Extremely Upset & In Shock with Chef Mickey

[si-am]

Ok different people have brought up the fact that 20 people showed up for their ADR, ADVANCED reservation, and they act like CM was caught off guard and were ready to close. The ADR was made and they knew a party of 20 was coming.
I'm sorry , for what that party paid for a buffet dinner, the manager should have bent over backwards for them.
If that were any other restaurant,the manager, the server would have been thrilled to have such a big party there, no matter what the time.
Someone said how is it the manager's responsibility, BECAUSE they are the MANAGER, lol...YES he can still follow the rules but Disney ALWAYS accomodates their guests, it's what they are known for, making their guests' experiences wonderful.
You want them to come back, you want them to tell others.
Now the OP has told others about her experience, and it isn't good word of mouth.

I think this expectation-- that Disney makes every trip magical and bends over backwards to accommodate every whim of every guest-- is why so many people come back from their trips disappointed and venting.

I think Disney *used* to be better about it, but those of us who have been going for just about forever know that this kind of special treatment hasn't been the norm for quite some time. When it happens, it's a nice little bonus. But it shouldn't be an expectation.

 

[dalt01]

It's not fair to blame Disney. The OP is the one who spent $120 for a cake without checking first. Letting them keep the cake at the table was more then reasonable. Keeping it in a hotel walk in box was very nice. For some people it's not enough. You want the restaurant to store, present, cut and serve an outside cake? Not reasonable unless you pay for the service. Guests who bring in their own wine pay a corkage fee.

Expecting meat in a buffet to be cooked to order isn't reasonable. Frequently meat in a buffet is more well done then I'd like. Chef M isn't the right restaurant if you're looking for beef cooked to order.

I think the OP had some unreasonable expetations.

that is what i saw in the post.................a lot of assumptions about what kind of cooperation they were going to get from the restaurant and when they did not jump through hoops for the customer?................well.............then nothing was going to be ok.........hence the improperly cook meat. i learned the 6 P's a long time ago.............Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. i am however very happy that the children seem to be oblivious to all the drama going on around them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This past saturday when our group of 20 went to dinner things were so bad that at one point I was in tears. I had an ADR but because of our group size it was for 9:20pm and although I tried calling numerous times for an earlier ADR it didn't happen.

Okay, I can understand your disappointment, but it truly IS difficult to accommodate such a large party at a popular restaurant on a weekend night. You understand, too - it's obvious.

I had ordered a white chocolate slipper from CM for one of the adults and although I wanted it with milk/dark chocolate mousse was told they could only do white chocolate mousse...okay no problem.

Oh, wow. I'm surprised you even got one! Usually, there's one version of the slipper available at Cinderella's Royal Table and a different version at the Grand Floridian restaurants. This is the first I've heard in a long time of even being able to get one in any other location!

I decided to try Boardwalk Bakery and spoke to a great lady named Lillian who was very helpful. I sent her the pics and she quoted me $120 which was definitely cheaper so we decided to go for it. I told them it was for an ADR at Chef Mickey and they said we could go pick it up. I went with my friend to pick it up and she even cried when she saw it and especially when I wouldn't let her pay for it. We guarded it like gold and managed to get it to CM and that's where the drama began. My husband gets there ahead of me and they try to tell him he can't bring the cake into the restaurant he then explains that it is a Disney cake and that we got it at Boardwalk Bakery. They go get a manager and at this point I've gotten there. The manager Craig tells us that we can bring it into the restaurant and can keep it on our table. Table? Why would we keep this huge box on our table that would ruin the surprise for this 7yr old who was surprised by the entire trip. He then tells us that because of health regulations he cannot take the cake into the kitchen because it is coming from "outside" and that if the boardwalk bakery had delivered it then they could have taken it. I explain to him that we told the bakery it was for CM and they didn't say they could deliver it nor that we couldn't bring it in. After paying $120 for a cake and going through a huge mission I would have gladly delivered it versus freaking out that I was going to drop the cake. So then the manager repeats sorry there is nothing he can do other than let us keep it on the table. At this point I'm in shock. I mean you are a manager you can't come up with a suggestion for us. By no means do I expect them to break rules or get in trouble for me but isn't it their job to come up with suggestions to a problem or try to accommodate a guest?! He didn't try to make phone calls, talk to someone else or anything! He just stood there looking at us. I told him are you kidding me this is for a 7yr olds birthday and it is all a surprise and I just spent $120 on this cake?! I ordered a slipper from here and our group consists of 20 people that are going to be bringing service to your restaurant! Nope still nothing.

