Poor Service: Point - Counterpoint

I met up with an old friend the other night and joined her to the republic beverage wine experience as she was very interested in Scott Harpers (Louisville's 1st master Sommelier) seminar on what it takes to become a MS, along with blind tasting techniques. We enjoyed the seminar very much, as well as the wine tasting. Afterwards , we decided to go for a bite to eat, when my friend mention going to Maido, I jumped on the oportunity since I heard such great things about the restaurant. We arrived around 9:15-9:30 and were seat on the patio. We are both in the industry and rarely get to go out and enjoy other restaurants. We were both taken back a bit by the server approaching our table and literarally throwing the menu's down in front of us. After ordering several items off the menu ( around $60. worth) and only being there less than an hour, our server wanted our plates even though we were not finished, going so far as to ask us if we would take the last of piece off the plate so she could take it. She then immediately returned with our check, so we asked if dessert was going to offered, she replyed " I'm sorry our kitchen cosed at 10pm. I'm sorry if you don't want to serve a full meal to your guest beyond 10pm, then maybe you need to stop seating by 8pm

Edited to remove inflammatory statement. Sorry.

that's horrible! some people have the attitude that anyone can wait tables. that may be true, but not just anyone can wait tables and be good at it. it takes discipline and grace. you guys were a late table and for many servers who have worked all night and are about to be cut, the late table can be frustrating. but guess what, that late table is going to put money in your pocket just like all of the other tables you have had that night. attitude is so important in life and that applies to serving the public in so many ways. it's true that sometimes just when you're exhausted and ready to clock out and go home, your section will be sat. at that point, you have an obligation to treat that table the same as you would treat the first table of the night. they're paying the same price not just for food, but also for a great experience, and that's what they should get. a good server will never let a table know that they are ready to be off work and are trying to get out the door. a smart server will ALWAYS upsell by offering coffee, dessert, or after dinner drinks. by bumping up the bill, you're bumping up your tip. i am a fan of maido and i'm sorry to hear this happened there. did you speak to management about being treated badly and rushed out?

No, but as a manager I plan to write a letter to the owner so they will know how there establishment is being run.

good call. for all we know it was the manager saying "get that patio table out of here so we can all go home!" the owner sometimes is the one to go to. sixty dollars is a lot to pay for a sh***y experience.

The only time my wife and I ate there, the bartender (who was doing nothing else) handed us our menus and pointed out which table was ours. Doubt we'll go back.

The only time my wife and I ate there, the bartender (who was doing nothing else) handed us our menus and pointed out which table was ours. Doubt we'll go back.

That's quite lazy, but I'd rather have that then the over active server. I keep running into this more and more. Two of the last three times I've dined/boozed out, I've had one of those servers who feels the need to ask "is everything okay?" about every 5 minutes. At one of these places, we were only drinking, so I'm pretty sure the liquid level in our glasses should have been the only sign that needed to be interpreted in regards to our "happiness" status.

I was trained as a server to do more and say less. Being the narrative type, I always fought the urge to tell stories at the table or verbally check in with tables. Now there's a balance that must exist between being slightly rude, being reserved, and being downright overly talkative and engaging. When I'm spending my dollars, though, I'll talk slightly rude over "the ray of sunshine" any day of the week.

I've had such slight rudeness* at Maido's and It's never offended me, as long as the service itself (clearing plates, refills, timely order placing, etc.) is on target. Now if someone took my plate before I was finished dining, that goes beyond slight rudeness.

* The hallmark restaurant in this regard is Kashmir. I love the food and find the surly mood refreshing.

Recently, a co-worker and I went to Brownings for lunch. He had never been. We sat at the bar for faster service. Realized after awhile that we never really saw the bartendar much. One other customer at the bar. We had asked for the check when he brought the food. Never thinking that he wouldn't be at the bar. Must not be much bar business at lunch and he could have been doing something else and/or waiting tables. More an observation than a criticism and not really negative. My co-worker was disappointed in his first impression of Browning's. (New to Louisville)
My longest memory of disappointing service was at Jack Fry's June 25, 1995. Our younger daughter's 21st birthday. I thought she and I could have a nice 'business women's' lunch before the bigger event in the evening. Our server threw the rolls on the table, one roll falling onto the table. We didn't order an appetizer but salads and entree and drinks, of course. Would have loved to have had dessert since IT WAS HER 21st BIRTHDAY. He never came back except to throw down the check. Back then people were really bad about assuming that women didn't tip. (Don't know how that started in Louisville unless it was the East End housewives after playing tennis.
We have never ever returned to Jack Fry's after that experience. I'll never forget it and I am sure everyone has had experiences like that.
This weekend, we enjoyed El Mundo (except for the flies outside, the patio); Sergios; Beignets, Richo's - the Red Room. (Also went to the Mellwood Art Festival. Overwhelmed. Wasn't prepared. Wonderful. Also, toured the Disney Christmas Carol train. About 6 cars. That was fun. Huge crowd at that also.)

please forgive me for my ignorance. i never knew that women once had a reputation for not tipping!

