On dining out

[gurdymonkey]

The following is prompted by a friend's journal entry describing a recent trip to a restaurant. The service was bad, the room was painfully loud, and she said there pretty much wasn't anything that they'd ordered that she would order again. What puzzled me was her statement that she wasn't sure she would go there again.

Wasn't sure? Why would she ever go back? I'm damn sure I wouldn't darken the door based on her description of her evening.

Fast food mostly aside, when I go someplace for a sit-down meal, I expect to enjoy myself. I expect the food to be good, I expect the servers to do their jobs. I expect my order to not be screwed up. I expect my order to turn up in a reasonable amount of time.

Sometimes kitchen disasters happen. We all know this. If my server or the manager comes to the table, apologizes for a screwed up order and fixes the problem quickly, they deserve another chance. In some cases, they've even given the entire table dessert on the house or knocked something off the bill. They're trying - and that makes them worthy of another chance. If disaster seems to be the rule rather than the exception, then that justifies not returning a third time.

I don't know about you, but I work very hard for my money. I expect the businesses I give my money to to work hard for my money too. If they do, I go back. If they don't, I don't. If I don't like the food, I don't go back. If the service was bad, I don't tip and I don't go back.

"You don't tip?" you cry. "But they have to live on that money." Yes, yes they do - but they also have to work for it. I had this argument many years ago with my old roommate in a diner in NJ. Joan had worked her way through college slinging plates in a similar establishment. Our waitress had been extremely surly, the service had been slow and snotty, and when it came time to pay the bill, I refused to put in for a tip. Joan argued with me at length, even though I know for a fact that Joan would have given top notch, friendly, fast service to the devil himself if he'd parked his semi in front of her diner at 2 AM. "Fine," I said, and dumped the contents of my change purse into a half full glass of water. "She can fish for it."

I'll always throw a tip in a tip jar at the fast food Chinese place (and I don't mean the Panda at the mall),  near work because the women behind the counter work their asses off! They keep the orders moving, they always say hello. They always cry goodbye as soon as they see me bus my tray - and the food that comes out of that kitchen is always hot, and plentiful, and a good value for the price. (China Cook on the corner of Washington Avenue and Halcyon Drive in San Leandro.)

Likewise the nice young man at Peet's last week who assured me that yes, there were more ginger cookies when I lamented the empty tray in the pastry case, and got me one lickety split.

Or the Mongolian barbecue place in on Greenback Road in Citrus Heights that let us in right before closing time as we staggered in from June Crown. The manager still insisted we all had to have at least three bowls.

Or Sushi Avenue on Marina in San Leandro. It's not the best Japanese food I've ever had, but it's pretty darn close on a consistent basis. The service is friendly and attentive, and you're treated like a regular whether you are one or not. Steve and Mary and their staff work hard to make you feel welcome and well fed.

Comments

[czina.livejournal.com]

I quite agree with you. I treat them with respect, and expect the same - and the tip reflects how that works out.

Red and I had several favorites in CA, where they knew us, knew what we liked, and always treated us well - and knew that they'd get good tips when they did. Heh - and at least one place where they threw in babysitting for the meal, as well (but I think they liked Bean and Aurora at least as much as me and Red, so it's not quite fair).

But I'd like to think that Red and I are fairly easy to please at a restaurant - take our orders quickly, keep our drinks filled, and get the food there (hot and in a reasonable amt of time) - and we're happy. Bonus service (keeping us hydrated after a long event, dealing with my restricted diet with aplomb, for example) gets bonus tip.

But if there is consistent BAD service - why on Earth would you go back? There are plenty of restaurants in most areas - why reward poor service? You won't make them improve, you'll only encourage more bad service.

Heh - just my opinion, of course.

[kass-rants.livejournal.com]

People are strange. I often think that people go back to places that have given them gyp just so they can complain. Hmmm... I don't understand that. I can always find something new to complain about. ;)

About the worst restaurant story I have happened in my own hometown at a restaurant that has been there since my parents were kids. I was home visiting and for some reason we decided to go out to dinner (that's a rarity). The restaurant was more crowded than usual and they put us in a room where no one else was. It was winter and the room was cold, but I expected that they would turn up the heat after they seated us. But no. We froze.

Our waitress served us a round of drinks, came back promptly to take our orders, and then disappeared... for a full HOUR! No one checked on us. No one got us another round of drinks. And I could see the shiftless wench through the window of the kitchen, chewing the rag with the cook.

When she finally came back to the table, she still didn't have our orders, but she asked if we wanted another round of drinks. I stood up and said, "No. But the first round is on you."

She practically screamed at me that she was cooking my order and it took a long time. "Sorry, darling. Linguine doesn't take AN HOUR to cook."

My mother was humiliated. She saw people she worked with there. But I just couldn't allow any of my family to pay for such negligent service.

When you're in a service profession, you must serve people. If you don't serve people, you shouldn't get tipped. I don't care what bills you have to pay.

[laurensa.livejournal.com]

Or Sushi Avenue on Marina in San Leandro. It's not the best Japanese food I've ever had, but it's pretty darn close on a consistent basis. The service is friendly and attentive, and you're treated like a regular whether you are one or not. Steve and Mary and their staff work hard to make you feel welcome and well fed.



There is a chain steak house (Logan's) near us that is surprisingly good. I don't like steak, and they don't have a salad bar. BUT

The food I have gotten there, from chicken to salad to salmon and tilapia, is cooked precisely the way I want it, and served by polite, efficient people who are friendly not only to myself and Greg but also to our boys, who can be...ummmm...rambunctious. The service has been, on almost every visit, downright stellar.(The one exception, the service was merely very good.) We tip well, we don't let the kids leave a huge mess around their seats--and I have indeed buttonholed the manager (within earshot of my waiter) to praise the service.

OTOH, I've been known to contact a restaurant's regional management when the service is bad enough. My sister has been a waitress/bartender for years, and I spent years in fast food and retail. I know what good service looks like, and I compensate accordingly. I've stomped out of restaurants without even ordering, I've complained vociferously to a manager, and yes, I most certainly have walked out without tipping.

[ldyanna.livejournal.com]

In truth I didn't say I would go back. I just didn't totally rule it out. Service can change. But more likely, since it is a restaurant that is run by someone famous, people visiting us might insist on going there. Heck, when my brother is done with cooking school he may work there. So there is a slim chance I would go back. But not because I like to gripe about a place.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

So I looked up your restaurant on the internet. Found a review of the Santa Rosa branch. Evidently the service and the food suck there too. I don't know, but how could he possibly be in more than one kitchen at a time?

If I were you, I would tell your visitors exactly what your experience was like and suggest some place nice to eat.

I've eaten your cooking. I know how mortified you would be if YOUR feasts were not all they could be. Let's hope Mr. Famous either gets his clue and his staff's act together or deservedly goes out of business.

[ldyanna.livejournal.com]

The sad thing is he probably isn't in any of his three kitchens (he has another restaurant, different name) since he has two shows on the foodnetwork and also does numerous guest appearances on other things.