I Hate Trying New Things

....I'm never impressed and I get all regretful-like.

GRR.

Went to lunch today at a new-ish little cafe in town. I say new-ish because it's new, but it's basically the same little place it was before (6 months ago) with a different name.

And that name is The-Over-Priced-Poor-Service-Terrible-Food Cafe.

It doesn't help when you look to the people around you when you first get there and they're already tapping their fingers on the table, waiting.....

....and waiting.

We ordered some pretty basic menu items. Hubby and I decided to share since a teeny deli sandwich we saw on the next table is going for $9. K had a simple bagel with cream cheese.

20 minutes of waiting with our now empty drinks, we're told they're out of turkey for our salami/ham/turkey sandwich. Oh well, we suck it up, it my be another 20 minutes for a different sandwich. 10 minutes later the owner tells us there is no bagels. *We have yet to get ANY food by this point*

The owner says she can remove the 'grains' from the whole grain bagel, but that they had an "array" of kid's menu choices for next time.

HELLO?!? Why weren't we shown a kid's meal or told about these choices before my daughter started eating her napkin? I mean she's 2 and a half, her head barely rises above the table (no highchairs), did they not see her before?

After 32 minutes, we were served. K's bagel was actually a sliced croissant and looked stale, for $4.50. Her small OJ, $2.

Hubby and my sandwich was simple at best. 3 salami slices, 3 slices of ham and some "fancy" mustard...woo!

I wanted to cry. I hate having bad meals. I love food and look forward to enjoying it, especially when I'm paying an arm and a leg eating out. Luckily the teaspoon-full of potato salad on the side was good.

Yaya did get a decent portabella sandwich, minus it all falling apart and she had to eat it with a bulldozer gigantic fork.

$35 for a mediocre lunch. That just pisses me off.

I may frequent our local businesses again when they get their head's out their asses cash registers fancy mustard and make normal food at a decent price and realize we're NOT in downtown Beverly Hills, but downtown Hooterville.

56 supporters in group:

  1. Anonymous said...

    huge 'pet peeve'--crappy service at not-so-great restaurants!

  2. Jill said...

    $35? For lunch? After all that waiting I would have demanded that they reduce the price or comp one of the items.

  3. Tracey said...

    Maybe you should blog about it and tell everyone not to go there...oh you just did...I think you should also talk to the management and tell them that they just lost a customer and all her friends!

  4. Unknown said...

    Oh I hate that...

  5. Brittany said...

    That is horrible! Hopefully they figure out they suck before they go out of business. And shame on businesses who don't recognize children, that alone would make me never return.

  6. Anonymous said...

    I get it! I've been to a couple of places that charge $8 for a kids meal - you've got to be kidding me! Unless it's freakin' steak on their plate, that's way too much!

    Sorry you had a bad experience, but there's always next time!

  7. 12-arrows said...

    I am not sure how I came across your blog but I love it and I especially love the music! I here you on poor service bad food! We experience that alot where we live, basically there is no customer service around our parts at all anymore. What a shame, and it does affect if you return to an establishment or not!

  8. Rachel said...

    Aww -- that definitely sucks!!!!!!!

    I'm the same way when it comes to restaurants/food. I rarely try a new place and I ALWAYS order the same thing b/c I know I won't be disappointed!

  9. Ali said...

    We go out once, sometimes twice every couple of weeks and I hate it when I have a bad experience. I feel like I've wasted my "eating out/splurge" day!

  10. Anonymous said...

    Ooo, that sucks. I hate that. I used to just fume silently, but nowadays I complain because it's my friggin' money and I have to touch people's unwashed feet to earn it!

  11. Tenakim said...

    That sucks- We try new places all the time- I hate when I suggest it and it sucks- my husband never lets me forget it!

  12. Jo-Jo said...

    Oh man, I hate that! We have a place here that has amazing food and atmosphere but horrible service...I really hate horrible service!

  13. Unknown said...

    I had to laugh but I'm sure it was extremely aggravating for you. I have a small habit of ordering something out of the ordinary when I feel adventurous. I always hate it.

  14. Toni said...

    I am so with you! I love food - my scales prove it daily - I can't stand having a bad meal when I eat out and pay for it!

    Also, I often times call my home town Hooterville :)

    Sorry about your bad meal!

  15. Desiree said...

    Oh yuck. I hate it when I get a crap meal with crap server and crap prices.
    I am, however, the queen of SENDITBACK which I'm sure at times means that I exchange my cold soup for spit, but OH WELL :) Food!

