Surprisingly BAD experience at Millers Ale House
 

Six of us went to Millers Ale House yesterday at about 1:30. Not too busy, parking was easy and we were seated quickly. Our drinks arrived shortly and we placed our orders. After about a half an hour passed and our waitress was no where to be found, we began to get a little concerned. With the help shortages etc, we gave them a another 15 minutes or so to make an appearance. After at least 45 minutes, and I am being kind, and watching people come and go, we flagged down a different waitress, as ours was still missing in action. She happily agreed to check for us, and about ten minutes later, our waitress showed up with our cold food that had been sitting at least a half an hour. We were so hungry at that point that we ate the cold fish and chips, meatloaf etc UGH! We voiced our dissatisfaction and of course she apologized. The proper response from management to our terrible service and cold soggy food would be to at least comp our meals, but that was never offered. We have seen this all over The Villages. A restaurant gets popular and busy, and customer service goes down the drain. They allow poor service and dissatisfied customers, because there are ten people waiting in line to get in. Beware....January is coming along with thousands of renters and much worse customer service from Millers Ale House. So sad.

Wife and friend went there this week for lunch and enjoyed it. I have never been there...yet.

All that over one bad experience?

Never had a bad meal at the Ale House. Been to this one several times, as well as Chicago and St. Pete. Coincidentally, we’ll be lunching there Monday, so I hope your experience was a one-off.

It would have been good PR to give you something. But when you ate the food without complaint and only afterward expressed dissatisfaction that is a mitigating factor. Had you refused the cold soggy food you'd have a much better argument. Ask for a new hot unsoggy meal and suggest a free appetizer to hold off your hunger while you wait.

Then WHY DID YOU EAT IT. Your choice. I hate cold fish.
Shame on you the problems if this is true will just multiply and you probably tipped which I would not have!

Nothing but GREAT experiences and food quality at Millers. Once had to send back a flatbread because a topping was added I requested not to be. They gladly re-made the flatbread and expedited it. Wouldn’t expect to eat it, then complain about the problem later and expect much attention. Considering the employee issues running rampant at many business establishments I find Miller’s to be one of the best at handling these issues.

Millers is one of the better restaurants for service.

Most unusual. Never had an issue at the chain in 10 years. Location all over Florida

:ohdear: That would warm your heart...... not your food! I would have left after talking to management.

Very surprising. I go there at least twice a week, 50+ visits, always sit at the bar, so I can watch a ball game and have a beer. Usually there for a few hours. I can easily see the kitchen and hear constant cries for food runners from the expediter. Watching them work I find it difficult to understand your claims. The only problem I have ever had, albeit a few times, was them finding a particular ball game I wanted. So, I ask for the daily "book" that list the stations available. Food has been consistently very good. When I have had similar food selections at Orange Blossom Hills CC Millers is quite superior. Plus they stay open till 10.

I have a hard out limit of 30 minutes for order taking.

At 25 minutes I warn the table that I'm leaving in 5 if we don't at least get drinks ordered.

I've waited longer than that enough times to know that nothing good will come of it.

Cold food, warm ice tea and messed up food orders is what happens next. Someone will get the wrong plate, or in fact in a bigger group, completely missed! It's happened to me. Cut your losses and walk.

I understand that staff is short and sometimes the places are busy. I used to be a server 35 years ago, I get it. I also would rather get on with the evening. I'll go through McDonalds if it comes to it. At least I'm fed and can do something else.

The wife and I have eaten there 3 or 4 times now and though I have nothing bad to say, I don't have anything good to say either. I haven't eaten anything there that has impressed me. It's just a typical Villages restaurant. The OP has far more patience than I have, I would have been demanding the manger come to me at 20 minutes of no attention by the server. Management can't fix a problem they aren't aware of and I would have left without ordering anything.

OP if you refused the cold food, results would have been different. If food sat in the window for that long, the kitchen staff makes noise, because not only is the window not big enough to hold more than a few order, especially one with 6 people. But the kitchen is the one who catches hell for cold food.

I thought you were still waiting to order. Hungry or not I would have sent cold food back and would not have paid the bill. I think you waited way too long to ask about your food.

Partial agreement.
 

