Words are inadequate to express my GREAT displeasure with the service, the food, and the management of this restaurant. My wife and I reside in St. Petersburg, Florida and travel extensively and dine out frequently. This is by far among the worst experiences we have ever encountered. We stopped in at this location shortly before 1:00 p.m. for a light lunch. We have been staying in the central Iowa area for the past week and had frequently eaten at the Perkins Restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa, with no issues. We were seated in a somewhat timely manner into a booth as we had requested. Seated in the booth next to us were what appeared to be two teenaged girls and two teenaged boys. After what I thought was a long time, our waitress came by and took our drink order. While waiting for our drinks, I received a telephone call that turned out to be a wrong number. Eight minutes after placing our drink order, our waitress returned to take our lunch order. I explained that we would do so after we received our drinks. She departed. Several minutes later she returned with the drinks and took our order from my wife since I was again on the telephone explaining to the same caller that in spite of having a Houston cell number, we resided in St. Petersburg, Florida and had been in the Central Iowa area for the past week. Therefore, in spite of her insistence, we were NOT the couple she had visited with in Houston two nights previously who had then placed a large order for a internet and cable service. My wife ordered EXACTLY what we had ordered the night before at the Perkins in Ankeny - the Sandwich 'n Such with the sandwich being the ham and cheese and a salad with ranch dressing. While waiting for our meal to arrive I noted that the teenagers received muffins. I expressed to my wife at the time that those took and inordinate amount of time since they had to have been ordered before we arrived since we had not seen any waitress come by their booth since our arrival. Eventually our lunch arrived. It was the MOST UNAPPETIZING SANDWICH presentation that we have ever seen. The bread had been toasted and had a large amount of what appeared to be melted butter on the toast, the ham had been cooked to the extreme and the whole half=sandwich was covered with a glob of melted cheese. The night before, we had received a cold slice of ham, with an unmelted slice of cheddar cheese on a toasted, but unbuttered piece of bread. Note that the order was placed EXACTLY the same way both times. The salad contained extremely large chunks of lettuce that appeared to be the core of the lettuce head. There was very little else that was recognizable as salad ingredients in the bowl. While deciding what to do about our lunch, the teens received their meals which appeared to be some omelets. We were amazed at how long a wait these four had to get their meals. We were also noticing that a table of four that came in right in front of us still only had drinks. About that time, one of the teens expressed to the waitress their displeasure concerning their meal. The waitress stated that she would get the manager. I thought this is good because I would then be able to voice my concerns and displeasures as well. Soon the manager arrived and immediately apologized to the teens concerning the poor service. However, she then proceeded to berate them for not being more tolerant of a new server and stated that they were rude. She went on to state that according to her HR Department, they were not even supposed to be in the restaurant. I spoke up and stated that these four teens had done nothing to warrant the treatment they were receiving at her hands. She stated that I NEEDED TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS. I do not know the particulars of why these four were supposedly not allowed in the restaurant, but I do know what I saw which was deplorable service and four well-mannered and well-behaved youths who were allowed in the restaurant and deserving of a quality experience. My wife and I then got up, found our waitress and got our bill, paid it, and departed without eating our lunch and only drinking our Diet Cokes which were never refilled. I found this restaurant to have the absolute worst service and worst food that I have experienced in recent years but after meeting the manager, I FULLY understand WHY! read more
