Pay Attention
At a swanky, busy restaurant, a chef friend sent out a cornucopia of desserts to our table on the house. But what impressed us as much as the generous gift was that, at the start of the meal, a vegetarian companion asked about meat-free offerings. When those sweets arrived at meal's end, the server subtly pointed out which dessert was made with gelatin (an ingredient that's often a no-go for vegetarians) to the meat-eschewing diner. We all felt taken care of, our needs anticipated before we had to voice them. Paying attention to details and listening goes a long way.