Wait till you hear this!

[Figment56]

Well, we just got back from a short visit to Disney and stayed at AKV's. The good-we were able to see the new baby Zebra-Kidani from our balcony! The bad-we were sooo far away from everything! They were booked solid, so we had to stay put. I ordinarily wouldn't mind, but as I get older, my legs don't want to work so well anymore. I ended up needing to use a wheelchair on our last full day (3/20) there. We were there from 3/18 to 3/21.

That's not really all the news I wanted to share, so I will continue on. We ate at three lovely restaurants. Tuesday night, we ate at the Concourse Steakhouse, as it will be closed next time we are there! Wednesday night, we ate at the Coral Reef and Thursday night, we ate at Chefs de France. The meals at all three were wonderful as usual. We were there for an early Birthday present for me (3/30) because I have never been to the Flower and Garden Festival and have been dying to see it! We went to Epcot on Wednesday 3/19 and it was a beautiful day. The Flower & Garden Festival was more than I could have imagined! To top it off, one of my most favorite groups from the 60's/70's were there that night! The Guess Who played a fantastic show and I got a guitar pick! I was floating! Thursday night, we had ressies at Chefs de France. We had a new waitress, who was a little confused on things. She brought out the appetizer with the meal and the rolls came much later. We didn't mind as she was new. What happened next blew my mind! We were just about done with our meal, when we noticed one of the other waitresses running frantically around. My husband said it looked like she was looking for someone and that's exactly what it was. The two people she had as customers, had gotten up and left without paying their bill! She looked very upset, so I asked what would happen to her. We were told that she would have to pay their bill to the tune of two hundred dollars and that is why she was crying! These are mostly young adults, who barely make a living on what they make, let alone have to pay something back. She was visibly upset and I asked the manager if this was true about her having to pay it back and he said yes! We decided that we would cover her loss and I told the manager to take what she owed out of our card. He came back and said it was a nice gesture, but he couldn't do it. I talked to the waitress and told her we would cover it for her. I was determined not to let that girl have to pay! We were both crying by that time. My daughter was with us and I would never want something like that happen to her. Anyway, to make a very long story short, the manager ended up telling us and the waitress that she wouldn't have to pay or if she did, it would be a very little. He shook my hand on that promise. I think at that time, he was a little embarrassed about me making such a fuss. At all three restaurants, they had little birthday celebrations for me, but the best was at Chefs de France, because when they brought out my dessert, the waitress who had been left with bill, was carrying it! Needless to say we hugged and cried again. I hope things turned out okay for her and they upheld their promise. It was a trip I will never forget!

 

[disneymom8589]

I wanted to cry after reading your post - both for the waitress who may have had to pay the bill of some incredibly thoughtless people and for your very sweet, kindhearted gesture of covering the bill for her! Thank you for sharing this story! I hope the manager was good to his word and will NOT make this poor waitress pay for the meal. It's not her fault, for goodness sake!! I don't understand that policy at all!

 

[Esmerelda]

Oh my....what an interesting trip/story!

What nice folks you are to want to cover this bill for this girl. That is so sad to think that customers run out without paying their bill. It always seems to me that they asked for my room card before I got the bill later on...I wonder if these were on-site folks? Either way....its still VERY wrong...and I truly believe what comes around goes around. I'm glad that the manager agreed to make it somewhat right with the waitress.

I'm glad you had a nice trip...and I hope there was some magic for your birthday!!

thanks for a great post....

 

[mousestruck]

Oh my goodness, I am shocked that the waitress would have to foot the bill! How is it her fault that dishonest people skipped out? That is very disheartening to hear. However, I am so touched by your incredible compassion and generosity! Hats off to you for caring so much and sharing a little Disney magic!

