Service is so important

And I don't mean white table cloth service. Simple acknowledgement that someone will be with you. Sometimes a server can be stuck in the kitchen, so either a manager or host or another server, should tell us. Or if the server is running past us, stop and tell us.

The other night, we stopped in a restaurant on Frankfort Ave. Went straight to the bar. As we sat, a man who had been at a table behind us, came up to get another drink. The bartendar immediately fixed his new drink and he returned to his table. This is a bar that sits maybe 12 people. Mike and I sit there without drinks, no acknowledgement. The first bartendar does something at the register then leaves the bar area. Another bartendar did something at the other end, then left. Someone came out of the kitchen and started doing things but still didn't say anthing to us. We left.
I don't care how good the food and drink are. You have to acknowledge us. There are too many choices, and service, or lack of, helps me reduce my list. Makes it easier.

Am I being too critical? Everyone in my family worked/works in restaurants so we can be extremely appreciative - which we show - or critical - we just leave. It doesn't matter how good the food is if we never have a chance to order it. Thanks.

There's a local joint in St. Matthews - very successful - who offer the worst welcoming committee each and every time I visit. Host/Hostess is never at the stand. Waiters walk by - often with hands empty - seemingly too focused on whatever their task is at hand to simply say, "Someone will be right with you" or even easier "Hi, welcome to X." Last time I went, I said to my party as we were entering, "Get ready to stand at the hostess's stand for a good 3-4 minutes." Hell, I wouldn't mind if the bartender would yell a word of acknowledgment from the bar, just so I would be sure I hadn't entered invisibility mode (what, you don't have that switch?).

Anyway - I should either say something to the manager or stop going there. Gets under my skin every time. Quite the sour start to the dining experience. Service, in every other way, is more than acceptable.

Simply to say, I see exactly where you are coming from Ellen. Don't blame you at all for leaving. And I think I know the place - good food, for sure.

[Robin Garr]

I don't have a strong intuition as to the place where you got this treatment, Ellen, but no, I don't think you were unreasonable. The only issue I'd raise is whether you should get in touch and let them know why they lost a customer.

Really, your thoughtful, reasoned post might be stronger if you would name the establishment. They earned public criticism, and chances are very good that management will see this post and at best consider why they act that way; as a minimum, maybe get in touch and offer you a good reason to give them another chance.

I dine out alone frequently, and I am all too familiar with the "invisibility factor."

I know some servers are disappointed at getting the dreaded one-top, but I am NOT going to stay home and eat bologna sandwiches just so they'll have bigger parties at their tables. I live alone, and it's extremely difficult to cook from scratch for one person without wasting a ton of food. I am also finicky enough that I don't want to freeze food for later days because I get bored easily (food ADD?).

I don't usually have a problem with getting seated, but sometimes I feel like I will have to trip a waiter before someone actually takes my drink order. Nothing angers me more than to sit and wait for 20 minutes while the waitstaff is off giggling at the computer terminals or flirting with the bartenders (**looks pointedly at Buffalo Wings & Rings in Fern Creek**). I have not been back.

This sort of thing has happened everywhere from fast casual to reasonably upscale establishments. I try to give the benefit of the doubt, that they think someone is going to join me, but if there's only one menu on the table, and I'm holding it, they should KNOW I'm alone.

There are only a couple places in town that I avoid like the plague because of this, and I am not the shy and retiring type. When I'm disgusted with poor/lack of service, I do complain to the manager and/or write a follow-up email later.

My guess is Bourbon's Bistro as I've had pretty similar experiences there.

I don't have a strong intuition as to the place where you got this treatment ...

Really, your thoughtful, reasoned post might be stronger if you would name the establishment.

I was out of line to say "I think I know the place." I have a guess, but that's not the same as saying "I now the place." Based on the description, it could be a good number of places.

And, to keep with the idea of naming places we criticize, I was referencing the BBC.

The Welcome is so critical. I hammer it home so much at Westport that sometimes the whole staff is saying hello at the same time. I prefer that to the blank stare.
Bottom line- Guest must be made to feel that they are welcome. Who wants to spend money in a place where they feel unwelcome?

Really, your thoughtful, reasoned post might be stronger if you would name the establishment. They earned public criticism, and chances are very good that management will see this post and at best consider why they act that way; as a minimum, maybe get in touch and offer you a good reason to give them another chance

Do people not dine at a restaurant for the first time or stop being patrons because of a negative experience from another person? I've always wondered this...If so, then which circumstances?

