be sure to *ask* first@ Cafe Lou Lou

be sure to *ask* before ordering @ Cafe Lou Lou - - they feel no obligation to inform you....

my wife and I decided to stop in Cafe Lou Lou/St. Mathews for dinner this evening. we've always had a good experience there and looked forward to another. we were seated quickly and perused the menu thoroughly, but I had noted "Scallops" on the chalkboard.

When our server came by, I inquired about the special. she told me that it was 5 pan seared scallops with bacon, Brussels sprouts, something about a tomato reduction, etc. I'm a big scallops fan, so I thought I would go for it. She did *NOT* mention the price, but - as I knew that all of the Cafe Lou Lou entrees were $17 to $18.50 - I did not press her on it.
My mistake.....

The dish was really excellent and my wife thoroughly enjoyed her salad, as well. But when the check arrived, my wife (who was treating) was quizzical about a $35 charge for a "large orzo pasta". I took a look and said that likely they had mistakenly charged us for *two* specials @ $17.50/ea. That would have been in line with the menu's other large entree prices.

When our waitress came back over, we asked her and were told "No - - $35 is the price of the scallops....". I said that I was amazed - - that I would never have ordered them had I known. She responded with a very quick and impersonal "Sorry 'bout that.." and dashed away. Honestly, I don't think she could have cared less. No effort at all to bring over a mgr. or Clay or anyone to help sort out the issue. And, given the speed of her response, I have to wonder if I was the first customer this evening to challenge the price of the dish.

So, we paid up and left. I have not asked my wife whether she left any tip. In my opinion, she shouldn't have left any. She would say that it's wasn't the waitress's fault that they overcharged for the special, but I would counter that it *was* the waitress's fault for not giving us that information when describing the dish.

In any event, we will not return to any of the Cafe Lou Lou restaurants. Nor will we continue to recommend it to friends/colleagues. We go out for dinner to enjoy the evening, the food and the venue - - not to feel taken advantage of by it....

It does seem odd that the price is not posted, particularly if it is so different from the average menu price,

BUT

Lou Lou's does a consistently high quality job and to institute a lifetime ban and boycott on the back of one negative experience despite numerous self-admitted positive experiences, without giving anyone from Lou Lou's a chance to respond seems a bit hasty to me. You didn't contact management at the time and you've only now given the restaurant notice (albeit second hand) that anything went wrong.

I say give the good folks at Lou Lou's a chance to respond before you institute the ban and boycott. They might not even realize what happened or that it offended. Heck, it may have been a server error. (It sounds like it was on some level at least)

At least give them a chance to say they are sorry...

It does seem odd that the price is not posted, particularly if it is so different from the average menu price,

I find it all to common not to mention the price, which is often considerably more than a restaurants' normal price. I don't hesitate to ask the price if I am interested, but I really think it should be mentioned. I believe a lot of people feel intimidated about asking the price.

As someone with many years of experience working in restaurants I think your boycott of Cafe Lou Lou is quite harsh. Sure, it sounds like faults could be found on both ends with the way the situation was handled but to suggest that the server shouldn't be tipped is a little absurd. Scallops are notoriously expensive so $35 for a large entree is not unheard of or out of line. A manager probably should've handled the situation but I think they deserve a chance to make things right.

[Robin Garr]

I think the answers here are good. it sounds like a situation that would upset anyone (although one important lesson is, if you're not given a price, don't be shy about asking).

But given Cafe Lou Lou's well earned good reputation, it seems fair to give management an opportunity to respond before writing them off for life. There could possibly be a happier ending for both the offended guest and management.

I really disagree with the attitude of "Let's stick it to an employee who probably makes $2.50 an hour" in this situation.

[Robin Garr]

I really disagree with the attitude of "Let's stick it to an employee who probably makes $2.50 an hour" in this situation.

Yeah, there's that. Although in fairness, I think Willie felt that the server was to blame for not volunteering the price, given that the price was not congruent with their menu specials. Personally I think it's overly rough, but I can see the reasoning behind it and acknowledge that it's more reasonable than penalizing the server because you didn't like the food.

I think that is an awfully extreme response. Sure, the server could have told you the price, I see that as a reasonable criticism. However- when I was a server I have told the price and offended people who thought by telling them out right I was implying that they may have been cheap. So in some cases when a special is considerably higher than a restaurant's average it can be a lose-lose for the server. I'd consider that.

I don't know where you are buying your scallops, but they aren't cheap. I would offer that you are just as to blame as the server for not asking if it's that important to you. If Lou Lou offered a foies gras special or a king salmon special I certainly wouldn't assume it was going to be $16-17, knowing what you're ordering is important as well. When you assume something without asking that's kind of on you.

