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| Tables still empty when we left. |
In fact, I liked it so much I reviewed it for my food and wine column, Destination Dining, in M magazine. I told everyone I could about you ~ friends, family; even strangers heard how fabulous you were.
I am not certain when things changed, or perhaps I was just
infatuated and didn’t see you for what you truly are ~ they do say love is
blind…
In late September I arrived to meet someone on a Monday
evening. He met me outside and we went into the bar area. I assumed he had a
table since he had arrived first. We got inside and he let me know he hadn’t.
As there was only one table with four businessmen at it, and a two-top with a
couple at it, we took a seat at the farthest point away from the others for
privacy’s sake. It was a table for three-four under the windows with better
lighting.
We were given menus and water and told to enjoy our evening.
Then all Hell broke loose. A clearly agitated and uptight young man came briskly
to our table and stated we “have to move” to a two-top table unless we were
expecting more people.
I explained politely that as we were already with menus,
tableware and water, and the fact that we wanted privacy and there was no one
waiting for this table, we would like to stay where we were already
comfortable. He explained he was the host and we “must” move. I clearly stated
we would rather not; besides, where did he want us to sit?
We were instructed
we were to follow him as he grabbed up our menus out of our hands (yes, out of
our hands) and pointed to a two-top immediately next to the four businessmen.
Once again, I stated we did not wish to move and we wanted privacy and we
absolutely did not wish to sit right next to other people.
He told us we “must” as “no one” is allowed to sit
at a four-top table unless there were at least three people and it is “company
policy.” So we reluctantly followed him to the undesired spot, feeling
reprimanded and unwelcome.
A woman came along, gave us water and asked if we were
having a good evening. I explained that, actually, we would rather sit at the
table over there (pointing where we had been sitting) and was told quickly, “Oh
no, you can’t. That’s a four-top and there are only two of you; it’s company
policy and only the host has the authority to change it.”
Our server came to the table, recognizing me from numerous
previous visits and asked how we were doing this evening. I explained the
situation, that we truly wanted to sit away from the few others there were in the
nearly vacant room and could we please return to the table by the far wall of
windows. “No, afraid not,” she said. “It’s company policy. You have to sit
here.”
Okay, I was starting to get perturbed ~ my date was already
past that point. A lousy start to a first date I might add. I was there on
personal time and it was quickly becoming an embarrassment as I recommended
this place highly, as was my norm with Bluebeard. He wanted to go “Corleone” on
them, which I found amusing, but deferred to my preference of giving them
another chance.
Okay, why didn't I give in, shut up like a good little girl
and sit where the mean people told me I must?
Seriously??? Have we met? There is no way I am going to put up with poor customer service, particularly when it is a ridiculous mandate. With the prices Bluebeard charges (and they are considered by many overpriced), customer pleasing should be at the top of the scale.
When I recommend a place, performance or item, it’s because I have received great service and product, and believe my readers, viewers and followers will enjoy it also. If they were treating me this shabbily, I must assume they would treat all of you the same way and I am not happy with that fact.
Seriously??? Have we met? There is no way I am going to put up with poor customer service, particularly when it is a ridiculous mandate. With the prices Bluebeard charges (and they are considered by many overpriced), customer pleasing should be at the top of the scale.
When I recommend a place, performance or item, it’s because I have received great service and product, and believe my readers, viewers and followers will enjoy it also. If they were treating me this shabbily, I must assume they would treat all of you the same way and I am not happy with that fact.
The manager walked to our table and demanded, “Is there a
problem here?”
“Well,” I said quietly, "if you consider the fact we were
ousted from our seats and forced to sit crowded up against another table
without good reason a problem, then yes we do. If you believe your customers
being treated badly is a problem, then we have a big one.”
“You can’t sit there,” she said bluntly. “That’s for four
people.” I looked at the near-empty room and asked if she was expecting a rush
for four-top tables on this Monday evening in the next hour we would be there.
Again we were told it is company policy. (I was tired of
that excuse and decided to get to the bottom of things.)
“When you have a ‘no reservations’ policy, why is it that
you are intent on reserving those tables?” I asked.
“Well,” she admitted rather less than pleasantly, “We have
to keep those open in case Eli Lily or Exact Target employees come in and want
them.”
“You what?” I asked in disbelief. “You are making us sit
over here uncomfortably just in case someone from Eli Lilly or Exact
Target might show up and want those seats? Please tell me you are joking.”
“No,” she stated testily. “They like to sit there.”
“What about your ‘no reservations’ policy,” I asked.
“Well, we have a ‘soft reservation’ for them,” she
explained. “If you want a four-seat table so bad, you can sit outside on our
patio area.”
“It’s 49 degrees outside,” I yelped as my date hooted out
loud at the idea.
“We have the heater on,” she told us.
“Then let Eli Lilly and Exact Target sit out there,” I
countered.
“No, they like these seats,” she pointed at the
still-unoccupied tables. “If you want to eat inside, you have to sit here.” And
away she walked.
I was in disbelief. My infatuation was shattered,
humiliatingly, right in front of a first-timer to the restaurant. Horrifying to
me to have my eyes opened to the true ~ and hidden ~ policies of the eatery.
Our server returned, saying in a slightly snarky manner, “I
know who you are,” waving her hands in the air in mock quotation marks. “You’re
some kind of big foodie blogger critic or something.”
“Apparently she doesn’t care who you are,” commented my
date, “or they wouldn’t have put you in the cheap seats.”
“It shouldn’t matter,” I remarked to both of them. “If they
know who I am and treat me this badly, what will they do to non media
customers? I don’t want to get royal treatment. I want everyone who walks
through that door to get royal treatment.”
“Or at least the treatment they give corporations like Eli
Lilly and Exact Target,” quipped my date accurately.
Needless to say we didn’t stay too long, although we did eat
a little, as I explained to my date, “I must enjoy this as it will be the last
time I ever set foot in this hypocritical place again.”
Why, you may ask, did I wait so long to write about the
situation? Because, when I am upset over something I like to cool off. This
took a longer time than normal due to how angry I was. Also, I researched to
see if I was unreasonable in what I requested. I asked around to other
restaurant managers about a customer wanting to take up a four-top table when
there are only two people, and the answer was the pretty much the same across
the board: Give the customer what they want or they will stop being a customer.
Sucking up to corporations to the extent of treating regular
customers like third-class citizens, while pretending to be a “we’re all equal”
establishment, is not a great company policy.
Perhaps they should have remembered the old adage: A regular bird in the hand is worth two Lilly or ET birds in the bush as those tables remained unneeded by the corporate possible-shows.
Perhaps they should have remembered the old adage: A regular bird in the hand is worth two Lilly or ET birds in the bush as those tables remained unneeded by the corporate possible-shows.
Bottom Line:
Unless you want to be told to sit at the back of the bus, with all us other non
Lilly and ET folks, avoid Bluebeard.
Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel, food, wine and spirits columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in magazines. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel, food, wine and spirits columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in magazines. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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