel their beach vacation, the Dreamweaver transformed a private dining room into a makeshift beach to bring the vacation to them.
Not every gesture had to be so elaborate. To support more frequent but still meaningful moments, Guidara developed standard gifts tied to repeatable guest experiences. Since many couples got engaged at EMP, for example, he partnered with Tiffany to create custom champagne flutes for those celebrations.
Optimize for Attention
Another powerful story from Guidara highlights how EMP rose from being around the 50th best restaurant in the world to becoming No. 1. To achieve this, Guidara didn’t follow the conventional path of simply copying what the top restaurants were doing well. Instead, he did the opposite.
He took a cross-section of his team to dine at the restaurant ranked No. 1 in the world. After the meal, as his staff began sharing what they loved about the experience, Guidara stopped them. He said he wasn’t interested in what the restaurant did well, everyone already knew that. What he wanted to know was: What didn’t quite live up to expectations? What felt slightly disappointing? That’s where they would focus. Rather than mimic excellence, they would find the gaps and become brilliant at the things others overlooked.
The lesson: optimize for attention by standing out in unexpected ways. Don’t just be good where others are already great. Instead, make a difference in the moments no one else is thinking about. When you do something no one expects, when you over-deliver in the most unlikely places, you surprise people. And that’s what gets noticed.
Practical Ideas for Your Store
You don’t need to transform your entire store overnight. Start small—pick one idea and implement it for a week, then try another. Over time, these intentional acts of hospitality will build a reputation—and a sense of community—that no mass-market chain can replicate.
1. Rethink Transactional Moments
Transform checkout from a routine process into a moment of generosity. Keep a small batch of sample-size products, herbal teas or wellness shots near the register and offer one with purchases over a certain amount. For online orders or curbside pickup, include a simple handwritten thank-you note that expresses genuine appreciation. Train staff to end each transaction with a warm, personal statement like: “We’re grateful for your visit. Hope your energy stays strong today!”
2. Create “Hot Dog Moments” – Listen for the Unsaid
Encourage your team to listen closely to customer conversations and respond with thoughtful gestures. If a team member hears about a product need or personal struggle, empower them to follow up and find a solution. Keep a small fund or stash of gift cards on hand for spontaneous acts of care, like offering a $5 coupon to someone having a rough day. With permission, use your POS system to track customer preferences and personal notes that enable future moments of surprise and delight.
3. Make Your Customers Feel Seen
Build emotional loyalty by remembering returning customers and what matters to them. Greet them by name when possible, and acknowledge important milestones—birthdays, anniversaries or health wins. You might even consider creating a Wellness Journal Wall where customers can post handwritten notes about personal wins, favorite products or tips to share with the community.
4. Introduce a “Dreamweaver” Role – Even if Just for a Day
Assign one team member each week to be a “Joy Ambassador,” someone focused solely on noticing customers who could use an extra touch of kindness. That might mean offering a free sample, handing them a recipe card, or walking their bags to the car. Assume your customers will return. If someone mentions they’re gluten free and love baking, surprise them next time with a new almond flour recipe. These thoughtful touches create stories your customers will share.
5. Design Repeatable Magical Moments
Codify joy into your customer experience. Create welcome kits for new shoppers, along with a “Get to Know Your Store” guide. Prepare small gifts for special occasions—like engagements, pregnancies or major health milestones. Partner with local artisans to offer thoughtful items like custom mugs, tea infusers or candles. Consider hosting seasonal “Gratitude Weeks” with small daily surprises, perhaps the first 20 shoppers each day get a free kombucha. Ask your vendors to sponsor these efforts!
6. Take the Work Seriously, Not Yourself
Hospitality thrives when rules bend in service of people. If a regular customer is one day late on a return, let it slide. Build a fun, inviting atmosphere with playful signage that reflects your store’s personality: “SubCulture Probiotic Party, Aisle 3!” or “Feeling Grumpy? Try ATA Mag Mind Magnesium!” Don’t be afraid to let your store show its human side.
7. Be Fully Present
Hospitality begins with presence. Spend time on the sales floor, not just in the back office. Observe body language. Step in before someone must ask for help. Slow down and truly engage. A 30-second conversation can turn a quick transaction into a lasting relationship.
8. Surprise and Delight
Think about a part of the shopping experience in your store that no one raves about—maybe it’s your bathroom, your parking lot, or how returns are handled. Now, turn that into a moment of surprise. For example, stock your bathroom with luxury hand soap, a pleasant scent, and a handwritten quote on the mirror each week. It’s not where anyone expects excellence—but that’s exactly why they’ll remember it. Customers might not post a photo of your vitamins, but they will tell their friends, “You won’t believe how nice the bathroom was at my local health food store.” Those unexpected details create lasting impressions.
The Opportunity Ahead
In a world where convenience often overshadows connection, independent retailers have a rare and powerful opportunity: to bring hospitality back to the forefront of the customer experience. By embracing the principles of unreasonable hospitality, personalization, intentionality, emotional generosity and presence, you don’t just serve customers; you create moments they’ll remember and relationships they’ll value.VR
Ryan Sensenbrenner leads marketing at Enzymedica, Inc. With extensive expertise in various marketing fields, including retail and e-commerce, he places a special emphasis on branding and customer centricity. Sensenbrenner has collaborated with retailers nationwide, enhancing their marketing strategies to boost revenue and brand recognition in their communities. He served a 10-year tenure on SENPA’s Board of Directors, holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Grand Valley State University, and is an Executive Scholar and Certified Chief Marketing Officer from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.
