My girlfriend and I are longtime customers of Snuzzle's. We frequent the bar for dinner and to watch football games, and occasionally order take-out. However, after our experience this weekend, we've decided to steer clear for a while.
I called in a take-out order at 5:00PM on Saturday-- a couple of sandwiches and an appetizer or two-- and was given a wait time of 45 minutes. I picked up the food from the bar and paid the bill. After checking the bag to ensure the entire order was there, I noticed that the styrofoam to-go boxes containing our sandwiches did not have any potato chips. I mentioned this to the bartender, Patrick, who told me "we don't usually include chips with take-out orders because they'll get crushed." It struck me as an odd reason to skimp on potato chips, but I decided to let it go. However when I got to my car in the parking lot and told my girlfriend what the guy said about the chips, she said she would really like the chips that are supposed to accompany her sandwich. So I reentered the restaurant and approached a woman standing behind the bar. I explained the situation to her and politely asked for the potato chips that are included with the sandwiches. I am immediately met with an attitude as she walks away from the bar. She returns over 5 minutes later with two half-full plastic sandwich baggies of potato chips and proceeds to type something into the computer behind the bar. She tosses the chips on the bar and tells me that I owe $1.06. I'm dumbfounded as I ask her why, to which she replies that "potato chips are a courtesy only when the sandwich is eaten in the restaurant." At this point I'm getting a bit annoyed as I realize I left my wallet in the center console of my car and would now have to go back to the parking lot to retrieve a dollar and six cents for two measly baggies of potato chips that undoubtedly came from one of those giant commercial restaurant-sized garbage bags of chips and are becoming more hassle than they're worth. But I get the cash and pay the lady. I probably should have pointed out to her that no where on the menu does it indicate that potato chips are only included with sandwiches when dining in. But I could tell by her surly demeanor that arguing with her over a buck would go nowhere.
I enjoy patronizing local businesses, including Snuzzle's (even though the cash-only policy isn't terribly convenient to begin with, and I usually end up paying the $2.50 ATM fee on top of my order). I rarely leave a negative review, but the brusqueness of the barmaid and the fact that I was given two ridiculous reasons as to why I did not receive potato chips that ordinarily accompany the sandwiches, has me pretty annoyed. It's not as if I expected a complimentary loaf of bread with my take-out order. But at literally every other restaurant that I've been to, when I order a sandwich from the menu that includes potato chips, I'm given the chips--even if it's a to-go order. As a regular Snuzzle's patron I would expect an ounce of consideration, not to mention just some basic customer service. Was it really worth a dollar to inconvenience me into making a second trip to the parking lot? Would it really have been too much to just say "don't worry about it this time, but just for future reference the potato chips will cost extra?" I understand that not including the chips with take-out sandwiches may be Snuzzle's policy, but perhaps they could save the BS reasoning and at least be a little courteous when explaining it to their customers.
Oh and we also found a metal staple in our order of nachos-- not particularly appetizing. read more