Freeda R.
Yelp
My boyfriend and I went for brunch the other day, and as usual, there was a wait. However, today we really noticed how inattentive the front staff were. I went to put my name on the waitlist, and the female hostess told me to wait outside, saying she would come out to add me to the list. She took close to 10 minutes to do so, spending that time chatting with the other staff, before finally coming outside.
Once seated, we placed our orders. My boyfriend went with his usual Cali Burrito, while I decided to try something new. I was in the mood for the biscuit, bacon, and gravy dish. When our server brought out the food, I looked at my plate and thought, "Wow, this biscuit is completely drenched in gravy, along with the bacon. It looks more like a soup than anything else." Gone were the crispy bacon and the biscuit I had been craving--everything was soggy. My boyfriend looked at it and had the same reaction. It was definitely not appetizing.
For some context, my boyfriend and I enjoy food from all kinds of places, from hole-in-the-wall spots to Michelin-rated/worthy restaurants. For us, the quality of the food is the most important factor, and service and ambiance come secondary to a well-cooked meal.
When our server returned to check on us, my boyfriend mentioned that I wasn't happy with my food because it wasn't what I had expected. I decided to order the pancakes instead--reliable as always. The owner personally brought my new dish to the table. But what he did while placing it in front of me was on an entirely different level.
The owner then proceeded to tell us--mostly addressing my boyfriend--that he had taken a loss on the dish I returned, specifically because of the cost of the bacon. First of all, we had never encountered anything like this at any establishment, and to be approached by the owner about it? Who does that, and why? He explained that his goal was to inform us about the situation and see if we might somehow accommodate the loss--seemingly hoping we'd cover at least half the cost of the dish. My boyfriend expressed his disappointment in how the owner chose to handle this and offered some suggestions for a better approach. One suggestion was to place a sign on the menu or somewhere in the restaurant stating that if a customer doesn't like a dish, they'll still be charged regardless of whether the dish is returned. Another idea was to include a detailed description of the dish on the menu. Lastly, my boyfriend suggested ensuring the server provides a description of the dish to the customer, especially when it differs from the usual preparation.
I could go on and on about everything the owner said, but for the sake of brevity, I'll stick to the key points:
The customer is always right.
If the owner is the one confronting the customer, that's a problem.
Doing business comes with costs, and sometimes, customers might not be happy with their dish--that's just how it is.
What restaurant owner wouldn't want a happy customer?
When the owner feels compelled to approach a customer due to a financial loss over bacon, it raises questions.
Oh, and I can't forget this: The owner came back a second time and asked my boyfriend, "Were you threatening me when you said, 'What do you want to do about this?'" After a moment of shock, my boyfriend replied, "No, I was genuinely asking what you wanted us to do." Neither of us, together or individually, have ever encountered such an experience in all our years of dining as foodies. We were not only disappointed but shocked, and my boyfriend told the owner how he had ruined our experience.
Context: We've enjoyed meals here many times before, but this was a first--and it will definitely be our last.