[Robin Garr]

Do people not dine at a restaurant for the first time or stop being patrons because of a negative experience from another person? I've always wondered this...If so, then which circumstances

I don't think this is an answerable question, but then, I expect you knew that. When it comes to a new restaurant in a competitive environment, then yeah, I think some people may decide not to check it out on the basis of a negative review. Others, no. In general, I think most restaurateurs would rather avoid negative publicity. Regular patrons might not drop off on the basis of reading one review, but again, it's a competitive environment out there, and everyone would rather have positive buzz.

Service is extremely important and it seems a lot of servers seem to think it is Your honor to be served by Them. My husband and I made a night out to a nicer place in town, the food was fantastic, but the service not so much. Initially we thought we had been seated and forgotten, about 15 minutes later a server showed up. She seemed very nice at first but once we made it clear we would not be drinking our service went down the tubes. It was pretty clear she wasn't going to put forth the effort for a table that wouldn't be padding their bill with alcohol, the cheery attitude and all smiles left and "you're a hassle and i don't want to be here" came in. Bad choice for her...we ordered 4 apps, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and our bill was around $175. Needless to say she didn't get 20% from us. Fortunately, another server and a table assistant made our visit pleasant and we had some cash to tip them directly.

This town has too many good options to put up with bad service, but it seems to be in great supply. Although I know I'm becoming much less tolerant of poor treatment, my money spends quite well somewhere else.

Total Amen, everyone. In fact, I agree so much that I had to split off a thread to devote to a whole evening's experience!

I think you hit it on the head: if a restaurant doesn't give good service, people will find one that will. They don't care how cool you are.

Because I work in the beverage industry and after what happened to a young man at work recently when he made comments on FB, I don't want to say which restaurant. It was not the BBC. When we stopped in at the BBC to say hi to Jeff, Leah had grabbed our mugs before we had gotten to the main bar! No problem there! I really meant it as a general statement that was prompted again by another experience.
I also like it when a manager moves through the restaurant and asks how everything is. Or the host tells you thank you as you leave. Chains do that better sometimes because of their corporate training. It may seem alittle forced at times but it's better than nothing. It says that they have been trained to do that because management thinks it's important.

My wife and her friend had a similar experience at Bravo. They were two mid-twenties young ladies eating lunch, but were treated as invisibles because the server also had been seated with a couple of elderly ladies and a table of businessmen. The general vibe was that the attention was going to go where the best tips were perceived to be. Thus my wife and her friend received the most protracted and inattentive "service" possible (drinks not refilled timely if at all, order taken 30 mins. after seated etc.) while the other two tables got prompt service.

Shouldn't every table get top quality service? That's been my philosophy at every restaurant I have ever been a part of. Every table is the most important VIP table in the place. Because my life has been tied to the industry my wife has become a generous tipper, and this server missed out due to misconceptions and buying in to generalities. Shame.

So Ronnie, were the elderly ladies with the business men?

I ask this because I'm trying to paint the scene...

I served tables for many years and I when the information I get about unattentive service includes "was seated numerous times" but doesn't involve "I saw my server slacking", I tend to want more about the story. Elderly women do not tip well on average, but they can certainly slow you down. That is a general statement, not a rule, but the previously mentioned tipping assumption is why I note this.

I've given horrendous service to the best of the best customers before because they don't demand as much as others. And thank god for people like them (you/us/me).

Because I work in the beverage industry and after what happened to a young man at work recently when he made comments on FB, I don't want to say which restaurant. It was not the BBC. When we stopped in at the BBC to say hi to Jeff, Leah had grabbed our mugs before we had gotten to the main bar! No problem there! I really meant it as a general statement that was prompted again by another experience.
I also like it when a manager moves through the restaurant and asks how everything is. Or the host tells you thank you as you leave. Chains do that better sometimes because of their corporate training. It may seem alittle forced at times but it's better than nothing. It says that they have been trained to do that because management thinks it's important.

I always liked that about BBC . I used to frequent the on in St. Matthews and Leah or Becca would know what I wanted when I walked in, and would often suggest samples (free) of beers they thought I would enjoy. I really appreciate them remembering what I like, and going out of their way to make me happy! And I rewarded them nicely of course. I took my Mom there when she came to visit Louisville, she was so impressed with out service, that after we tipped 25%, she went back and gave the bartenders an extra 20.


Good service is huge! I am often that dreaded one top. But if I am there for awhile, and taking up a table. I will tip a lot extra.