My family and I went out to enjoy a meal, but unfortunately, our experience was completely ruined…read moreby the general manager Craig's attitude and lack of professionalism.
We were seated at 6:55 PM, and our waitress had entered our order into the system by 7:02 PM. At 7:30 PM, after we had already been waiting nearly 30 minutes for three chicken sandwiches and a pasta dish, our waitress came over to apologize for the delay and explained that the kitchen was still working on our food. She then spoke with the manager to inform him that our meals had still not arrived.
Rather than acknowledging the delay or showing concern for his customers, the manager reportedly told her that the timing was "on point" and that there was nothing wrong with us waiting 30 minutes for our food. When he approached our table, he introduced himself and attempted to shake my hand. I offered constructive feedback, explaining that I had noticed food coming out of the kitchen approximately every 15-17 minutes, which seemed like an unacceptable turnaround time, especially considering the restaurant was not even full.
His response was incredibly condescending. He told me that I had never run a restaurant and had never taught a kitchen staff "how to dance," essentially dismissing my concerns as though I had no right to question the service we were receiving. There is a difference between understanding the challenges of running a kitchen and expecting customers to accept unreasonable delays without acknowledgment or accountability. His response was disrespectful, defensive, and completely unprofessional.
At 7:43 PM, our waitress returned to apologize again because we STILL had not received our food. She genuinely appeared to be trying her best to resolve the situation, and I made it clear that my frustration was with the manager's horrible customer service, not with her. The manager had offered a gift card, but after the way he spoke to us, I had no interest in accepting it. I requested that one entrée be removed from the bill instead. Our waitress understood and took the request to the owner, who agreed to accommodate us. However, the manager apparently intervened, and that compensation was ultimately not honored.
Our food finally arrived at 7:53 PM--a 50-minute wait for basic menu items. Was the food good? Yes. Was it worth waiting 50 minutes for a chicken sandwich? Absolutely not.
To make matters worse, the general manager ultimately gave us only 20% off the bill, which did not even amount to the cost of one entrée. The discount itself was not the biggest issue; it was the disrespectful treatment, the dismissive attitude, and the complete lack of accountability throughout the entire experience.
I want to give credit where it is due: our waitress was apologetic, professional, and persistent in trying to make things right. She did everything she could to help us, and it was clear that she cared about our experience. Unfortunately, the manager's behavior overshadowed her efforts entirely.
Management sets the tone for an establishment, and this manager is the reason my family and I will not be returning.Customers should not be made to feel foolish for expressing reasonable concerns, nor should they have to argue for fair treatment after an unnecessarily long wait. A simple apology, some accountability, and respectful communication would have gone a long way.
It is a shame that one person's ego and inability to handle constructive criticism could turn what should have been an enjoyable family dinner into such a frustrating experience. The waitress deserved better support from management, and customers deserve far better treatment than we received. Good food can bring people through the door, but poor management is what ensures they never come back.