[Bryan]

On Saturday evening, 6/18/11, my bride and I went for dinner at Gators Dockside at Spanish Springs. We arrived about 5 PM and were seated promptly (no waiting list). By 5:10 PM we had both ordered drinks and our dinner. By 5:35 PM, when no dinner had come, my wife stopped our waitress and asked about them. Her dinner then came shortly thereafter, BUT NOT MINE! By 5:50 PM, when my dinner still had not arrived, we called the waitress over and cancelled my dinner. I ate part of hers. When the bill came, I paid but asked to speak to the manager. A lady who identified herself as the Assistant Manager came to the table. We explained what had happened and our dissatisfaction with the service. She said she would look into why the two dinners were not served together. She also gave me the General Managers business card and wrote on it that we would get 20% off two meals on our next visit and initialed it. I just wanted to let everyone know we were not very happy with the service that particular evening. A couple eating together should expect to receive their meals together. It was busy but not overly so - no waiting list for seating, at least. We have eaten there numerous times in the past without problems so am hoping this was an anomaly. We will probably try one more time and see what happens but poor service like that is one quick way to run off your customers. It's not like The Villages doesn't have alternative places nearby where we could eat. And it is also not like there are so many potential customers during the summer months that they can afford to drive a few off.

[memason]

Sounds to me like you were well compensated for your inconvenience... That's about all a manager can do, as well as trying to make sure it doesn't happen again or to others.

After this bad service, did you leave a tip? If so, why?

Just wondering . . .

[Bryan]

Yes, I left a tip - about a normal tip for the adjusted bill which had my dinner taken off of it. I was never one to "shoot the messenger" nor under tip a waitress/waiter for bad food that they didn't cook. I have been know to leave a one penny tip for really really bad service though - so they DO NOT think I just forgot and DO know I was really displeased! I was thinking this was the kitchens fault. Other than my meal never being served, everything else was prompt and efficient - seated, initial order, drinks, etc. Hindsight is 20/20 and now I am reconsidering that idea. Maybe I should not have tipped as it was part her job to follow-up with the kitchen (not mine). Too late now though - can't unring the bell, get the toothpaste back in the tube, nor take back the tip!

[JenAjd]

I would surmise that perhaps your order got lost...however that being said the waitress should have realized it when she brought out your wife's order!!! I would think they'd have hussled and gotten your meal up as quickly as possible when you all asked about it!! I would think posting this online and also voicing your concerns with the ass't manager that hopefully they'd ramp up their service from here on out!! No excuse for losing an order during the "slow season"!!!!

[memason]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Yes, I left a tip - about a normal tip for the adjusted bill which had my dinner taken off of it. I was never one to "shoot the messenger" nor under tip a waitress/waiter for bad food that they didn't cook. I have been know to leave a one penny tip for really really bad service though - so they DO NOT think I just forgot and DO know I was really displeased! I was thinking this was the kitchens fault. Other than my meal never being served, everything else was prompt and efficient - seated, initial order, drinks, etc. Hindsight is 20/20 and now I am reconsidering that idea. Maybe I should not have tipped as it was part her job to follow-up with the kitchen (not mine). Too late now though - can't unring the bell, get the toothpaste back in the tube, nor take back the tip!

Thanks Bryan, for your explanation.

I struggle with tipping, in the general sense. Not because of the money, but for what it has become. There is an EXPECTATION that you are going to tip 20-30% with every service you receive. Therefore, restaurants in particular, have reduced wages to offset the expected tips a server receives. In my opinion, this is just a subsidized program to reduce costs for the restaurant. I do tip, but not because I want to, in most cases. It's rare that I receive restaurant service that I consider above and beyond the job description of a server; therefore, worthy of a tip.

I'm sure I'll be in the minority, on this issue...

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by JenAjd

I would surmise that perhaps your order got lost...however that being said the waitress should have realized it when she brought out your wife's order!!! I would think they'd have hussled and gotten your meal up as quickly as possible when you all asked about it!! I would think posting this online and also voicing your concerns with the ass't manager that hopefully they'd ramp up their service from here on out!! No excuse for losing an order during the "slow season"!!!!

