The woolly rectangle is finally complete! I'm still not sure what it's purpose in life will be but at least it is finished. I enjoyed making it so much I popped down to the local wool shop this morning, Fabrications on Broadway Market, and picked up some more wool for my next project. I'm thinking about maybe a longer thinner woolly rectangle (a scarf) or a bigger but shorter and fatter woolly rectangle (a blanket). I haven't yet decided but rest assured you will hear all about it soon...
The past.
The future
Anyway, today I have a dilemma which I thought I would share. On Sunday some friends, The Wig and I went for lunch somewhere we have been many times before and didn't have a great experience. So I wrote to the restaurant expressing how I felt and I have been offered a free lunch to make amends. However, I'm not sure if I want to go, I'm not sure the apology from the restaurant is sincere and was wondering what I should do. Do I take them up on their offer or tell them to swivel and say I'd rather eat greasy KFC on a park bench than go back to the restaurant. Presently the second option seems more appealing to me but my friend thinks I'm being too harsh. So, what would YOU do?
MY EMAIL:
To Whom it May Concern,
My friends and I visited The ******** this Sunday for lunch and an incident occurred which I should be very interested to hear your thoughts on. We have eaten at The ******** a fair few times over the last 2 years and only ever had a positive experience, we even contacted your Head Office last year regarding private hire for our wedding reception.
However on Sunday, the experience was not so great. On our recommendation, we took some friends for lunch who had trudged over in the snow from West London via public transport. While the food and waitress service was as good as usual, the attitude of one staff member spoilt the atmosphere somewhat. I think he might even have been the Manager! (tall guy, shaved hair cut, beard, navy shirt/jacket).
At the end of our meal, we ordered 2 x coffees, a Tea and a Peppermint Tea. Both teas arrived in teapot's with severely shipped and stained spouts and both tea cups were chipped (one with a crack running the full length of the mug from the rim to the bottom down one side). I don't work for the FSA and don't claim to be an expert in Restaurant Health + safety but I recall learning in Home Economics at Secondary School the basics of food hygiene whereby, if crockery is chipped, it should be chucked away. This is basic common sense surely. I wouldn't use chipped or broken crockery at home so I don't want to pay for the privilege when going out for lunch.
We asked the 'Manager/Shaved head guy', if it would be possible to get new ones in non chipped utensils and soon wished we hadn't. He seemed to take it very personally first of all asking if we were "joking", then saying that he had never heard of chipped crockery being a breeding ground for bacteria, surely the boiling water would kill the germs, he happened to like the old crockery and he could swap them but it might take him some time to find some replacements that weren't damaged. Basically, he made us feel awkward and embarrassed for mentioning it.
I don't have a problem with mismatched crockery or 'shabby chic' teasets, whatever you want to call them, I just don't want to drink from broken teapots and cups, particularly as I am currently 6 months pregnant and having to be a bit careful about germs. Its not really the point, I don't think, if you are unaware of basic hygiene (which is a bit of a worry in itself) but what is important, is customer service and I don't think we got it in this instance. The reaction was over the top and completely unnecessary. Quiet a small request got turned into a big deal for no good reason.
I'd be very interested to hear what you think about this as I still cant understand what the problem was.
Many thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards,
THE FIRST REPLY:
Hi,
Firstly, thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt and calling it a 'short haircut' - bald as a coot is how I am normally described.
It was me that served you on Sunday and I am really upset that you took the whole episode so seriously. I was only trying to make a joke of the issue and be informal with you. It really isn't in my nature to try and belittle anyone or cause any upset to customers - I just want everyone to come to the empress and have a relaxed time with good food and wine.
This so clearly back fired on Sunday as three days later it is still bugging you.
Come in again - bring your friends, if they are willing to make the journey over from West London - have lunch on me - go Greek and sma
THE SECOND REPLY:
Not sure I would have been happy with the reply either, it sounds cocky and insincere... I would be tempted to just let my money do the talking and go somewhere else as I would feel awkward going back, but maybe that's just me!
ReplyDeleteExactly what I thought. I'm definitely not going back, and I did also resist sending back a sarcastic / rude reply. I was quite impressed by my restraint about that xx
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