First world problems:I'm steamed, your opinions?

[mmackeymouse]

I live in a small to medium sized town. We have our fair share of fast food joints, but we also have a good number of cafes, diners, and other mom and pop restaurants sprinkled throughout the town and in surrounding town. Our family does not really "go out" to eat all that often; we usually get food "to go" or for pick up, then bring it home to eat while watching tv, for today specifically, football.

So, I called one of our local restaurants. It is not one of our most regular places we go, but maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Well, I call to place an order, and they ask if I am calling from a business. I say, uh nooooo. She proceeds to tell me they do not take personal orders over the phone any longer. If you want a to-go order, you have to come TO the restaurant to place the order.

Now, this restaurant is on the far edge of town, but it is actually the side of town we are on. If you lived on the other side of town, are you really going to want to drive all the way across town, place your order, then have to find a way to kill 20-30 minutes, then drive all the way back out there? No, you want to make a phone call, make one trip out there and have the food be ready.

Every other place in town takes to-go orders. I think it is something that is expected. If you are a restaurant that has to-go orders, it is only expected that you will take phone call orders for pick-up. I understand that there are situations of prank calls or people claiming they got the wrong order, etc. But, every restaurant has the chance of that happening, and still, they all continue to take phone orders. I think out of service to other people, and for the convenience of your customer base, it is still a service you should provide.

Am I being nuts? What's your opinion?

 

[Allison]

My opinion-if I wanted the food from that specific restaurant, I would follow the criteria they have created for their business. If it wasn't worth it to me, I would go somewhere else. It is not something I would get upset about or give much thought to.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Well, I would say I guess you don't get my business, some other business would be happy to make the money. In the long run they will start loosing business if they don't stay with the competition.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I've never heard of that, from any business I've ordered things to go from. I would be a bit annoyed to, I'd probably stop going there just because I am being inconvenienced by their choice of policy.

 

[SaraJayne]

I live in a small to medium sized town. We have our fair share of fast food joints, but we also have a good number of cafes, diners, and other mom and pop restaurants sprinkled throughout the town and in surrounding town. Our family does not really "go out" to eat all that often; we usually get food "to go" or for pick up, then bring it home to eat while watching tv, for today specifically, football.

So, I called one of our local restaurants. It is not one of our most regular places we go, but maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Well, I call to place an order, and they ask if I am calling from a business. I say, uh nooooo. She proceeds to tell me they do not take personal orders over the phone any longer. If you want a to-go order, you have to come TO the restaurant to place the order.

Now, this restaurant is on the far edge of town, but it is actually the side of town we are on. If you lived on the other side of town, are you really going to want to drive all the way across town, place your order, then have to find a way to kill 20-30 minutes, then drive all the way back out there? No, you want to make a phone call, make one trip out there and have the food be ready.

Every other place in town takes to-go orders. I think it is something that is expected. If you are a restaurant that has to-go orders, it is only expected that you will take phone call orders for pick-up. I understand that there are situations of prank calls or people claiming they got the wrong order, etc. But, every restaurant has the chance of that happening, and still, they all continue to take phone orders. I think out of service to other people, and for the convenience of your customer base, it is still a service you should provide.

Am I being nuts? What's your opinion?

I agree with you. I just wouldn't patronize that particular restaurant, due to the inconvenience.

 

[trip]

The Mom and Pop cafe must have been "stung" too many times for them to change the way for orders to be placed. It is a pain but I understand the cafes issues. Maybe if they see they are losing business they will change back.

 

[cluvsdisney]

The Mom and Pop cafe must have been "stung" too many times for them to change the way for orders to be placed. It is a pain but I understand the cafes issues. Maybe if they see they are losing business they will change back.

This is what I think happened also. If they explained that and maybe accepted a credit card number to hold the order but not necessarily pay for the order, I would be fine with the policy. Otherwise, I would patronize another place and let them know it's because of their policy with the hopes that they may reconsider it all together.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Yeah, that's what I told my mom.....I said, "I don't really want to patronize their business anymore if they are going to be making it so inconvenient for people" Even if I happened to be by there and had time to kill, I still wouldn't want to do it, because I don't like how they are running their business.

My mom is much more compassionate about it. She says that it is their business and livelihood and she is sure they have a good reason for it. (Trust me: I get it.....at my place of employment, I wish we could not do any business over the phone....people always seem to mishear or misunderstand things or blatantly lie about something that was said over the phone. BUT, we understand that we HAVE to offer information over the phone for the convenience of our clients and if we didn't, they'd be very angry.)

I don't know why it makes me so mad.....I guess I shouldn't let it bother me.

 

[Hrhpd]

My opinion-if I wanted the food from that specific restaurant, I would follow the criteria they have created for their business. If it wasn't worth it to me, I would go somewhere else. It is not something I would get upset about or give much thought to.

Their business, their rules. Apparently, they have enough other business that this decision is not impacting their bottom line.

