We often get comments that say we are expensive.

We are not inexpensive. But I wouldn’t say we are outrageous for the area. I’d also point out that we are buying the best product we can get. The best meat. The best seafood. The best produce.

You know prices have gone up if you’ve shopped for groceries lately.

We also occasionally get comments that our drinks are too expensive. Trust me. We are not. Our beers on tap are priced to sell considering they are all local craft beers.

Our competitors have drinks pushing 16, 17, 18 dollars an hour. We are not that expensive.

We had a guest comment a week ago or so complain about our wine costs. So much more than at the grocery store.

Why yes. Yes we are more expensive than the grocery store. That’s the way restaurants work. Our business model is very different.

You don’t carry the wine to a counter and pay for it then leave at a restaurant. You are seated, waited on hand and foot. A trained staff caters to your every need. A chef hand prepares the food you consume. A person clears and resets your table. The amount of staff needed is far more than a cashier.

Also most grocery stores don’t have views. They aren’t paying for high profile premium locations.

So yes. You could buy the wine cheaper at the store. But you’d also cook your own supper, clean up your own mess, take out your own garbage.

It defeats the reason we go out to eat in the first place.

Well.

It happened again.

A server comes to the host stand carrying a filet.

She asks to speak to me. Seems table 25 ordered a medium rare filet. She was cooked a filet. And it was medium rare.

It arrives at the table. She cuts into and immediately announces that it’s well done.

She calls the server over and sends it back.

The server takes it to the kitchen.

The chef takes one look at the steak and loses his mind.

The steak is cooked. A picture perfect medium rare.

He takes a breathe and tells the server to find me to tell the guest that it’s a picture perfect medium rare.

So she has found me. And I see the steak. And it’s a picture perfect medium rare.

I take the plate. And I go to the kitchen. I check in with the chef. He, as his passionate self, lets me know he won’t cook another steak. He cooked it to order. To the temp she wanted. He is not going to do do it.

So I take the plate to the table.

And I ask what the problem is. And I’m told it’s over cooked. And I explain that it’s absolutely not over cooked. It’s a picture perfect medium rare.

At this point the guest explains that she ordered medium rare to rare.

I don’t even know what to say. There is no such thing as medium rare to rare. It’s either medium rare. Or rare. It can’t be both.

She pushes back.

I explain that we’ll be happy to cook something else for her. Anything except a steak.

She huffs. Waves her arms and says she’s never experienced such rude behavior.

I walk away.

40 minutes later or so they leave. The two women don’t speak to me. One of the husbands stop to chastise me. Telling me how rude I’d been. How inappropriate that I’d been.

I don’t really know how to respond.

Of course I have practiced my response for the next time. I’ll have it ready because it will happen again.

They left a survey review. Said the steak was well done. And that I was rude. I don’t mind being called rude. But I hate when they lie.

More though, they told the server over and over that this was not her fault. She couldn’t help it if the owner and manager are rude. Then promptly tipped her less that 15%.

How much would they have tipped if it had been her fault?