It's All About Service

[Snaggletiger]

Petty rant coming, but this type thing seems to be happening more frequently.  Snagette and I went to a restaurant in Montgunry yesterday afternoon. Got there about 3:30, so not busy at all.  Maybe 4 other tables occupied in the whole place.  This is a little nicer restaurant that we’ve eaten at many times before.  Always had good service, good food, the works. 

We get seated in a booth, and the waitress, who can’t be more than 21, brings some water and takes our order.  The wifey orders a glass of wine.  10 minutes pass, nothing.  The bar is right in front of us, and the bartender is watching TV.  15 minutes pass, still nothing and the waitress is nowhere to be found.  I go up to the bar and get her drink.  After 10 to 15 more minutes, another waitress brings out the food.

They have the silverware wrapped up in black linen napkins.  Snagette unrolls hers, and it looks like they just picked it up from someone else’s table, who had just finished, and wrapped up the silverware.  Covered in dried food.  We finally see the original waitress and flag her down.  The wife shows her the food caked napkin, and politely asks for another.  No, “Sorry about that”, or anything other than, “Yeeeaah”.  She takes the dirty napkin, wads it up and plops on the divider for the booths, right behind my head. Then she promptly disappears again.

After a couple of minutes, and no waitress, I get up and grab another off an unoccupied table.  Snagette ordered a chicken dish.  The bird was cooked to the perfect consistency that only shoe leather could match. I literally couldn’t cut it with my knife.  Inedible!  However, no waitress to be found, and no others anywhere near.  I get up to see if I can find the waitress or a manager.  The only person I found was the greeter desk girl named Shameka, who was slumped over the podium looking intently at her phone.  I sit back down, in the hopes that maybe a waitress, any waitress will magically reappear.  One does, but she goes to the table next to us, to take back the steak the guy ordered because the kitchen F’d his order up too.  Snagette is eating her sides, and I’m sharing my food with her.

By this time, it’s almost comical, and we’re just ready to get on the road. Finally, our young girl pops around the corner, and without a word, scoops up our plates, assuming we’re finished, which trust me, we were.  But before she leaves, she tosses this wadded up napkin on the table in front of my wife and walks off. We’re looking at each other in disbelief.  The wife heads to the restroom, the waitress flies by the table, and without breaking stride or saying a word, slides the folder with our ticket.  She appears from behind me to reach by and take the folder with the card. A different waitress brings it back. 

Since taking our order, the only word uttered from this waitress’ mouth was, “Yeeeaah”. No, “How was your food?”  “Can I get you something else?” No tip!  I know for a fact that we were her only table.  I looked for someone to complain to, but Shameka seemed to be enjoying her Tik Tok videos too much, and I didn’t want to interrupt.

[Kaos]

Petty rant coming, but this type thing seems to be happening more frequently.  Snagette and I went to a restaurant in Montgunry yesterday afternoon. Got there about 3:30, so not busy at all.  Maybe 4 other tables occupied in the whole place.  This is a little nicer restaurant that we’ve eaten at many times before.  Always had good service, good food, the works. 

We get seated in a booth, and the waitress, who can’t be more than 21, brings some water and takes our order.  The wifey orders a glass of wine.  10 minutes pass, nothing.  The bar is right in front of us, and the bartender is watching TV.  15 minutes pass, still nothing and the waitress is nowhere to be found.  I go up to the bar and get her drink.  After 10 to 15 more minutes, another waitress brings out the food.

They have the silverware wrapped up in black linen napkins.  Snagette unrolls hers, and it looks like they just picked it up from someone else’s table, who had just finished, and wrapped up the silverware.  Covered in dried food.  We finally see the original waitress and flag her down.  The wife shows her the food caked napkin, and politely asks for another.  No, “Sorry about that”, or anything other than, “Yeeeaah”.  She takes the dirty napkin, wads it up and plops on the divider for the booths, right behind my head. Then she promptly disappears again.

After a couple of minutes, and no waitress, I get up and grab another off an unoccupied table.  Snagette ordered a chicken dish.  The bird was cooked to the perfect consistency that only shoe leather could match. I literally couldn’t cut it with my knife.  Inedible!  However, no waitress to be found, and no others anywhere near.  I get up to see if I can find the waitress or a manager.  The only person I found was the greeter desk girl named Shameka, who was slumped over the podium looking intently at her phone.  I sit back down, in the hopes that maybe a waitress, any waitress will magically reappear.  One does, but she goes to the table next to us, to take back the steak the guy ordered because the kitchen F’d his order up too.  Snagette is eating her sides, and I’m sharing my food with her.