 

[disney0210]

You deserved to be happy on your birthday (and always, actually). I pray more blessings come your and your family's way. It is very humbling to read stories like yours. Your daughter is very fortunate to have seen a random act of kindness, not from a stranger, but from her own parent. We all teach them to be kind and compassionate and caring and empathic but you - you set the example! Thank you for sharing with us - it is truly an inspiring story!

And it's Easter! What better timing for a story about kindness...

 

[luna99]

what a lovely story! thank you for sharing with us and for making such a beautiful gesture! I'm sure that cast member will remember you always! It's so nice to know there are still good hearted people in the world like you!

big hugs to you all the way from New York and happy late birthday!!

 

[tomandrobin]

What a very thoughtful jesture!

We cetainly believe in Karma, what goes around, comes around. That couple who walked out on thier bill will pay one way or another. Things like that really disgusts me.

 

[RachelTori]

Well, we just got back from a short visit to Disney and stayed at AKV's. The good-we were able to see the new baby Zebra-Kidani from our balcony! The bad-we were sooo far away from everything! They were booked solid, so we had to stay put. I ordinarily wouldn't mind, but as I get older, my legs don't want to work so well anymore. I ended up needing to use a wheelchair on our last full day (3/20) there. We were there from 3/18 to 3/21.

Thursday night, we had ressies at Chefs de France. We had a new waitress, who was a little confused on things. She brought out the appetizer with the meal and the rolls came much later. We didn't mind as she was new. What happened next blew my mind! We were just about done with our meal, when we noticed one of the other waitresses running frantically around. My husband said it looked like she was looking for someone and that's exactly what it was. The two people she had as customers, had gotten up and left without paying their bill! She looked very upset, so I asked what would happen to her. We were told that she would have to pay their bill to the tune of two hundred dollars and that is why she was crying! These are mostly young adults, who barely make a living on what they make, let alone have to pay something back. She was visibly upset and I asked the manager if this was true about her having to pay it back and he said yes! We decided that we would cover her loss and I told the manager to take what she owed out of our card. He came back and said it was a nice gesture, but he couldn't do it. I talked to the waitress and told her we would cover it for her. I was determined not to let that girl have to pay! We were both crying by that time. My daughter was with us and I would never want something like that happen to her. Anyway, to make a very long story short, the manager ended up telling us and the waitress that she wouldn't have to pay or if she did, it would be a very little. He shook my hand on that promise. I think at that time, he was a little embarrassed about me making such a fuss. At all three restaurants, they had little birthday celebrations for me, but the best was at Chefs de France, because when they brought out my dessert, the waitress who had been left with bill, was carrying it! Needless to say we hugged and cried again. I hope things turned out okay for her and they upheld their promise. It was a trip I will never forget!

First, how awesome that you got to see Kidani! Sorry about your room location. We'll be checking in on April 9th and I know AKL has been booked solid for our dates for months.

I'm glad you enjoyed the Flower & Garden Festival. I saw the Guess Who many years ago; they were one of my favorite groups!

Your concern and willingness to get involved regarding the server is so heart-warming. Yes, the world needs more people like you.

I just wanted to add - all servers are responsible should their tables walk out without paying. My DD23 helped pay her way through college working as a Server. She had several of those experiences and words can't describe how "crushed" she was when that happened. When she reconciled at the end of her shift, it came right out of her tips. (there were actually 2 nights where SHE ended up paying to work those shifts. )

 

[moredisneyplease]

Oh my goodness, I am shocked that the waitress would have to foot the bill! How is it her fault that dishonest people skipped out? That is very disheartening to hear. However, I am so touched by your incredible compassion and generosity! Hats off to you for caring so much and sharing a little Disney magic!

I waited tables for many years through college and have never heard anything like this! She shouldnt have to foot the bill if someone "dine and dashes"!!

Sigh....wierd on Disney's part!

Beyond that, you're wonderful and I hope you had a fabulous birthday!

 

[tomandrobin]

Back in the day, a long, long, long time ago.....when we were younger. We had friends that were waitors. Back then, where they worked, the policy was they were allowed one walkout per quarter. Anything over the one, they were responsible to pay if a customer "walked".

