I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

A couple arrive a few minutes late for their 7:00 reservation.  

We get them seated a couple of minutes after they arrive.

About 7 or 8 minutes after they are seated, the man appears holding a piece of paper.

He begins to tell me that he was given a gift card that was sent to his phone, but he no longer has access to it.  He then tells me that he needs me to look it up for him as he has the purchase information.

I explain that I can’t step away to do so during service, so unfortunately, he won’t be able to use it tonight.  

He looks at me like I have 8,537 heads and says, “I don’t understand?  I’ve used Toast before, it’s not that hard.”  Then he walks away.  

Here’s the thing, we are busy.  

It’s not that it takes a long time, but when we are busy, I am on the door and can’t disappear for five minutes to take care of this.    

It’s the reality of being short staffed right now.  

Also, he made his reservation three days ago, so he knew he was coming, he could have reached out then to ask us to look it up for him.  

Alas he did not.  

__________

I wrote the above last night and didn’t post it. 

However, I got to work today to find the following email:

Had a wonderful meal at the restaurant last night but was very disappointed with the fact that I couldn’t use a gift card I have. I was gifted the card for my bday in April via text and unfortunately when I upgraded my phone I no longer had access to it. I did however have the receipt for the email. I tried calling on Wednesday when I made the reservation and left a message.. Unfortunately I missed the return call and the voicemail didn’t explain anything. I tried calling twice that night and yesterday twice also before getting to the restaurant. 

Upon arriving and being seated I went out to the host stand and was informed by the manager that no I wouldn’t be able to use the gift card due to him not being able to access the gift card through the receipt I presume? I know your POS system is “toast” and I am very familiar with how to access the back office side of things so it was a bit surprising to me that he couldn’t go do it especially with two people at the host stand.  I am moving in less than two weeks and won’t have another chance to use this card so I am hoping you can either refund me the gift card to the original credit card or adjust my payment from last night to use the card. $150 is a lot of money to me and my wife so I’m hoping you can help me out. Available via cell phone (555-555-5555) or via this email at your convenience. 

Again, I want to stress that the food and service were both magnificent and we always love eating at the restaurant. 

First, I’m truly sorry that you didn’t have access to your phone.  I’m also sorry that you didn’t have access to the gift card. 

But as always, there are about 17 things that you wrote that are not true.  

Believe it or not, every message that I’ve taken since I’ve started is recorded in a spiral bound notebook.  I still have every message.  It’s 4 notebooks at this point.  I have no idea why I keep them, after 15 months but I do.  So if you left me message on July 25, 2021 I can look up said message.

I assure you that I did not in fact have a message from you on Wednesday.  I had a lot of messages, but there was not one from your number.  I also assure you that if you’d left a message about a missing gift card, I’d have said, email me the receipt and I’ll get you the card gift card number back in less than 24 hours in my voicemail.  But that didn’t happen.  

I also know that I was in the restaurant answering calls all day on Wednesday.  If you’d left a message, I’d have known.  I’d also have known if you’d left a message on Thursday as it would have been recorded in the notebook.  And I’d have known if you left a message on Friday as I answered calls all day, and was even the person who checked the voicemails just as we headed into service.

Alas there was no chance for me to remedy the situation prior to your arrival.  

I’m also super happy that you know how to use Toast.  I know how to use a lawn mower but I’m not going to begin to tell the company that mows our lawn how to run their business.  

Yes, there were two of us on the door.  It was 7:00.  Between 7:00 and 8:30 we sat a lot of guests.  I was running the door.  Meaning, I’m the one making the decisions when the guest came in.  Also, anyone who was working last night will tell you that tables weren’t turning.  We were pivoting and pivoting again to get guests seated as close to on time as possible. 

As for a refund, uh, no.  

We have delivered on our promise.  You bought a gift card.  We delivered a gift card.  

Almost everyone, knows that a gift card is the same as cash.  It’s all about who possesses it.  We will not be refunding your check, we will not be refunding the card.  

However, if you email me the receipt that you have, I will gladly look up the number for you and email it back to you. 

Perhaps, you know someone who will buy it from you.  There are always people on marketplace, pawning gift cards.