Should they have told us the fryer was down before we waited 1/2 hour?

[roliepolieoliefan]

DH, myself and the kids went to Beaches and Cream last Thursday. After we waited 1/2 hour with 2 hungry kids for a table and sat down, the waitress told us the fryers were down..no fries , no onion rings.

Well I was a little ticked and the waitress said the hostess should have told us when we gave our name. Well she didn't and I mentioned it to the manager when she walked by. Her response was, they are known for their ice cream and when people give their name they don't know what they're here for. I said exactly, that is why you should tell people, no fries, no onion rings before they wait 1/2 hour and let them make their own decision.

I couldn't understand her reasoning since when we were there at least 1/2 the people were eating food. Our kids love B&C onion rings and fries and since its only a yearly treat were a lot disappointed. If we were told ahead of time, we could have went somewhere else and saved B&C for another night. After waiting 1/2 hour , we then didn't want to go somewhere else and wait. Didn't ruin our vacation or anything , but I just wanted everyone's opinion, if we should have been told when we gave our names before we waited 1/2 hour or when we actually sat down?

 

[Robert P]

Yes and yes!! They certainly should have told you when you first got there, and before you committed yourself to sit and wait. The manager's answer showed exactly the non-chalant attitude and 'I don't care' mentality that B&C emits at times, and it is not customer friendly or professional. If they had told you about the fryers, you might have went elsewhere, so they kept you there without giving you that information, until you got seated, and by then, you were time committed to stay.
Her 'reasoning' was an attempt at covering for the fact that you weren't told up front. Her logic is flawed there, and doesn't make sense at all. It doesn't matter what you were planning to order. Part of the menu was unavailable, and you should have been given that tidbit of info up front.
While I wouldn't call this event 'dishonest' by definition, it was a 'sneaky' thing to do, at best.
And before anyone jumps on this thread calling this (not telling about the fryers) just an honest mistake, it well could have been. However, the manager making up a lame excuse like that is totally unacceptable from a customer service standpoint.
Glad it didn't ruin your vacation.

 

[*Emily*]

I'd have to say no, they had no reason to tell you when you gave your name. When you go to a restaurant at home, do they tell you if they're out of something?? I work at a brewery/pub. When someone walks in the door we don't say 'Hi, welcome, tonight we're out of this, this, and that'. The server will mention it when they go to the table. Now if it were something major, as in no electricity, then yes, it should be mentioned. But if you're going to an Ice Cream Shop who's fryer isn't working, then no.

You also have to take into account that maybe they were trying fix it while you were waiting and didn't want to say anything on the chance that it would be fixed by the time you ordered.

 

[MickeyNicki]

If that happened to us DH would have a fit. That was not right, they should have told you "Just in case you are here for dinner, our fryer is down so not onion rings or fries but everything else is a go" and let you make the choice.

 

[SnwflkCts]

Since they really do have a limited menu, I think a quick "we do want you to know, the fryer is down so no fried items but our ice cream is doing just fine" would have been easy enough to say. Or maybe even a small sign ... would make it easier for everyone. (Or maybe if they just said they were sorry ....)

 

[DisneyJenn18]

I'd have to say no, they had no reason to tell you when you gave your name. When you go to a restaurant at home, do they tell you if they're out of something?? I work at a brewery/pub. When someone walks in the door we don't say 'Hi, welcome, tonight we're out of this, this, and that'. The server will mention it when they go to the table. Now if it were something major, as in no electricity, then yes, it should be mentioned. But if you're going to an Ice Cream Shop who's fryer isn't working, then no.

You also have to take into account that maybe they were trying fix it while you were waiting and didn't want to say anything on the chance that it would be fixed by the time you ordered.

I agree, I run a restaurant, and I think we would have probably handled the situation in a similar fashion. Obviously the manager could have been more polite, and came up with an alternative, offered something...it seems a bit cold to leave a guest hanging like that.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'd have to say no, they had no reason to tell you when you gave your name. When you go to a restaurant at home, do they tell you if they're out of something?? I work at a brewery/pub. When someone walks in the door we don't say 'Hi, welcome, tonight we're out of this, this, and that'. The server will mention it when they go to the table. Now if it were something major, as in no electricity, then yes, it should be mentioned. But if you're going to an Ice Cream Shop who's fryer isn't working, then no.

You also have to take into account that maybe they were trying fix it while you were waiting and didn't want to say anything on the chance that it would be fixed by the time you ordered.

I understand your reasoning and would agree if they had an extensive menu, but the fries and onion rings are a big part of it, for my family at least it is. And to substitute potato chips or fruit instead wasn't a big hit with my family at all. I just don't think a heads up would have big that much of a big deal on the employees part.

And no the repair person was not there trying to fix it.

 

[aes74]

I'd have to say no, they had no reason to tell you when you gave your name. When you go to a restaurant at home, do they tell you if they're out of something?? I work at a brewery/pub. When someone walks in the door we don't say 'Hi, welcome, tonight we're out of this, this, and that'. The server will mention it when they go to the table. Now if it were something major, as in no electricity, then yes, it should be mentioned. But if you're going to an Ice Cream Shop who's fryer isn't working, then no.

You also have to take into account that maybe they were trying fix it while you were waiting and didn't want to say anything on the chance that it would be fixed by the time you ordered.