Oh boy. Okay, first, it's not Chef Mickey's management's responsibility that you price-shopped; it's also ultimately not Lillian's/Boardwalk Bakery's responsibility - despite you telling them it was for a CM meal - to provide you with delivery information, whether that be availability, cost, scheduling, etc. It would have been reasonable for you, especially on discovering the CM cake cost more than you were willing to spend, to ask what their policy was regarding Guests bringing in their own cakes/pastries - and no, it doesn't matter what the source of that baked good is.

Policy is policy; I'm genuinely not sure who you expected the restaurant manager TO call after 9 PM on a Saturday night, or what kind of exception you expected to be made? Frankly, a reasonable solution to me would have been for you to place the box on a chair as much out of the view of the seven year old as possible.

I get up to get food and the options were very limited. I was so confused by the lack of options. I also went to get roast beef and was told they had slightly pink and very cooked. I asked if they had something more rare and was told nope this is all we have...not too happy at this point.

Respectfully, if all they have is this and this, I'm not sure how they could be expected to have this-other. You can't uncook something. It's regrettable that you weren't happy with the doneness of the meat.

Our waitress then comes to find out the birthdays. We tell her who the birthday people are and before we can tell her we have a cake she takes off. We wanted to try and time her birthday surprise with ours. She brings out the slipper first puts it down and walks away. We are confused because there is no Happy Birthday or singing and now this poor 7yr old is looking at that slipper which isn't for her. Some time passes and she walks out with 3 cupcakes 1 for each birthday person without warning.

Understood that the timing wasn't what you planned (too late now, but possibly a MUCH earlier discussion with her or the manager might have helped?) but given the way the rest of the meal was going, I'd have sent somebody running down to Concierge to grab the cake as SOON as the slipper appeared!

1 of the birthday girls was getting food because mind you we were all still eating our food and now the 7yr old has this cupcake and her cake is still downstairs My husband goes down to get the cake and when he brings it up...you guessed it no help from anyone. He calls my phone and we set the box down at a table away from the 7yr old's view. We pull it out and I actually had brought my own candle but we don't have a lighter. We ask numerous CM and no one has a lighter. Finally someone brings us a lighter and I get ready to take pictures as my husband brings the cake. She was extremely surprised and happy and our group took it upon ourselves to sing happy birthday since no one had sang her happy birthday yet. At this point the wonderful characters realize what is going on and run over for 2 encores of happy birthday. So now we have to cut the cake and need plates so where's the server...crickets. She comes and looks at us like we have 8 heads but finally brings over what we had asked for. It was quite good and very pretty. I will try to post pictures tomorrow.

Respectfully again, this indicates a lack of preplanning and a lack of communication. Yes, I realize, in your opinion you and your party are the most important Guests at Walt Disney World. To the restaurant staff, EVERY Guest is important. The Cast Members aren't mindreaders. Despite being upset with the way things started - not being able to store your cake in the kitchen - communicating with the manager would have given you MUCH better results. Probably wouldn't have changed the waitress's attitude (did you really only have one, and were you her only party?) but certainly would have worked out the timing better, likely allowing you to tell her when you were ready for the desserts; having a match or lighter available; the characters being prepared; and most important, your cake being presented.

Sorry for the long post but I had this pent up for days. I can honestly say I will never be eating at CM again not for breakfast and especially not for dinner.

