点评:***TL;DR: The food and atmosphere were awesome, but beware that it will be a struggle to get the management/owners to even partially try to make things right if you have a cluster of an experience. As long as you eventually get your food, they don't seem too concerned when it gets served or if it gets served on you or inside your purse.***
For context: You order at the counter, get a number, and they bring you the food. There are no servers or anyone checking up on your table.
We ordered 5 fountain drinks and 5 calzones (4 cheeseburger, 1 meatball calzone) on May 11, which totaled $80 with tax. We also tipped 15% up front although we also realized it was counter service and that we would refill our own drinks. We had another person in our party who ordered separately before we did and also had a to-go order.
The other person received her food. Then soon after we received 2 of our 5 calzones. The kitchen guy put them down and rushed off as though he was bringing the rest. We were deep in conversation and then realized as the three of us were almost done eating that we still needed the other three calzones.
I went up to the counter to check on it, and the lady at the counter came back and said the kitchen misread the 4 as 1, and they will have to make them. Bummer, but mistakes happen.
When the 3 calzones were brought to the table, as the kitchen guy was sitting them down, the cup of thousand island dressing and the cup of pickles slid off and bounced off my lap and onto my purse. The cup of thousand island landed inside the pouch of my purse. I had dressing splattered on my pants and inside my purse, and now I smelled like pickles that landed on me and bounced onto the floor. To make it even worse, I hate thousand island and pickles, which is why I was the one with the meatball calzone.
Again, mistakes happen, but this is now crossed the line of where I expect the restaurant to do something to make it right.
At first I thought the calzone had also slid off the plate and we were going to have to wait for it to be made again for a third round of waiting. I explained the situation to the counter lady, and showed her my purse. My husband already quickly reacted by removing the cup and soaking up a lot of dressing with napkins, which the first instinct so it didn't make a bigger mess by soaking into other compartments). I politely asked for a refund, and she was understanding and was going to see what she could do.
After some time, she came back and said the best the manager could do is take off 2 calzones and were trying to figure out how to do this in their system, and it might require me to reswipe my card. I explained very calmly and respectfully that when I asked for a refund, I thought the calzone had also fallen and would have to be remade. However, we still have 60% of the meal that was initially missing, my purse is a mess, and now I'm wearing food for the rest of the afternoon and evening and for a two hour drive home. So I thought 60% was a very reasonable and fair request for this trouble. She went back to speak to the manager again.
Eventually, the manager did come out and said the owner wasn't there, so he had to call him about the situation, and the owner would only approve 50% because that's the best they could do as it's a small business and struggling. He said, "Besides, it's not like you didn't get your food." I said I would be happy with 60% for the late food, the inconvenience of wearing food, and having to clean my purse. He reiterated he could only get the owner to approve 50%. I matter of factly told him that I understood that his hands were tied by the owner and understood the expenses of a small business, but they still had a responsibility to make things right. This wasn't making the situation right for us. If the owner could not agree to 60%, then I would leave unhappy and would take the time to write a review about my experience, and they would also lose my family's repeat business.
The manager seemed unbothered by this or willing to take it up further with the owner, and it was obvious that he and the owner were not going to do more, and we had already wasted enough time there. So we moved on to getting the comp worked out, which was another ordeal as they had already been trying to figure out this process.
We had to have our card re-run with the comp since we paid when we ordered. Supposedly, the other order was cancelled, but the manager could produce no proof of this, but he did give me his name and number to call if there was a problem. I made sure the full amount of that tip (15% = $12) was left intact because it was not the counter ladies' fault for the reduction.
To my suprise, the manager made a comment to the effect of not to worry that he was going to punish the kitchen guy. Maybe it was made in inappropriate jest, but we stopped him to emphasize that we did not want the kitchen guy to be punished. People make mistakes and that's fine and to be expected, but when they happen it is the responsibility of the management and owners should do what they can to make it right. My husband explained several incidents of working for small businesses where the business owners took a hit and made it right and weren't jerks at the employees because nobody is perfect.
It wasn't about the expense but rather how this situation was handled. Here is what did not go right:
* The manager initially did not come out to address this issue, which should have been his responsibility. He sent the employee out to relay the message. Managers should be the one to interact with customers in that type of situation.
* When the manager did come out, I don't remember if the manager said he was sorry; he may have said those words once, but he didn't convey an apologetic tone. In fact, his greeting words were, "Who is it here that I need to talk to?" in a confrontational tone, but that seemed to somewhat diffuse as we remained respectful.
* I was never offered anything to clean my purse or pants. We had to use napkins on the table. The pickles and splattered dressing remained on the floor for the rest of the meal.
* Usually when food is served, the person who served it will step back and say, "Does everything look OK?" giving people the opportunity to point out mistakes at that time. I don't fault the kitchen guy for not doing this as maybe he wasn't trained, and also because he seemed rushed.
* The hurriedness of the kitchen guy is likely due to kitchen inefficiencies and understaffing, which is a reflection of management issues not the employees themselves. It was not really busy while we were there. I think there were two other tables eating when we came in, and maybe three other different tables when we left.
* There was a significant delay for them to figure out how to operate the machine for a refund.
* As customers, the request for 60% was reasonable for not getting our food on time PLUS the inconvenience for the mess and cleaning from having that order spilled on them. The difference of 50% (which we had to persist to receive) and 60% was only 10% which added up to $8 and no future repeat business. We otherwise loved the place, and it would have become a regular stop when visiting.
* Kitchen guy, if you are reading this, I wasn't upset with you at all because accidents happen, and I hope your manager didn't give you a hard time especially when we requested that he doesn't. Counter lady, you were sweet and doing your best, and you were the only person in this establishment who seemed apologetic and understanding of the frustration and inconvenience this caused us.
Ironically, as I prepared to post this review, I read the owner's comments on other reviews across various websites on how much they value reviews, but that was not the impression I was given. Nic wants to ask for second chances and tell reviewers that they should have addressed issues with management. Well, we did that, and your manager told us he didn't have your approval.
I will not give a second chance to an establishment where its management and/or owners do not understand the value of the customer experience. Other reviews replies by the owner indicate they have a problem with understaffing, but this review only exists due to your and/or your manager's lack of responsibility to make things right and fair with your customers.
翻译:***TL;DR:食物和氛围都很棒,但请注意,如果您有一系列的体验,让管理层/业主哪怕只是部分尝试纠正事情也会很困难。只要您最终拿到食物,他们似乎并不太在意食物何时送达,或者是否送到您身上或放在您的钱包里。***
背景:您在柜台点餐,拿一个号码,他们会把食物送来。没有服务员或任何人检查您的桌子。
我们在 5 月 11 日订购了 5 杯饮料和 5 个馅饼(4 个芝士汉堡,1 个肉丸馅饼),总计 80 美元(含税)。我们还预先给了 15% 的小费,尽管我们也意识到这是柜台服务,我们会自己续杯。我们团队中还有另一个人比我们先单独点餐,还有一份外卖订单。
另一个人收到了她的食物。然后不久之后,我们收到了 5 个馅饼中的 2 个。厨房小伙子把它们放下,然后匆匆离开,好像他要把剩下的拿来一样。我们聊得很投入,然后当我们三个人快吃完时,我们意识到我们还需要另外三个馅饼。
我走到柜台前检查,柜台的女士回来说,厨房把 4 误读为 1,他们必须自己做。真扫兴,但错误总是会发生。
当三个馅饼被端上桌时,厨房小伙子正把它们放好,一杯千岛酱和一杯泡菜滑落下来,从我的腿上弹到我的钱包上。千岛酱落在我钱包的袋子里。我的裤子上和钱包里都溅上了酱汁,现在我身上和地上都沾满了泡菜的味道。更糟糕的是,我讨厌千岛酱和泡菜,这就是为什么我吃的是肉丸馅饼。
再次,错误总是难免的,但现在已经超出了我希望餐厅能做些什么来纠正的界限。
起初,我以为馅饼也从盘子上滑了下来,我们不得不等待它再次制作,进行第三轮等待。我向柜台小姐解释了情况,并向她展示了我的钱包。我丈夫已经迅速做出反应,他把杯子拿了出来,用餐巾纸吸干了很多调料,这是第一反应,这样就不会因为浸湿其他隔间而造成更大的混乱)。我礼貌地要求退款,她表示理解,并会看看她能做些什么。
过了一段时间,她回来了,说经理能做的最好的就是拿下 2 个馅饼,并试图弄清楚如何在他们的系统中做到这一点,这可能需要我重新刷卡。我非常冷静和尊重地解释说,当我要求退款时,我以为馅饼也掉了,必须重新制作。但是,我们仍然有 60% 的餐食是最初丢失的,我的钱包乱糟糟的,现在我下午和晚上剩下的时间以及开车回家的两小时里都要吃东西。所以我认为 60% 是一个非常合理和公平的要求,以弥补这个麻烦。她又回去和经理谈了谈。
最后,经理出来了,说老板不在,所以他不得不打电话给他说明情况,老板只同意 50%,因为这是他们能做的最好的事情,因为这是一家小企业,而且正在苦苦挣扎。他说,“再说了,你又不是没拿到食物。”我说,我很乐意给 60% 的餐费,以弥补食物迟到、食物不便和不得不清理我的钱包。他重申他只能让老板同意 50%。我实事求是地告诉他,我明白老板束缚着他的手脚,也明白小企业的开支,但他们仍然有责任把事情做好。这对我们来说并不合适。如果老板不同意 60%,那么我会不高兴地离开,并花时间写一篇关于我的经历的评论,他们也会失去我家人的回头客。
经理似乎对此毫不在意,也不愿意与老板进一步讨论,很明显他和老板不会再做更多的事情了,我们已经在那里浪费了足够多的时间。所以我们继续处理补偿问题,这又是一次磨难,因为他们已经在试图弄清楚这个过程。
我们必须重新刷卡,因为我们在点餐时就付款了。据说,另一个订单被取消了,但经理无法提供证据,但他给了我他的名字和电话号码,如果有问题可以打电话。我确保小费的全额(15% = 12 美元)保持不变,因为减少小费不是柜台女士的错。
令我惊讶的是,经理说不用担心他会惩罚厨房工人。也许这只是一个不恰当的玩笑,但我们阻止了他,强调我们不想让厨房工人受到惩罚。人都会犯错,这很正常,也是意料之中的事。但当这些事情发生时,管理层有责任,业主应该尽其所能去纠正。我丈夫讲了几起在小企业工作时发生的事件,企业主受到了打击,但都改正了,没有对员工发脾气,因为人无完人。
问题不在于费用,而在于如何处理这种情况。以下是出了问题的地方:
* 经理最初没有出来解决这个问题,这应该是他的责任。他派员工出去传达信息。在这种情况下,经理应该是与客户互动的人。
* 当经理出来时,我不记得他是否表示过抱歉;他可能说过一次,但他没有传达出道歉的语气。事实上,他的问候语是“我需要和谁谈谈?”语气很对抗,但随着我们保持尊重,这种语气似乎有所缓和。
* 从来没有人给我提供任何东西来清洗我的钱包或裤子。我们不得不用餐巾纸在桌子上。剩下的时间里,泡菜和溅出的调料都留在地板上。
* 通常,当食物端上来时,上菜的人会退后一步说:“一切看起来都还好吗?”,这样人们就有机会指出当时的错误。我不会责怪厨房服务员没有这样做,因为他可能没有受过培训,也因为他看起来很匆忙。
* 厨房服务员的匆忙可能是由于厨房效率低下和人手不足,这反映了管理问题,而不是员工本身的问题。我们在那里的时候,那里并不忙。我想我们进来的时候,还有另外两张桌子在吃饭,我们离开的时候,可能还有另外三张桌子在吃饭。
* 他们花了很长时间才弄清楚如何操作机器退款。
* 作为顾客,要求 60% 退款是合理的,因为我们没有按时拿到食物,而且订单洒在他们身上,造成了混乱和清洁不便。 50%(我们必须坚持才能拿到)和 60% 之间的差额只有 10%,加起来是 8 美元,而且以后不会再有回头客了。除此之外,我们很喜欢这个地方,而且它将成为我们来这里的常客。
* 厨房小伙子,如果你正在读这篇文章,我一点也不生你的气,因为意外总是会发生,我希望你的经理没有给你制造麻烦,尤其是当我们要求他不要这样做的时候。柜台小姐,你很贴心,尽了最大的努力,你是这家店里唯一一个似乎对这给我们带来的挫折和不便表示歉意和理解的人。
讽刺的是,当我准备发布这篇评论时,我在各个网站上的其他评论中看到了店主对他们非常重视评论的评论,但这并不是我留下的印象。Nic 想要求第二次机会,并告诉评论者他们应该与管理层解决问题。好吧,我们这样做了,你的经理告诉我们他没有得到你的批准。
如果一家餐厅的管理层和/或业主不理解客户体验的价值,我不会再给这家餐厅第二次机会。该餐厅的业主回复的其他评论表明他们存在人手不足的问题,但这条评论的存在只是因为你和/或你的经理没有尽到责任,没有公平对待你的客户。