If I really wanted their food badly enough, I would order and sit around for 20 minutes. I can always surf the internet on my phone for 20 minutes

How a business chooses to run itself does not bother me. If I don't agree, I just find somewhere else to shop. But I don't get upset.

 

[lovin'fl]

We moved to our town 5 years ago. There is a nice local diner nearby that we love to go to. They do carry out orders. One time, when DD was sick and we couldn't go eat in, DH went to put in a carry out order...he actually went there to put in the order as they are 2 minutes from our house. We wanted 3 adult meals and 2 kid meals and they told DH that they don't do carry out on kid meals. He left and went to Friendlys and ordered similar meals (including 2 kid meals that came with ice creams). DH would not let us go back to that diner for a couple years. Now that our DDs eat off the adult menu, we go and DH seems to be over his annoyance with this place. It's one of my fave local places to go to (they are Greek owned and have some yummy Gyros).

 

[Coconut36]

My opinion-if I wanted the food from that specific restaurant, I would follow the criteria they have created for their business. If it wasn't worth it to me, I would go somewhere else. It is not something I would get upset about or give much thought to.

I agree. They have the right to set any parameters they want on to go orders..from not allowing phone orders to not allowing to go at all. If I don't like it I can choose to not longer eat there or I can conform to their conditions.

I used to love to treat myself to the french dip from Houston's. It's way out of the way but DH would be in the area now and again and would go in and get one and bring it home for me. Years ago when he went to do it they informed him "to go" was no longer allowed and refused to fill the order. So if I want that particular item I have to plan to go to the restaurant to eat it.

 

[superme80]

For me I would go else where. With 2 small kids to go has been a life saver for DH and I. We can call it in, put the kids to bed, and one of us picks it up. I get grudges against place easily and won't go there for months or years.

 

[java]

I agree I am betting they had too many no shows for pickup. Too bad. Would they take a credit card over the phone for the order? Maybe that would make them feel better that you would show up?

 

[MIGrandma]

I waitressed for several years at a country diner and we always took "to go" orders over the phone. I can only think of a couple of times the people didn't show up to claim their order and we couldn't reach them by phone (we always asked for name/phone number when they placed the order) so it sure didn't happen very often. Certainly not often enough for the owner to decide to stop taking "to go" orders by phone from individuals.

We rarely get "to go" orders as we prefer to eat at the restaurant, but if we did do it very often and a restaurant would no longer take our orders we would probably choose another restaurant to order from.

Or, if we really liked their food and still wanted to get take-out I would just order in person and make use of the time until my order was ready like go fill the car with gas, run to the grocery store for a loaf of bread, make a phone call, etc. Like a PP said, their restaurant, their rules. Either I accept them and continue to order their food, or I don't and go elsewhere.

 

[anniemae]

I wouldn't like the policy either, but as others have said, they must have been burned bad. I would go and hang out for the 15 minutes it would take to cook the order if I really wanted their food.

You guys crack me up with the grudges because I am the same way. I got really mad at Applebees and refused to to there for years. It's funny, but people really hold grudges against restaurants!

 

[sissy_ib]

I would just order dinner from somewhere else. Now you know if you really want to eat their food you have to go there.

 

[bellarella]

It sounds like they don't want to do to go orders anymore. I see no reason to be steamed. If someone wants to wait around they will. If they don't want to they will call someone else and go there. No big deal.

 

[powellrj]

I always try to be more forgiving of small businesses because I know they have a harder time making it than a chain.

 

[disykat]

I agree. Restaurants are being killed in this economy. I just found out one of my favorite restaurants is going to be on "Restaurant Impossible" and I was shocked. Turns out the last few years they're losing money hand over fist and are on the verge of closing their doors. I had no idea.

Frankly, they are probably hoping take out business will lesson and people who want to go there will eat in so there will be more tables full and cars in their parking lot. They need to look successful to attract more customers.

I think it's your right to not go there if it's inconvenient for you, but I'm still not really sure why you're so steamed!

 

[Imzadi]

I agree I am betting they had too many no shows for pickup. Too bad. Would they take a credit card over the phone for the order? Maybe that would make them feel better that you would show up?

I pay by credit card over the phone all the time now as I carry so little money on me. I simply say on the phone, "I'd like to place an order for delivery and pay by credit card. They know the order is paid for and the delivery guy won't be robbed or beaten up when he brings the food. (The news as reported that has happened several times - although, not I my neighborhood.)

I usually tip the delivery guy in cash though, when I pay by credit card. It was also on the news how about 20 immigrant delivery men were being stiffed out of their tips by 2 restaurants and they banded together to form lawsuits against the restaurants. The money came to several thousands of dollars that they were owed back. When I tip the delivery guy, I want to make sure it goes to the guy.


OP, I would call back to see if they will allow you to give a credit card over the phone to ensure that you will be coming for the meal.