In summation- I could see maybe a little blame on the server, and I see some blame on your end as well. Certainly no one wants to feel taken advantage of, but to immediately post on a public forum without giving management an opportunity to respond? That's not really ok to me, and a lifetime boycott is awfully extreme. Finally- the idea that for something like this situation you shouldn't have tipped the server is offensive.

I find that most restaurants (regardless of city) do not tell you prices of specials. I know here in Louisville, for example, Varanese normally has several specials, and most are way more expensive than the rest of the menu. (many do have chalkboards or handouts with specials and prices, but this didn't used to be the case, and still is not as common as it could be)

Whenever the waiter lists the specials, I always ask the prices of the items of interest; that way there are no surprises on any side.

In many respects that's a marketing decision, as it encourages spending for chef-inspired dinners based on the freshest ingredients! I just assume that specials really should be more expensive than many other entrees. I mean they are "SPECIAL", have the freshest ingredients, and often take additional time or effort in the kitchen. I think the specials is where the chef can shine, showcasing items that - while they may make it onto the regular menu if popular enough - are unique.

From personal experience at many restaurants having the price for specials posted is not normal practice. Nor in many cases is having the server tell you the cost of the specials unless you inquire. If you really concerned about what the price of what you were ordering was you should've asked! Most times, specials, especially ones like this that are for an item that is not normally on the menu are more expensive than the normal menu items which was the case here. It seems like the majority of the blame in this case should fall to the OP.

Pro tip:

When Cafe Lou Lou offers a diver scallop special, always get it. Appitizer? Entree? Does not matter. Always get. Always.

I always tell the young folks I work with that the rule of thumb is always mention the price of a special if it is over the highest priced entree (or appetizer if that is the case) on the menu. I don't know why they are so shy about mentioning the cost of something, or why guests are reluctant to inquire- it's retail after all and pricing should be clear.

I wonder if the OP would have had a different reaction had the server shown any concern- I've been around this business all my life and almost nothing riles me as quickly as a rude or non-caring server. With the proliferation of dining options in this town (a wonderful thing IMHO) I wish the training of service personnel would keep pace, but unfortunately many times service is an afterthought. I think front of house managers would serve their employers well by not only teaching people to sell, but to explain the hows and whys that constitute points of good service. This is not to say that all service should have a cookie cutter sameness; I wouldn't want the same service at Hammerheads that I get at Corbett's, but the care of the customer at any level of dining should be everyone's goal.

All that being said, yes, management should be given the opportunity to make things right, not only will the guests leave happier (with luck), but perhaps the situation can be a learning experience for the staff.

Gary, I think your post does more to get to the REAL problem than all the other posts. In this day and age costs should be posted. By not posting the establishment infers "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." What an awful thing to assume about any guest. Is that really the feeling any restaurant wants to give? And it would seem the wait staff really hammered in that attitude with their non-caring. Are not restaurants , in fact, acting as hosts to not just dining but an experience? I don't blame the OP, not a bit.

I would ask why it isn't SOP to post prices on everything? Why are restaurants afraid of doing so? If it is indeed retail, put your price out there. Or is not posting prices a way of shaming guests into purchasing? I really feel for those diners that want to treat others to an evening out but still have to budget.

While I love love love Cafe Lou Lou's food I haven't returned because of a similar experience with their bar. Had a great lunch there (alone), moved over to the bar to try a gin I had been wanting to buy. The cocktail cost $4 and change. I put a $10 bill on the bar and waited 45 minutes to get change. Bartender was there mulling around, wiping down glasses. (I was a bartender once and I recognize busy work.) I made sure he saw me put the bill down and still had to wait. Sorry buddy, I seldom tip 100% especially for being ignored.

This reminds me of the time I inadvertently ordered a $200+ bottle of wine, thinking it couldn't be more than $20.

Really, though, I agree with the suggestion above of, "If it's higher than the highest menu item."

Just a note to let everyone know that I had also posted a narrative of Tuesday night's events over on Cafe Lou Lou's FaceBook page and I have received a response there from what appears to be the owner, Clay Wallace.

He was very gracious and acknowledged that things certainly could have been handled more professionally by his staff. He commented that there was no excuse for me not being informed of the special's price and that the server should have informed a manager at the first sign of a problem. And he told me to rest assured that the matter had been handled internally. I take that to mean that it hopefully won't happen again to another patron.

So, I'll sign off on this particular discussion wishing Clay and all at Cafe Lou Lou the best. They really do provide an excellent meal!