Originally Posted by janmcn (Post 603278)

It was reported on the news earlier today that McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King are slowly phasing out their dollar menus. It seems that the price of food is causing certain deals to be discontinued.

Originally Posted by BaylorBear (Post 602857)

Sweetie, the Hubs and I (in Austin, TX until our home here sells) only eat at our little El Ranchito right buy the post office in La Bodega! Can drive there in the golf cart and the owners and staff are just as fabulous as their food!! Highly affordable, too and no charge for extra salsa; in fact, if they see it getting low, they fill it up with a smile!:mmmm:

Originally Posted by Mr Hanky (Post 603283)

I have heard enough to make an informed decision . I will NOT be going to this eating establishment. Thank you all for your most valuable input.

Originally Posted by Peachie (Post 602760)

Bonny, perhaps I can help you understand... this is a Mexican restaurant and they most likely buy salsa by the gallons, the cost for a half cup is pennies for them. The OP and her husband ordered drinks, appetizers and meals and they weren't provided another 1/2 cup of salsa upon request, unless they paid $1.50. I don't know if you've eaten at this Mexican restaurant but the salsa servings vary by the server some half full little containers and some quite full. They were denied the ability to speak with the manager, which is recommended by everyone on this forum. Not a great business decision by a Mexican restaurant to charge extra for salsa.

If that isn't enough to help you understand, I'd like to share our experiences at this restaurant which we had frequented often. My husband and I don't order drinks and we don't have appetizers but always ordered the higher end price meals plus a beverage and left a nice tip and are very low maintenance diners.

We went there about three months ago and requested a booth for seating from the woman who was hostessing, (there were 3 open booths at the time). She informed us they kept the booths for larger groups and we could not have one. I explained it was our wedding anniversary and we would really prefer a booth if possible. She said no, took us to a table next to the walkway from the bar and kitchen. We then watched as she proceeded to seat the next two couple to arrive in individual booths, even though tables were open. It was a less than pleasant experience dining where we were seated that evening.

We had gone back again despite that evening until two weeks ago. Once again this woman was hostessing and when we requested a booth, she said none were available. My husband and I discussed it and said we would wait until a booth opens up. We sat down along the wall straight ahead of her stand where she could see us waiting. My husband walked to the men's restroom at that point and there was an empty booth! While he was gone, another booth opened up in the front and was promptly cleaned. A couple walked in a this point and this woman took them to the booth to be seated that had just emptied out. At that point we left and won't be going back.

We had no agenda with this person and were pleasant. We were not demanding or demeaning to this woman, had simply made a request for booth seating. She on the other hand, had plenty of issues. We decided not to return to this Mexican restaurant and weren't going to share this information until we found the OP's opinion being dismissed.

There are many very good restaurants and why should this couple spend their money at a Mexican restaurant that won't serve them a nickel cup of salsa for less than $1.50. And surely you realize this isn't so much about the price of the salsa and is more about the attitude and service at this restaurant; they shared their experience. Other people will make their own decisions where to dine.

Originally Posted by sueandskip (Post 603085)

WOW ! I have eatin here many ,many times and have requested special seating and have never had any problems.... I am not sure what is going on ,but on another related note maybe it's a budget thing....Olive Garden no longer gives free wine samples, so all you wine haters that take the free sample to fill up Aunt Marthas glass to give her a free glass of wine , the game is over....Just sayin , maybe this is there way to save a little, but the seating thing is rediculous...

Originally Posted by jbdlfan (Post 603739)

HAHAHAHA! That absolutely made my day!!! "If it ain't free, they don't come." Our mantra in The Villages!

Originally Posted by blueash (Post 602961)

Oh, I don't know about that. I tried ordering in Spanish and they had NO idea what I was saying.

Originally Posted by FoodBuff (Post 613620)

You have to give credit to these boys trying to run a big fancy eating place because its hard work! Unfortunatley and fortunatley all of these comments are right on,, good and bad. The people that got unlimited salsa and chips at no charge were nice to their server, probably frequent customers and had the same server. I have gone to this resturaunt and been charged and then not charged dependeing on the server I had and if you complain you will be charged from that point on! Then it becomes a management issue hiring workers that are uncomfortable working in an english speaking enviornment. The owner needs to tell his employees to take the chips off their shoulders when they come to work and put them on the table for the customers to eat so they leave full and want to come back. I will actually walk out if i think i will be served by a rude, short, impatient server rather than be reseated.What is worse the management doesn't realize behavior like this is killing his business.

Originally Posted by Peachie (Post 602760)

They were denied the ability to speak with the manager, which is recommended by everyone on this forum .

Actually, complaining to the manager isn't recommended by everyone on this forum. We expect that we'll love some places and not others. Some of us vote with our feet, and simply avoid places where we've had an unhappy experience.

Originally Posted by texasfal (Post 602729)

Went there Firday night for dinner with my husband. Ordered drinks, appetizer and entrees. Ate the chips and salsa. Asked for more salsa - we're from Texas and we like spicy. Roland the waiter said he'd have to charge us $1.50 for more salsa. We protested and asked to speak to mgr. Roland said since we didn't know about the charge he'd give us one more dish of salsa for free. Got the bill and we were charged $1.50. We asked again to speak to mgr. Roland told us he would not come to table. As we were leaving we told hostess we would not be back. Very nice girl said the owner was there and to please let her talk to him. She came back and said that the owner said it was too bad we weren't coming back but that we ate a lot of salsa. (Two little bowls that together didn't amount to 1 cup!) Anyway, guess we're back on the trail of decent Mexican food in Florida.

