Not until today. The staff should never let a customer leave the restaurant angry and I did. I wanted to yreat my grandson to a special treat but what happenedturned me into one of that restaurant's worse enemies. I decided to go through the drive-hru everything was fine up until I reached the speaker to give the order. We sat and waited, nothing no lights, nothing. I thought it was out of order and pulled about a car length away from the speaker and heard a voice "Sorry for the delay, can I take your order?" . For moment I was pissed then everything started to turn red. I parked and we went inside. I asked to speak to the manager and the young lady was a little hesitant in responding instead she said, "Can I help you?" In a very hard and damit tone I explained to her my experience at the drive-thru. She in turned explained it to another staff who in turn went to the back of the restaurant. On her approach back not yet at the counter she said very loudly, "Her headset went out and she just now put another on." I responded, "That has nothing to do with why I'm here. What are you going to do about it?" Still in a very hard and damit tone. Everyone just stood there silent or continuing on with their work. The young lady approached me and asked very softly if I wanted to order. I said yes, then she said, step in line.. "I'm not stepping in line I was in the drive-thru and no one took my order, will you take my order now?" She did but my order was not a priority as I waited. I waited took a cup and gave it to my grandson for his drink and waited with my arms across my chest now breathing heavy. The rest of the order was handed to me and we left. I left mad seeing red. Not one person told me they were sorry or any type of apology.
I am kind of impatient when it comes to restaurants since most of them charge so much these days. I have walked out of several restaurants and I have driven out of drive-through lanes without ordering. No, if I can see that the restaurant is busy, I don't mind having to wait and I know that the quality of the food is not the fault or credit of the person who waits on my table, and neither are the prices. But if I am left waiting at the door, while I can see empty tables or booths, I'll usually try another restaurant. Yeah, there might be good reasons for it but they shouldn't be my problem. While I lived in Texas, my favorite fast-food place was Whataburger, and I usually ordered the Double Meat with Cheese. I had been to Whataburger probably hundreds of times, ordering the Double Meat with Cheese, with no complications. Then I went through the drive-through of one Whataburger, ordered the Double Meat with Cheese, and the guy behind the microphone starting asking what I wanted on it. Do I want this? Do I want that? Other than meat and cheese, I don't know what the hell they put on a Double Meat with Cheese sandwich, and if I wanted to make my own sandwich, I wouldn't be at a fast-food place. I asked, "Can you just make it the way you'd make if you weren't asking all those questions?" No, he insisted on knowing the ingredients to a Double Meat with Cheese sandwich so I left, went to another Whataburger, and ordered the same thing with no problems at all.
We've gone to KFC, McDonalds and Taco Bell and when we got home, found out part of the order was wrong. We now "try" to check the meal before we leave, but that doesn't always happen. Can really, really make customers wonder who these restaurants hire. The one fast-food we've never had a problem with is Arby's...….not once. Now, we have gone to a restaurant, looked at the menu and prices and left before even being seated. "Nope, ain't going to happen." we say to each other.
I never use the drive-thru windows. We used them when traveling with many children in a full-sized van because it was easier than getting out and all that hassle. Plus I hate eating in my car. I always go in and get a seat. If I have to wait long to place an order, I simply get up and walk out. Once I place the order, I always wait for the food and adjust the tip accordingly, even though it might not be the server's fault if there is a delay.
I did call 1-800 customer service with my complaint and with just saying the word 'complaint' an immediate apology was given. Of course one could say they were just doing what they were supposed to do and could care less but not in all instances. Great or even good customer service is what brings people back at least for me.
Years ago, we were having lunch in a chain restaurant and just couldn't seem to get waited on. So I called their national headquarters and said "We're in the ________ location of ___________ and we've been sitting here over 20 minutes and can't even get water. Could you please have a server sent over?" I can tell you, the manager was at our table in 60 seconds and our meal was comped. I have found that politely-worded complaints get good results. Ranting and raving could get you some extra spit on your spaghetti. I also give credit where credit is due. Really good service gets a really good tip and quite often an complimentary email to the head office. It's only fair that if I'm going to complain, I should also compliment.
While traveling, we use drive-throughs for coffee a lot, but I'm too old to eat in the car, plus I don't much like eating at most of the places that have drive-throughs anyhow. When there is a long line at the drive-through, it's often quicker to go inside.
I think that about the only time we use a drive-though is when we order a pizza and then go to pick it up. Occasionally, when Bobby goes to Harbor Freight because he needs tool of some kind, we also pick up a meal from BoJangles Chicken, and take that home to eat for dinner. Otherwise, if we are going somewhere for lunch, we always go inside and eat, and we NEVER eat in the vehicle. As far as complaining about a restaurant, I really do not remember us ever doing that, although we have had some poor eating experiences, especially at Hardees. I think that maybe we did leave something in their comment box, after an extremely poor service there, and one time we simply walked out because the waiter would not even look at us, let alone say anything. Actually, I think that Bobby did either call or email the company after that episode.
I am very out spoken and yes if it is not right I say something every time not one to keep quiet about it at all, the worst was at a nice place for a Christmas eve early dinner not to many years back, 2 tables of us had no cutlery food was getting cold so we used our own knife and hands until the manager came out, we then found out their was many more tables without it, all ate about half and as a group just got up and walked out 22 people total just walked out, some was spreading butter with their fingers and all was eating with a knife or hands, not a normal eating knife but a pocket knife or a sheath fixed blade type. For a place we had been many times shortly after they it closed which was a surprise.
Another was at a famous west Texas Steakhouse Western Skies in San Angelo, my steak was so tough my teeth could not chew it I ordered a chain saw from the waiter, got the manager all she did was take it back and cut it with something I could not chew it and asked for another, she refused and told me "YOUR party if not satisfied needs to leave, she had no idea how many were in my party atleast 7-8 so we all just got up and walked out others had about finished their meal which was ok just mine but all left, I went to What a burger ti eat something, the expression on the manager's face was priceless when she told my party to leave and so many got up and just walked out.
I do allow for errors because no one is perfect, but if it seems to be a matter of not caring, or it seems to be a pattern, I don't go back - ever. There are some places where I just don't order certain things. For example, I don't order steak from a steakhouse because they refuse to cook them well enough. Even when I ask for well done, it's bleeding all over the plate.