If you are looking for a dining experience filled with enough indifference and bad service to make you want to scream and/or pull your hair out, then I highly recommend PF Changs. A group of buddies and I decided to go there for dinner. We piled in and waited for service. It took a while, but finally a short round of drinks was ordered then the food. All seemed fine. But alas. It was not. What a fiasco. Geez.
I have food issues. Like a lot of food allergies. When I order I am not rude, demanding or fussy. I speak to servers with a pleasant tone and always try to find something to order that will create the least amount of angst for all involved. It's tricky though. The slightest mistake could land me in bed. . or worse for 4 or 5 months. Yah, really. It's happened too many times. And let me tell you, 4 months of constant coughing and vomiting just isn't the party that it sounds like. (All of you Kleenex stock holders can thank me).
So I asked the server about 2 potential dishes that looked safe and she says that the 'kitchen' will print out a list of ingredients for me. Great. I have had other restaurants do that for me. Smart. Who knows better than me what I can or can't have. So I proceed to wait. . . and wait. . . and wait. Then she comes back and says that before I can have the list I have to write out a list of the food offenders. Really, geez. That's lame. This is like a test at school or something. And, it seems pretty pointless and a big fat time waster. But alas, to get that golden printout I must comply. Oh, ya, then I was told that I could not see the ingredients, that the 'kitchen' will decide what I can have. Hmmm. I smell a problem.
Next she shows back up to inform me that there is only one dish I can have. Now mind you, the 2 dishes I inquired about were virtually the same except that one had a sauce, red pepper and peanuts. They were both stir fried with sauteed tofu. Otherwise they were identical.
So silly me. I asked I could just have my #1 choice with out the sauce since that seemed to be the problem. I was told emphatically no BUT she would have the chef add the red peppers and peanuts to my dish since I had to take the second choice. Now you may be wondering why they couldn't make dish #1 but with out the sauce. I wondered too and asked but I was told no, had to be the other dish with the addition of the 2 different ingredients. Doh! Ok, whatever. By now, my tablemates have stopped talking and were wondering what the heck was going on. Guess what. . me too! And I'm gettin' pretty irritated.
So ok. I've calmed down. I'm happy with the way she has offered to make a wonderful, tasty meal that won't make me sick. On fact, thrilled. Then my food comes. It's bone dry and impossible to swallow. Oh yah, it was sans tofu and had green pepper not red. . . and just a couple of peanuts which were actually cashews. I hate cashews. When I called our server over and asked what happened to the tofu she snottily replied that I wrote it on my offender list. Umm. No. I didn't. She continue to argue the fact. I think I would know. So 2 more staff members show up and there is a big caucus at my side trying to figure out what to do about it. Hey, I have an idea. How about bringing me the freakin' tofu like the menu says. Toward the end of my meal I was brought a tray of silken tofu, cold, not sauteed and cubed right out of the package and tossed on a plate. Gosh. Now my irritation level is rising again and I'm just about to my limit.
Let me say, I do like silken tofu but the consistency is not for stir frying or sauteing. And besides, it wasn't. And I get it now. PF Changs really doesn't want a customer like me. If I have the to audacity to ask that something be made other than as stated on the menu, well I can just march my butt out and into some other restaurant better equipped to handle problem customers. I get it, I get it, I get it. I am not welcome here.
You probably think that I am over reacting. Keep reading.
Then I notice the slightly disheveled manager start at the first table by the door and do a 'verbal drive by' to each table asking 'is everything ok'. But before anyone at any table could answer, he was already at the next table. Grrr. And he was so busy looking at the floor trying not to stumble that he never looked anyone in the eye. You see, they turned the lights down so low that we all commented that we could barely see our food in front of us.
I see fain customer service and think, no shock. This place doesn't seem to be particularly well run and worse yet, they don't seem to care.
So we made it through the meal and decide it's time to go. Then the bill comes. Uhh ohh. . . The nice server actually had the balls to charge me extra for the items that she offered to add. Say WHAT? Crap. Do I say anything or do anything or just pay the bill and go?
Call me a woos. I paid my bill and made a vow to never go back. I have since learned that this lack of service is quite normal for this restaurant.
You may be asking geez what's the big deal. Well I can live with a modified meal, but don't just spew words at the customer without ever intending to honor them. A person with food issues is already at a disadvantage and uncomfortable, don't make it worse. And had I been told there was an extra charge for the food additions, I would have been good with that. But I was not told or asked if it was ok. And let's face it, there is a level of expectation of good service when entering a restaurant, every restaurant.
Dear Server. Because I know that you have to work a bit harder for me so I don't get sick, I always over tip. You lost out. Your attitude was crappy. The eye rolling and sighs under your breath were caught not just by me but others at my table. Let's face it, your customer service sucks. Be thankful that you have a job in this economy. There are lots of people itching to take that job and will do a much better job. You seem to be one step closer to making someones dream come true.
Dear PF Changs, Lily's Seafood always gets it right. Take a lesson.
No comments:
Post a Comment