Bonifay Country Club Restaurant
 

We just had lunch at Bonifay. This is only the second time we have gone there. The food is great, but the service is terrible. We went for early lunch, and there were very few tables filled. They put us right next to the kitchen, again! The first time we went, they were busy, so I didn't mind it. But this time there were many nice tables and half booths to sit at with a view of something other than the kitchen and the place they clean off the dirty dishes and throw out the garbage. I mentioned it to the hostess, and she acted as if I insulted her. Sure they offered to move us, but the point is....we shouldn't have been put there in the first place. My son is in a wheelchair, so I guess they thought we wouldn't care.....but it really ruined my meal.

Our server was ok, but certainly not friendly. Very unwelcoming.

It's too bad. We live in Sanibel, so Bonifay Country Club is the closest place for us to go have a meal. I guess we'll give them one more try.

Did you sit down and then go ask the hostess to re-seat you? I frequently am shown to a table and before we sit down, tell the hostess that I would rather sit elsewhere and am always gladly accomodated.

Bonifay CC is a very pretty restaurant and bar; the servers and bartenders are very friendly to me; and the food is also pretty good.

Basically, being reseated because you did not like the first table is not a good reason to be so angry that it ruined your meal. Just smile and ask to sit in a booth or just say you would not care to sit next to the kitchen.

I agree I wouldn't want to sit next to the kitchen. I can't imagine they would have done it because your son was in a wheelchair. If I don't like the seat they give me, I speak up and indicate where I'd like to sit. I think they tend to divide up the customers so that each waiter has an equal number especially when they are slow. I've always had good service at Bonifay. We ate there last night and the service was very good. The food was fine, not the greatest, but the atmosphere makes up for it. There were very few people seated on the patio I think because it was warm out there. I walked out there after dinner and didn't notice any flies so I'm hoping that is under control now.

We go every week for dinner and sit at the bar. Dennis and Carrie are really great. We know what we like to order there and it is always good. They have wonderful fish dinners.
I do realize you can't sit at the bar however.

Yes, we could have asked to be reseated......But my point is that just because we have a person in a wheelchair, we shouldn't automatically be given the worst table in the restaurant...twice. The first time the restaurant was pretty busy, this time there were plenty of nice tables.

I suppose the staff was unfriendly because I said we didn't like being seated by the kitchen.....

I wasn't angry, I just thought it was not professional.....they should be able to handle all types of diners, from the golfers to old people with canes and walkers to young people in wheelchairs.....

That is my point.

Tell before being seated
 

We've experienced the dreaded "kitchen door table", so now DW tells the hostess, while leaving the hostess station, our seating preference. It doesn't bother me because I don't have to cook it or clean up afterwards!:D

I doubt IMHO that the hostess thought, they have someone in a wheelchair so let's put them by the kitchen. I agree with the post that just said they split guests by waiter and you happened to get picked for that one again. but, MAYBE that area, without picturing it, is larger than other areas that would allow for better wheelchair access too. Maybe they were trying to be helpful although it may have not seemed that way to you.
I also speak up either before I am seated or at the hostess desk on what I would like for seating. No issues hat way. The wait staff and food have always been good when we go there.

Aside from where you sit, did I notice in this morning's paper that their $5.99 Breakfast Buffet is now $6.99 not including beverage. That's a 17% increase which now brings the formerly advertised $5.99 Buffet to about $9.00 with coffee and tax. Add a tip and it's $11.00.

Heard that one too! I stopped going for breakfast. Quite an increase. I could see an ~3-4% to $6.25? Maybe the $5.99 price was their introductory offer to get people in the door.

It's one thing to say the service was bad & the server was unfriendly, but to say they discriminate against people in wheel chairs is kind of an unfair statement unless you know this for a fact.

I go to Bonifay quite often. Service and food has been improving since they opened, but a couple of nights ago the waitress "forgot" us several times for long lengths of time, so I had to find her. Too bad had first-time guests with me for a bad first impression. It was late, it took over 40 minutes to get a salad and burgers and we had to send back the limp fries, but they cheerfully recooked fresh crispy ones for us.

Last week a waiter "took" our table after seeing we had been sitting unattended for quite a while at lunch. Then I saw the two of them having a quible over by the kitchen door but in plain sight, and within earshot of us. But our waiter performed well in spite of being sniped at by his colleague.

Hope management tunes in here to see they might need some customer service training.

I suppose if you went everyday for breakfast the extra $1.00 would add up (?).
But to stop going completely.................come on.

