Poor service at California Grill

[DisneyJules]

Hey guys, I've been to the CG several times and have always had a good experience, until this last visit. The food was amazing, the restaurant is beautiful but our service was horrible! I waited forever for a menu, finally I grabbed a waiter and asked if we could have our menus. Our waitress comes over puts some water on the table, says barely anything. We didn't see her very much that evening, her manner was completely unfriendly, she didn't smile once and I almost found her a little intimidating. I looked at the tables next to me, they were kidding around with their waitresses and laughing. Our experience was quite different. It took me aback considering it's such a posh restaurant, (not to say you should have bad service at cheaper restaurant) and it's Disney!
Anyone else here experience anything similar?

 

[lillygator]

wow - sounds unusual to me...we have always had above and beyond excellent service!

 

[Steve Hurley]

We ate there last Dec 2004 and our waiter (Stephen) was awesome. Very friendly and informative. We will ask for him on our next visit their in 4/2006.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Just a fluke.

 

[maggiew]

That's too bad. We had a good waiter when we went there. He said he had 6 kids and so he talked and played with our kids. He even colored on the table with them!

Maggie

 

[Chicago526]

We had outstanding service (the fact that our table was by the window and we had a perfect view of Wishes didn't hurt either!). I'd say it was a fluke. I would have asked to speak to a manager about it, though.

 

[catheren]

I wonder if we had the same server!!!
We have always had great service but our 2005 visit was terrible. The server was not what you would normal have at the CG.

We spoke to the manager, -- we told him if this was our first time at the CG it would probably be our last.

We will give it another try in 2006.

 

[stinkerbelle]

We've always had really good service at CG...the only "oddball" thing that happened..was that the waiter took away our bottle of wine without asking at the end of our meal.

There was MAYBE half a glass left...but still...you don't take it away without asking.

We were too stunned to say anything I think.

 

[DisneyJules]

Well, the last few times I've eaten there, the service was outstanding. I was just so shocked at her behaviour. It seemed like she so didn't want to be there and was doing the absolute bare minimum.

 

[diswedwish]

I wonder if you had the same server we did? lol! We tried CG for the first time in 1/04. It was a Sat. night and very crowded, we were taken over 45 min. after our PS time (stupid me scheduling this for a Sat. night!), we were both crabby, and to top it off our waitress was absolutely miserable. Excellent food though. But DH refuses to go back - I'll have to work on him

 

[goofie4goofy]

It has nothing to do with Disney. Poor service can happen anywhere at anytime. For the very first time in my life we left a 1 penny tip at a restaurant that was highly recmmended to us recently. It was very expensive, but the service was the WORST we have ever encountered anywhere...and I think the waiter knew it too- you can tell when they avoid you at the end of the meal. Our waiter was a total jerk. This was not a WDW restaurant, but it is so disappointing when it happens when your expecatations are so high and you are paying primo $$.

 

[DisneyJules]

Disney has a lot to do with it. They're hiring these people, if they're not competent enough to smile and make your dining experience atleast a pleasant one, they should not be working there.
diswedwish, her name was Claudia, does that ring a bell?

 

[chipscinderelly]

We had a poor experience in Nov 2003 at CG. The dining room was FREEZING, our server was less than wonderful and the manager refused to come to the table when requested. We actually had to put on tableclothes (provided by the rest. to a lot of tables). I was horribly disappointed as this was my birthday meal attended by almost 15 people and it was not the experience I expected. I dont' know if we will return.

 

[DVCconvert]

We've stayed 3 times in 3 years at the CR and eaten at CG. Over that term, I'd say we had good service once. We've felt that the food was not very good either over this term. We aren't planning to go back.

 

[Amyrlin]

Were you on the Dining plan?

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Were you on the Dining plan?

That's what I was going to ask!

Lori

 

[WDW LOVR]

The only time we've gone to CG our server (Kevin) was fantastic. Going back in a couple months and I can't wait.

I was going to ask about the dining plan also. There have been other threads debating whether you get less than stellar service if you're on the dining plan.

 

[diswedwish]

DisneyJules - no, not Claudia, I think her name was Eve but not positive. Everyone is entitled to a bad day, it just stinks when they happen to be your server at the time!

By-the-way, we were on the Gold Plan at the time - usually we received pretty good service whether or not we've used the plans... In some cases, I think it's better on the plans since the servers know they're assured a tip - they were extremely helpful in telling us the best way to use our wishes/points (which in turn raised their tip)

 

[D&R love Disney]

Unfortunately bad service can happen at the best of restaurants. Hopefully you just got a waitress having a bad night, but that is no excuse.
Luckily we've had fantastic service every time we've eaten there.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

After comparing notes with another couple who had reservations for the exact same time as us at CG a couple of weeks ago, our suspicions of being forgotten were confirmed. Despite arriving early, we waited an outrageously long time to be seated -- more than 50 minutes. Instead of admitting that a mistake had been made, we were told (after we had asked what was up) that we would be seated next. Well, the next day, we discovered that the other couple with the same seating time were seated within 10 minutes...and were given an EXCELLENT table. After finally being seated, we noticed that all of the tables around us had a great looking bread. We never received any...and never were given a chance to ask. Our food was the best we've ever had, so I KNOW we will return to CG but I was extremely disappointed in our service.