Outback Steakhouse customer service stinker

[drakethib]

Well first and foremost, I hate Outback steakhouse but my wife loves the place.

With that being said, when I am forced by wife to go eat there the service is usually pretty good there at the OB by our house.

One of the best waiters we ever had was deaf. He had a piece of a white board and could read lips but not speak. Where he had a question he would write it on the white board. He was the most attentive waiter I think we ever had.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I didn't give the server a tip either as our food was messed up. I usually tip 20%, but he didn't deserve it. Tip==to insure prompt service... um, not here it doesn't mean that!!!

Actually, if I remember correctly TIP stands for: To Insure PROPER service! Which would be prompt in all aspects.

I've been a server for 20 years and I'm a darn good one. Had I walked by the OP's table the first time and realized they had no drinks I would have waited before doing something. By the second time, I would have stopped asked has anyone been by and then I would have taken over. It's about the money for me...and to also insure return service. Because of my service, I have call tables that come in and will ONLY sit with me. If I'm not there, they leave. How's that for a darn good server??!!
About the sitting down...I have done so at a table or two, but I'm usually fairly good about feeling them out before I do it. I sat down one time and said, "Has anyone seen our server? I can't believe this place!" It got a laugh out of all of them. They asked my name and I told them Denise if everything is alright, and I named one of our other servers if something was wrong. I have also squatted at a table or two to hear better. I especially do it with older couples. They appreciate it and I can tell. I apologize to those of you who hate the server sitting and hope it wasn't me. I just like my guests to feel "at home" and the majority of them appreciate my hospitality.

 

[Poohbear123]

I have been to many many times, and have watched the prices go UP UP and UP! For food you can make very cheap at home! I swear I only got ONE steak that was GOOD and that was the prime rib, and I paid a LOT for it! My DH loves it, and I tell him to go when I am working at night, that way I don't have to go.

 

[ducklite]

We went to the Olive Garden in the Time Square area one night. Got there and got our name on the list and were told it was a half hour wait. After 45 minutes we went to check and were told you've got one party in front of you. After an hour we went to check and were told "you're next." After 75 mintes we went to check and they had somehow scratched us off whitout ever seating us. We were seated at the next table, almost 20 minutes later (at that point, no, we weren't going to take a seat to wait--we stayed right in front of the podium. )

When we were finally seated (with an attitude no less) our server walked past us for almost twenty minutes before we had enough. We got up and walked out--telling the manager on the way that they suck. She tried to make things better but by that time we were hungry and it was too little too late. We went to BK for dinner.

I called Olive Garden corporate HQ the next day and complained, they sent us $50 in GC's. We used them at another Olive Garden, but will never go back to the one we had the problem in.

We also have had bad service at Bertucci's (an e-mail to their HQ was responded to promptly by a regional manager who we felt genuinely wanted our business, and we went back many time after that) and had our name lost on the list at Macaroni Grill. When we were finally seated there the manger personally waited on us and comped our meal (which we didn't ask for or expect).

I think a lot of keeping a customer is how they work to fix something when things go wrong.

Anne

 

[JR6ooo4]

Took a friend of ours out for her birthday last weekend to Outback. Called at 6:20pm for call ahead seating. They said it would be about an hour, but show up at 7 in case they can seat us earlier. We get there at 7. They have no pagers, say they will call us over the speaker in about 15 minutes. At 7:20, they hadn't called, so I went in to see how long it would be. They said about 15 more minutes. Fine, not a problem, they are a little busy. At 7:40, still hadn't called, so my sister went in to see. They said we're sorry, we're busier than we thought, about 15 more minutes. Ok. 8:00, we still hadn't been seated, so I go back in and ask. They said we're sorry, we're really busy, about 15 more minutes. 8:20 still not seated, so I go in and ask what the problem is. We're sorry, we're really busy, we need to have open tables to seat you. I said I understand that concept, but they've told me 3 times now (not including this time) that it would be "15 more minutes" and it's now an hour and 20 minutes later. She said we're sorry, we have a party of 22 taking up 5 tables and another party of 16 taking up 3. I said that if they knew it was going to be that long, they should at least be upfront about it being a longer wait time so I can make the decision to stay or go, but the way they did it, they duped me into staying. The manager apologized profusely. I asked how many parties were in front of me. The boy standing there said 2 parties in front of me. So I stood there and counted them down (out loud!!! ) as they were called and seated.
We were finally seated a few minutes later and the manager did come over and tell us to choose any appetizer on her, so we got the Cheese Fries - Layered. And our server was really awesome.

