Comments on: Weekly, 22 Oct07: I am going to be a resturant critic http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:29:50 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Dennis http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/#comment-7 Dennis Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:54:39 +0000 http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/#comment-7 Boy, now you've got me started on a topic that I also find really irritating. I agree, the restaurant scene and customer service in general suck. I have lunch with my wife and friends now and then, and have often been badly served. But usually I find that if you complain politely and resolutely and stubbornly, as you also found, you can embarrass someone enough to 'fess up, and they feel compelled to try to make it up somehow. E.g. had lunch at Zach's recently. Ordered buffalo burger medium rare. It came grey clear though, dry as toast. The server said it was not uncommon to have the complaint (so why don't they do something about it?) but she was alarmed it was so bad (even though she said buffalo was dry by nature), and brought another. She must have really leaned on the cook because it was properly done this time. I tipped pretty well. My wife and I were left sitting at a Brewster, front booth, for 20 minutes without a glance from a server (and not a busy time.) We got up and were leaving, and I stopped off to ask for the manager. I described what had happened and why we were leaving. She seemed genuinely chagrined and actually begged us to stay. Like no one had ever bothered to complain. We relented, got pretty attentive service, and turned down the offer of free gooey desert. No tip, and haven't been back since. Don't remember where it was, not a restaurant, but was left standing at the counter while the help chatted about a television show. I did get pissed, complained, got surly service, and the next day took a clipping of a Charlie Dexter column on customer service from the News Miner to the manager. She was surprised and apologetic. LIke no one had ever bothered to complain. Keep complaining! Boy, now you’ve got me started on a topic that I also find really irritating. I agree, the restaurant scene and customer service in general suck. I have lunch with my wife and friends now and then, and have often been badly served. But usually I find that if you complain politely and resolutely and stubbornly, as you also found, you can embarrass someone enough to ‘fess up, and they feel compelled to try to make it up somehow. E.g. had lunch at Zach’s recently. Ordered buffalo burger medium rare. It came grey clear though, dry as toast. The server said it was not uncommon to have the complaint (so why don’t they do something about it?) but she was alarmed it was so bad (even though she said buffalo was dry by nature), and brought another. She must have really leaned on the cook because it was properly done this time. I tipped pretty well.

My wife and I were left sitting at a Brewster, front booth, for 20 minutes without a glance from a server (and not a busy time.) We got up and were leaving, and I stopped off to ask for the manager. I described what had happened and why we were leaving. She seemed genuinely chagrined and actually begged us to stay. Like no one had ever bothered to complain. We relented, got pretty attentive service, and turned down the offer of free gooey desert. No tip, and haven’t been back since.

Don’t remember where it was, not a restaurant, but was left standing at the counter while the help chatted about a television show. I did get pissed, complained, got surly service, and the next day took a clipping of a Charlie Dexter column on customer service from the News Miner to the manager. She was surprised and apologetic. LIke no one had ever bothered to complain.

Keep complaining!

]]> By: maebefunke http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/#comment-6 maebefunke Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:19:26 +0000 http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/#comment-6 We ate the Thai place near UAF. The first time we got our food there was a huge black hair in my pad thai. Then after finally flagging down the waitress she took it back and yelled at the kitchen. About 20-25 minutes later I got my food back. Halfway through I found another hair. I will never eat there again. We ate the Thai place near UAF. The first time we got our food there was a huge black hair in my pad thai. Then after finally flagging down the waitress she took it back and yelled at the kitchen. About 20-25 minutes later I got my food back. Halfway through I found another hair. I will never eat there again.

]]> By: Chris L http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/#comment-5 Chris L Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:54:10 +0000 http://cs256.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/weekly-22-oct07-i-am-going-to-be-a-resturant-critic/#comment-5 Last time I ate at Pasta Bella the scallops (which I think were fake, sKallops (tm) or something) were still part frozen in the middle. They took it back and 20 minutes later (!) returned with the same plate that had obviously been microwaved so the edges were like some kind of set plaster. And they double-charged the dessert. Last time I ate at Pasta Bella the scallops (which I think were fake, sKallops ™ or something) were still part frozen in the middle. They took it back and 20 minutes later (!) returned with the same plate that had obviously been microwaved so the edges were like some kind of set plaster. And they double-charged the dessert.

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