Ellen P, I would urge you to consider taking Jack Fry's off your "blacklist". I used to work there (albeit not in 1995), and I can say that what happened would have been a complete aberration. Either way, there has been almost 100% turnover (if not fully 100%) since then. Stephanie Meeks, the owner as of last year, has worked there since 1996, a year after your incident. Had you complained (which you may have) to the owner back then (Susan Seiller - who made Jack Fry's what it is today), I am sure that server would have been disciplined.

Since what happened to you took place 14 years ago, and there is no one still in the front of the house from back then, maybe you could give it another try? It has been 7 years since I worked there, but I still go there as much as possible. Judging a restaurant by something that happened 14 years ago seems maybe a tad harsh? It would be, for me, like judging me by something I did when I was 14 years younger - age 16. Gasp.

HEY THERE DAVID A!
I apologize you felt that you were treated badly. However I think that the report of your experience is slightly exaggerated and at times trivial, so I am going to post my little version.

It is insinuated that I was irritated by your arrival time, by “literally throwing the menus down” but I assure you that was not the case. I do not throw menus down, and have never intended to make a guest feel uncomfortable by use of passive aggressive behavior, for any reason. Furthermore, I am accustomed to late arriving tables and truly appreciate the extra business. However, we do close @ 10p.m., and the kitchen staff leaves shortly thereafter. It was well after 10 on this Thursday evening when you and your friend grumbled, and debated desserts not being offered to you. I submissively concurred with your perspective, and offered it to you despite the kitchen situation. You declined, not I. Furthermore, in Japan it is customary to end ones meal with rice, not desserts,

I think it is an important to note to know Maido is a Japanese Izakaya style restaurant, and the style of eating at this type of restaurant differs greatly from the typical Western style of appetizer, salad, main course, and desert. It is meant to be informal and have a very relaxed atmosphere. Although your friend hoisting her bare feet into the chair next to her might have taken it a little too far.

As far as bussing your table, well…… I did. I bussed your table. You sat there for about 40 minutes, and the sauce tends to attract flies, so I thought I was doing you a favor. I did not take your one piece of food away, so I am not sure what your problem is here. It’s Maido not Morton’s.

With all being said I have to say I think that you were needlessly overanalyzing the dining experience. Too many people do that in my opinion. I understand the desire for a uniform way of service, but personally it is the variation that gives a place character. Furthermore, we all have different preferences when it come to dining out. I for instance do not like to be up sold to. I find it a little pushy, and insulting. But whatever? I will go those places as long as food is good. Also servers are humans too. I once ate at a restaurant were the server Literally DID throw the menus. He threw them up against the wall because he REALLY WAS irritated by how late I got there. Ironic huh? Guess he was having a bad day. Any way still no big whoop. I mean I didn’t like it, but whatever? The food was good. And I have a good story now. I guess so do you, and it can be read on Hot Bytes.

Server day dream ……. If only I could tap dance over to my tables. Tapppity tap tap. Here ya go sir!






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Hi, They do say there are two sides to every story. Now, if only we can hear from one of the "noisy 50 year olds" from a previous post lol

I always love half-apologies that begin "I'm sorry YOU FELT you were treated badly"...makes it pretty obvious that you're not sorry for your behavior, just for their perception of it. I'm not convinced this "apology" is sincere.

But, whatever? Perhaps you're just inexperienced as a server. If you're not, don't let on. Pretend you are, and use it as an excuse. No, the customer's not always right - but lecturing them on "how it's done in Japan" is probably not the best way to go here. How about a sincere apology that they were offended (whether or not you think they should have been). That would have been classy (how we customarily do it in Louisville).

Finally, if you're a server that never upsells anything because you don't personally like being upsold to - you're not doing your boss - or yourself - any favors.

Just my opinion, naturally.

Courtenay, that was a rude, graceless reply. I'm not the kind of person to call people out for rudeness - that is in itself rudeness - but that is one of the most nasty "apologies" I've ever heard. For your sake, I hope nobody shows your employer.

By the way, I've been to Japan. Now, I'm not an expert on the culture; it was just a three week trip. But in spite of my complete lack of Japanese, my confusion about the culture, and my general cluelessness, the servers in restaurants were faultlessly polite. The few times Japanese etiquette was pointed out to me (though never in a restaurant), it was done in a kind, deferential way, almost as if they were apologizing for my blunder. I can't say I read the same from this post.

- Liz

So was there a foot oder issue or is the surliness on the house?