I contacted Snuffin's to inquire about catering for our wedding. When I called, I spoke with a woman named Lisa, and I told her that I wanted to order a meat dish only for 50 people, and that we planned to do the side dishes on our own. Logistically, it is easier for us if we have the entree catered, I told her, and that we planned to pick up the food ourselves. Lisa asked the date, and when I told her, she told me that they were available. So far, so good.
Lisa then asked me what I wanted for the entree. I told her that we were looking for roast chicken quarters "or something like that". Her tone became incredulous as she asked, "have you read our menus?" Roast chicken quarters isn't one of their usual items. I told her that I had, and repeated that I was looking for "something like that -- chicken of some kind" and hoped that they would be able to accommodate us with something similar.
Lisa then asked me to hold. A minute later she picked up the phone again and said that she had just checked with the kitchen and that they were actually booked on that date.
First they're available and then they're not? I smelled a rat.
So after hanging up with Lisa, I went to the company's web site and submitted an inquiry under a pseudonym asking if they were available on the date of our wedding to provide the Tuscan Buffet from their menu for 225 people.
Shortly afterward, I received an email back from Snuffin's - from Lisa, no less - telling me that yes, they are available to cater on that day.
I have no idea why Snuffin's decided they didn't want my business. Yes, I mentioned wanting something that wasn't on their menu, but I also said, three times, that I was only looking for "something like that". I understand that they might not want to cook something off-menu. If that was the case, they should have told me that roast chicken quarters wasn't something they offered, and suggested another similar dish. I also understand that an entree-only request for 50 people wasn't going to be a huge amount of revenue for them, but if they had a minimum order amount, they should have said so.
Instead, what they did was to lie to me. I don't appreciate that.
Good relationships, be they marital or commercial, must be founded on trust. By lying to me, even in this small little way, they have shown that trust is something they don't deserve. Snuffin's won't be getting business from me, now or in the future, and I'm encouraging anyone who may be looking for a caterer for their own weddings or other special event to contract with another vendor. read more