Don't eat at the Rainforest Cafe in Nashville

I was badly treated at the Rainforest Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee, next to Opryland, today. The waiter being mediocre at best was least of the problems. Even through the other advertised catch to getting five dollars off the Awesome Appetizer was to be a Safari Club member (which I am), they insisted I had to buy an entree to get it, and with that thing, I didn't need an entree. I settled for a pasta dish with Italian Sausage, a marinara that didn't taste that good then, and hours later, still tastes awful. Plus, there was a very bad brat sitting five feet behind me and to the right, who was constantly screaming, jumping on his chair, and getting in every patrons way by playing around the tables. I couldn't enjoy my food, as mediocre as it was. Granted, a Rainforest Cafe trip has noise to be considered into it, due to thunder crashes, and apes and elephants making their presence known. I told the brat twice to shut up, which the bad mother didn't appreciate. The second time, I had three twist get in front of my table, saying they didn't like that I dared to speak up about that brats bad behavior (there were adults in front of me who thought that brat was cute; obviously bad parents). Then came a manager, who decided that 3on 1 meant the one had to be wrong, so he refused to let me finish my meal, and forced me out. He did not care when those three goons spouted off at me, but if I chose to address them back, he wanted to stop me. Fortunately, I didn't have to pay, but I told that stupid manager I would inform his boss, and let what happened be known online. Which I have now done.

I would have paid for my meal, and as I saw a few T-shirts I liked as I went in, and needed to buy something for my Mother (who's birthday is Tuesday), that manager cost his company $40, and potentially more, as now I don't want to go back there unless I get an apology. If he was intelligent (which he wasn't), he would have simply helped me move to the uncrowded bar, thus separating the patrons who clashed with others: Everyone happy, no one permanently ticked off.

I personally won't eat in any Rainforest Cafe. Their food is mediocre at best, and you stated they're always noisy and there's always a bunch of bratty kids running around whose parents can't be found (or at least want to admit the kids are theirs). It's been the same and everyone I've been to (3) so I doubt any of them are any different. The only thing different about my experiences has been that the staff has in the most part been quite courteous.

Both of you need to dine at Bootleg BBQ. ASAP.

Both of you need to dine at Bootleg BBQ. ASAP.

I have, they've got some pretty good barbecue although not a very close to where I live. I normally eat Q at Pig City Barbeque on Shelbyville Road, they make some pretty good stuff too!

Both of you need to dine at Bootleg BBQ. ASAP.

I have, they've got some pretty good barbecue although not a very close to where I live. I normally eat Q at Pig City Barbeque on Shelbyville Road, they make some pretty good stuff too!

I would venture to say Bootleg is better than Pig City, but it's really a matter of taste. To me, distance is not a factor. It's all about the food, mon. It's all "mostly" good in the hood.

Yuck, nine hours later, and I'm still burping up that marinara. My Mom hates marinara sauce, making it a pain if I want Italian, but if she got marinara like this once, I understand why she hates.

Heck, Fazolis has better marinara than this, and the Frankfort Fazoli's gave me food poisoning once.

I recommend not eating at the "Hall of Presidents" or the "Country Bear Jamboree" either...

Walking into a place like this; you have to know that unless you have kids, there is no reason to be there...

This is one of those places where..It's not about the food, but more about the turn and burn(Or the Entertainment Factor)...You didn't choose wisely...

This Is Not a place I would choose to eat at .......

I'm pretty sure that there is nothing on the menu that would inspire me to order anything.....(outside of an alcoholic beverage) to numb down the sound of screaming little darlings

Yeah...this place is more or less a kids oriented restaurant. I don't think most who eat there care about the food.

[Robin Garr]

Yeah...this place is more or less a kids oriented restaurant. I don't think most who eat there care about the food.

Don't eat at Chuck E. Cheese, either ...

