Jen S.
Yelp
I don't see a button to reply to the business' reply, so posting an update containing all.
Here's my original review, which accompanied 3 stars:
If I'm going to pay $19.50 for a burger (+ an additional $2 for sweet potato fries), I expect the burger to be made to order. Too much to ask? Server said the least they can cook it is "well done."
She said she'd check with the kitchen, though, to see if they might accommodate my request, and then we can confirm my order. Returned with burger and SP fries on a tray and said no, "well-done is the best they can do for you. Is that o.k.?" I said, "Is that for me?" pointing to the load on her forearm. She said yes.
I had the impression the kitchen or management forced her to return with the order, rather than let me walk with no guilt for having wasted a perfectly good meal. Or maybe there was somehow an honest miscommunication with the kitchen? Am I the only tavern patron who likes to see pink in a burger--surely they've fielded this question before? Well, I was passing through town and wouldn't have gone elsewhere. Just would've preferred the opportunity to choose something different, without the manipulative weirdness.
Most expensive McDonalds burger I've ever bought. The meal was chilly and fries were chewy. Adequately nourishing and filling, just not an experience I'd choose to repeat.
... And here's the restaurant owner's reply:
Business owner information
Tony G.
Business Owner
Sep 30, 2024
We apologize for the confusion with your request. Typically a smash burger is cooked all the way through, so there shouldn't be any pink in the center. This is because this type of burger is cooked on a higher heat until caramelization occurs. So, if you are cooking your burgers properly, they likely will not have a pink center. I am sorry this was not explained properly to you, which would have afforded you the opportunity to select something more to your liking.
... And here's my response, sans 1 star because the owner did not address the dishonest communication and went on to assume more incorrect info:
I did not order a "smash burger." I ordered the "Fig Jammin'," described as an 8 oz. patty, unlike the selections described as smash burgers. A "properly cooked" burger has pink meat. And a burger "cooked to order" (as the menu describes their 8 oz. burgers) considers the customer's request, in this case rare (and I would've settled for medium-rare).
The communication is the kicker. If you go to the kitchen to get a customer's question about a possible order, come back with the answer, not the exact item you know the customer didn't want. Jeez.... Own your stuff, man.