Philip, when did you start getting involved in your Uncle Jerry's restaurant?
I started at Jerry's Seafood when I was about 12. It's a family business, and you know how that goes. Over the years his kids have worked here, now his grandkids work here and Uncle Jerry's still very involved in the whole operation. Now I work together with his daughter Debbie. We have all learned how to do everything. In fact, we don't even really have a chef.
You don't? How does that work?
The recipes haven't changed much since Uncle Jerry first opened the place. They're all his or his mother's. It's not rocket science. There are no fancy sauces, just the flavor of the very best seafood available. So we depend on our great kitchen crew to stick to the recipes and keep our customers coming back for more.
Is the trademarked Crab Bomb one of those dishes? What makes it so different from a crab cake?
We don't use any fillers. It's all premium lump crab meat, 10 ounces, dressed with a little mayo and Old Bay Seasoning, rounded into a sort of ball and then baked. We also offer a baby bomb six-ounce version. Both are available by overnight delivery anywhere in the country through our Web site: www.jerrysseafood.com.
What's the drill for a customer coming through the door of Jerry's Seafood?
Philip: Well, we're in a strip mall only a few minutes outside of the beltway in D.C., so we have a lot of regulars at both lunch and dinner. In fact, we know if it's your first visit, and we try extra hard to welcome you to the family. Sometimes the wait for a table can be a while. But whether you're new or a regular, the minute you walk in we try to hand you something. You know, a piece of shrimp, a bit of crab, a little hospitality.
Jerry: I'm up to about $800 a week in giveaways. But we don't rely on advertising, just word-of-mouth.
It sounds as if the service is incredible. What are some other ways you make people feel welcome?
Philip: Each server has only four tables at a time, waiting on about 16 to 18 people. Runners help bring the food and drinks out. And we've put two people up front and two busboys responsible for only cleaning tables. But everyone knows how to do everything and help where they're needed in a pinch. And of course I'm usually there on the floor, watching to make sure customers get what they want. If I spot someone rubbernecking, looking for some help, I'm there in a second.
We're not an inexpensive restaurant, but guests seem more than willing to pay for our level of service. They tell me all the time, "Oh, Phil, the food was great, but the service was super." And that's what really keeps them coming back. We make them feel completely welcome.
Jerry: The business was built on personal contact. I'm more than happy to take people who ask on a tour of the kitchen. It doesn't matter how busy we are or what time of the day or night it is. The kitchen is so clean and so efficient that it always impresses our customers.
We also pack up leftovers to look like another meal for use when the customer gets home. There's no such thing as just slopping the food into a box. Our servers put in some fresh bread and a baked potato if we have enough.
Philip: I also bend the hours a little bit. If someone I know comes in between lunch and dinner when we're closed, I still serve that person. It's the same thing if we're busy on Friday or Saturday night, and there are still people coming in. What am I going to do - tell them they can't eat?
How has Jerry's Seafood changed over the nearly 30 years that you've been in business?
Philip: We've just gotten busier and busier. We recently put in a kitchen within the kitchen to help handle the huge carryout traffic. And that's worked great because it cuts down on the time it takes to get the food to tables inside the restaurant, too. Other than that, it's petty much the same restaurant it's always been.
To what do you credit your ongoing success?
Hard work and attention to detail. Uncle Jerry's always been a perfectionist, so we try to be, too.
The other important thing is the quality of our seafood. We pay top dollar to our supplier, and we charge top dollar. Our suppliers respect our standards and won't even fill an order if they can't fill it with the right product.
How do you know for sure when a customer is new or not?
Oh, we know all right. I come right out and ask the customer if I'm not sure, but we always tell people after their first visit to flag us down next time they're in and say hello. And most come back frequently. Pretty soon we're calling them by name. I guarantee you we're getting about 30 new customers a week right now.
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