Will we get dinner?

[BP in ME]

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and had such bad service that you couldn't do anything but laugh? We went to dinner tonight (because my wife's flights got screwed up AGAIN and she's STILL here) at a very casual place we didn't much like before but it's been under new management for several months. The reviews are mostly positive so we gave them another shot. We go in and notice there's a bar, a takeout counter and sit-down dining all kind of overlapping. Not how I'd do it but it's not my restaurant. There's no sign of waitstaff but the sign says seat yourself so we do. Then nobody comes with menus. I was facing the door so I couldn't see but my wife said people peeked out every so often but no waitress appeared. We probably should have left at this point but instead I grabbed a couple menus off the counter. The couple at the next table made a comment and we chuckled about it. Finally a girl comes out to take our drink order but she never actually gave it to the bar so it didn't come out until we waved her over and reminded her.

The rest of the dinner went the same way. She brought my salad but had forgotten to set the table so there was no silverware, that sort of thing. Being the only waitress on duty, you might have thought she was overworked but there were only three tables occupied for a total of 5 customers and two left before we even got a drink so... the stress level didn't appear too bad. We got a kick out of her calling across the restaurant (maybe 35'-40') to ask me what kind of dressing I wanted because they're out of the one I ordered. And then have to list the choices because I couldn't remember what they had. God forbid you walk over and actually talk to us.

Food wasn't too bad and she did check on us midway through. Then she disappeared. And stayed gone. Wife says to me, "I'm going to have to go up and get the bill, aren't I?" I told her, "Well, if you're going up, you might as well grab a box for your leftovers." That cracked her up.

We still tipped her because she was friendly and seemed like a sweet girl. I just doubt she ever got any training for the job.

[OdingyNBugs]

would be the last time we went an establishment if the service was that bad...

[Dan21XRS]

Just remember... Good help is hard to find... Dan

[RyanJ]

Was she a hottie??

[Walkabout7781]

Millenials...want them to work? Why?

[Brandon214]

That’s ultimately a direct failure on the management of the joint it sounds like.

[Iowa Bass Hunter]

I hate bad service. I figure a restuarant sells two things, food and service.

[SuperCorona]

That’s ultimately a direct failure on the management of the joint it sounds like.

That's what I would guess. Manager down the street drinking at another establishment.

[BP in ME]

That's what I would guess. Manager down the street drinking at another establishment.

Holy cow! I would have thought the same thing but looking at their Facebook page, I'm pretty sure the owner was there last night even though she looked and acted like a customer at the bar! Other customers rave about the service but the waitress we had looked and acted like a high school cheerleader. She was cheerful and friendly but didn't know the first thing about waiting tables. The first thing a waiter needs to realize is what Iowa Bass Hunter mentioned: they're selling service as much as the food. The second thing is that they can usually control their own rate of pay by the level of service they provide. Not only will good service get a higher percentage tip but the amount of food (and esp. drinks) ordered will increase which helps both them and the restaurant.

I'm not interested in slamming them with a bad review so I'll have to look into another way to leave feedback.

[rhsvipre]

Sadly we do not eat out hardly at all anymore because the service and quality is terrible, even at more expensive restaurants. Oddly enough, I spent a week in Salt Lake City earlier in the year and it was completely the opposite - appeared lots of "foodies" making good wages were working in the restaurants, many of which had open kitchens.....

[brushsjigs]

Ill have a talk with the manager before it gets that bad. Im not a bit afraid to knawl on someones butt.
Last time was at Bob Evans. The girl that FINALLY sat us at the table, said (girls name) will be your waitress tonight. I said fine, have her bring the manager with her. District manager came out.
My wife and I went out and the larger party's would be seated. Not a 1st come first serve night. We sat there for 45 minutes. NO I wasn't leaving, I wanted someones butt.

