Poor Service

[ironchef]

Originally Posted by Corey123

If I'm seated where I don't want to sit, and I'm refused another spot, I walk out.

At MANY restaurants, there are particular tables which are requested by repeat diners that also have reservations that evening. If you want a certain table in a specific locale (i.e. window, oceanview, etc.) make that request when you MAKE your reservation. Don't just show up and expect to get one when you ask because most of the time, those tables have already been requested. Just because a restaurant cannot give you a particular table does not constitute bad service.

And besides, if the table itself makes or breaks whether or not you want to dine at a place, you have other problems.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by KitchenScrapbook

We (as in my husband and I) tip 15% minimum for bad service, more for good service. They get such low pay per hour and yeah, maybe the bad servers don't 'deserve' a good tip, but we tip anyway and are just more likely to not go to that restaurant as much again. THAT is why I think a training program is so important... bad service and unfriendliness makes people tend to not go back or at least have a negative thought when they think of that restaurant, I think.

Fifteen percent is standard - tipping that much for bad service sends a message that the service was fine, so there's no incentive to improve. I almost always mention it to the owner/manager when we have bad service, and the tip is reduced.

If I enjoy the food at a certain place, but had bad service, I'd rather give the management a chance to improve the service than miss out on the food by not going back

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by VeraBlue

I don't see how expecting to get good service is showing a lack of respect or compassion for the working class. It's got nothing to do with treating others with dignity or respect. It's about getting what is paid for. When you go to a restaurant, you expect to be served in a timely and pleasant fashion.

I can only assume I am writing in invisible ink here... and no I don't think I will bother to post the same thing for the 3rd time.
Bother to read the other two posts, or don't I don't care I am off to the next thread...

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by VeraBlue

You are quite adept at putting words in my mouth....and I'm not really interested in arguing the point further. You can put me in the minority, if you must insist it actually exists, that I'd rather know a restaurant couldn't accomodate me properly than suffer through shoddy service or less than perfect food. I've returned to places I wanted to frequent when they could accomodate me properly.
Your insistence that I'm being unreasonable, or expecting an unreasonable amount of attention from the staff is preposterous. The fact that I believe it's to be expected is what seems to get under your skin. I could be wrong, and I'll admit to that, if I am. However, every time I make any type of response regarding the service industry and what I expect, you seem to get upset by my responses. This isn't meant to be personal, Maverick. Perhaps my standards are different than yours, but that doesn't make me or my standards wrong or unreasonable. It surely doesn't make me incompassionate or disrespectful. To assume I am and to write it, here, is insulting. I never said anything about 15 dollar dresses versus 1500 dollar dresses. My analogy is plain and simple. If I'm paying for a product or a service, I'm not going to finish the product or service myself if the provider didn't or couldn't do it right. I'm going to voice my disapproval and take my business elsewhere. I work too hard for my money to settle for any less. And again, this isn't meant to be a personal attack to you or someone you know. I'm in the hospitality business myself, working long hard days on my feet from start to end. Do not lecture me on respecting people in the industry. I am part of that industry and know what is expected, both front of the house, and back. If I'm expected to deliver, than I expect the same in return.

The only one putting words in others mouths around here is you, you should be more careful when pointing fingers at people, you will always find three more pointing back at yourself.
I re-read my posts and can't find for the live of me anywhere where I mentioned your name.
Maybe you could point it out to me?? Please quote the sentence with your name in it, that would be great.
Thanks!

[Corey123]

Originally Posted by ironchef

At MANY restaurants, there are particular tables which are requested by repeat diners that also have reservations that evening. If you want a certain table in a specific locale (i.e. window, oceanview, etc.) make that request when you MAKE your reservation. Don't just show up and expect to get one when you ask because most of the time, those tables have already been requested. Just because a restaurant cannot give you a particular table does not constitute bad service.

And besides, if the table itself makes or breaks whether or not you want to dine at a place, you have other problems.

This particular restaurant which is in Providence, a friend and I used to go to without ever making any reservations first. The side that we wanted to sit on,
which has booths, we were denied that side and wre offered high seats and tables. We didn't want that, so we walked out.

One other time on the side that we usually sat, we were given a small table.
We asked for a larger one. The hostess had moved us from one small table to another small table. My friend and I both said; "She just doesn't get it.", and we walked out again.

The last time that we were there which which was about 1-1/2 years or so ago, we had their chillie which was always good in the past. It had us living in the bathroom!! So we never went back to that restaurant.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Maverick2272

And I am not arguing with that, I feel the same way. But I am saying there is a difference between asking to get what you paid for, and demanding something unreasonable. Some of the posts I have read imply they expect something unreasonable, I am not saying you are, and I don't think you are....

Help me out here. I just reread the thread and saw no instance of a poster who demanded unreasonable service. Could you point it/them out to me?

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Maverick2272

...I have seen cases where they turned people away because too many employees called in sick, and even though they explained exactly why they couldn't wait on the person, that person still went around town claiming they were turned away for no good reason and insulted by being denied service and never came back. They also got others to go along with them and drop their patronage.
But when they seat and serve people even though they are short handed, they get complaints but the customers still come back. As a restaurant owner, which course of action would you choose?...

I would choose the honest approach that respected the customer's evening plans. I would tell the customer we were short-handed and could not seat them right now. If they would be willing to wait, we would be happy to seat them when we could ensure good service. I may even offer them a drink while they waited.

This would give them the option of going elsewhere if that suited their plans and needs better. Reasonable people would appreciate that.

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Help me out here. I just reread the thread and saw no instance of a poster who demanded unreasonable service. Could you point it/them out to me?

I don't think we need to let this degenerate into finger pointing, although I am starting to think some are wanting that. Like I said, I feel I made my point and don't feel the need to keep going on and on just hashing over the same stuff and not contributing anything new, so I am moving on.
If you want to keep believing that everyone out there is reasonable and there is no such thing as an unreasonable person or unreasonable expectations and no possible way their actions could influence things on your life or the lives of people they interact with, well who am I to argue with that.

[Maverick2272]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I would choose the honest approach that respected the customer's evening plans. I would tell the customer we were short-handed and could not seat them right now. If they would be willing to wait, we would be happy to seat them when we could ensure good service. I may even offer them a drink while they waited.

This would give them the option of going elsewhere if that suited their plans and needs better. Reasonable people would appreciate that.

Why do we keep bringing reasonable people into a point made about unreasonable people and the effect they have on us and restaurant owners??
Makes no sense. I talk about unreasonable people, you tell me what you would do for a reasonable person.
Its like me talking about dogs and you keep telling me what you did with your pet chickadee...

And, in the context of continuing to talk about unreasonable people, your actions would result in the loss of that persons business in this scenario, because you suggested doing exactly what the owner did. And I already listed the results of said action.
And, making the same point yet again, from the owners point of view, better the waitress loose a tip than he loose business.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Maverick2272

...But when they seat and serve people even though they are short handed, they get complaints but the customers still come back. As a restaurant owner, which course of action would you choose?...

You asked, I answered...