Service in Restaurants - lately sporadic (home, buy, eat)

[sapphire]

Lunch service at Armadillo's yesterday was perfect.

[majormadmax]

Well, the original thread has been deleted but to recap, on Saturday we went to a well-known chain restaurant on the Riverwalk for some lunch before going to the train show. It was crowded but we were immediately seated in a booth; but we sat there for 15 minutes and no one bothered to acknowledge us. We finally had enough and got up and left, but not before I informed the host of the situation. The little twerp had the gall to respond "It's not my responsibility" when I told him none of the wait staff bothered to come to our table. The manager quickly showed up and to his credit he said he asked us to come back in and he would fix things, but by this point we were so disgusted that we just ended up going to Hooters, where we had great service.

This a well-known chain restaurant is a common stop for us, but after this bad experience we are boycotting it for the time being. As I stated, we will avoid a restaurant for a while when we get bad service or food if we have had good results with it in the past. If it is the first time we try the place, like a newly-opened cafe on Bandera Road in Helotes, and it stinks, we won't go back. El Chaparral is just up the road, and is always a pleasant experience.

I also mentioned that one of our favorite burger places in Helotes failed to meet its usually high standards when we went by there a few months ago, and we skipped going there for a while, but we eventually returned as it met criteria #1 (a good track record previously) and it redeemed itself.

And, the recently closed well-known chain restaurant at the Rim which had infestation problems is on our "no eat" list, which is a shame as it used to be one of our favorites. Despite the fact that it seems like there is a decline of service at restaurants there are still a lot of choices out there and we vote with our wallet. Those that deserve our custom will get it, and those who don't appreciate our money will find that we will be more than happy to spend it elsewhere!

Cheers! M2

[pobre]

Went to a nationally known FF chain today. One that actually has seen an uptick in sales. Despite a 5:1 worker:customer ratio, I actually had to remind them to MAKE the order after I had paid for it. (2 hot coffee beverages). No apology, nothing. So I probably will cross them off of "the list", as this is not the first time it has happened at this location. Sad.

[cr1039]

We went to dinner at Sushi Zushi last night. Fabulous service, food, wine and saki! We have had the same waitress before - they seem to have low turnover at the I10 location, we notice the same staff, bar staff and managers as we go in there probably 10-12 times a year since they have been there.

It was a nice change from our lacking HH at a well known Quarry restaraunt.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Well, the original thread has been deleted but to recap, on Saturday we went to a well-known chain restaurant on the Riverwalk for some lunch before going to the train show. It was crowded but we were immediately seated in a booth; but we sat there for 15 minutes and no one bothered to acknowledge us. We finally had enough and got up and left, but not before I informed the host of the situation. The little twerp had the gall to respond "It's not my responsibility" when I told him none of the wait staff bothered to come to our table. The manager quickly showed up and to his credit he said he asked us to come back in and he would fix things, but by this point we were so disgusted that we just ended up going to Hooters, where we had great service.

This a well-known chain restaurant is a common stop for us, but after this bad experience we are boycotting it for the time being. As I stated, we will avoid a restaurant for a while when we get bad service or food if we have had good results with it in the past. If it is the first time we try the place, like a newly-opened cafe on Bandera Road in Helotes, and it stinks, we won't go back. El Chaparral is just up the road, and is always a pleasant experience.

I also mentioned that one of our favorite burger places in Helotes failed to meet its usually high standards when we went by there a few months ago, and we skipped going there for a while, but we eventually returned as it met criteria #1 (a good track record previously) and it redeemed itself.

And, the recently closed well-known chain restaurant at the Rim which had infestation problems is on our "no eat" list, which is a shame as it used to be one of our favorites. Despite the fact that it seems like there is a decline of service at restaurants there are still a lot of choices out there and we vote with our wallet. Those that deserve our custom will get it, and those who don't appreciate our money will find that we will be more than happy to spend it elsewhere!

Cheers! M2

Well, I got a letter from the well-known chain restaurant today from the Guest Relations Manager. She apologized for our bad experience and my comments were forwarded to the Area Director "for review and training purposes." There was a little something included with the letter to entice us to eat at the well-known chain restaurant again, and I have to admit I am pleased with the response.

I am not sure if the forum rules will allow me to include the name of the well-known chain restaurant, so I am leaving it out until I hear otherwise. But I do give them credit for acknowledging the bad service we received and I will admit this will probably bring us back to eating there again (but not at the Riverwalk location) sooner than we would have after such a bad experience.

And this kind of response is not the norm. I filed a complaint against a well-known "dollar"-type chain store after an employee was extremely rude to me, and I was not pleased with the lackluster response I got from the well-known "dollar"-type chain store's customer service department. Needless to say I have yet to set foot inside one of their stores again (no big loss anyway)...

Cheers! M2

[Pontifikate]

I too ate at a BIG CHAIN RESTAURANT, they were bad BIG CHAIN RESTAURANT. I will probabaly never eat at this BIG CHAIN RESTAURANT ever again. so everyone I am warning about about BIG CHAIN RESTAURANT.

[Paka]

Service sucks anymore and it is just not in the food service industry.

Took our 2009 car in for routine service...asked that that dang ding that someone put into the side of my back door (just a dimple, NO paint issues) get priced for a fix. They have my car for HOURS and only do the maintenance...when I went back to p/u car, asked what the "quote" was for the ding...no one had even bothered to look at it.

Works for me...having money to pay for things, I will just take my money elsewhere. I think that EVERY service industry should keep that in mind these days...people that have money to spend have CHOICES and might be a little less likely to bring their business for the day (and future business) your way if you don't treat them as the income they have the potential to be. Yeppers, that ding was paultry...probably not worth their "effort"...but I sure won't even consider them for any future needs, great or small.

[mojokitty]

I'm so upset right now. What's with not giving change back? It doesn't bother me much if it's my money and it's like a couple of cents. Today though, my little one who's 4 wanted to buy fries and an ICEE with some money he got for Easter. I'm trying to be a good mom and teach him the value of money, so I made him use his own money for a treat. We went to the drive through, the total was $1.94, and my son gave him two dollars. The guy said "thanks" and walked off without giving him ANY change. I know it's only $.06, but it's my SON'S money...a little guy too. Also, that's not teaching my son anything...the guy basically stole from my son. I needed to vent and I wanted to see...has anyone else experienced this? What should I do/have done?

[TXtrkgrl]

Originally Posted by mojokitty

I'm so upset right now. What's with not giving change back? It doesn't bother me much if it's my money and it's like a couple of cents. Today though, my little one who's 4 wanted to buy fries and an ICEE with some money he got for Easter. I'm trying to be a good mom and teach him the value of money, so I made him use his own money for a treat. We went to the drive through, the total was $1.94, and my son gave him two dollars. The guy said "thanks" and walked off without giving him ANY change. I know it's only $.06, but it's my SON'S money...a little guy too. Also, that's not teaching my son anything...the guy basically stole from my son. I needed to vent and I wanted to see...has anyone else experienced this? What should I do/have done?

I would be po'd too
Did you wait for the guy and ask where your change is?? That is what I would have done.

[mojokitty]

I felt like i would have been a bitty if I would have sat there and complained about my $.06. Especially in the drive thru with people waiting behind me. Grrr.