I don't get this attitude AT ALL. You start by saying

In the past I've had breakfast and dinner at CM and it was always very good

Now, because of one bad experience - and I do understand you expected it to be extra-special - you're banning and badmouthing the restaurant??? Sorry - a good part of the problems you had rest on you.

The funny thing is that the manager tells my husband after we are sitting and he goes to get food that he knows I am upset but there was nothing he could do...funny the manager downstairs was able to help me out!

Uh, yes. Restaurants are subject to all KINDS of sanitation laws and requirements that hotel front desks with a refrigerator in the back room aren't. That restaurant manager is right - he COULDN'T help you - not without risking the cleanliness and contamination of his entire restaurant, all because you wanted to save a few dollars on a cake.

 

[ElizabethB]

I just booked a room reservation. The CM asked me, as they routinely do, "What will you be celebrating?"

I answered, as I always do, nothing.

But, why ask about celebrations if there is no intent to assist with them?

I just remembered, I held a luncheon at a restaurant to celebrate my parents' anniversary. I had a very special cake made at mom's favorite bakery and brought it into the restaurant. No problem at all. The restaurant was happy to accommodate with serving items.

So, I don't understand those who say bringing in a cake for a special occasion is that strange.

And, in this instance, the cake had been baked by Disney. I think the restaurant could have been more accommodating.

Unfortunately, with DPP, the approach now is:

rush 'em in, seat 'em quickly, run the characters around the room in a marathon, and push 'em out. We won't go back to CRT precisely for this reason.

A bit of extra attention, even for a $700 dinner, apparently isn't a priority any more.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I do not claim to speak for the regulations in Florida, but we can bring cakes into the kitchen here in NC. And if not, then why not put it in the beer cooler?

Um, because then where do you put the beer? And while cake won't quite freeze in an hour at 40º, it won't stay flavorfully temperate, either.

Not only that, but aren't their fridges in other parts of the building?

Sure. There's obviously one down on the first floor behind the scenes behind the Concierge counter. There's another one on the same level in luggage storage. More on the second level for The Wave (another restaurant, so out of the question). More on possibly the same level as Chef Mickey's for the fast food restaurant (see 'out of the question'); there's the bar with, as you pointed out, coolers that may or may not be the right temperature and may or may not have room; and there's California Grill - another restaurant regulated by health codes and sanitation laws.

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

AHHHHHH why does it matter about the time??? They accepted the ADR for 20 people so why do some people keep saying it was unreasonable because the OP wanted to celebrate some birthdays? They knew they were coming, they set the time for 9:20, and they knew there were birthdays involved.
And I agree with one poster , I have been going since Disney opened, 100 plus times and I think just the past few years they have been pushing the "celebration" thing and yes people expect so much.
Like when people ask on the boards, "im having my birthday, what can I expect"
Are you kidding me? Why expect anything,lol....Because Disney has played it up and others have had unexpected magic and others think it's the norm.
Also, I swear the SAME DISers are so argumentive on every thread they post on, some of us have a running list of 5 in particular, it cracks me up.
Sorry, I'm easily amused,lol......

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

We had brought a cake to CM before and I made sure to call the rest directly to check on it being OK. I was told that they would allow us to bring it in but it could not go in back per health code. We kept it to the side and my son didn't even notice. Most kids are to excited to be concerned with what you are doing when looking at characters and monorails. A few came to sing but not everyone. There are quite a few birthdays every time we are there. We also had a cake delivered to CRT and only a few CM's came to sing , again, quite a few biethdays going on any given day. I think this was a case of too high expectations and not checking all your info ahead of time.

 

[2Tiggies]

I had a very special cake made at mom's favorite bakery and brought it into the restaurant. No problem at all. The restaurant was happy to accommodate with serving items.

So, I don't understand those who say bringing in a cake for a special occasion is that strange.

