Tierra Del Sol ad not honored

[raynan]

There is an ad in today's Daily Sun paper on page A5 run by Tierra del Sol for a buy 1 get 1 dinner with several dinner choices for 1 week from 6/28-7/5 from 4-8pm. 4 of us went for dinner at 4pm today figuring it may be busy. When we arrived there was 1 couple in the whole restaurant. We were asked if we had reservations, we did not. We were seated at a table for 6. When the waitress arrived we were asked if we were there for the fish and we showed her the ad and said we were there for the special. She didn't know about it and took the ad and left. She came back and said it was a mistake and would be next week. We asked for the manager/owner and he came out and said it was a misprint and should be for next week and that he didn't have those meals in the restaurant. One of the meals (tilapia) was on the menu. We said seeing we came because of the ad would there be any compensation or adjustment and he threw the ad on the table and said it wasn't his fault. We said it wasn't ours either and left. Here is a restaurant that is begging for people to come because the course is closed, it's empty on a Friday night and the attitude from the time we entered was not welcoming at all. We will not be going back ever!

[raynan]

...

[Indydealmaker]

There is an ad in today's Daily Sun paper on page A5 run by Tierra del Sol for a buy 1 get 1 dinner with several dinner choices for 1 week from 6/28-7/5 from 4-8pm. 4 of us went for dinner at 4pm today figuring it may be busy. When we arrived there was 1 couple in the whole restaurant. We were asked if we had reservations, we did not. We were seated at a table for 6. When the waitress arrived we were asked if we were there for the fish and we showed her the ad and said we were there for the special. She didn't know about it and took the ad and left. She came back and said it was a mistake and would be next week. We asked for the manager/owner and he came out and said it was a misprint and should be for next week and that he didn't have those meals in the restaurant. One of the meals (tilapia) was on the menu. We said seeing we came because of the ad would there be any compensation or adjustment and he threw the ad on the table and said it wasn't his fault. We said it wasn't ours either and left. Here is a restaurant that is begging for people to come because the course is closed, it's empty on a Friday night and the attitude from the time we entered was not welcoming at all. We will not be going back ever!

With the exception of Palmer and Lopez, it seems that a visit to most of the country club restaurants are a roll of the dice.

[asianthree]

With the exception of Palmer and Lopez, it seems that a visit to most of the country club restaurants are a roll of the dice.

i agree

[Irishmen]

Sam Walton is shaking his head.

[Madelaine Amee]

With the exception of Palmer and Lopez, it seems that a visit to most of the country club restaurants are a roll of the dice.

I'll take Glenview over Palmer any day.

[rubicon]

To the original poster. The fact that it was a mistake does not relieve them from honoring the ad. Because of the bait and switch laws they have an obligation to uphold that agreement. The manager had an obligation and I suspect the savings was minimal in comparison to the future loss of sales they will receive. This is a prime example of why owners should take their time when hiring individuals. As we would say in Human Resources "Hire in haste, repent in leisure."

[ddharrold]

There is an ad in today's Daily Sun paper on page A5 run by Tierra del Sol for a buy 1 get 1 dinner with several dinner choices for 1 week from 6/28-7/5 from 4-8pm. 4 of us went for dinner at 4pm today figuring it may be busy. When we arrived there was 1 couple in the whole restaurant. We were asked if we had reservations, we did not. We were seated at a table for 6. When the waitress arrived we were asked if we were there for the fish and we showed her the ad and said we were there for the special. She didn't know about it and took the ad and left. She came back and said it was a mistake and would be next week. We asked for the manager/owner and he came out and said it was a misprint and should be for next week and that he didn't have those meals in the restaurant. One of the meals (tilapia) was on the menu. We said seeing we came because of the ad would there be any compensation or adjustment and he threw the ad on the table and said it wasn't his fault. We said it wasn't ours either and left. Here is a restaurant that is begging for people to come because the course is closed, it's empty on a Friday night and the attitude from the time we entered was not welcoming at all. We will not be going back ever!
Yes, that is exactly the scenario that happened to my wife and I. I can't believe the owner didn't see this as an opportunity to turn an unfortunate situation into a good one, but he did not. I suspect others will see the newspaper ad and encounter the same attitude from this owner.

