A small complaint about my favorite DW restaurant .....

[disneyfan551]

During our first visit to Ohana, we were also seated 'behind the wall'. We had a terrible server and were definitely tempted to only leave a small tip. We did have a ps, but I'm wondering if the fact that we were staying off property had to do anything with it. You know how they ask you during the ps AND at the restaurant if you are staying on property... I'm sure this comes into play, and they may seat only Disney resort guests in the good area... Just a thought...

I'm also willing to bet that the back area is a training area for new waiters!

 

[DisneyWisher]

Originally posted by sleepydog25
Here are a couple of tips (pun intended) for those who notice their service is poor at any restaurant 4) If none of these ideas works, do not leave a tip. Or leave a tip of, say, two pennies. The server will get the not so subtle hint and at least you've made your statement in economical terms.
5) If you're having problems just getting your check, get up, go to the host/hostess and tell that person. They will get your check for you, usually quickly.

Excellent advise. Leave a bad tip. Not leaving a tip can be chalked up to the customer didn't know but when you give a bad tip they will know exactly why.

Shirley

 

[boston1029]

If there is bad service, you should definately get the manager involved. We went to Whispering Canyons 2 years ago(me, my mom and dad). The service was poor, the food was terrible and the waitress even made comment about me not eating the food. She never asked if I wanted something else, just brought out the check. My parents did go to the front desk and talked to the cm there who called the manager of the restaurant. They spoke to him for about 20 minutes and he gave them a coupon for a free breakfast. He wanted them to come back and try it again on him. They said that it was better the next time, the eggs weren't cold and the biscuits weren't like bricks. You have to get the manager, it's their job to make sure that you are having a good experience. It's the only way too that the servers will be held accountable for their actions. I'm not saying though that every manager will give you something free, but they need to know.

 

[erinch]

this thread makes me feel much better --in a we're not the only ones kind of way -- because we had a terrible experience at Ohanas, and it's a favorite restaurant for so many people.

Our server was in a terrible hurry, and was most displeased to be interrupted in her "opening" spiel by me launching into the Food Allergy speech (our DS has life-threatening allergies to all milk products, eggs, tree nuts and peanuts). I had phoned the restaurant twice, talked to the chef ahead and she was supposed to bring the chef out so we could check all items on the menu. We had prearranged a substitute for some item he couldn't eat. (This is all standard food allergy Disney procedure and is part of the service they pride themselves on).

Well, she refused to bring out the chef. She wouldn't listen. She got ingredients wrong. Then she disappeared, seemed sarcastsic about our requests and generally made it one of our worst dining experiences ever.

I was out of energy by that time (we had been at Universal the week before and they had nearly killed him by serving a cobbler with hidden pecans. They ended up comping us for a VIP stay, but DS was in a wheelchair for the Disney visit due to the steroid reactions.) In any case, I spoke to the manager, who also seemed young, sarcastic and rushed.

I meant to complain higher up the food chain, but we got home on Sept 10, 2001, and it just didn't seeem that high a priority after that.

But, reading all these posts suggests to me that there is a hidden dynamic of indifferent service at Ohana's at some times, in some sereving areas, and with some servers.

Because the service is generally good, the food is delicious, the view terrific and the experience often positive, people are not complaining in a systematic kind of way, and Disney is not addressing it.

My story is too old to be helpful, but perhaps if people who have recently been disappointed by service at Ohana's contacted Disney dining with their reports ... and if anyone who's eating there demands immediate redress ....

I bet DIS'ers could get this fixed. When we were there we did manage to get the check (after 4 requests) by leaving the table, handing our card, with our resort and room number hand-printed on it to the hostess, and telling her that if we did not have the check in 5 minutes, they could bill the room. That got results.

 

[jann1033]

Originally posted by Scrubjay
[Bnot get a late PS and request that they seat you in the large main dining area. [/B]

that's what we did and it didn't help us much...don't ask for a table where you might be able to see the fireworks...we did and the hostess seemed very ticked off about it and i really feel stuck us with a lousy one on purpose..we could see the fireworks if we acted like contortionists and had our heads even with our knees..well I could, hubby was blocked by the building

we also had made our ps early ( 90 days), were on property and the server had no problems waiting on the other tables around us...the fact that the poster whose children had a problem but she hadn't i think proves the point it 's all in the "supposed" tip since teens are pretty notoriuosly lousy tippers,adults with their family not...we also ran into this at Boma..we were using the breakfast vouchers there and got a waiter who figured either his tip was in the bag or we were cheap tippers and was very rude( husband went the other way and embarassed him... and the waiter was REALLY embarassed by the way ... by leaving a good tip in addition to the prepaid one, maybe next time the waiter won't be so quick to assume), those were our only 2 bad experinces in 10 days though so we just will go else where next trip

 

[philaround]

It must be that wall. DW & I were also seated there on our trip in May 2004 and had the same lack of service. We had a 7PM PS and got there about 15 minutes early. We waited nearly 45 minutes to be seated. Now not only were we staying at a Disney Resort but wer in fact at the Poly. We had almost as hard a time getting our check as you did. When I asked for the check I also got the "Don't you want desert?" query and had to wait nearly 30 minutes for the check. We were at our table for nearly 1-1/2 hours but I don't think I saw our server for more than about 20-25 minutes thruout that time.

