Horrible Experience - Warning

[Boardwalk Tigger]

O2bBarbie:
" If I were the OP, I would have been the one saying, wow, yeah, you know, I'm sorry, I can see where things could have been interpreted that way and just laughed it off. "

I don't think most people would have reacted that way It was the waitress's job to handle this in a professional and courteous manner. Sorry this happened to you OP.

 

[udsweetpea]

O2bBarbie:

I don't think most people would have reacted that way It was the waitress's job to handle this in a professional and courteous manner. Sorry this happened to you OP.

So is there a better way to saying "I thought you walked out"?

 

[geffric]

Just to let you know that a family of four has had this happen ( and not just at WDW) too.. So as a single parent you are not being discriminated against..

After we order I have the boys wash their hands.. so all four of us leave to wash.. a few times the servers/bus boys have seen a table empty and cleaned it.. We now know that we tell our server once we order that we are going to wash and not leaving..

 

[caroline1851]

I have to be honest, if I saw someone leave and didn't return for that long, i would also think they might have walked off. I guess a good idea to let the waitress know if you're stepping out. I probaly would've been super annoyed also though.
As for your exp. at Ohana's, that's great that they handled it well and you left happy.

 

[annie_in_wonderland]

So is there a better way to saying "I thought you walked out"?

Yes. Discreetly. And then followed by an apology when the misunderstanding is realized.

 

[udsweetpea]

Yes. Discreetly. And then followed by an apology when the misunderstanding is realized.

Isn't Chef Mickey's a crowded restaurant to begin with? Where can she take her to discreetly tell her this without people watching them leave and have a discussion outside? Wouldn't that be less discreet? Put yourself in the server's shoes. You just waited on a table only to find they walked out on you. The server probably did say it nicely, and the OP never said if the server and manager apologized. I'm sure they did. The OP was in the wrong, not Disney.

 

[WDW4ever]

The OP was in the wrong, not Disney.

That's not fair to say. The OP wasn't in the wrong. She's upset because it was highly embarrassing. I don't blame her but it was just a big mistake and I'm sure it had nothing to do with who she is personally. I waited tables for years too and I might have made that same mistake. But I also would have felt awful about it.

 

[02bBarbie]

That's not fair to say. The OP wasn't in the wrong.

I disagree. The OP left the impression that she walked out. Even if that was not the case, that's the impression that was left.

So is there a better way to saying "I thought you walked out"?

More than likely. Alas, I'm too full of Christmas turkey to think clearly LOL

 

[jarrdisney]

O2bBarbie:
" If I were the OP, I would have been the one saying, wow, yeah, you know, I'm sorry, I can see where things could have been interpreted that way and just laughed it off. "

I don't think most people would have reacted that way It was the waitress's job to handle this in a professional and courteous manner. Sorry this happened to you OP.

I would have reacted that way. I would have laughed it off and apologzied. Then again I would not have put myself in that position in the first place. I believe it would be common courtesy to let the server know.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

udsweetpea:"So is there a better way to saying "I thought you walked out"?

YES THERE IS! I posted suggestions earlier in this thread. She should have said. "I'm so sorry. I thought you had left" or just say nothing and reverse the charge." The woman was already seated and eating her dessert. There was no reason to embarass her with implying that she walked out on a bill. The waitress didn't think before she spoke. Obviously the OP hadn't walked out. This is a different situation than running after someone who has already left the restaurant. I'm very surprised that Disney hasn't covered this in their employee training.

 

[annie_in_wonderland]

I am just wondering why everyone wants to blame the OP.

It was a misunderstanding. I am not blaming the server. I can see how the mistake could have been made. It was a misunderstanding that does not have to leave the guest feeling terrible.

Servers should be instructed about how a situation like this should be handled - discreetly, and of course it can be said so that other guests can't hear. I am sure this kind of thing happens at least once in awhile.

 

[FDV]

Hello All,
My 4 year old and I took our third trip to Disney together on Dec 11 through the 18th. Although I have been to Disney may times before, this was our 3rd trip together. This was our first year not using the dining plan and paid out of pocket for a few of our choice disney dining experiences - OHANA and Chef Mickey. They were both disasters. The food was good, but the service was horrendous.
At Chef Mickey, my son had to use the restroom toward the end of our meal. I took him downstairs to the restrooms. As an independant 4 year old, he insisted on doing everything himself. Of course this meant a 15 minute wait for him. When we went back upstairs, our table was cleared and there were new place settings at our table. I got dessert and sat down with my son. The waittress came over and said, "I thought you just walked out on the check!!!!!" IN FRONT OF OTHER CUSTOMERS IN EAR SHOT!!!! The manager came over and said. "We thought you left - we pulled all your information from previous visits and from your reservations and already BILLED YOUR ROOM!!!!" I was disgraced, humiliated, and sad to be treated this way. I JUST TOOK MY SON TO THE BATHROOM!!!!!! I pulled out a credit card and told them to please bill me and that I do not walk out on my bills. They billed me and reversed the charges on my room. When I got my room bill at check out it showed my Chef Mickey bill with a note "WALK-OUT" and a few lines below there was a reverse on it.
I may have been dressed casual in a Disney t-shirt, I may be a divorced single mom, but I am an attorney and an upstanding member of my community and DID NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE TRASH.

