Warning: This is long
I would never complain or post a complaint about an experience with any business because I have never had a negative experience or situation where the managers or employees did not attempt to make the situation right or at least apologize. So given that is what we experienced yesterday, I decided to go ahead.
We have been going to "The Grill" at Clemson marina for years during the hot summer days of football to eat and enjoy watching the game, we have always been pleased with the atmosphere, food, and friendliness of their staff... until yesterday. We had been seated and my husband decided to call in the order over the phone as we were watching the game, the person who answered the phone, took our order and was aware that we were there, already had tab, and were seated! No problem, right?? WRONG!! The place was obviously busy, given it's a hot Saturday on the lake and Clemson is playing a home game. There were only 2 servers- a waitress- Melissa who was very nice and another male server, who also seemed nice, both of them were working their tails off, non stop, and still smiling! The waitress had a tray of food in hand and called order #21 for at least 5 minutes- going from corner to corner and side to side, with no claim from any of the customers. She came to us, my husband said that we had a call in and couldn't remember being given a number. He told her what we had ordered and she said that's exactly what I have on this tray, so it must be your order because no one has claimed it (that seemed logical to all of us), so we gladly accepted what we thought was our food. We were eating at our table when another employee with reddish haired was standing on the other side of restaurant staring at us and making mean gestures and faces towards us. My husband was like, "is she trying to say something to us, she seems mad, let me go over there and see what's going on." He went up to her and said "ma'am is there a problem?" She responded by yelling with "Yes there is a problem, y'all screwed up another tables food and order because y'all called your order in and we don't even take call in orders here and y'all took their order!" My husband said "sorry, no one informed me that I couldn't call in the order when I did it and your attitude and the looks your giving me are crazy and I don't appreciate it" he then turned away and came back to the table. She then followed him back to our table and proceeded to argue with him by saying "we're understaffed"... etc etc. I then interceded and said "well it sounds like a management problem here... poor management". She gave me the most evil, crazy eyes I have ever seen and said "it's not a management problem, the problem is people don't want to work!!" And I then responded by saying "yes, probably due to poor management!". She then said, "I'm the manager and I don't appreciate that comment!!" And she walked away. Within 2 minutes another employee- a man (brown haired, small build) came over to our table and looked at my husband and said "what's your problem?" My husband said- "my only problem is that rude manager and the way that she looked and spoke to me and caused a scene." He said "I'm the manager!" I then said- "my husband didn't know that y'all didn't take call ins and no one told him that when the order was placed, in fact they knew. We understand y'all are short staffed, but I did let the lady know that was probably due to poor management". He then gave us a nasty look and turned and walked away (we never saw him again). Neither "manager" ever introduced themselves, nor apologized! We then requested our tab, tipped our sweet waitress generously and watched the rest of the game, and left. We will never be going back!
**I must also add, that 3 strangers who witnessed the event, approached us and said that they were unprofessional towards us, the red headed lady was rude to them as well, and they were very disappointed in their service! read more