Me wrote:
>
> On 26 Nov 2005 16:47:14 -0800, "Bronwyn" > wrote:
>
> >We live near the beach and there is a building right on the beach that
> >houses 2 restaurants upstairs and a trendy cafe/light meals place
> >downstairs. It is a magic location where you can really impress
> >out-of-town friends! The several times I have frequented the cafe I
> >have had surly service. I go back in the vain hope things might have
> >changed.
> >The last time I had a girlfriend with me - check this out - 9.30am on a
> >weekday (i.,e. quiet) we walked in for a coffee and moved towards a
> >small table for 2 facing the water, inside the cafe. There were
> >perhaps 3 tables elsewhere in the room that were occupied. Accosted by
> >the waitress were asked if we were breakfasting. No, thanks, coffee
> >would be great. Sorry, you can't have one of these tables. You mayonly
> >sit outside on rough picnic style table setting.Polite protestations
> >had no effect.
> >The inside tables are reserved only for diners! At 9.30 on a weekday,
> >I doubt whether anyone was going to arrive for breakfast much later. I
> >wonder if the tables lay empty until a pretermined hour for lunch is
> >announced! Weekends would be quite a different proposition, however, I
> >still find the rule discriminatory.
> >We left without coffee and went to the surf club oppposite sitting at a
> >lovely table overlooking the view, and were treated with respect.
> >I sent a letter of complaint to the cafe but never received a reply.
> >I definitely will never go back. Really, tourist precinct or not, it
> >is shocking.
> >
> >Cheers
> >Bronwyn
>
> What's shocking to me is that you returned after receiving the surly
> service. What were you thinking? "Hmm... let's reward their rudeness
> with more of my hard earned money. Besides, this is a great place to
> impress out-of-town friends!!"

One of the worst experiences I've had was at a recently opened BBQ
place. This was a new second restaurant in a "trendy" location for a
restaurant that had been well established for years in another location.
The new place had been open perhaps six weeks so the owner / manager
should have been paying close attention to the new staff.

At any rate, I went there with my mother for dinner and had about the
worst service I've ever had anywhere. I kept notes as I watched three
other tables that had been seated after us get served before us. I
watched as my mothers coffee cup sat empty for quite some time before I
had to catch the "waitress" and instruct her to get my mother a refill
on coffee.

This terrible service continued throughout the meal, despite the
reminder to refill the coffee and some clearly annoyed glances at the
"waitress". Any owner / manager that had been paying any attention would
have clearly seen annoyed and soon to be former customers. When it was
over I left the "waitress" a 1% tip of $0.41 (my norm is 20%) and we've
never visited this restaurant again.

Another place I had an overall ok experience, but it started out bumpy
with what could have been a problem. There were three of us in two
vehicles going to a place for breakfast at about 8:30am. Two of us
arrived first while the third made a brief pit stop to pickup
cigarettes. The first two of us were in line to be seated and when we
indicated that there were three of us, the hostess said she couldn't
seat us until we were all there. It this point I peeked around from my
now-ex-semi-girlfriend and said very plainly "If you don't seat us now
we'll go somewhere else". The hostess looked a bit startled and
proceeded to seat us. Of course I got a load of crap from the
now-ex-semi-girlfriend for "terrifying" the hostess.

Pete C.