Not long ago, in Mississippi, ate at a very busy cafe. Food finally came. I wanted to have waitress bring us our correct order. Wife was hungry and started eating, just happy to finally get something. "Don't make a fuss. Just eat it".
My feeling is, if they bring it and you eat it, the fact that you DID eat it shows you accepted what you were served. Having accepted the food you should pay for it, and, unless you made no attempt to correct poor service at once by asking for the manager, you accepted the service you should leave the appropriate gratuity.
Let's face it, eating out can be expensive and we order what we want and that is what we should receive in a timely manner. If not, the manager should be notified immediately before things get worse.

Ale House
 

I would put review on Yelp. There management or someone from Ale House should be reading.

Yelp is worthless

Millers
 

Did you speak to their manager. I found him to be very responsive.

Very sorry to hear this but…..it happens. Millers is a favorite of ours. Zoe is our favorite bartender who always double checks to make sure our order is complete and not lost in the busy shuffle. Love her!! Your experience is the exception. Unfortunate that some substandard employees with little or no sense of responsibility or company pride can begin to create a bad name for an otherwise fine establishment. In this case problem seems to have been with multiple employees (expediter should have picked up on food waiting to be picked up)

Ale House
 

The Ale Houses in South Florida are so much better than the one here in the Villages. Try Tequesta, Palm Beach Gardens or Boynton Beach. Way better.

Agreed. Too many people complain or write a bad review over one bad experience without knowing why it happened.
I'm ignoring this one as we love and have always had great service and awesome food there.

We eat there often usually good service , but the last time it took forever to get our food and waiter was mostly MIA. Had to flag him down several time for drink refills while waiting for food. I also reminded him I expected it to be hot when we got it. Don’t know if problems are in the kitchen. Oh by the way it was hot.

I am just surprised that your drinks lasted for 55 minutes. I would have been on beer three by then

Good
 

How many good experiences have had there? You are going to allow just one bad experience overrule all of those?

Sorry about your bad experience. I would be upset also.
But to quote Judge Judy
“You ate the steak.. we’re done here. Good bye”

QUOTE=arickis;2038678]Six of us went to Millers Ale House yesterday at about 1:30. Not too busy, parking was easy and we were seated quickly. Our drinks arrived shortly and we placed our orders. After about a half an hour passed and our waitress was no where to be found, we began to get a little concerned. With the help shortages etc, we gave them a another 15 minutes or so to make an appearance. After at least 45 minutes, and I am being kind, and watching people come and go, we flagged down a different waitress, as ours was still missing in action. She happily agreed to check for us, and about ten minutes later, our waitress showed up with our cold food that had been sitting at least a half an hour. We were so hungry at that point that we ate the cold fish and chips, meatloaf etc UGH! We voiced our dissatisfaction and of course she apologized. The proper response from management to our terrible service and cold soggy food would be to at least comp our meals, but that was never offered. We have seen this all over The Villages. A restaurant gets popular and busy, and customer service goes down the drain. They allow poor service and dissatisfied customers, because there are ten people waiting in line to get in. Beware....January is coming along with thousands of renters and much worse customer service from Millers Ale House. So sad.[/QUOTE]

If you ate the food no comp should be offered. Maybe a 10% deduct but that’s it.

i never send it back i just tell them it is cold and dont pay:MOJE_whot::MOJE_whot::MOJE_whot:

I would say that is a pretty bad experience. I guess when it happens to someone else and not you, it is easy to become flippant about it.

You sound narcissistic, WAH!! I wanna be ‘comped!” Hear me?? “COMPED!!!” I’m unforgivingly special. I am!

It’s one of our favorite places. Sorry you had a bad experience. Maybe give them another try.

Poor baby's. Homeless people are hungry and if they are lucky they may have a cold bite to eat.

Sorry to hear that. I went there the other day it was a complete opposite. My food came so fast I could enjoy the fantastic Holiday Martini
Go again sometimes things just happen
Try their Holiday Martini very yummy

Sorry but you ate the meal, you pay for the meal. You should have said something once the cold food was brought out.

Really……so he should be grateful, that he gets to go PAY FULL PRICE for cold food…..really because there are homeless people, maybe you should give up your home so you can be part of the solution

The last time we were at Miller's, they had half the dine-in area closed off due to lack of kitchen and wait staff. It was actually a smart move. Even though we had to wait a few extra minutes to get seated, once we were in, service was prompt and the food was great. Don't shut them out over one bad experience.

What would John Belushi do?
 

foodfight

Have you ever written about a positive experience at Millers?

Looking for something for nothing???? If you eat your order don't expect a comp.
PLAN AND SIMPLE!!!!

You are correct. I just mentioned the same thing.