[BarryRX]

I think that an owner who does not take the time to proof read an ad before approving it may not show much attention to detail in other areas.

[glencus]

There is an ad in today's Daily Sun paper on page A5 run by Tierra del Sol for a buy 1 get 1 dinner with several dinner choices for 1 week from 6/28-7/5 from 4-8pm. 4 of us went for dinner at 4pm today figuring it may be busy. When we arrived there was 1 couple in the whole restaurant. We were asked if we had reservations, we did not. We were seated at a table for 6. When the waitress arrived we were asked if we were there for the fish and we showed her the ad and said we were there for the special. She didn't know about it and took the ad and left. She came back and said it was a mistake and would be next week. We asked for the manager/owner and he came out and said it was a misprint and should be for next week and that he didn't have those meals in the restaurant. One of the meals (tilapia) was on the menu. We said seeing we came because of the ad would there be any compensation or adjustment and he threw the ad on the table and said it wasn't his fault. We said it wasn't ours either and left. Here is a restaurant that is begging for people to come because the course is closed, it's empty on a Friday night and the attitude from the time we entered was not welcoming at all. We will not be going back ever!

Mistakes do happen. Consider the possibility that the error was in fact made by the Daily Sun. If so, it might be appropriate to stop home delivery of the paper rather than condemn the victim over a crummy $10 free meal.

[Challenger]

To the original poster. The fact that it was a mistake does not relieve them from honoring the ad. Because of the bait and switch laws they have an obligation to uphold that agreement. The manager had an obligation and I suspect the savings was minimal in comparison to the future loss of sales they will receive. This is a prime example of why owners should take their time when hiring individuals. As we would say in Human Resources "Hire in haste, repent in leisure."

Humbly dissagree. A mistake is a mistake and probably is not legally enforceable(IMO). No matter ,the owner made a bad PR mistake in not steping up and offering an acceptable alternative. Now he has a thread talking about unhappy situations rather than a pleased customer writing about a positive outcome. :duck:

[ilovetv]

They should honor their ads in the paper. However....

Personally, I've learned to not expect much of a meal from a "buy one get one free dinner" ad by a couple of these clubs here. Regardless of what restaurant it is, cheap or expensive, it costs money to put out a dinner and call it "free" with the other one bought for under $10 as people expect here.

Going on an ad for Mallory once, for a $8.95 special for "Barbecue platter" with some visiting friends who saw the ad and said "let's try it", it was an embarrassment and a waste of $8.95. The "platter" had a scoop of pulled pork, andthree kinds of canned food i.e. mac & cheese, applesauce, instant mashed "potatoes" etc, and everything was in a little round ice-cream scoop shape looking like something that a diner on the railroad tracks would have served in 1950 for 25 cents.

It was further proof that "you pay for what you get".

My parents and grandparents were 100% right in always reminding us:

"There's no such thing as a free lunch." (or dinner at a country club).

[marantho]

I have mentioned this in another thread...two weeks ago our group of 17 made a reservation at Tierra for dinner on a Wednesday night(our team eats at a different Villages restaurant every Wednesday). We arrived at 6pm and there were about six tables of customers. We all ordered(several had that night's special-turkey)...it took an hour and a half to get our food!!! They had to "call in" an extra server(not that it made a difference)because they claimed they were unprepared for us. The reservation was made six days previous. In all our Villages restaurant experience we have never had to wait so long for our orders...by-bye, Tierra

[kb8tpw]

The owner of Tierra del Sol laments about bad business and being off of the beaten track as to why they advertise on the radio. I laugh when I hear it. We found out soon after we arrived why their business is bad - it is their service and food - nothing else. This just seems to document that further to me. We had Pete square away a major problem once, but that is the only positive aspect we had. It is a shame that so many of the country clubs have problems. We have found that villages commercial establishments are about all you can GENERALLY count on, as was stated earlier. Now that I have reached the 70s I find that one thing I just don't like any longer is surprises and that is certainly the biggest attribute of Villages Country Clubs....... so we eat out much less..... problem solved......