The poster also said, "We have eaten there numerous times in the past without problems so am hoping this was an anomaly." . If that is true why all the fuss. There was a problem, the manager fixed it in an acceptable manner so, why the harsh thread title of "bad service"? And now you are asking them to ramp up their service.......

[Brewster]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

The poster also said, "We have eaten there numerous times in the past without problems so am hoping this was an anomaly." . If that is true why all the fuss. There was a problem, the manager fixed it in an acceptable manner so, why the harsh thread title of "bad service"? And now you are asking them to ramp up their service.......

I agree, it was a one off deal, brush it off and move forward. I have eaten there many times and even when they are busy, I have not had any problems.
I dont agree with fixing everything with the cash register either. We see it everytime we go out to dinner, someone complaining about something, " food is too hot" "food is too cold" "food is too spicy" etc.....its like someone is always looking for something for free. I dont always blame the waiter/waitress, as one poster stated, it can be a kitchen issue, so why blame the person bringing the food. I feel sorry for some of these resturant workers as for some folks, nothing is ever right.

And as a final thought, how many of us have brought the manager over when the service was over and above? I know I do.

Brew

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by memason

I struggle with tipping, in the general sense. Not because of the money, but for what it has become. There is an EXPECTATION that you are going to tip 20-30% with every service you receive.

20% is for exceptional service. I have yet to get that. I round and usually do below 20%. I am usually between 15 and 20. Where did the 30% come from?

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

..... Where did the 30% come from?

To me, 30% would be for a server who "knocked it out of the park".

Bill

[zcaveman]

20% if they knock it out of the park - whatever that means.

[Pturner]

I usually round up and give 20 percent. I thought I was a good tipper. 30 percent? Yawser!

[BowleesCreekYachtClub]

I am always concerned when I see a header like "Gators Dockside at Spanish Springs - Bad Service." After all, the questionable service can be a a single bad experience and often it is rectified by the management . . . BUT the header always remains "Gators Dockside at Spanish Springs - Bad Service". Doesn't seem right to me. Allan.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

20% if they knock it out of the park - whatever that means.

Sorry - didn't intend to create any confusion.

"Knock it out of the park" to me means they went far above and beyond a typical expectation I would have for a server.

Bill

[memason]

Yikes! 30%... What was I thinking ? i think i must have gotten carried away with that post.... No, I would never tip 30%.

Point is, tipping is a strange custom. Some have said, they are not gonna stiff the wait staff because the food was bad. So what if the food is great and the wait staff is terrible. Do you take a tip to the kitchen?

Just saying....

[CaliforniaGirl]

Originally Posted by memason

Yikes! 30%... What was I thinking ? i think i must have gotten carried away with that post.... No, I would never tip 30%.

Point is, tipping is a strange custom. Some have said, they are not gonna stiff the wait staff because the food was bad. So what if the food is great and the wait staff is terrible. Do you take a tip to the kitchen?

Just saying....

Yes! I've tipped busboys who gave better service than the server.
That said, I basically overtip - some small effort to make up for the cheapskates. Can't tell you how many times I'll see a couple get up from a meal and throw a dollar on the table like it's 1975.

My personal pet peeve is poor service given to single diners. I am single and frequently dine alone. I expect the same service that the table of 2 next to me gets. Servers will occasionally ignore me - take my order, bring my food and disappear - and lavish attention on the table that they expect will leave a larger tip. When I dine alone, I always leave 30-40% so the server is not "penalized" for serving a single. The last time I received poor service (breakfast at Perkins, with my server fawning over the table next to me), I left a note on the table that said "Tip: Don't ignore single diners - they do dine with friends as well. For your monetary tip, see the cashier." When I paid the cashier, I put a $5 bill in the charity jar by the cash register and told the cashier to thank my server for her contribution.