But IMHO, such a popular restaurant, on the busiest night of the week, should have told a party of 22 and a party of 16 that they just simply couldn't seat them together. They were holding tables empty for a while just to have enough for them to sit beside each other. Whenever I've gone out in a big group on a weekend night like that, we're always well aware that we probably won't get tables next to each other. I'll probably get flamed for that, but that's just NOT a way that you keep loyal customers!

And we got seated next to the party of 22 - 22 9 year olds!

Kimya

at least they did not tell you "one hour 20 minutes! that is the perfect wait time!"

hehehehheee, if you remember that thread...

Mikeeee

 

[MushyMushy]

To the OP.... I def. wouldn't have waited that long..I would've waited a couple of minutes, then flagged down a waitress and said, " hey can we get some menus and go ahead and order?" ..I know you shouldn't HAVE to do that, but I would rather make a small effort, then leave a restaurant altogether

Well, we weren't angry about it -- it was more like a blasé "Well, if they don't want our business, we won't give it to them" attitude. Besides, my small effort is handing them my credit card at the end of the meal.

I'll tell you what, though, the experience really made me wish we were there on a secret shopper thing! We did a secret shop once at an Applebees and it turned out the service was awful that day.

About the sitting down...I have done so at a table or two, but I'm usually fairly good about feeling them out before I do it. I sat down one time and said, "Has anyone seen our server? I can't believe this place!" It got a laugh out of all of them. They asked my name and I told them Denise if everything is alright, and I named one of our other servers if something was wrong.

Now that's funny, and it's a case like that where we would find it funny rather than annoying. I don't know, in most cases it just seems so phony and contrived. I'd rather have a server who is being genuine (unless they're a genuine jerk ) than to be all bubbly and happy.

I think a lot of keeping a customer is how they work to fix something when things go wrong.

Anne

Bingo! All we ever look for is a simple apology and once we get that, we're pretty happy.

I didn't mention, though, that we actually DID get an apology from the manager... it was the two hostesses who were being weird about us not hunting down a server.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Would you have done the same thing we did?

We went to Outback today for a late lunch/early dinner and we arrived at 3:14 rotfl2: yes, I'm anal, I looked because I was worried they weren't opened yet). They weren't busy at all, so we got seated right away, and we spent a bit of time looking at the menu, trying to figure out what we were in the mood for. We were all starving and decided to get the works -- appetizers and all.

We sat and sat and sat. Five servers walked past us, and we were pretty patient wondering when someone would acknowledge us. At 3:35, I said, "Let's give it 5 minutes, then leave," and DH and DD agreed. At 3:42 (I was being generous with the time ), we got up to leave. DH asked for a manager and told him the problem (politely) and the hostesses got all upset and said, "Well, you should have come and told us you weren't being waited on!" DH responded to her that if he's paying $70 for a meal, he shouldn't HAVE to go searching for service.

I ended up being glad we left because we found the absolute best seafood place ever, and the server there actually apologized for being at our table too much.

I don't know, would you have gone searching for service? They kind of acted like we were silly for not doing it, but honestly, we're pretty patient people and don't expect too much, but at the same time, we do expect service.

My Dh says that everything must be slow in Australia, because we have never had fast service at Outback, and we have been to several. The only reason I keep going back is because I am just too addicted to the Bloomin Onion.

 

[SillyMe]

I've never had a problem with our Outback in the Lehigh Valley. I've never seen the waiters or waitresses sit down with the customers.

