Let me preface this to say that dealing with the General Manager, Philippe, prior to our dining experience was wonderful. We were on the waiting list for Easter Brunch. Easter falls on or around my mother's birthday, and my twin sisters' birthdays (all on April 6). So, I desperately wanted to get in for brunch as it was also my mother's 60th birthday and my two sisters flew in to surprise her, along with all of her grandchildren (three children under 12, one 1 year old baby). He got us in for 8 people and there ended up being 7 (one person was ill). It was kind of like an "Easter Miracle." I was ecstatic.The food was wonderful, the band was fantastic. We were very happy in general until the end of meal when we tried to pay.
Firstly, website lists the adult brunch as $34.95 per adult and $19.95 per child in a few places on the website, which is what I was expecting. I see today that another section of the website lists brunch as $41.95 for adults and $19.95 per child. If that were the case would have been a great deal. However: it was $59.95 per adult, and $21.95 per child. I would have REALLY appreciated knowing that going in, but it is what it is. It was Easter. This was special.
My mother wanted to pay for my sisters and their children as their birthday present. I told my mother I would still like to pay for her meal. So, my mother was to pay for 2 adults, and 3 children. I was to pay for two adults. 7 people total. The waitress returned with our check, which of course surprised me. My mother put on her reading glasses, and said "Wow. I thought you said it was $34.95 for us and $19.95 for the kids?" I asked her if she wanted me to get it, but she insisted and gave her card. As the waitress returned and she signed her check, she turned to me and said "this can't be right, it's way over $300. They included 15% gratuity. Wait, no. They said 3 adults and 2 children." I looked at my bill which was about $150, plus the included 15% gratuity. I concluded that they must have thought my niece, who is 12 and taller than me, was an adult. I informed the waitress, yes, I know she looks like she's a lot older, but she's 12. It's two adults and three children on that check. So the waitress went back to correct the bill and returned with a bill for THREE ADULTS AND THREE CHILDREN. The waitress had already gone, so I took my mother's still incorrect bill to find her and explain again. I couldn't find her, so I asked a hostess for help and gave her all the receipts, including the one my mother had already signed for the incorrect over $300 amount. The waitress came back, was obviously confused thinking there were 8 people. I nearly asked her if she wanted to see the picture of our party that she had taken; however, I explained again, two sisters, one mother, one me, all adults. Three kids, one really tall, all under 12. Two adults on my bill, two adults and three kids on my mother's bill. As she went to fix the bill, my mother asked for the receipt back for the incorrect bill that she had signed so she could tear it up. The waitress said "Oh, don't worry, I will take care of it." My mother was reluctant to say the least. The waitress returned, showed my mother her new receipt where they had taken $74 off of the first bill, and had her sign a new bill, which was about $230 due to the 15% tip. My mother signed it, exasperated but grateful to have her family and such a wonderful meal, and happy to have met Philippe, who had checked in on us during the meal. It's because of him that the waitress got $25 more than the 15% tip from me. We left pretty happy until the next day, April 6, my mother and sisters' "actual birthday."
WHEREIN OVER $600 IS BEING HELD IN CHARGES FROM JILL'S RESTAURANT FOR BRUNCH BECAUSE THEY CHARGED HER $300 FOR THE FIRST WRONG BILL, BUT $230 FOR THE "CORRECT BILL," AND $74 FOR THE AMOUNT "SUBTRACTED." Our rent check might bounce because I asked my mother, who is disabled and lives with me, to write the rent check as I had run out of checks(yay!) and put cash into her account. My mother and I went back to the restaurant with our documentation to get this sorted on the way to her birthday lunch with my Aunt. Nicole, the manager was no help and said there was nothing to be done with my mother's bank. Having had to push through refunds before, I informed her how to do it. She wouldn't. She didn't even offer a refund for the erroneous amounts charged instead of "subtracted." However, she's sorry and understands how upset we are! She wanted us to wait and talk to Philippe call us (wait, as our rent check may or may not clear) and over half a grand is being held in limbo due to their waitress, and she COULD do something. No solution was offered. We get to stop payment and try to sort it out. My mother was so upset she walked out in angry tears.
That is how you ruin a wonderful experience. That is how I go from wanting to send a thank you card to Philippe, to researching how to file a BBB complaint read more