I walk out to the patio tonight.

As I approach the host a table calls me over.

The let me know they aren’t happy with their table. It’s in the middle of everyone.

And.

They haven’t had a meeting moment of privacy.

I don’t know what they need to discuss in private.

I echo their sentiments. Tell them we’ll discuss it with the team at our manager meeting on Thursday.

About fifteen minutes later I go back to the table to deliver a steak that was undercooked.

I drop it off.

And go back to work.

Then.

I get this review tonight.

We have been coming to LF since you opened. always have had great service, especially with Tina, we understand she left. Last visit with Tom was memorable with great food and 5 Star service. Tonight was our worst experience ever. We were placed at a table directly in front of the bar/ host stand where all check ins were standing and overflow guest waiting all around us. We called the manager over and he basically ignored our feedback saying how this table should not be placed in this high traffic area. Our steak arrived rare when ordered medium and had to be sent back, once again the manager came to our table to return to steak, no apology offered. We tipped 20% with a bill over $150, Not at all high end dining that one would expect. Neither manager or Wait staff did anything to make up for a night of dissatisfaction. Need to remove the table from this high traffic area and give customer service when needed. Basic curtesy in the restaurant business. Hope this helps future guest and us on our next visit.

Hmmmm

I’m not sure what they expected me to do in the moment. Pick up the table and move it across the patio?

As for the steak. Yes I brought it to the table. And no I didn’t apologize. I stopped apologizing a few weeks ago after I read an article about customer relations.

Hi. I heard you wanted your steak cooked a little more to your liking. Enjoy. Please let me know if you need anything else.

It’s worked for more than a month.

Acknowledge that it wasn’t to their liking. It’s better now. Ask for me if you need something else.

Until tonight.

Meanwhile.

I’m bad at my job again.

Tonight I get called to the host stand.

I get there and an older woman is waiting to speak to me.

She launched into her complaint.

She has ordered the mashed potatoes. She did not know they had garlic. She is allergic to garlic. She is now going to be very sick because no one told her that the mashed potatoes have garlic.

I wait until she is finished.

I ask her if she told her server she was allergic to garlic.

No but…the menu should have said it had garlic.

I ask again did you tell your server.

No but…

She insists that the menu should have said it.

Fun fact.

Our menu doesn’t describe any of our sides.

Mashed potatoes.

Potato salad.

Quinoa salad.

French fries.

House salad.

Creamed spinach

Broccolini.

No description.

Just a list.

The potatoe salad has egg. The broccolini is grilled. The mashed potatoes have garlic.

Last night a man sent back the creamed spinach because it has cheese.

More than once someone has sent back the quinoa salad because they didn’t know what it was.

But.

I’m going to go out on a limb here.

If you have an allergy. One that is serious. One that will make you sick. It is your responsibility to tell us about it.

And.

It wasn’t till later I learned she had ordered the filet. It is brushed with seasoning that has garlic powder. But she wouldn’t know that because she didn’t ask or tell us about the allergy.

Tonight was a treat.

Around 5:30 a server comes to me carrying two empanadas. She says table 31 said they were disgusting. And burnt.

They look exactly like they were supposed to.

About ten minutes later I hear the bell in the kitchen ring twice.

One ring or a bunch of times means hands to run food.

Two distinct dings means they need me.

I go to the window and chef calls me over. A table has asked for a new server.

Table 31.

I go over and the man says he wants a new server.

This never happens.

I take the appropriate steps. Get them a new server.

40 minutes later they were gone.

They complained on the way out about to food. They gave us a zero on our survey.

And.

The tipped nada, nothing, zero to the server who took over the table.

This really is more about them.

And.

The server who was replaced?

Her cat was hit by a car about two hours before she arrived to work. She was doing her best to hold it together.

She was a class act.

Those two guys.

There aren’t words.

We’ll there are but I’m too much of a lady to use them.