A new restaurant opened near us. I am a restaurant hound. I'd rather eat out than in.
Before Christmas my daughter and I had been to breakfast at this new place three times in one week. I like it because we don't have to wait and the food is passable and, so far, the servers have been good.
After over 12 breakfasts at this place I was told I couldn't substitute tea for the juice in the breakfast I order. I asked why and the server said it was company policy not to substitute. I told her about the previous breakfasts. She said she'd ask the manager.
The manager told her she could substitute "this time." I asked to see the manager. After all, I didn't want to go through this every time. I knew the cost of the tea was less than the cost of the juice. So it wasn't a money issue. I wanted to know why.
Of course, over the course of my meal I had to remind the server three times I was still waiting for the manager. I guess she figured I'd forget.
The manager finally came. She reiterated it was chain policy to not substitute tea for juice. She agreed that the tea was not more expensive. It isn't about the cost difference she said. She told me the juice was "complimentary." I asked if I could have it without buying breakfast. She said, "No." I stated that I must be paying for it then.
She conceded and tried another tack. She said tea wasn't offered because the restaurant chain has always served juice for breakfast. I asked the obvious question. She replied they do have tea prepared for those customers who order it.
She told me that she was following policy. I asked why the policy couldn't be..let the customer have tea if he wants it instead of juice. She said it was chain policy to allow no substitutions. She then said, "Now that I know your face I'll ok it when a server asks. They'll always come to me to ok substitutions."
She then told me that if she wasn't working the other day manager wouldn't approve the substitution. She said again she now knew my face and she'd approve it whenever we come back.
I could now get tea instead of juice at this chain unless the other manager is working.
Come on! Why have a policy that does nothing but irritate some customers? There is no cost reason for this. It has nothing to do with preparation. It harms not a single soul to offer juice or tea with your breakfast. Why not?
(This happened before Christmas. I've been back a few times and not a single server has blinked when I requested tea instead of juice. That manager wasn't on duty any of those times.)
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"Our policy makes no sense, but on the other hand, we don't usually follow it, so it all evens out!"
What's really disturbing is that the people who parrot these inane policies genuinely don't seem to comprehend their absurdity.
# Posted by: Brother at January 12, 2009 09:25 PM
This is truly bizarre. Tea costs less than juice. The markup on tea, back in my day, used to be 20x cost. The markup on juice was 2x to 3x cost.
Preparation takes the same amount of time, so labor costs are comparable.
Addtionally, their policy discriminates against those who can't drink juice for whatever reason: diabetics and people with allergies or an intolerance to fructose.
Personally, I'd write the chain -- probably avoiding getting either management or staff in trouble.
I'd love to read the cockamamie excuse they come up with -- if they do at all. Sometimes, if a waitress perceives a customer as rude, she has enough pull with management to get management to tell the customer a b.s. story. That doesn't mean you were rude, just that she may have perceived you that way, for any number of reasons. Heck, people get annoyed when you simply ask questions. :)
Beautiful blog design, btw.
# Posted by: Bitch | Lab at February 8, 2009 07:20 PM
Thanks. I just adapted (and tweaked) an original Wordpress design by i-marco.
I think you're right about some servers taking any questioning as being rude. But I don't think this was the case. She was new as was the manager. And I'm considered a really good customer. I'm a very good tipper and wish for only two things in a regular server: keep my tea glass filled and just put my order in as soon as you see me.
Yeah. I almost never change what I order in a restaurant. I am afraid I'm turning into Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as it Gets. Without needing my own silverware, same seat, or particular server. I can also step on cracks all day if you like.
Anyway, I don't see that manager or server anymore. Not that it had anything to do with me. And not a single server since has said a word when I say I want tea instead of juice.
Maybe someone did tell the servers not to worry about it?
# Posted by: Temple of Me at February 8, 2009 09:31 PM
I hope they did. I'd love to know if it was policy. Long story as to why.
Wordpress, eh? I'll have to look at that one. I'm in midst of upgrading mine -- no time to finish yet.
# Posted by: Bitch | Lab at February 9, 2009 09:11 AM
Well, the story gets longer. :) I went there for breakfast this morning. Another new server....new to me. She's been there since they opened.
I asked her about substituting. She said they were told they now could, but only a single glass. No refills.
I rarely drink more than a single glass for breakfast, so I hadn't noticed if any of the others had refilled my tea. I ended up wanting more; probably since I was told I couldn't have one.
So I asked for a glass of water.
# Posted by: Temple of Me at February 9, 2009 09:51 AM