[JR19]

Typically every friday night my wife and I eat out. Tonight she was feeling bad and told me to just go get something myself. She doesn't like to try new places so this was a green light for me to try a new mom and pop pizza joint that opened up about 6 weeks ago. Since I was by myself I was very observant of my surroundings. Plus anytime I eat at a new place I pay close attention to the staff and how things operate. Anyways I sit down and notice the people at the table next to me are just getting their drinks so this tells me they arrived a couple minutes before me. I order my pizza and tell my waitress to go ahead and bring me a to go box because I want be able to eat it all. I wait long enough that the people next to me get their food, finish, order desert and finish it. There was 6 other tables that had people sit down after me and 4 of them got food before me. Two of them ordered pizza just like me so I don't understand how they got theirs way before me. The ones that ordered sandwiches or spaghetti I understand but the ones who ordered pizza like me I don't understand. At the table next to me there was someone sitting at it that I use to work with. As they are leaving they jokingly said "do you want a piece of our pizza because it looks like they lost yours" It took 40 minutes for my pizza to arrive.

Since I had such a long wait time I was able to observe a few things. Some may be petty or small to most people but its things I dislike when I go to a restaurant. No napkins...I saw three different tables ask for napkins. There was none at the table and all you get is one napkin with a fork rolled up in it, so if you want to sit your fork down on a napkin you have nothing to wipe with. No knife just a fork...granted I did not need a knife but the people next to me who ordered a calzone had to ask for a knife to cut it. Then there is the poor service. The waitress brought out my pizza and then she left and all I had was a plate, no napkin or fork. I thought maybe she had gone to get me a fork but after seeing her attend to other tables I had to ask her for a fork and requested some extra napkins. She brought them and never returned to my table. I just quit eating when my drink was empty which did not take long because I drank most of it in the 40 minute wait for my pizza. The waitress never saw my glass low when she brought my food or when she returned with my fork. I know I could have ask for a refill but I just wanted to see how observant she was. I ask for a to go box upfront when I made my order and had yet to receive it so I just went to the front and ask someone for a to go box.

As I am waiting for my food I see this guy that would occasionally walk around. Just by looks he appeared to be either a manager or owner. When I get to the register he ask how was things. My reply "I eat here twice today" his reply "well that's great we appreciate your business" me "well the bad news is I ate here twice today because it was my first and last time all in one trip". His jaw drops and he ask me why. I politely explained in detail what I saw and what my experience was. He thanked me for the feedback and said I hope you decide to return. Before I left I told him please don't think I am mad because I am not. I told him to go look on my table that I left $5 tip on a $15 pizza but I have no intentions of returning anytime soon.

Typically I don't come on the internet and bad mouth restaurants about poor service but since this post was already started I thought I would share my experience this friday night.

[dean c]

They need that "bar rescue" guy to come in and chew some azz.

[LTZ25]

Just like eating at my house .

[Walkabout7781]

I made the mistake of going to our local IHOP once...just once. The folks at the next table finished their food and left about the time I ordered. An IHOP employee would walk by and pick up a plate or cup from that table. Then, another employee would walk by and pick up a few items of silverware. Then, another employee would walk by and pick up a cup or plate. A few minutes would go by and...etc., etc., etc. It took them at least 20 minutes to clear that table, and nobody wiped it down or set it up with fresh silverware before I left. Hell of a way to run a restaurant!

[krindgen]

Tough line of business. One bad experience and people don't go back. My gal works as a hostess (with the mostess) Friday evenings at a local place. She's got lots of stories about the young people that get hired there and watch her work. Worst cases are the owner's kids.

[basscatlildave]

I would have left.

[kybluebullet]

We have pretty much completely quit eating out anywhere. Between the poor service and quality of food we have tappped out .

[donpilot]

Nobody can hire good workers, they don't exist anymore. None want to work when the businesses are the busiest.

[cbburke74]

If I had that kind of service, for example: Waited 30 mins for the bill.

I would have just got up and walk out with the "estimate bill" on the table.
Im not gotta for someone to get me the bill. It should be their responsibility.