I've been to a few Rainforest Cafes' - most recently two weeks ago in Disney. I can't imagine going there without my three kids. The food is okay, but not worth battling the kids and crowds. My daughter was acting like a brat last time- but hopefully no one else noticed as she sat in her seat and pouted.

I get stressed just thinking about going. The staff has always been courteous when we've gone, if not a little overwhelmed at times.

Cheers,

Doug

I wasn't going to post this, since anonymous reviews are usually ignored here. However, I wrote back to this man and told him I was offended by his "Yum" brand comment and that we are not all rubes. I got a nice reply and apology, but he was clearly upset over handling of his situation in an upscale restaurant:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserRevi ... tucky.html

I told the brat twice to shut up,

Sounds like you had a pretty awful experience. When my children were small, I worked pretty hard at making sure they didn't cause others to have bad dining experience. I took more than one extended break from a meal to walk with one of the kids outside until things were cooled down. Parents need to take responsibility for their kids.

That being said, if the quote above is what you actually said--if that were my kid, you might have left the restaurant a bit sooner and not under your own power.

I agree with another reply . . .

The purpose of a Rainforest Cafe is to feed little kids, elementary school age and below. The food is designed for their tastes, the atmosphere is designed to appeal to them, and they are encouraged to come. The vast majority of the restaurants are located in malls, to make it easier for kids to be taken there.

I blame most of it on you! This is NOT a place for a quiet meal (their target audience are "noisy brats", and they will always support them rather than adults without kids), and again the tastes are pitched specifically for kids (and extensively tested with them), not sophisticated adults.

Also, I get various discount coupons for appetizers all the time, and I've never yet seen one without requiring me to order dinner also . . . are you sure that there was no fine print on the back of the coupon? Most restaurants use those as ways to get you in the door, often losing money (or at best breaking even) on one less expensive course in order to make money on the whole table.

It's sort of like going to Chucky Cheese and complaining that there wasn't enough basil in the pizza, and there were too many kids running around . . . Chucky Cheese is likely Rainforest Cafe's closest direct competitor!

[Robin Garr]

I told the brat twice to shut up, which the bad mother didn't appreciate. The second time, I had three twist get in front of my table, saying they didn't like that I dared to speak up about that brats bad behavior (there were adults in front of me who thought that brat was cute; obviously bad parents). Then came a manager, who decided that 3on 1 meant the one had to be wrong, so he refused to let me finish my meal, and forced me out. He did not care when those three goons spouted off at me, but if I chose to address them back, he wanted to stop me.

I think you're lucky they didn't have Nashville's Finest come escort you out and offer you free lodging for the night.

Like I said, I expect noise in there. But the kid was running around, making customers and workers have to go around him at times. If they just oohed and ahhed and screamed when the effects were going on, that's one thing and I understand. Like I said, I expect some noise in there. However, constant screeching and misbehaving is different. If it was my kid, I would have taken him into the restroom and spanked him for being that bad.

As a matter of fact, I did get one threat from the manager of calling the police, as he realized he was unworthy of treating me so badly. Hey, I'm willing to be a martyr if things need be.

The sad thing is, we have too many bad parents who do not believe in disciplining, and actually think its cute. Such parents need to be castrated/neutered before they can produce more bad children. In the past decade, I have had to...

1) Kick a brat of my feet, who purposely landed chest first on my feet, at the Westport Rd. Rafferty's
2) Had to issue a threat to two brats who kept jumping on my legs when I was sitting at a corner of an uncrowded waiting room at a Red Lobster in York, PA
3) Chew out a brat who spent minutes standing in front of me for no reason, and then decided to vomit in front of me, at the Sam's Club in Clarksville (this happened in the last two weeks)

I would do it again in a heartbeat. Each of these past times, I had a parent upset with me instead of their bad kids, and each time I told them off. And I would do it again. I was in the right, and I was the victim. Anyone who doesn't like it can go to you know where, as they are part of the problem. Common courtesy should be more common, and someone needs to speak out.