Originally Posted by Peachie (Post 602979)

perrjojo, I'm sure in the scheme of your life our treatment at that Mexican restaurant that evening meant nothing. But after dressing up a little bit to enjoy an exciting anniversary evening together following a very difficult, grueling year and being in a very happy mood, the incident took the glow off the celebration. To receive the same treatment from this woman, who by the way spoke perfect English, the next time we were to be seated by her finished it for us. We had forgotten about the incident with her until she began the same tactics at this last visit which was the first time she saw us again.

We were baffled by her treatment, we're moving on. When we drop over $50. for our next Mexican meal, it won't be there. And if the OP and her husband dropped $50. to $60 dollars on food and beverage, perhaps the restaurant could have been gracious enough to provide them another 1/2 cup of salsa. This appears to be a case of "my ox isn't being gored so get over it". Just sayin......

Originally Posted by nonseniorresident (Post 614920)

I love this place! I was drawn to this post because I frequent this establishment and laughed when I saw WHY it was titled "never again." They had to start charging for extra salsa because people took advantage and would fill up on chips and not buy entrees or appetizers, or maybe share one. Sure it may be pennies for the salsa but they lose much more than pennies when giving it away costs them sales of other items that they rely on to stay in business. Honestly they probably didn't care to lose your business because they can not stay in business if they give away food. When we go, we sometimes get a second helping of chips/salsa and they don't charge us because we always get drinks and meals and tip at least 20%. That is the business.

Originally Posted by Peachie (Post 614971)

NONseniorresident, I suggest you read the very first post which began this column. The OP's did exactly what you did regarding purchasing meals, drinks and they included appetizers and were charged for the 1/2 cup of salsa. You were not charged so your ox wasn't being gored, right? Next time perhaps this restaurant will charge you for your excess salsa and you can happily pay it or not go back because surely they wouldn't miss your business.

I was asked why we didn't approach the manager regarding the booth situation the first time we went in and the hostess behaved as she did. I was exactly 1 month post cardiac surgery and if you don't think we were happy to be celebrating our wedding anniversary, you're mistaken. The last thing I wanted to do that evening was complain to the manager. In fact, we have never had to complain to a manager of a restaurant. As I stated earlier, we're low maintenance diners. We're just taking our money elsewhere. We shared our experience at this establishment simply because of the OP being "trashed" for sharing their frustration at the treatment they received. People share their experiences on this forum and as another poster so nicely states it: I opine, you decide.

*As a side note... my husband and I went to a different Mexican restaurant 2 weeks ago. We walked in the door and the pleasant hostess asked, "would you like a booth?" My husband winked at me, we chuckled, had a delicious dinner and beverages, were offered more chips and salsa which we declined and listened to soft laughter and banter from the kitchen while our meals were prepared. What a great evening! (I am not stating where we ate lest we be accused of trying to promote another restaurant with our post.)

Originally Posted by StarbuckSammy (Post 615053)

Nonseniorresident...read all the postings...then you may wish to comment...Peachie, you are right on. But what the heck...tell us where you dined last.

Originally Posted by nonseniorresident (Post 615060)

No thanks, don't care to. I was just responding to the original post, not the any other tangents other posters decided to rant on about.

Originally Posted by texasfal (Post 602729)

Went there Firday night for dinner with my husband. Ordered drinks, appetizer and entrees. Ate the chips and salsa. Asked for more salsa - we're from Texas and we like spicy. Roland the waiter said he'd have to charge us $1.50 for more salsa. We protested and asked to speak to mgr. Roland said since we didn't know about the charge he'd give us one more dish of salsa for free. Got the bill and we were charged $1.50. We asked again to speak to mgr. Roland told us he would not come to table. As we were leaving we told hostess we would not be back. Very nice girl said the owner was there and to please let her talk to him. She came back and said that the owner said it was too bad we weren't coming back but that we ate a lot of salsa. (Two little bowls that together didn't amount to 1 cup!) Anyway, guess we're back on the trail of decent Mexican food in Florida.

Originally Posted by texasfal (Post 602729)

Went there Firday night for dinner with my husband. Ordered drinks, appetizer and entrees. Ate the chips and salsa. Asked for more salsa - we're from Texas and we like spicy. Roland the waiter said he'd have to charge us $1.50 for more salsa. We protested and asked to speak to mgr. Roland said since we didn't know about the charge he'd give us one more dish of salsa for free. Got the bill and we were charged $1.50. We asked again to speak to mgr. Roland told us he would not come to table. As we were leaving we told hostess we would not be back. Very nice girl said the owner was there and to please let her talk to him. She came back and said that the owner said it was too bad we weren't coming back but that we ate a lot of salsa. (Two little bowls that together didn't amount to 1 cup!) Anyway, guess we're back on the trail of decent Mexican food in Florida.

Originally Posted by Serenoa (Post 602964)

Sorry, couldn't pass that one up. Wondered if there were any other Seinfeld
fans on here. But at least I did embellish it somewhat.:icon_wink: