Are You Listening? We ARE...

Are you listening?   We are... loud and clear.    This past week-end,  I had another really bad restaurant experience and my table wasn't the only one.   We were at a casual dining concept on a Saturday afternoon after a day of shopping.   It was raining, so there were a good number of people waiting for tables.   We opted to sit at a booth inside the bar area since those were first come, first serve.   We were greeted by a very friendly bartender who got our table bussed right away and asked for our drink orders.   As we were sitting there, a manager came up to our table and asked if we were okay.   Since we had just sat down, we had no idea for his visit.   Behind us, the group waved him over and proceeded to share with him their issues.   They had waited more than an hour and a half for their food and the server had not taken care of them in a way that was acceptable.   After overhearing this conversation, I got a little concerned, but we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt.   In hindsight, we should have just left and went with our second choice.

Our server came over and asked if anyone had gotten our drinks.  We told her that the bartender had and she made some type of scowl and then asked for them again.  We obliged and off she went.  While she was gone, the bartender brought over the drinks and chatted for a few minutes engaging us in some conversation.   The server came back after a  moderate amount of time (I'm being quite liberal) , made a comment about us getting our drinks and asked for our orders.   Now.. before you think that it was the bartender's responsibility to get our drinks... here are the facts:  We only ordered iced tea.   The bartender had a full bar of folks when we sat down in one of the booths.  The server did not even offer us refills at this point... and yes, that's how long she was gone.  

 The first thing I noticed about our server is she seemed miserable, but the second thing was she seemed irritated, unlike the bartender who was smiling and engaging... showing off his winning personality.    I shrugged it off to rainy blues for her and told myself not to judge.   We gave our orders only to have her come back a few minutes later and tell me they were out of what I had ordered.  I was so irritated at this point.. that I was beginning to think we should have definitely heeded the advice of the earlier table complaining.  I re-ordered... and waited.   During the time that she left and came back... another server was checking on tables and we overheard him saying to other customers that these weren't his tables but he was trying to find out what was going on and that he would try to take care of them.   Our original server walked by when he was telling these customers this and said to him " These are my tables".  Loudly... so that most of us overheard the somewhat tense exchange.  I was baffled that they would engage in this type of conversation where customers could hear it much less include them in it.

We waited for a good while... before  another server showed up a little while later with salads and bread and made some comment about us not being his table but he was helping out.  He proceeded to serve our salads and we asked for an extra plate.  He looked at me as if I had grown horns.   He said... well, you aren't my table so I'm not supposed to give you an extra plate and he left the table.  WHAT?     Several minutes later, the friendly bartender was back checking on things and I asked him for a plate.   He went immediately and retrieved a plate and handed it to me.   No sign of our original server.... The alternate server and the bartender refilled our  tea several times... so you can get an idea of how long we are waiting.    The original server never re-filled our glasses, not once.

We were in an area where there were 4 or 5 booths in a row and apparently our server was waiting on all of them but one.  All of the parties had sat down at about the same time as we did with the exception of one.   There was a booth on the end, who had been there as long as we had... but still had yet to give an order.   The table behind us had ordered and already received food.   The table on the other side was finishing and trying to get their check.    As I sat there... pondering this whole situation... we all had one common denominator in common... the same server.

Next... our food came out... but one order was missing.  I asked if it was on it's way and the person who brought the food said that it should be right out.   Etiquette says that if food is hot, everyone should start eating even though not everyone has their food, so yours doesn't get cold... but this really makes me uncomfortable.   Secondly, after tasting our food, it was obvious, that it had been sitting back there for a short while... as it was not hot, more of a lukewarm.   Several more minutes went by and our original server shows back up and asks if everything is okay all while telling us that she has no help and is having to take care of a party of 10.  At this point, I could care less who she's taking care of... I just want to know where our other order is and why it hasn't come out.    I looked at her and said... can you check on our other order, please.     She mumbled at me that she would and left.   More minutes pass... and still no word from the server.  

Finally, a manager walked by, apparently having gotten wind that more problems were happening... and asked if everything was okay.  I told her we were missing an order... and she told me she'd check on it immediately and she left.   While she was gone, the original server came back and said.. "I told the manager that there was no food over here and the chef lied to me and told me it was on the table.".   Then she said, "I'm not getting in trouble for this".   I just looked at her and bit my tongue in half.   The manager came back with the missing order and sat it down.   She waited for the server to leave and then she apologized for the confusion and mix-up and chatted for a few minutes.  She was apparently trying to make things okay.  I said to her that it appeared they were having some issues tonight... and she did smile warmly and said " yes".    Nothing more, nothing less.  I am sure that was the appropriate way to handle the question, but honestly, at that point, I think I would have just removed the server.   She was doing more harm than good.

By the time they brought the last order, everyone had finished their meals, which was embarrassing.  Secondly, after hearing that the order had been lost... well, as you can imagine, we were all afraid of where that order had ended up.   We sat there.. just confused when all of a sudden, the original server reappeared with the check.   She did not ask us if we wanted coffee or dessert.  She did not apologize.  She did not smile.  She did not say anything except, "let me know when you want me to take this".

I opened the check, expecting for the manager to have given some type of discount.  Surprise.  Nothing.  Full price.   Now... I'm not one to expect favors or things given to me... but honestly, after this experience, they should have comped the entire meal.  The tables behind us were also complaining and in my opinion, they should have comped theirs as well.

Customer loyalty and retention is key to a businesses success.   Service is the priority and honestly, why you would put someone in front of your customers who CLEARLY does not want to be there just astounds me.   As I sat there trying to figure out this situation, I looked over at the bar where the friendly bartender was engaging his customers, smiling and making sure that they were all happy.   I looked around and saw the alternate server who was flailing trying to figure out who to help and then there was our server who obviously hated her job.  

How do you tip when you've had an experience this bad?  How do you return to a restaurant like this knowing that your experience was not good nor did they seem to really care when it was all said and done.   What makes it difficult for me is that I work in the hospitality industry and I've seen over the top customer experience.  I've seen great customer service and I've seen bad.   I can tell you that the bad... always makes me never want to return and I'm sure.. that I am not the only person who feels this way.  

Have we lowered our standards of customer service?   Have we just gotten to the point where mediocre is okay.   Are we training our employees to the best of our ability?  Are we helping them with people skills?  How could you have 3 different servers in the same area... all with definitely different work ethics, attitudes and training.   I left the restaurant thinking... Are They Listening and finding myself answering... we were... loud and clear.