Today a friend and I, and our children went out to lunch to a restaurant that we all visit quite frequently in our small town. We were having a nice time together, just starting to eat when our waitress accidentally knocked over a full glass of Coca-Cola on my friends children. Her boys were sitting in their stroller eating and the Coke not only covered them but their entire stroller, including all of the toys she keeps underneath. It was not a pleasant situation. My friend decided it was time to go even though they had barely started to eat their meal. Griffin and I stayed at the table so she could handle the situation and get out of there, as her children were dripping wet with Coke. As she started to leave she said to me ... can you believe no discount or anything ... she paid for the entire meal ... INCLUDING the Coke that was spilled all over her children.
Let me ask you what you would have done??
This is what I did ... and I am sooooooo STEAMED right now!
I went up to pay my check and asked the lady that owns the place if she was aware of what just happened to my friend. She looked at me with a confused look on her face and said no. I explained to her that our waitress had accidentally spilled an entire drink all over my friend's children and they barely touched their meal because they had to leave because they were soaked ... and the boys were very upset crying. She's like "Oh" ... I said, at the very least you could have discounted her meal or perhaps even given it to her for free because they barely touched it. I do realize it WAS an accident and accidents do happen ... but c'mon handle the situation with a little more grace. Anyway ... the owner then said to me ... well I always make exceptions for you and her. Exceptions?? What exceptions?? I have no idea what she is referring to. We never order anything that isn't on the menu. When you have three kids starving you order the quickest thing possible ... believe me. I said I can't believe long term customers are being treated this way. She then said to me ... her words ... "If the boy is hurt send me the hospital bill" .... WHAT???????????? Is there some sort of language barrier here? Where did she get the boy is hurt from your waitress spilled Coke on the kids? Oh my GAWD!! I was steamed. I said, please just let me pay my check so I can get out of here ... and I will never, ever come back.
Okay ... now ... I would like your input ... how would you have handled this?
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6 comments:
Hmm...I probably would've used two words...FU...well, I would've wanted to!
I'm suggesting you write a letter to the editor about the ignorance and lack of respect that was shown to you guys and if you don't name the actual rest. I'd be sure to list the address so people can read between the lines.
I think that was very rude of them to treat a situation like this.
The world we live in is so ignorant.
OMG!!
I've worked in the resturant industy for over 26 years and in all that time I have NEVER seen a customer treated in such a manner.
I myself have spilled water, coke, milkshakes on customers... all by accident. Once, when I worked at the Space Needle in Seattle, I spilled a whole TRAY of eggs benedict (4 plates full) on a VIP customer! As always, I appoligized and got my manager to come and take over the situation. Most times people were either comped for their meal or given a discount.
I've worked fine dinning and in a few greasy spoons, and in all cases the customer should be compensated for the accident. Whoever you dealt with Missy was very unprofessional in my opinion. I would never eat there again... and I would tell all that will listen about this. Jen has a good idea...write a letter to the editor. It can't hurt and might make you feel better! Keep us posted.
No one likes to have things spilled on them...even when you know it was an accident. Of course we all know that things like that happen from time to time. That restaurant apparently doesn't value its customers very much. And without customers they won't make it. As for what I would have done...I'm not sure. I do know I wouldn't EVER go back!
I agree with Sue....OMG!!!
I sure wouldn't eat there again. I've had things like that happen before and the waitress will bring the manager over and he usually comps the meal or gives us a discount or gives us a free desert. I'd rather have it comped or get a discount. The last thing I need is a desert! LOL I have been to a couple of places that just refused to comp or give a discount & I just don't go back there. You would think that if they value their customers & want to stay in business they will take care of their customers. The paper idea is good and the restaurant owner should know that word of mouth is the most powerful advertising there is. That would have ticked me off too! Not only did she have to take crying, wet kids home and clean them up, she had to re feed them! UGH!!!
Wow Missy! I am blown away by the owners rudness...and I would want to know exactly what she meant by exceptions...plus what heck does that have to do with the situation? You are a sweet person who handled it in a mature fashion. I'm so dissapointed that she didn't show you the same respect. I would also write an additional letter dirrectly to her...with that being your LAST visit to her restaurant. It would help you feel better to vent your feelings. This whole thing has me steamed too!
ok, that is just crazy! I differntly would have been okay with the spill---having kids makes you understand such things. That being said if the owner had talked to me that way I would have had a few choice words for her. I would have been upset if it was a restaurant I had never been to but, for it to be a place you go often I would have been flabergasted! I would tell everyone I know about it. I would probably write the editor aswell without telling the name of the restaurant. I would say it was a well known restaurant in downtown or uptown city (I can't remember if you said where it was). Hopefully the owner will read it or hear about it. After that I would let it go. I try not ot let things like this bother me anymore. Life is too short!
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