There was no problem bringing the cake in to CM. The problem was storing it alongside the restaurant's own food. I don't know what your laws are regarding food in the US, but generally the reasoning behind this policy is that the outlet needs to be able to trace food to the source in the event of a problem. Had the OP's intention been for the cake to be placed on the table from the outset, I doubt there would have been an issue.

 

[Jetta8300]

There was no problem bringing the cake in to CM. The problem was storing it alongside the restaurant's own food. I don't know what your laws are regarding food in the US, but generally the reasoning behind this policy is that the outlet needs to be able to trace food to the source in the event of a problem. Had the OP's intention been for the cake to be placed on the table from the outset, I doubt there would have been an issue.

Exactly!!!

I have experienced first hand why "serving outside food" or something like this is not allowed. Whille rare, there are crazy people out there.

About 6 years ago when I was in college I worked for Starbucks. We were not allowed to incorporate any outside ingredients into our drinks (for instance, a customer's particular favorite brand of soy milk). We were also not allowed to serve any outside ingredients.

A new employee did not know this. A woman brought in some outside "Lactaid" milk in her mug and asked the employee to use this in her drink. The employee made the drink and said she could smell a bit of sourness to the milk but thought it might be normal for Lactaid. and apparently the milk was BAD.

The woman later complained that she was "poisoned" by Starbucks when it was her milk that was bad. The employee was trying to provide great customer service, but it backfired at Starbucks. She ended up getting some money from Starbucks from this. Who knows if she did it on purpose to get some $$$, or if she truly did not know that her milk was bad.

Whose to say that the bakery in which the cake was made wasn't having a problem with their refrigerator? And the cake wasn't stored at the proper temperature? These restaurants seriously have to take precautions because while rare, things DO HAPPEN!

This is why the customer is NOT always right.

 

[ElizabethB]

But plenty of posters are saying things like the "cake should have been returned to the car", "no one has any business bringing a cake into a restaurant", etc. Just noting that I don't agree with that and my own experience bringing a cake into a restaurant does not support their view.

As for mingling it with food in the kitchen, yeah, that probably would be an issue. But, it would not have killed the manager to say, "yes, we'll hold the cake at the front desk and bring it out when you're ready". Or, even, "here is spare chair and you can put it there for now."

As for sharing a homemade cake brought into Macaroni Grill by strangers at the next table, I guess I truly took my life in my own hands by doing that!!! Who'd a thunk?

 

[brunette8706]

AHHHHHH why does it matter about the time??? They accepted the ADR for 20 people so why do some people keep saying it was unreasonable because the OP wanted to celebrate some birthdays? They knew they were coming, they set the time for 9:20, and they knew there were birthdays involved.
And I agree with one poster , I have been going since Disney opened, 100 plus times and I think just the past few years they have been pushing the "celebration" thing and yes people expect so much.
Like when people ask on the boards, "im having my birthday, what can I expect"
Are you kidding me? Why expect anything,lol....Because Disney has played it up and others have had unexpected magic and others think it's the norm.
Also, I swear the SAME DISers are so argumentive on every thread they post on, some of us have a running list of 5 in particular, it cracks me up.
Sorry, I'm easily amused,lol......

Well said. Disney does push the "Celebration". That's what I have been saying all along, their almost forcing you to celebrate something, anything, lol! Also, I'm sure the cake came in a cardboard box. So putting it out of site protected by cardboard shouldn't have been a big deal. And, I agree the time should have nothing at all to do with this. I have had reservations at Ohana's as late as 9:40 and there were still plenty of people there. sLike I said before Lessons learned I guess, but I always will get the person's name at the restaurant etc so there won't be any confusion. I guess some people just don't want to bend on rules, which I think is ridiculous, but hey that's just me.

 

[2Tiggies]

Frankly, space is another issue. The restaurant may not have had the space to accommodate a box this size. I also doubt they would be willing to assume liability had anything happened and the cake caused damage. That would have ruined the meal consderably more.

 

[TDC Nala]

Well, I didn't want to close this thread, but as it has now turned into a fight over the expected level of Disney customer service even after more than one warning, its time has come.