For context, I arrived at 10:30am the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I was seeking breakfast.
I only recently moved to the Dover area and I have a lot of experience with diners all over New York State. Diner breakfast is something I hold very dear to my heart.
The food met my expectations and almost exceeded them. I had a bite of home fries that was crispy and well seasoned but it appeared that the potatoes that were more recently added to the pile didn't receive the same care.
The special US 13 Grill Omelette is really very tasty. As is typical with most diners, the eggs were browned and well done - but not too far.
I would have rated this establishment 4 stars if the service had been better. I drained my first cup of coffee before my plate arrived. Upon receiving my meal, I promptly asked for a refill. At a neighboring table, my server stopped by to negotiate someone's special takeout order. At that table, a party asked for a coffee refill. I am also still waiting for mine. I'm about 25% through my meal.
Elsewhere in the dining room, I see a different server bring coffee to one of her tables. She offers refills to her other tables and brings the half-full coffee pot back to the brewing station which is at the opposite corner from where I am seated. I am halfway through my meal and my server is standing adjacent to the coffee brewing station and deep in her mental calculations.
I decide to bring my cup to the counter and I stop by my neighbor and offer to bring his cup for a refill. I am not even sure if she is aware that I am there at the counter - she is occupied with her bills.
I finish my meal. I drain my second cup of coffee. I look around and I don't bother waiting - I head back up to the counter... where there is no one to attend me for the next 30-45 seconds. The hostess arrives and I ask her for a refill. The manager (who poured my second cup) sees me there again. I tell him I'm back for a refill. He says nothing to me. The hostess arrives with the pot and refills my cup.
Later, My server stops by my table to leave the bill. She looks at me directly and explains very quietly "it's so crazy today." She continues to explain that the kitchen is a bit out of sorts prepping for tomorrow's Thanksgiving meal service.
The kitchen is so crazy that it interfered with your ability to make sure your customers have a beverage? You forgot that two of your tables asked for coffee? You couldn't ask one of your colleagues to swing by your tables with the coffee pot? And the manager watched a patron come to counter two times for a refill and did not give any orders to anyone to check on the dining room.
While I scribble out this feedback, my server has checked on my coffee cup two times. Too little, too late I'm afraid. read more