We have had very good food and service the times we have gone there. We do eat early and that may help.

Maybe people are seated near the kitchen when a place is empty so the help won't have go too far to serve and take empty plates, etc. away when cleaning up.
Maybe just laziness?

Just once I would like to see a restaurant post where the original poster does NOT get roasted!

Just because you have been so fortunate that your service is superb and your meals divine, does not mean that is consistently the case.

Restaurant managers read these posts. It is necessary for those managers to see his operation through all of his customers' eyes. Not everyone, in fact most people, hate to confront a restaurant manager in person. We are not young anymore and it is important that we watch our blood pressure.

Digital media allows us to vent, release the pressure, and at the same time communicate to savvy managers that they have some holes in their program.

Why can't posters on here pretend, before they reply, that they are actually sitting across the table from the person to whom they are getting ready to call a liar. Maybe some of the acrimony would evaporate. If not, that in itself, is most telling about the roaster.

Please do not say "we are not young anymore" Customers are customers, money is money and I would NEVER treat someone different. In fact, in my businerss in another state, I go OUT OF MY WAY for older folks. My parents raised me that way.

I don't think most of the replies can be categorized as roasting or acrimonious. Most have been from people whose experience has been different from the OP and a couple whose experiences were also less than ideal. Those suggesting a way to handle the situation don't, to me, denote criticism. And I think relating a differing experience doesn't classify the OP as a liar. Perhaps these posts serve to provide people who have not visited Bonifay some insight into what they may or may not expect if they dine there.

When a hostess seats us near the kitchen or bathroom when other tables are obviously available I attribute it to their ignorance and the lack of good management training. These are usually young girls in short skirts that don't have a clue. I always speak up. As far as Bonifay we also had an unpleasant experience as a group of 8 that went for the breakfast buffet after a round of Sunday golf. The waiter was rude and said "I don't have all the drink prices in my head" and didn't offer to get the information and I thought the food left a lot to be desired. Katie Belles absolutely puts them to shame on Sunday morning, but unfortunately isn't that convenient. Disappointed to learn the owner of the Bonifay restaurant will also own the Evans Prairie restaurant. Think The Villages could do a lot better. Hopefully when they get some competition on that side of the road things will improve.

McDonald's has a $1.00 menu and 79 cent coffee. Most of the time you get what you pay for but I expect this was an introductory short time menu. $1.00 increase will not stop me from going there occasionally.

You would think under "normal" circumstances the hostess would seat you at one of the "best" tables when they are not busy. What were they thinking?

If I start to complain abouit a buck, shoot me:police:

It's simple
 

I once asked a restaurant owner why seat patrons at the worst tables when there are better tables available.

He said if I fill the bad tables I don't have to worry about them for awhile.

Two comments...when the hostess or the wait-person is just beginning to see me (us), we will ask them if we can sit in such and such a place. Generally this is accomodated.

We have a family member as well, who is in a wheelchair. When we all go out to eat together we will ask to be put in a spot where the wheelchair won't hinder the walk-way of the wait-staff or the patrons. You didn't mention if this is how they seated your family. Just a thought. I know our family member's wheelchair is quite large as it's motorized PLUS they like to be able to see the rest of the room! Just some thoughts.

One more comment (this makes 3)...we've eaten at Bonifay and the staff was more than congenial and acccomodating to us!! Maybe they had an off day when you were there!

I thought the $5.99 buffet was too cheap. We all wondered how they could make money or even break even on $5.99. And apparently they couldn't. Better to raise the price than to cut back on the food and service IMHO.

We went this morning and had all we could eat and more for $6.99 and we all marveled at the quality and various offerings available for this cheap price. We arrived @ 9 AM and were seated immediately. When we left an hour later they were lined up all over the place. Guess the extra $1 didn't bother a whole lot of people :icon_wink: We've been there many times for lunch and dinner and have had excellent service from the following:
Alysha, Kevin, Dan and Moe. Ask to be seated in their section and you will receive outstanding service. Have had others also that were good and fortunately haven't hit poor service during our visits.
Skip 2

We have had good experiences at Bonifay C.C. too. But at any given restaurant you can occasionally have bad service or not so good food. The server can be having a bad day or a couple of the cooks be off duty for various reasons and you can end up disappointed with your experience. It happens.

IMHO it was the hostess who set the tone for other "things" to go down hill and ruin your dining experience that particular day. Hopefully, your next experience at Bonifay will be much better. If not, I would definitely have a private conversation with the manager.