Well now I know to ask to be seated in the main section so maybe we will try againon our next trip next fall.

 

[dpic]

Originally posted by erinch

Well, she refused to bring out the chef.

I got to the above line and stopped reading. After making special arrangements because of allergies, right then, you ask for the manager. Too many times, people get mad but accept poor service anyway.

As many people mentioned before, speak to management when there are problems--especially at restaurants where the waiters/waitresses make very good tips. At that level, management wants to know if their staff isn't capable to doing the job. There are too many good waitresses/waiters to put up with poor service.

 

[erinch]

Originally posted by dpic
I got to the above line and stopped reading. After making special arrangements because of allergies, right then, you ask for the manager. Too many times, people get mad but accept poor service anyway.

I don't want to hijack this thread into a food allergy one, but did want to point out later in my post is the info we did bring in the manager, who did produce the chef. Unfortunately, what he did not produce was consistent service, even after that.

We were trapped in circumstances--a 13 yo DS (at the time) who is mortally embarassed by his special needs and wants no attention called to him, dealing with an unfamiliar wheelchair due to stomach and joint reactions, and a bone-level, numbing fatigue, the after-shock of the near-fatal experience at Universal. Due to all of that, we got what we needed, safe food, but endured the unforgive-able service. As I said, I spent 3 years kicking myself for not dramatically kicking it up the food chain then , but decided to post my account to point out:

There's a "sub-culture" of bad Ohana experiences which Disney Dining needs to address at a higher level than the restaurant manager. Given the length of time it's persisted (which must surely involve many restaurant level managers) it's a systemic problem, not one that a single manager could fix.

 

[DisOrBust]

WE are also veterns of poor service behind the wall,lol! I give the poster credit who actually waited for the check that long. I personally would have walked out at that point. I have been there with the melting down toddler and its an expereince I do not wish to repeat.

If we ever go back I will request the main dinnig room. If I get attitude I will talk to the manager and leave. I am done with paying large amounts of money to be treated like dirt. We vacation at WDW for the quality of service. If it goes..so do we...

 

[barbnbrian]

We just had a wonderful dinner at O'hana on Friday, 8/31. This was my 2nd dinner here with my 2 DDs and the first time for the 3 guys in our party of 6. PS was for 7:10 p.m. and at check-in, I politely asked if we could have a table by the window so that we would be able to watch Wishes, since we were only at WDW for the weekend and not going to MK at all this trip. They were willing to accomodate if I didn't mind waiting a little longer. No problem.

We got a great table (we were a party of 6) with a view of the castle. Talk about Pixie Dust! Our dinner was great. They came by frequently with plenty of food.

Wishes was fantastic. This was the 2nd time I saw them this summer, the first time for DH, DS & DB. I think DH was in a very "Disney" mood, with his 8 yr old princess sitting on his lap and a perfect view of the fireworks. Talk about a magical evening! Our weekend trip was so nice, DH even agreed to purchase DVC at SSR! I guess DH is finally starting to realize how much me and my girls love WDW.

Anyway, back to the OP, could it be that less experienced waitstaff are working in the section behind the wall where some have not had good service? For those that didn't get much shrimp, did you have a later PS? Maybe they were running low on shrimp by the time you were seated?

Anyone reading this post should not feel hesitant to try O'hana if they haven't already eaten here. It's a must do restaurant at WDW. I know we'll definitely be eating here again our next trip.

 

[lorifl2]

Originally posted by philaround
It must be that wall.

Just so no one panics if they are seated behind "the wall", I thought I'd mention that our first time at Ohana (with a group of 6) we were seated behind the wall and had terrific service. Our waiter was wonderful, and fetched my DS some mac n cheese and grapes from Kona when he saw he wasn't eating the food (we weren't aware at the time that you could do that). Granted, we couldn't see the fireworks and weren't close to the kids games, but it was our favorite meal of the trip and a must-do for all future trips. I think the problems are with the servers, not the spot in the restaurant!

 

[jann1033]

baarbnbrian: you had a larger group= bigger tip....

have most people with problems had smaller groups?

I would like to know because like i said , with our server , "all tables were not created equal" and he seemd like a good waiter to the large groups not a beginner. ( who by the way were not particularly demanding, he was just fawning all over them which was kind of funny in retrospect really " ohh can i get you anything else, like the shirt off my back" with a big smile to them then turns around and hisses "drop dead" to us )

If so I might be willing to try it again with a big group ( leave the 15% included tip instead of voluntery 20% tip if we get the same guy,!) if not I won't return

 

[queenmichelle]

scrubjay and dreaminofdisney I think we all ha the same server!

I still managed to have a great time but no thanks to our waitress. She was no where to bee seen. The food was wonderful and we had a window table for the fireworks. I can't wait to go back and a get a REAL server!