CHEF MICKEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!!!

My experience at OHANA wasn't nearly as bad. I had very late reservations - 9:45. The food was excellent, but my waiter went home before serving dessert. Just left for the night. Didn't say goodbye, didn't clear our table, didn't bring dessert, didn't tell another waiter to take care of us. I sat there until I found a waiter to look for our waiter. He was shocked to tell us he had left for the night - then he cleared us and brought dessert. The manager was wonderful and told us that this should not have happened and picked up our bill. Thanks OHANA for making a mistake a good experience. We will always keep you on our dining to do list when we visit the world.

Next time use some common sense and you might have a more enjoyable experience. You walked out on the table. There is no way staff could have known you were returning. 15 minutes is a very long time to leave a table empty. You should have apologized to them.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I think it is very difficult to say what I would have done if I were in the OP's shoes. More than likely, I would have told someone where we were going just out of fear that the table would have been cleared. Another option would be to leave a sweater or something else there...even a toy or two just as a signal that we'd be back.

I have a feeling that the server did not yell or purposely try to embarrass the OP. Instead, I think she was (rightfully so) agitated by the situation and saw it as being worse than it really was. She definitely seems embarrassed by what was said and saw it as being a small attack on her character. I am sure the waitress/manager apologized especially since they went through the trouble of reversing the bill, etc. I can't imagine them doing that without apologizing, especially at WDW.

I am sorry that this happened to you, OP. I am sure you'll tell the waitress in the future where you are going though! -hugs-

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

She didn't do anything to apologize for. Whatever presumption the waitress made it was incorrect and the OP did not start an argument. She just sat down and ate her dessert! The bottom line is that the OP will have to be more careful in the future now that she is on notice that this can happen BUT Disney needs to make sure their employees are properly trained to handle these situations correctly. The waitress reacted improperly with the OP. Really I don't understand that some people dont get this. Disney wants to keep their customers happy and it is not their goal to insult them. That is not the way a successful business is run. I think OP should call or write to Disney management and advise them of the situation. Maybe they can use this situation in the future in employee training.

 

[02bBarbie]

Really I don't understand that some people dont get this.

That makes two of us

Maybe they can use this situation in the future in employee training.

I suspect they are already well trained which is why the walk out was billed to the OP's hotel account.

It's one of the busiest times of the year at WDW. A table is left empty for 15 minutes. Management wants tables turned. You do the math

 

[annie_in_wonderland]

I suspect they are already well trained which is why the walk out was billed to the OP's hotel account.

And no one is saying that they shouldn't have done that. At least I'm not.
I don't think they should hold the table all day and give free breakfast to anyone who walks out.

They could have handled it a bit more gracefully and everyone could have walked away smiling. It isn't so hard unless you want to make it hard.

 

[FDV]

That makes two of us




I suspect they are already well trained which is why the walk out was billed to the OP's hotel account.

It's one of the busiest times of the year at WDW. A table is left empty for 15 minutes. Management wants tables turned. You do the math

After 15 minutes, it's surprising the next customer wasn't already seated.

 

[jmkrat]

I am sorry, but I too would have thought you left. I don't think that it had anything to do with the way you were dressed, most people dress like you did at Disney World. I am sorry you were insulted, but, unfortunately, the wait staff probably has seen their share of walk-outs. You more than likely didn't think you would have been gone so long and didn't think to tell the staff. I have had a few 4 year olds I know how that goes. But, I can see their side too.

 

[PrincessMomto2]

Wow I can not believe how people are blaming the OP. Sheesh! Give her a break I never tell my waitress that I have to go to the restroom. I have a 3 year old and I can never make it back from the bathroom in less than 10 mins and it usually takes at least 15 mins. That is not an ureasonable amount of time. The server made a mistake and she should have handled it differently. I don't fault anyone for the misunderstanding. Mistakes happen. But I sure do fault the server for the way she handled it once it was realized that a mistake was made. To the OP, you did nothing wrong and I hope the rest of your trip was enjoyable.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I suspect they are already well trained which is why the walk out was billed to the OP's hotel account
It's one of the busiest times of the year at WDW. A table is left empty for 15 minutes. Management wants tables turned. You do the math

Obviously they were NOT welltrained since it wasn't a walkout (and they had to reverse their charge) and insulting a patron is never OK. Disney does not do business in this fashion. It is also not Disney's style to turn tables so quickly that you can't use the restrooms. ::cop: Have a Disney Day!