 

[Figment56]

Thank you all for your very kind words and birthday wishes! As I read your posts, I was crying again! I still can't believe that happened, but there is always a first for everything. I also believe what goes around, comes around and leave it at that. The other thing I wanted to mention, was it ended up being ironic that we ended up eating at Chefs de France that night. We did have ressies there, but we were so tired, we tried to get ressies at Boma's. There were none at all there, so we ended up keeping our original ressies for Chefs. I guess higher powers were at work that night! Kidani was soo cute! When he came out, he would run around the pen so fast, he would slip and fall and get right back up again and continue on. He is so fast! Thank you, and bless all of you! I love the DIS board, especially the DVC boards because we are all one big family!

 

[happydvcmember]

I have to say that in a world where alot of people would rather ignore someone who is sad or hurting it warms my heart to see people like you who still care about our fellow man and willing to take from yourself and help out a stranger,im sure the cast member was very thankfull and i hope the manager was good on his word, as for the people who skipped on their bill and i hope they read here SHAME ON YOU.
Here is to you and wishing you a happy birthday

Mike & Sonya

 

[Liljam]

What a nice thing to do! I was brought up to be that type of a person as well and I appreciate hearing when people help others out. I hope that the manage did stick to his promise.

I have heard of this happening and have even heard of things like food complaints (even the most ridiculous ones) being taken out of the cooks pay or the waitress' pay.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for "doing the right thing", and hopefully it was a "pay it forward" type situation, and someone else will do something nice like that for you in the future.

I am apalled that the waitstaff would have to take care of the bill like that!!! That is just awful!

 

[Sammie]

I waited tables for many years through college and have never heard anything like this! She shouldnt have to foot the bill if someone "dine and dashes"!!

Sigh....wierd on Disney's part!

Beyond that, you're wonderful and I hope you had a fabulous birthday!

Disney does not own Chefs de France.

 

[Disneypirate85]

It warms me to the core that u would do such a thing! I am very Happy to see there is still this type of Kindness in our world. Do u have the CM's name? Maybe somebody going soon can see to make sure the promise was kept?

 

[Figment56]

It warms me to the core that u would do such a thing! I am very Happy to see there is still this type of Kindness in our world. Do u have the CM's name? Maybe somebody going soon can see to make sure the promise was kept?

Unfortunately, with all the comotion, I did not get her name. She was fairly tall, thin, blond hair and pretty. I hope they kept their promise too!

 

[mikesmom]

How wonderful that you cared for someone's problem! I'm sure that waitress will pay it forward some day when she is able.

And as an aside to all those who were horrified and thought it wierd that the waitress would have to pay.... I was a waitress many years ago just post college. It is very much standard operating procedure n the industry that the waitstaff is responsible if someone walks out on a bill. If more people knew this possibly there would be less walk outs. I suspect some of the jerks think "it's a big company" or "it's Disney" and no big harm if they walk out.

 

[keishashadow]

I waited tables for many years through college and have never heard anything like this! She shouldnt have to foot the bill if someone "dine and dashes"!!

Sigh....wierd on Disney's part!

Beyond that, you're wonderful and I hope you had a fabulous birthday!

common practice in our area, shameful that it happens

what good karma to the OP

 

[DutchsMommy]

Disney does not own Chefs de France.

I did not know this. Does anyone have more information? I would have thought that restaurants in WDW, staffed by WDW employees would have to be owned by Disney; simply to ensure a quality guest experience if nothing else? So, if it is not owned by Disney who owns it and what part do they own? Not the building, not the staff....maybe the signature dishes or the name? Are there other restaurants within the Parks like that? I know there are some at DTD and Swan/Dolphin but thought everything in the Parks (well, maybe except PteroFries or whatever that McDs thing is in AK) was owned by the Mouse?