On Monday, I mistakenly stepped into the restaurant Twilight Zone. I met up with my friend at 8:00 in the evening and ordered my meal from the menu. My friend ordered the exact same item. Fifteen minutes later, one order arrives. I asked the waitress if the second order was on the way soon as it is tradition that when two people are dining together, both orders are brought out at the same time. The waitress gives me a blank stare.
I kindly informed the waitress that we each had ordered the same thing. The waitress indicated that she was unsure what went wrong. I understand mistakes can happen, people are human. I told my friend to go ahead and eat his his meal and I would wait for my meal to be prepared and cooked. I figured I could wait 15 more minutes.
It’s important to keep in mind, the restaurant was not busy, after all, it was a Monday night and there were only three tables being served. My friend goes about eating his food, while I watch the clock. 10 minutes turns to 15, 15 turns to 20, then 25, then 30, then 35. At this point the food has not arrived and I have not seen the waitress in 35 minutes. So I walk to to the manager who is at the front desk and ask if she could locate our waitress. She just looks around and shrugs. I asked her: ” Would you be so kind as to locate our waitress, it has now been 40 minutes and my order that takes 15 minutes to prepare has not been delivered to our table?” The restaurant manager tells me she does not know where the waitress went.
Now keep in my friend has finished eating about ten minutes ago. One would assume that a concerned restaurant manager would go into the kitchen and check on my food order that seems to have been sucked into a culinary black hole or is burnt to a crisp at this point. What does she do? NOTHING!
In the meantime, the other patrons in the restaurant have long since left. Dishes and drink cups are stacked
I made a second visit to the manager on duty to tell her we are leaving. At 9:30 pm (an hour and a half later), my food order was never served. No apology.
The biggest problem I have is that no apology or explanation was given by restaurant management. When that is the case you know the establishment is going down the tubes. I was informed that the owner of the restaurant was out of town on an unannounced fishing trip that staff members did not even know about. So, the ability for me to contact him will have to come later.
The only good thing is that i was told that there would be no charge for the meal that was never served. Being the nice guy I am, I still tipped the waitress with a 15% tip. I usually top 20%, and should have tipped zero for the awful service I received. Should I have done that? Would you?