Dd7 and I just ate there two weeks ago. We go early so it's not full and we don't have to wait long. Well, it was actually pretty empty that day. One of the waiters (who was not our waiter) brought crayons and an activity book over to my dd, and taught her how to draw Garfield's face. He was bent down at our table teaching her until our food arrived. When it arrived, he left so we could eat, but kept checking back with her...and he wasn't even our waiter. We really liked him and had great service that day.

What I don't like anymore is that their prices have gone up, but the portions have decreased. I still love their food, though.

 

[LadyyRedd]

I worked at the Outback you went to, Kimya. I refused to sit in the booth with the customers and told them I'd kneel at the tables instead.

Suzanne

Actually, we were in Germantown, not Frederick.

I much would prefer someone to kneel! I hated having a stranger sit next to me.

Kimya

 

[LadyyRedd]

at least they did not tell you "one hour 20 minutes! that is the perfect wait time!"

hehehehheee, if you remember that thread...

Mikeeee

LOL, yes, I do remember that thread!

Kimya

 

[*disgal*]

Would you have done the same thing we did?

I haven't read the whole thread but.........


Well, if I REALLY wanted to eat there, I might have gone for someone, but no one should EVER have to "gather up" a server! And my family used to own a restaurant! That would have embarrassed the crap out of us!

 

[Chattyaholic]

I think I would have spoken to the hostess, and not just left.

The reason I say this is because maybe the servers all thought your table belonged to one of the other servers. Miscommunication maybe.

And the reason I say this is because I am a waitress myself and I remember one crazy-busy Friday night a guy came up to the register very upset. He said nobody waited on him and he ate off the buffet but didn't want to pay for it because nobody waited on him. (He paid anyway, because he did eat the food).

Well, we have a "hostess will seat you" sign out there for a reason.

He bypassed the sign, seated himself and started eating. No one paid attention to him because we all assumed he belonged to one of the other servers. He never tried to flag anyone down to ask for a drink or anything.

I try to give the benefit of the doubt when in situations like you described.

 

[Cass]

There will be no scootching at my table.

 

[NatureBoyChris]

I worked at Outback as a server for about 6 months. We had to kneel at each table because we needed to be on the guest's level. I personally do not like that and I really can't stand servers that sit with you. The truth is that a lot of people do like these things.

The OP said that they were there between 3 and 4. Sometimes this time of day is the shift change period. While there is no excuse for you not being greeted in a timely manner, this this can be a confusing time period. Sometimes the closer for lunch is cut but the replacement doesn't look at the seating chart right and doesn't realize that they have been seated. Still someone should have noticed that you were just sitting there. I personally would have checked with the host, but you had every right to be upset.

 

[MushyMushy]

I worked at Outback as a server for about 6 months. We had to kneel at each table because we needed to be on the guest's level. I personally do not like that and I really can't stand servers that sit with you. The truth is that a lot of people do like these things.

The OP said that they were there between 3 and 4. Sometimes this time of day is the shift change period. While there is no excuse for you not being greeted in a timely manner, this this can be a confusing time period. Sometimes the closer for lunch is cut but the replacement doesn't look at the seating chart right and doesn't realize that they have been seated. Still someone should have noticed that you were just sitting there. I personally would have checked with the host, but you had every right to be upset.

It was opening. It opened at 3 and we got there around quarter after.

 

[Disney Debbie]

Originally Posted by tiggersmom2
I live in Gray (1/2 way between Macon and Milledgeville). I so agree with you on Logans and Longhorns. We always eat at the Logans on Tom Hill and the Longhorns on Riverside. I have NEVER had an issue with any of those restaurants, great service and great food!!

Just wanted to say I lived in Warner Robins for almost ten years worked on the base there. I moved back here to California almost three years ago now. I sure miss it, I'd love to move back to Georgia. And I also miss Longhorns, we don't have any here!

Debbie

It's a small world! I live in Hawkinsville - south of Warner Robins.

 

[tiggersmom2]

It's a small world! I live in Hawkinsville - south of Warner Robins.

Well, hey there neighbor!! You are a bit closer to WDW than me....