I rarely write negative reviews, but the way we were treated was disappointing enough that I feel…read moreother customers should know about our experience.
I arrived around 5:30 p.m. and was waiting for my friend, who was about 30 minutes away. The bar was completely empty at the time. One of the waitresses kindly offered me a nearby table while I waited. I ordered a sparkling water and spinach artichoke dip and sat there until my friend arrived.
Once my friend arrived, our waitress told us she understood that I had only been sitting at that table while waiting and offered to show us the back area so we could choose where we wanted to sit. We walked through the restaurant, saw the outdoor patio, and decided to sit outside.
After about 20 minutes, while still waiting for our appetizers, bugs repeatedly landed on the table and were biting us. We decided we would be more comfortable inside. As we were walking back in, our waitress was coming out with two of our three appetizers, and the owner, who I believe was named Dawn or Donna, was behind her.
My friend began explaining that we wanted to move inside because of the bugs. Before she could even finish, the owner interrupted us with an attitude and said, "You ladies can't keep moving from table to table. I have to wash these tablecloths."
I was honestly stunned.
First, we were not randomly moving ourselves from table to table. Her own employee had offered me the first table while I waited for my friend and then specifically offered to show us other seating once my friend arrived. Second, there wasn't even a tablecloth on the outdoor table we were leaving.
When I tried to explain that we had been offered the different seating, the owner responded by pointing out that I had eaten at the first table and now she had to clean that table as well as another one.
That response told me everything I needed to know about how our business was valued.
As a business owner, if your concern over cleaning a table or washing a tablecloth outweighs making two paying customers feel welcomed and comfortable, you may save a few dollars on laundry, but you can also lose customers permanently.
Unfortunately, the food didn't make the experience any better. The vegetable spring rolls and chicken spring rolls were overcooked. The spinach artichoke dip and pita bread were the only items we really enjoyed. We also waited approximately 10-12 minutes just to get ice.
We probably should have left after the owner's initial interaction, but we stayed, finished our wine, and graciously paid our bill.
What made the experience even more uncomfortable happened as we were leaving. The owner thanked my friend for coming, then looked at me and said, "No hard feelings. I just needed to say what I needed to say."
There were hard feelings--not because she addressed a legitimate issue, but because of how she chose to speak to paying customers when the seating changes had been offered by her own staff and the final move was simply because we were being bitten by bugs outside.
Customer service matters. Courtesy matters. How you speak to people who choose to spend their money in your establishment matters.
Unfortunately, based on the owner's treatment of us, I will not return. What could have been a pleasant evening and an opportunity to gain two repeat customers instead became an experience that ensured we won't be back.