What??? This is not just some restaurant/brewery/pub at home. This is Disney World. A place where a family waits a year or more to get their beaches and cream food fix. They have a very limited menu, so cutting out the fryer-foods eliminates a major part of the menu. It's different than just not having the clam chowder that night with a large, varied menu. That's no big deal. Have you ever been there? Beaches and Cream is not just an ice cream shop. Most people who just want ice cream go to the walk-up window. It should have been Disney-level service to have informed you, not to mention that the manager should have been genuinely apologetic and made sure that the mistake didn't happen for anyone else. I mean, it's not like most people can just come back the next day. Especially if you are not staying at that resort. I am sorry this happened to you!! My kids would have been really disappointed! And my husband and I, too!!
P.S. how would the restaurant even be opened if there were no electricity??? I mean, maybe a sandwich shop....maybe...

 

[madalex]

While it would have been nice if they had told you up front, I don't think they were wrong not to. After all, we are talking onion rings and french fries here. Not exactly unique, gourmet food that isn't available numerous other places at WDW.

 

[annie1995]

I'd have to say no, they had no reason to tell you when you gave your name. When you go to a restaurant at home, do they tell you if they're out of something??

The answer to the above question is yes they do. I went to Mcdonalds drive through one time, I was told right from the getgo that they were out of regular coke. And yes, I would have not been happy waiting that long only to find the friers were down. They should have said something at the hostess stand.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

While it would have been nice if they had told you up front, I don't think they were wrong not to. After all, we are talking onion rings and french fries here. Not exactly unique, gourmet food that isn't available numerous other places at WDW.

My thoughts exactly.

Now, if Jiko were out of its signature filet, CG's sushi was "gone" for the night, or 'Ohana was out of eggs one morning for breakfast, I can see where it would be good to let customers know at check in. But something like the fryer which would really only impact side items, side items you can get everywhere in WDW? Nah.

 

[Princess Stitch]

I can understand why you're upset. There are some restaurants that me and DBF go to for specific meals and if they were out of just what I wanted to eat, I would be upset too. However, they did inform you eventually and offer substitutes. It's also possible on one day they run out of x flavour of ice cream. They probably wouldn't mention to EVERYONE comeing in that "hey, we don't have any mint chocolate chip today". It's a bummer to go in and not find what you're looking for, but I don't think they have any obligation to tell you they're out of something. It happens that sometimes a restaurant is out of the prime rib or chicken, but you find out when you sit down.

Now, what can't be excused is the manager's rude attitude. Unless you gave her attitude first she should have been at least apologetic about the fact that you felt inconvenienced by the whole thing.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

They should have told you I would have been ticked too. It is not labor intensive to say "if you are here for dinner we want you to know the fryer is down".

 

[madalex]

My thoughts exactly.

Now, if Jiko were out of its signature filet, CG's sushi was "gone" for the night, or 'Ohana was out of eggs one morning for breakfast, I can see where it would be good to let customers know at check in. But something like the fryer which would really only impact side items, side items you can get everywhere in WDW? Nah.

The Jiko filet is the exact example I was going to use about a unique, gourmet dish which customers should be advised about up front.

 

[MiaSRN62]

It would be different if there was no wait.....but since B&C was experiencing a 30 min wait, I think it would have been a courtesy to their guests to let them know the fryer was down. They could have put a sign up on the door or something to cut down on having a CM repeat it over and over. This could have improved the amount of guests having to wait (giving them the option to go elsewhere), thus making for a better overall experience for those who just wanted icecream.

 

[vickalamode]

My father owns a restaurant (which I work at) and we don't tell people who are waiting that we're out of X item or can't prepare something because of X circumstance, if it was something big like the fryolators being down, we would close the restaurant for the night since a large portion of our menu is fried food (fries, onion rings, chicken strips, mozzarella stumps, lots of fish dinners, etc)

But, anyways, back to the point. It isn't that they didn't care when you checked in, and I'm not trying to make excuses for them but only to see from their perspective. I think that, as a restaurant worker, I have a hundred other things that I have to do on my mind, ESPECIALLY during the busy times (which it seems like you were in since you had to wait a half hour), and telling someone who is waiting that we can't prepare X item that night isn't something I'm even thinking about at all. It isn't that they didn't care, but it probably wasn't the #1 thing on their mind. Just my 2 cents, but you need to see the situation from both sides. I know you were disappointed, and the manager shouldn't have been rude to you, but just try to see both sides of the situation

 

[madison66]

.

 

[Cmbar]

The Jiko filet is the exact example I was going to use about a unique, gourmet dish which customers should be advised about up front.

Your joking right? So what if they don't have the Jiko Filet one day? Sorry, but that sounds a bit snooty Why they heck should Disney tell Jiko guests they don't have one thing on their menu and then not tell the "masses" of burger people they won't get their fries or onion rings. This is a BURGER and sandwich joint. People go to Beaches and Cream for the burger and fries/ onion rings (besides the ice cream). They obviously didn't want their Jiko fix, they wanted a good hot burger with fries or onion rings. Their isn't anything else on the menu but sandwiches.

I would be ticked too if I waited for 1/2 hour to get a sandwich with chips I could get down at Hurricane Hannahs for $2.00 cheaper and faster. They should have had a note at the front saying "our fryers are down, Sorry". And the manager should not have treated them like that. They deserved respect even if it wasn't a "signature dining expering" like Jiko's.

 

[christinou]

They should have told you, you go to Beaches and Cream for burger and fries, if they are out of half of the meal, they certainly should tell you. If they had a large menu, it might be OK, but not at a burger place. My DH would have been ticked off also.....

 

[MiamiBeach]

You couldn't live without fries or onion rings for one meal? Life is filled with little disappointments like that, I don't think the restaurant did anything wrong or was obligated to tell you about something so inconsequential while you were waiting. If they were out of ice cream, or you couldn't get a hot meal, then yes. But fries? No.