By this time, it’s almost comical, and we’re just ready to get on the road. Finally, our young girl pops around the corner, and without a word, scoops up our plates, assuming we’re finished, which trust me, we were.  But before she leaves, she tosses this wadded up napkin on the table in front of my wife and walks off. We’re looking at each other in disbelief.  The wife heads to the restroom, the waitress flies by the table, and without breaking stride or saying a word, slides the folder with our ticket.  She appears from behind me to reach by and take the folder with the card. A different waitress brings it back. 

Since taking our order, the only word uttered from this waitress’ mouth was, “Yeeeaah”. No, “How was your food?”  “Can I get you something else?” No tip!  I know for a fact that we were her only table.  I looked for someone to complain to, but Shameka seemed to be enjoying her Tik Tok videos too much, and I didn’t want to interrupt.

Hardee's isn't what I'd call "fine dining" but you do you. 

Similar but not similar.  There's a new place that opened here.  Not bad.  Not fast food, but a step slightly above.  They pile crap on potatoes. 

Friend goes there at 4:30 the other day.  Four kids working. Nobody over the age of 25.  She orders and they ask her if she can take her order to go, because they've decided to close up early.  "Haven't been busy for the last two hours or so..." 

Right.  You're not busy from 2-5.  You know, the gap between lunch and dinner. So shut down without warning before five.  Anyone who might have been coming for dinner will find a locked and darkened door. 

It's gonna fail.  That place won't be there 90 days from now. 

[Snakebite]

Should've swung by Hampstead and treated your sweet bride to Taste or City Grill.

What restaurant did you go to so that I know to avoid it?  I would've cause a scene.  Had a similar experience at Bonefish Grill a few years back & told them exactly what I was thinking.

[Snaggletiger]

Should've swung by Hampstead and treated your sweet bride to Taste or City Grill.

What restaurant did you go to so that I know to avoid it?  I would've cause a scene.  Had a similar experience at Bonefish Grill a few years back & told them exactly what I was thinking.

Firebirds Wood Fire Grill. It's at East Chase.

Like I said, we have been there several times over the years.  We've really enjoyed it every time, and I'm not saying we won't go back in the future.  I get it.  Sometimes, you have an off day.  But a waitress with the personality of a dish rag, and the attentiveness of a 3 year old, plus a chef who let's shoe leather leave his/her kitchen...yeeeaah!  No way you could be a cook, and think what you're sending out is, as my grandmother used to say, fiteat.  Since the guy at the table next to us was sending his back, the chef was screwing up half the orders in the joint.

[Kaos]

Firebirds Wood Fire Grill. It's at East Chase.

Like I said, we have been there several times over the years.  We've really enjoyed it every time, and I'm not saying we won't go back in the future.  I get it.  Sometimes, you have an off day.  But a waitress with the personality of a dish rag, and the attentiveness of a 3 year old, plus a chef who let's shoe leather leave his/her kitchen...yeeeaah!  No way you could be a cook, and think what you're sending out is, as my grandmother used to say, fiteat.  Since the guy at the table next to us was sending his back, the chef was screwing up half the orders in the joint.

Key is, you gotta let somebody know. Not that you're a Karen or whatever, but management rarely knows what's going on if they aren't there.  Nothing will change unless you see something, say something.

[Snaggletiger]

Key is, you gotta let somebody know. Not that you're a Karen or whatever, but management rarely knows what's going on if they aren't there.  Nothing will change unless you see something, say something.

Yep, I should have waited until I could find somebody to let them know.  I got up the one time to do just that, but err'body disappeared. 

One other thing, though.  I don't believe in going on line to leave bad reviews, unless you're transacting business completely on line, like ordering from Amazon. If it's a walk-in business like a restaurant, retail store, bank etc. I believe in talking to someone personally, or at the very least, by phone.  Leaving a bad review on line in that situation, is cowardly, IMO. 

And yes, I'm talking about their website, YELP or some other review site.  Not here.  The 6 of you don't count.