My friend and I used to go the Beirut a lot more often, until we started to see how rude some of the younger waitresses were ,and also, the retaurant's refusal to accomodate the customer. It seems the reataurant is quite comfortable, that they don't have to please the customer anymore, that they have enough business, they don't need to. On one visit, I simply asked for a FEW more radishes in the vegetable plate that went with the hummous, at that, the waitress went into this big spiel, that she could not possibly give me more radishes, unless she charged me for more! There were 2 radishes and many cucumber slices. My friend and I both said we only wanted just a few more radishes, and didn't feel this waranted a $2.00 extra charge.
At that, she left the table abruptly and brought back a plate of only radishes, and very curtly slapped them on the table! I/we were shocked at her behavior! My friend said, she better not charge us for those radishes, and I agreed. When the bill came, she did indeed charge us for the radishes and put them on my frind's bill, when I was gthe one who ordered the humous and vegetable plate?! My frined said she wanted the charge taken off, that all we asked for were a few radishes to balance out the vegetable plate, since there were only 2 radishes and many cucumbers. She refused , at first ,to take it off, then said she would, but she would have to pay it herself, since their policy was so rigid, apparently?! I just couldn't believe all of this, for just asking for a few radishes and not so many cucumbers! Neither of these vegetable are high cost items?! My friend told her to go ahead and take it off then.
We were so offended by her Slapping the radishes on the table to begin with ,and her overall Rude behavior, that my firiend said she had had enough! She did take it off, and said they weren't going to make her pay it ,afterall finally. We paid our bill and I haven't been back since. We were fairly frequent customers before this. Who needs this over a few radishes?! I find thewir overall policies regarding their portions and exchanging items on their meals Very Rgid. You can't get a small bowl of humous, you have to gert the large. they won't deviate from this at all. I am one person ,and do not want a large bowel, I want a smaller bowl. I can go to Pooco Piatti's, their sister restaurant ,and order a small bowl of humous any time, and can make the request for a few more radishes ,without Ever getting any flak from the waitress. They also will not allow the customer to change a side item, for instance,you can't get more rice instead of fries, or vica versa. There is absolutely no changing of Any side items. You Must order it as an extra side, if one side item is not your preference. I find it hard to believe that they can't affordto exchange a side item to accomodate the customer?! The Beirut has lost a lot of its zeal for me as a customer. It is as though ,you should just feel privilaged to be able to go and eat there, and lets not forget, spend your hard earned money there! Regretfully, Cathy Miller