[rubicon]

[QUOTE=Challenger;699604]Humbly dissagree. A mistake is a mistake and probably is not legally enforceable(IMO). No matter ,the owner made a bad PR mistake in not steping up and offering an acceptable alternative. Now he has a thread talking about unhappy situations rather than a pleased customer writing about a positive outcome.

challenger: Also the restaurant should have posted in a conspicuous location (i.e before customers were seated that the special was printed in error) They did not and this is a violation. The usual outcome is that customers just become frustrated or disgusted and walk away. Bait and switch laws were enacted just for this sort of thing. The problem is that the damages are so minor that people just won't push for enforcement. This is a sticking point with my wife and she always holds their feet to the fire and they always relent. We did agree concerning the damage this restaurant has committed here. I just went to the web Law.com and find the bait and switch issue under False advertising and they state bait and switch a crime in most states and subject to personal injury lawsuits

[DDoug]

Never order the special when a restaurant is almost empty

[Challenger]

[QUOTE=Challenger;699604]Humbly dissagree. A mistake is a mistake and probably is not legally enforceable(IMO). No matter ,the owner made a bad PR mistake in not steping up and offering an acceptable alternative. Now he has a thread talking about unhappy situations rather than a pleased customer writing about a positive outcome.

challenger: Also the restaurant should have posted in a conspicuous location (i.e before customers were seated that the special was printed in error) They did not and this is a violation. The usual outcome is that customers just become frustrated or disgusted and walk away. Bait and switch laws were enacted just for this sort of thing. The problem is that the damages are so minor that people just won't push for enforcement. This is a sticking point with my wife and she always holds their feet to the fire and they always relent. We did agree concerning the damage this restaurant has committed here. I just went to the web Law.com and find the bait and switch issue under False advertising and they state bait and switch a crime in most states and subject to personal injury lawsuits

I'm sure your citations are correct , however there needs to be intent and an error in a newspaper ad does not impart intent. That said , it was a short sighted mistake for the owner refuse some mitigation.

[duffysmom]

If they offered me a free meal I wouldn't take it. We had lunch there last week and it was beyond horrible. The food wasn't good (how can you screw up a caesar salad) and the waitress was dancing around the tables and telling dirty jokes very loudly. Hey, I like a good joke myself but this was embarassing. She would stand in the middle of the floor so that all could hear (we were seated in the bar room in the back). No, I didn't speak to the owner since he was aware of what was happening and didn't seem to mind. Never again....

[ilovetv]

Never order the special when a restaurant is almost empty

LOL !!!!!!!!

Best advice yet!!!!!

[ROCKETMAN]

We don't go out to eat much but for our 44th wedding anniversary went to outback as we have every year for the past 7 years. There was a coupon in the sunday paper for $8.00 off 2 meals. For some reason waiter overheard our anniversary talk and at the end of our meal gave us a nice choc. ice cream with whipped cream to share free. Just had water to drink-total bill for sirloin and salmon dinner $22.00 Gave him nice tip though, he was very attentive.

[tommy steam]

We don't go out to eat much but for our 44th wedding anniversary went to outback as we have every year for the past 7 years. There was a coupon in the sunday paper for $8.00 off 2 meals. For some reason waiter overheard our anniversary talk and at the end of our meal gave us a nice choc. ice cream with whipped cream to share free. Just had water to drink-total bill for sirloin and salmon dinner $22.00 Gave him nice tip though, he was very attentive.

He made two happy customers who will come back again and also tell their friends how well they were treated.

[davecz1]

Hacienda continues to have the best chef in The Villages. Place is packed virtually every night. Palmer pales in comparison and Glenview is a crap shoot, but, mostly crap. Lopez not impressive. Tierra has always been horrific, bad food, bad service, annoying ownership. IMHO. To each their own, enjoy!!!!