Glenn L.
Yelp
Jean Bonnet Tavern proved to be the predatory tavern where customers come last.
Before I begin this review, I want to say that I spent $160 at their gift shop and I found that area to be clean and enjoyable.
After shopping at the gift store, the wife and I decided to venture inside for a steak dinner. At the front door, we were greeted by a sign that said there would be an additional charge for people who payed using a card. As a business owner, I know that is against the card company policies so I was shocked, and mostly because it was so laughable that, in 2023, anyone would greet customers with that nonsense. I have never seen any restaurant put themselves at odds with the convenience of customers at the front door. It's unimaginable and bad business.
That said, I decided to give them a chance. With modern tipping rates and prices, I expected to spend about $150 for a dinner for two, and I had the cash to avoid their extra charges for what every other company in the world builds into the menu price.
The restaurant area was clean but did have a sour odor, which I attributed to a guy who seemed to be spraying some chemical on the tables, which he wiped down, all the with same dirty rag. That said, it was seat yourself and I found what looked like a clean table.
The waitress came to the table and asked what we wanted to start with. I asked if they had a hard cider and I was told yes, so I ordered that and my wife ordered a beverage too. When the cider arrived, it tasted old and stale, very much like weak, watered down apple juice and hints of old vinegar and very little carbonation. I explained that the drink was disappointing and asked to switch to a draft beer. What happened next was probably foretold by their ridiculous sign on the front door.
The waitress said that if I would have taken the time to read a card that was wedged into a holder on the tabletop, I would have known that there are no refunds or exchanges. She shifted the responsibility to me to know that if I disliked the cider, I could buy an alternate beverage but I would still have to pay for the distasteful cider beverage. Really? Can you imagine being told you have to pay to exchange a beverage that is, frankly, just plain gross.
The waitress was not pleasant or unpleasant about it. She was just factual and she probably hated to be in that position because it clearly creates a predatory relationship between the business that insists they can provide any putrid product they want and the customer who must then pay for anything brought to the table, no matter how gross.
I quickly realized they could bring me a rotten steak and they would expect me to pay for it, and that from the tavern's perspective, they are only interested in pricing strategies that focus purely on profit without any regard to the customer's experience -- getting money at any cost, even if they lose a lifetime customer, seems to be their approach to business. And this is what happened, because while I am new to the area, and will drive by there regularly, I'll never put my foot back in their door.
I suggest you pass on this one. It's just not worth it, in 2023, to support a business that has no regard for their customers. It starts at the front door, and it doesn't get better. They just don't care. And if you are going to spend money, it's better spent supporting eateries that put customers first. There are many great places to spend your money. Don't spend it here.