Popular local restaurant introduces new format

Jim Verfurth has owned the Village Grill in Highland Village for the last 15 years, and recently, he decided to change things up a bit.

The Village Grill switched the format in which customers order, from placing an order at the counter to sitting down and being waited on by a server.

Verfurth said so far, the response has been pretty favorable.

“We had many customers who had requested full service,” Verfurth said. “So we felt that it was an opportunity to enhance the customer experience. We had people that liked our food, who would order our food for catering, but told us that they liked to be served when they go out.”

Verfurth said that another change is on the way, as well.

“We have gotten approval from the landlord, and we’ve gone out to bid to add a pub,” Verfurth said. “We have future plans to put a pub inside the restaurant.”

The Village Grill owner said that the changes being made give the restaurant a different feel.

“We’ve gone from scribble on the table with crayons and paper, to more of a table cloth look and feel to the place,” Verfurth said. “Obviously, a waiter coming out in black pants and a white shirt is a lot different from a kid behind the counter in khaki pants and a bright colored pullover golf shirt.

“The whole dress code is a little bit different for the staff. We have drink specials. We’ve added frozen Margaritas. We have more bar offerings, with larger selections. Eventually, we will be adding draft beers.”

Verfurth said that he is pleased with the changes that have taken place and said, with the customer feedback being mostly positive, he believes the restaurant has benefited from the new format.

“It allows us to reach every customer before, during and after their meal to ensure that they had a great experience,” Verfurth said. “A server has the opportunity to talk to a table, impact a customer and a make sure that complete satisfaction is achieved. It’s really allowed us to increase our service level to the customer, and improve the total experience from start to finish.”

One thing that remains the same is the restaurant’s high quality fare that never seems to disappoint.

The Village Grill is located at 2250 FM 407, Suite 130 in Highland Village. Visit www.villagegrill.com for more information.