Wow! Had an awful dining experience

[FireDancer]

Originally Posted by Couchy

DH and I went out with another couple to a new big chain steakhouse last night.

That is where I stopped reading as it is the genesis of your problem. I avoid chains like they are serving arsenic. Small and locally owned is the way to go

[mickeysgal]

Originally Posted by FireDancer

That is where I stopped reading as it is the genesis of your problem. I avoid chains like they are serving arsenic. Small and locally owned is the way to go

Absolutely!

I heard so much about Texas Roadhouse so we tried it. Never again.

My brother raves about his Outback. Maybe they vary, but ours? Never again - I can do better and believe me, that's saying a lot.

Give me a locally owned, private steakhouse restaurant anytime.

[Couchy]

OP here. It was a Longhorn Steakhouse.

Originally Posted by mombrontrent

Sounds like the manager was overwhelmed in a new and busy restaurant. How new is this restaurant? Sometimes service is slow and kinks with an all new staff have to be worked out the first month of business which is why I tend to avoid going to places that just opened.

However your treatment by the manager was ridiculous. It would be enough to make me never go back. You should not have had to pay for the drink that cut your lip or the shrimp cocktail and side salad. It would make me very angry that you had to keep asking for food that was never brought out and than charged or it Don't return and tell everyone about your experience.

WE were prepared for possible glitches with it being a brand new restaurant, just not sooo many

Originally Posted by Jennasis

A chain you say? Time to call corporate.

Originally Posted by abdmom

The manager's response was fine to me. Problem with the drink - he had it replaced. Problem with the steak - he took it off your bill. Problem with the lobster - he took it off your bill.

I don't understand the point of view that because you had problems with certain items that other items should be free. If you went to Macy's and had a problem with a toaster, should they comp the set of pots and pans that you also bought?

I do not have the point of view that everything should be comped. I often argue that point of view. The manage came over while I was waiting the additional 20+ minutes for a new steak and offered to get me a shrimp cocktail, salad and drink. I said ok. If someone is offering in this case it seems to me it is their gift to me since their mistakes caused a problem and me to sit their while others ate... I did not ask, he offered

Originally Posted by mr.bungle

So the bartender made you a fresh martini at the bar and you still expected it for free? Sounds like they made it right and you should have paid for one martini, not zero.

I did pay, but i also cut my mouth in front of the bar tender, blood in glass on running down my lip, and a small chip of glass removed from my lip

[thedonduck]

Originally Posted by Couchy

OP here. It was a Longhorn Steakhouse.

WE were prepared for possible glitches with it being a brand new restaurant, just not sooo many

I do not have the point of view that everything should be comped. I often argue that point of view. The manage came over while I was waiting the additional 20+ minutes for a new steak and offered to get me a shrimp cocktail, salad and drink. I said ok. If someone is offering in this case it seems to me it is their gift to me since their mistakes caused a problem and me to sit their while others ate... I did not ask, he offered

I did pay, but i also cut my mouth in front of the bar tender, blood in glass on running down my lip, and a small chip of glass removed from my lip

Oh my gosh! It must be something with Longhorns when they open! We had a TERRIBLE experience at one when it first opened. The service was AWFUL (took over 2 hours to get our food after we ordered and then we had entirely the wrong meal!!) We knew going in was going to be rough since it was new, but honestly it was so bad that we have never gone back (2+ Years later )

[pumpkinmomma]

I am not one for complaining too much but that manager's response was poor. They really should have comped your meal. I would write a complaint to corporate.

I worked as a server for years, including working as a server at a newly opened restaurant, and even during training your experience was terrible.

After the first problem, any good manager would have been bending over backwards to make sure the rest of your meal was perfect.

[marcyinPA]

Originally Posted by thedonduck

Oh my gosh! It must be something with Longhorns when they open! We had a TERRIBLE experience at one when it first opened. The service was AWFUL (took over 2 hours to get our food after we ordered and then we had entirely the wrong meal!!) We knew going in was going to be rough since it was new, but honestly it was so bad that we have never gone back (2+ Years later )

Our Longhorn isn't very good either. We went once because we had a gift card, but haven't been back. We waited for an hour that night, and it was a weeknight!! I still can't believe people wait that long for that place. Never again!!

[skater]

I'm not picky either, but this is unacceptable. We don't have tons of money and rarely eat out. I hope for a good or at least a minimally good experience when we do eat out. Its a lot of money to spend on frustration and bad food.

