If you're looking for Vermont hospitality, you will not find it at Connie's Kitchen. I visited the small eatery the day after Christmas with my mother and daughter. We bought lunches, pushed two tables together so we could sit together, and ate while using our computers. Connie's has wifi that they will let you use. My mother used to go there often, and gave us their wifi password.
Our experience within the first half hour was OK. The place was empty except for an older man drinking a cup of coffee and a friend of my mother's getting an order to go. Their menu was rather limited, as they hadn't received deliveries because of the holiday. So my veggie wrap was initially given to me with only two veggies. I brought it back and asked if they could at least add lettuce to it, and they obliged. The coffee took 10-15 minutes to brew, and their water for tea was not hot.
I can overlook the low supply because it was the holiday. I also didn't mind waiting for the coffee. And I can understand hot water cooling down after being in a container for a while.
The problem we had was with the owner who came in 30-45 minutes after we were there. She came over to us to tell us they were closing early. OK -- fine, not a problem. But then she scolded us for pushing the tables together, saying instead we should have pulled up the leaf (which was hidden by a table cloth) to allow for three people to sit at the table. She said she is losing business because we pushed the two tables together, but there were NO OTHER CUSTOMERS in there.
I said to her that we were just visiting and that it would not be a regular thing for us to all go in and use the tables. She cut me off and then turned to my mother and essentially reprimanded her. She said, "I have seen you here before and you should know not to push the tables together." We were shocked at her behavior. There was no one in the place, except for someone getting an order to go, and the restaurant was closing -- and she felt the need to scold us. Whether you're a regular customer or a new customer, you should not be treated the way the owner treated us.
If you have a seating preference or rule, make sure the people working for you inform customers. The girls working behind the counter could have told us when we got there. Of course, they--like almost anyone--probably didn't think pushing two tables together in an EMPTY restaurant was a big deal.
We packed up our things as quickly as possible and left. As we walked out, I said sarcastically, "That's great Vermont hospitality you have there." And then I said as I stepped onto the sidewalk, "I'm never going there again." As I did, a customer who was getting into her car looked at me in surprise. Apparently she was not scolded during her visit.
Not only will I not go there again, but my mother and her partner who live in Hardwick will not go there again. And you can be sure they will tell their friends about the experience, and their friends will not go there.
I grew up in Vermont, and I used to be proud of the friendliness you could count on in that state. You can depend on the "Vermont wave" -- where any Vermonter will wave to you simply because you drive past them. I love and look forward to that whenever I visit. But do not expect that warmth from the owner of Connie's Kitchen. In a world where word of mouth can make or break a business, she should know better. read more