Angel S.
Yelp
Oh, McMenamins at Mall 205...why is our relationship so on again/off again?
My husband and I recently came back to our neighborhood McMenamins to grab some lunch. The place was pretty busy, but we weren't kept waiting for very long (maybe seven or eight minutes, tops).
The server was friendly and attentive. She was easily the best part of this most recent visit, which I can best describe as "surprising."
The first surprise happened when I tried to order a diet soda and was told they only serve RC products now. I don't know how many of you Gallant Readers of Yelp Posts have tried to drink Diet RC, but the experience is best described as a Diet Coke left out on a blazingly hot day until it is almost devoid of carbonation and flavor, then served on ice. No thanks. It's also frequently a sign of a business becoming "penny wise and dollar foolish."
My husband ordered a burger and fries, while I went with the fish and chips, which is usually a very good meal there.
Our next surprise: the bathroom doors are now locked with a keypad. My husband had to track down a server to find out the code during a lunch rush. This is a fairly good neighborhood, with a police station nearby, so this was a bit puzzling. My husband worked at a restaurant just blocks away, and they never felt the need to lock up the bathrooms.
We had a longer wait to get our food than usual, but this was only to be expected when a place is so busy. However, when our meals finally arrived, they were hardly worth the wait.
The burger my husband ordered was tasty--a perfect medium--and he really enjoyed it. But the fries were very, very salty. He likes salt, but these were over-the-top salty.
But the biggest surprise was my meal. Instead of the fish and chips I ordered, I was served...chicken strips and tater tots. But somehow, still with the coleslaw and lemon wedge that comes with the fish and chips.
The server apologized for the weird mixup as she served it, so she knew it was wrong but still brought it out to me and served it before asking if it was a problem. No big deal, right? Not to mention that we really didn't have the time to wait for a whole new order, as the place was only getting busier. So I decided to take it in stride.
Then I ate the food. Or tried to, anyway.
Like my husband's fries, the tots were incredibly salty. They were also cold, and many were hard. The chicken was lukewarm, salty, and smaller than what they usually serve. They looked like something off of a kid's menu. The coleslaw tasted sour. I couldn't even swallow the one bite I took. My taste buds simply decided upon impact they didn't want to chance a war with my stomach they surely couldn't win.
I'm not sure if these are issues with new management, or with corporate, or if it was simply a bad day. I will give them another chance, and cross my fingers there are no more "surprises."
The two stars are for my husband's burger and the nice server.