[disneymarie]

Originally Posted by Couchy

DH and I went out with another couple to a new big chain steakhouse last night. We had called an hour ahead. When we got there we were given a pager and told it would be another hour. We went to the bar and I ordered a martini and DH a beer and we paid. I took a sip and immediately saw and tasted blood. My glass was broken and it cut my lip . I don't like making a scene or complaining but I needed a napkin and my glass had blood on it. The bar tender looked horrified and was extremely apologetic . She made a new one and sent the manager over .
The manager apologized and walked away. No offer to pay for my drink , give us an appetizer , nothing. He handed my DH his card and walked away.

Flagged down the manager and said it was unacceptable . Charged for things we never got and shrimp be offered to get me because my meal came out wrong twice. He took off the lobster and drinks we did not get.

This is unacceptable , you were injured! I would make phone calls. First thing have you had a tetanus shot? And what kind of antibiotic cream to use. Your meal should have been free, and the round of drinks minimal, I would say the meal comp.

An incident report taken, and their carrier to contact you. Email the receipt with the time you had to wait also.....I will say, you had a lot of patience, I would have left....not one to cause a stink, I would have been stinking.

I had this happen at a large chain too....when they handed me the alert thing after making ressi's I was not happy. Food not cooked to request, items never brought....I called over the waitress to bring he manager. Showed her the steak cut and over cooked, side never came.....we were comped 30% off. Did not accept new steak, ordered something else.

[Andtototoo]

Originally Posted by FireDancer

That is where I stopped reading as it is the genesis of your problem. I avoid chains like they are serving arsenic. Small and locally owned is the way to go

Eh, most of the really bad meals or really bad service I've gotten have from small, local restaurants. My coworker's friend is a health inspector and he says that the small local restaurants are the ones he routinely has to write up for health code infractions.

[Albort]

I agree with the people that you should be charged for the salad and shrimps... but i would have not left any tip. clearly there is something wrong with the waiter/waitress for not pushing out the steak and lobster tail...

btw, how long of span did you sit in the restaurant? an hour? 2 hours?

Speaking of bad dining, my dad once found tiny pieces of screws in his chili. YIKES! They comp his meal even though my dad insisted he would pay for it.

[leight]

Isn't Longhorn part of Darden? They were just in the news saying how they are hurting and craving repeat clientele! Absolutely write corporate! What you experienced was completely absurd. Their website says, "Our brands are built on decades of learning from our guests."

At the bar, your drinks should have been comped.

After twice ruining your meal the manager asks what he can replace it with then charges you for that? No way... your meal should have been wiped off the receipt and since your friends' lobster never showed his whole meal should have been comped too. Then he should have offered you and the other couple a gift card or his card with an offer for a free appetizer for a return visit. That's customer service; apologizing for a wrong not corrected and good will to come back and give them another chance when they're past the practice phase!

Sorry, OP. Not a good experience at all!

[pixiewings71]

Originally Posted by BeachGirlFLA

I agree with this...I also don't like their response to the cut lip...There was blood in your drink and I don't think you're a vampire so you weren't going to finish the drink. It should have been on the house and they should have made sure you didn't need first aid as a cut on the lip can leave a scar.

Well, it was her blood so she would have been "ok" but no, she should not have had to finish it at all and yes, she should have been comped her drinks. (I mean ok healthwise of course, not in any other way and will say it was unacceptable and she should not have had to pay for her drinks)

Originally Posted by diznee25

OP: What an awful experience! I hope you did NOT leave a tip.
If DH and I had been in your shoes, we would not have tipped, and we wouldn't have felt guilty about it either.


diznee25

Why not leave a tip? The server still brought the food and drinks out, yes it was incorrect and yes the server should have noticed that and not brought it out wrong (twice!) but the server did bring the food, unless the server was a total jerk about it we would have tipped, but at a much lower rate then we normally do.

Originally Posted by Fire14

I don't know why but it always seems like it's a 2+ hr wait at Outbacks I've been to and than never fails something in the order was screwed up. I couldn't tell you last time I was in an Outback and I couldn't even tell you where one is around here.

That's our Texas Roadhouse, and I adore Texas Roadhouse. Breaks my heart but saves my wallet a lot of $$ because we almost never eat there.

OP I'm sorry you were cut, that's not good at all! They should have comped your drinks, your steak, the food you actually ate and the lobster tail that was never delivered. And you should have had gift cards given as well, if not your full meal comped. That's just not good at all, I would definitely send an email to corporate, just copy what you posted here and send it to them. They need to do some retraining or send some additional support in for help until things get smoothed out! I hope your lip is OK now!

[Jennasis]

Bottom line, for me, would be I would never return to that restaurant.

[Talking Hands]

Originally Posted by Couchy

DH and I went out with another couple to a new big chain steakhouse last night. We had called an hour ahead. When we got there we were given a pager and told it would be another hour.

Did you call ahead or get a reservation. There is a difference.