  16. Jamey said...

    i am right there with ya, Jen! That is another of my quirks, I will not eat at a new reasuraunt if I am starving! Thanks for the warning about that place.

  17. Anonymous said...

    I just linked to you form somewhere in blog-land and I gotta say - Thank you! First, your blog name...I'm always looking for somethin' cheaper than therapy (which is soooo very expensive) and 2. I'm lovin your MUSIC. So, thanks for brightening my day - I'll be back. Stormy

  18. Anonymous said...

    Sorry it was so bad, I too had a bad experience yesterday at our local chili's for lunch. UGGHH I can't stand having horrible service. Believe me Chili's headquaters has already heard from me.......

  19. Merrie said...

    Okay, I'm dying to know where you went.
    And the selection of restaurants is dwindling in Hville. I'd like to see some new places with decent food/service/prices that will actually STICK. If I like a place, I DO go there. Unfortunately, not enough other people do, apparently.

    I guess it's back to Cedar House for us. Or Cheung Sheng!

  20. Sarah McBride said...

    i HATE having a bad meal. It just makes me depressed.

  21. Amy Amy Bo Bamey said...

    I am such a creature of habit because I hate trying new things too. Sorry that it totally sucked that is the worst! Especially when you pay a decent price and you get chitty food.

    I would have said something though. I would have let my disappointment be known because how else could they improve without feedback.

  22. Jyl @ MommyGossip said...

    Ahhhhhh! This made me frustrated and I wasn't there. Maybe it is because we all have had this exact experience and it SUCKS!

    Second in line behind this--or maybe even first--is when I try a new dish at home and it doesn't turn out good. It turns out the way it is supposed to, but it isn't tasty and I have spent all that time making it. What a waste!

  23. Ann Harrison said...

    I would want to cry too!
    Low blood sugar makes me crazy and waiting THAT long for BAD food is worth a good melt-down.
    Here's something that worked for me in a similar situation: Write a letter to the restaurant. Remind them of your experience, include that you brought family from out-of-town. Tell them how you felt about your visit.
    What they SHOULD do is send you a voucher for free meals.
    So, if you want to go back, try this. (You could tell them that you would love to share your positive experience on your blog! Oooohhh!)

  24. Petra a.k.a The Wise (*Young*) Mommy said...

    Man, I hate that too! Live and learn, I guess. But make sure you tell everyone you know how bad it sucks and not to go there. Maybe something better will take over!

  25. TentCamper said...

    Now that just pisses me off!!!!!!!
    I HATE THAT! I say F those places. We have a little eli tht always takes forever and costs about $10 for a sandwich...but the food is to die for..that is worth it ...in my book.

  26. Insane Mama said...

    Yuck, I'd cry. We are on such a tight budget that going out better be worth it.

  27. Unknown said...

    Holy cow! That's one expensive lunch for a service like that and for that food. Sorry to hear about your experience.

    Hubby and I have a list of places we went to. Being here in Dallas, there's about 10 restaurants/cafe in every corner. So now I write and rate our experience in each places we went to so we don't forget how good or bad the experience was.

  28. Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

    Oh that IS awful! I would've given that owner a piece of my mind!!!

  29. pink and green mama MaryLea said...

    Sounds like Walt Disney World except with slower service. Prices too high for food you could get at the grocery deli counter. I just discovered your blog and added you to my favorites list! Thanks :)
    www.pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com

  30. Anonymous said...

    Ditto to all of the above!

    :)

  31. flickrlovr said...

    This is one of my major pet peeves too. I just ate at Denny's last night (mistake #1, I should know by now that the food sucks) and A) my egg was fake, ew. B) it took like 25 minutes for the food to even come, and there were about 2 other very non-demanding looking people in the restaurant at the time. C) the eggs were leathery, the hash browns were burnt and slathered in oil, and the veggies inside the omelet were burnt AND oily (and the tomatoes made me nervous, parts of them were still totally green, and they looked fake. I paid like $17 for this meal. Crazy, right? Yes, crazy.

    I hate hate hate eating out and getting crappy food. Especially when the prices are so jacked up.

    Sigh.

    I guess I should start eating at home more often, huh?

  32. Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels said...

    I am with you 100%. I HATE having bad meals, especially when eating out and spending more than I would for a home-cooked meal! Did you tell them? They need to know that they have to change stuff if they want to last the month.

