Does Service Trump The Product?

A friend of of mine and I decided that we would get together for brunch this weekend.  We live on opposite ends of the metro, so we settled on a popular area about halfway in between.  My friend offered up several dining suggestions and asked my opinion.

Since I had never been to any of the restaurants, I did the next best thing.  I Googled them.  After a quick scan of the restaurants' websites, I was able to whittle the choices down to two options.  Then I dove straight into the restaurant reviews on Yelp.

Ratings were pretty much on par for both; they had decent food and reasonable prices.  They also each had a few key menu items that they were known for and considered "must trys". 

But in my five minute of research, one stood out as the clear winner.  Why?

The other one had overwhelmingly negative reviews for their service.  And after reading a dozen comments right in a row that said the same thing, the only thing I could think was "Why would I spent my money here?"  Not only did I not pick that place, those reviews ensured that I would NEVER pick it.

Restaurants are pretty easy example where I think service plays a key role in their ability to build and maintain a customer base.  If you don't like the service, there are usually plenty of other options.  But for products or services that are more scarce, are you willing to overlook a crummy service experience to be able to secure that sexy new contraption?

What's more important to you?  The experience or the product?

(photo credit rbnlsn)

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