Does this ever happen to you when dining out??? (Read on.....)?

Question

We find a great restaurant, everything is a 9 on a scale of 10.....we frequent the restaurant several times, and the same great service, food, etc.......THEN, when we rave about the restaurant to friends and make a date to go out (two couples) to that particular restaurant, the service, food etc. is c**p.....Why does that ALWAYS happen??? Happened last night, I wanted to explode!!! Any feedback??? Thanks,

Christopher

Answer 1

Fate..

It's the same as when your car keeps making  a noise..

you finally take it to your mechanic and it doesn't make the noise...

Answer 2

That ALWAYS happens to us too! I hate that!

But I can tell you, it's far worse when you discover your friends or co-workers are c**p to restaurants! I used to go to a sushi place in Chicago ALL THE TIME. It was my favorite hangout...the sushi chefs knew me and would fight over who would get to serve me. I would tip big and chat with them. It was awesome. I'd go there at lunch on a work day and just have a great time.  

Then one day I took a co-worker. She had never been to this place and I had never eaten with her before.  We get to the restaurant and she starts getting really b&%tchy with the servers and a total jerk to the sushi chefs. She even snapped her fingers and flung an empty glass into the air at one server walking by and snapped "fill it!"  I was mortified!  

I never ate with her again, but when I went back, the servers and chefs didn't want to talk to me anymore. I was so sad.

I think from now on, I will keep my favorite places to myself! That way my friends won't be disappointed in a "Murphy's Law" bad experience and I won't freak out the staff with an ill-behaved friend! (of course, once I see someone behave like that to people, they aren't my friend anymore anyway!)

Take care...I love to read your posts...

Answer 3

I agree with the person above me, fate. Like when you are sick & go to the doctor, you get there & suddenly you are better. Never fails!

Answer 4

hey Chris ;maybe you should go at the same time on say like the same day of the week say you went on a Monday then go back on a Monday; restaurants changes their workers on a daily bases;That happened to me I went on a Monday and had great service and then went back on a Wednesday terrible service; so find out when the waitress who first served you will be back in and then go back on her shift again and the service will be the same way that you remembered

Answer 5

Maybe it was just an unlucky day!What can i say it's hard to describe strange things..as the above said ''fate'' :]

Answer 6

Thank goodness that has never happened to me, when I usually tell people about a certain restaurant they are impress by it or they become frequent visitors too. My favorite in town would have to be a Thai restaurant, my kids love it and so do my family and friends. I am sorry to hear that friend. Have a wonderful day!

Answer 7

must be fate,

we eat out alot and we do the same thing and we get feed back about how bad service was or the food was bad, but then the couple that we usually give the good report to are very hard to please, they can go anywhere and find something wrong. they are very demanding.

Answer 8

I had this experience with a restaurant we loved.  Took people there all the time and it was a winner repeatedly.  Went there once with an important business couple and it was a disaster.  We sent food back twice, we complained to the manager and she blew us off, service was pitiful just an overall mess.  But I wrote to the restaurant the next day and told them my tale.  They were incredibly apologetic, agreed with my complaints, and offered to host us again at a date of our choosing.  I made a reservation directly with the manager, so she knew it was us coming.  We took the same couple with us. They treated us like royalty all night, tripped over themselves to provide service and the food was perfect.  Everything was great and they paid for the whole thing, even the drinks which we hadn't expected.  Of course we tipped generously.  Bottom line is, they knew we were a repeat customer and our business was important enough to keep. And they kept it, we'll certainly continue going there. So tell this restaurant your story and if they believe in customer service, they'll make it right to keep you as a customer.

Answer 9

I know EXACTLY what you're talking about.  I have been burned like that before, and the frustration is unparalleled.

I have found a way to keep this from happening, and it has never failed me.  I hope it will help you.

1) When you have that unexpectedly spectacular meal, get your server's name and tell that person you can't wait to bring your friends back and have another great meal.  Leave a memorable tip (which the server probably deserves if the meal was that spectacular) to show that you were willing to give them more than a compliment...I find that anything in the 23-28% range constitutes "memorable".

2) When you're ready to go back, make reservations and INSIST on that server.  This is the highest compliment you can pay any server, and, when backed up with solid tipping, will guarantee you a server who will do absoloutely ANYTHING it takes to wow you, including but not limited to begging their manager for freebies for their "best guests".

The bottom line is that servers (the good ones) work very, very hard daily and then have to simply "hope" people will be happy enough to appreciate them and reward them financially.  Once you establish yourself as someone your server knows is good for both things, you'll find yourself elevated to a VIP status that guarantees reliably great experiences at that establishment.