  33. Corey~living and loving said...

    oh man....that would have sent me over the edge. OVER.THE.EDGE I tell you. argh!

  34. Aubrey said...

    Ya, I would have been walking out of that place with a free, crappy lunch. Places like that piss me off too!! We have a sprinkle of them in our 'hood. You want the locals to support your local biz? Then make it worth it!

  35. Jayne said...

    That doesn't sound like much fun at all......bleurgh!!!

  36. scargosun said...

    I REFUSE to pay for substandard food. If I end up being disappointed, you can bet they are going to hear about it. I am always thoughtful about it, making sure to point out SOMETHING positive but it is an insult to me to crappy food that you would like me to pay for.

  37. jill jill bo bill said...

    That happened to us at a Mother Pluckers wing place in Dallas. And hubby, who was paying for the meal, NEVER got his meal until everyone was thru eating.(we told them like 35 times) That was scary. He got $100 in free vouchers and he handed them right back and loudly said, "WHY would I come back here? I can be abused by bad food and crappy service at HOME!"

  38. Linda S said...

    If they run out of turkey, maybe you just run out of $35?

  39. Jenni said...

    That is the WORST! I rarely go anywhere new to eat for that very reason!

  40. Anonymous said...

    We think that newish cafe needs to get it together! Not acceptable to tell people you don't have the items they ordered...soo long AFTER they ordered it. Sounds like they need an upgrade in service, big time.

  41. Anonymous said...

    Ugh! That is annoying! Especially with little ones at the table cause you have to censor yourself from really letting loose with some appropriately colorful complaints! I like Linda S's idea... why shouldn't it work like that?
    :) Robin
    aka Cinnamon and Honey

  42. Unknown said...

    ugh, i'm frustrated for you!

    i would write a review and send it into a local paper. some papers will publish a patron's review b/c it gives a real life perspective. i would take your review more seriously than a foodie's review.

  43. Shannon said...

    Oh, bad service at a restaurant just plain sucks!
    And my biggest pet peeve when dining out... not getting my drink refilled in a timely manner! If I have to flag the waitress to get my glass refilled, they can kiss their tip goodbye, LOL!

  44. Tena said...

    and this would be why I find a few places I love and just stick with them, I hate spending money and getting nasty food or horrible service. My money tree does not grow easily!!

  45. Rach (Mommy Learns to Blog) said...

    What a disappointment - especially since you spent so much money for practically no food and awful service!

    Was the owner there? Do you think you'd ever eat there again if it were free?

    If so, I'd give them a call today and voice your disappointment and concern - if they are upstanding small business owners, they surely know that great customer service goes a long way - and that bad worth of mouth goes even longer!

  46. Deb said...

    Ditto to what everyone else said. Not ok.

  47. Sue Wilkey said...

    Seriously - with this economy, they're lucky to have anyone eating out. I know we've cut way back, and when we do out it's only to tried-and-true favorites.

    Another money saving tip: Drink a glass of wine in a go-cup on the way to the restaurant. :) Here to help.

  48. Wendi said...

    I hate when I am served a bad meal.
    I really hate it when the bad meal is accompanied by bad service.
    Not. good.
    Thanks goodness for the blog and the venting.
    Hope your next meal is a good one!

  49. Rebecca said...

    That sort of thing PISSES me off to the max too, I abhor bad service, waiting forever and then crappy food on top of it! UH-UH.

    I am the type of bitch customer that would have made a point to tell the owner what I thought of her crappy place, and that I WILL be telling friends how bad it is.

    Sorry you got royally screwed like that Jen, ruins a nice time out doesn't it. :(

  50. Annie said...

    The only thing worse than having a bad meal and bad service is waiting 45 minutes to get it!
    Enjoying reading your blog as a new blogger myself!

  51. Lisa said...

    That stinks!!! Did you leave a comment card or anything like that?

  52. jen aka mommay said...

    That's awful. Getting crappy food is the worst when you're looking forward to something yummy.

  53. Kristen Andrews said...

    I hate trying new things also, and bad food is the worst!

  54. Jenny said...

    That totally, totally blows. We've done the same thing. Live and learn, I suppose!

  55. Kelli @ writing the waves said...

    Ahhhh! I hate that too...so annoying! Glad you at least liked your "teaspoon full" of potato salad. haha :)

  56. I Am Boymom said...

    I don't hate trying new things so much as being disappointed by new things, especially restaurants where I pay hard earned money for crappy food and service. Wonder how long they'll stay in business?

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