Jennafoo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2012
Warning: No pictures, but lots of angst. Proceed at your own risk.
And now we come to the only unpleasant part of the trip: my solo dinner at Carthay Circle.
Let me start by saying that I eat alone in restaurants all the time. In many ways, I prefer it. And I eat at plenty of high-end restaurants. I always tip well – at least 20% and sometimes more – because I realize my bill is smaller than a larger party’s. And except for a handful of awkward experiences, I’ve never had a situation like this.
It started well enough with a sweet host. They did seat me at a huge 4 top by myself, when there were smaller tables available and larger groups waiting, which I found awkward. My server quickly took my order, and said she’d check to see if what I wanted had peppers (I can have a reaction to those).
Then she disappeared. For thirty minutes. No drink, no bread, I finally had to wave someone down for water because I was thirsty. She never came back to tell me what happened with my meal or if I should order something else. She did, however, stop by all the other tables.
Not sure what was going on, I stepped away to use the bathroom. Naturally I carried my purse. There was nothing but my water glass and utensils, but I didn’t want to leave my valuables. I was gone for no more than five minutes.
When I came back, they had CLEARED THE TABLE. In all my years dining solo, this has never happened once.
I actually didn’t even know if the table was still mine and there was no one to ask. So I sat there awkwardly until suddenly my salad showed and the guy who took my place setting gave me more water. I asked why he cleared the table when I was in the bathroom, and he very accusatorily told me they thought I left.
I’d ordered food. Why would I just leave?
Anyway, I couldn’t eat the salad because I had no utensils or napkin; they’d been taken. I was becoming more and more upset and asked to see the manager.
He was less than accommodating and suggested I was being rude (I still didn’t have a napkin or bread), so I did what every thinking person would do:
I burst into tears.
He wasn’t ready for that, and switched into a more helpful form. My meal was already in so I was welcome to stay, and he’d handle things from now on, so please…eat my salad.
The next table actually snickered when I pointed out – AGAIN - that I would love to eat my salad, but I still didn’t have a napkin or fork.
After that, the waitress came by and attempted to make small talk, to which I wasn’t very receptive immediately. THEN she told me how upset I made her and how she never gets complaints and how she’s a VERY COMPASSIONATE person. She also blamed her half hour absence on MY allergies, though that had just been a simple "yes/no" check to tell me if what I was considering had peppers. In actuality, she had not done that and just put the order in without giving me a choice, and the chef just left the sauce off, so the ravioli actually wasn't that good (would have chosen something else, if I'd known or been given the choice).
I could tell she was angry, but instead of going into the fact that making me feel unwelcome was a group thing (and it was a little unprofessional for her to make me feel guilty), I just listened as politely as I could, mentally begging for my check.
I’m not good at confrontation – especially when I’m paying for it.
Then I got out my phone and posted my horrible experience to Facebook.
I couldn’t talk so I jotted a note to them that this behavior is NOT okay, that if they had a problem with a single diner they should seat me at a smaller table and not take the lack of tips from a full four-top out on me…
…But that the pear salad was really delicious.
Suddenly there was a shift. The waitress’ concern became more genuine and her conversation less forced. A whole team descended if I appeared to need anything, including the manager. They let me pick any dessert on the menu for my birthday, though I’m pretty sure that’s not typical. I couldn’t decide so I asked the server to choose, and she put real thought into which I would like best.
She chose some kind of s’mores/chocolate turnover dish. It was weirdly tasty, especially the accompanying popcorn flavored ice cream. She insisted on lighting a candle for me.
As I was getting ready to leave she and the manager returned and apologized and asked me to give them another chance later. As a token, they’d brought Happy Birthday Minnie Mouse ears, which was really sweet.
Truthfully I could have just left, and he gave me that option. But I was hungry and tired and just wanted to eat. It was Saturday night, crowded, and right in the middle of dinner rush and I couldn't face trying to find somewhere else to eat. But I let it be known I was unhappy right then, and that gave them the opportunity to try and turn it around.
Unfortunately, this was my last real Disney experience and it really had the possibility of ruining the whole trip. I didn’t let it, but the whole thing was very sad.
Fortunately, some sweet cast members at the Five and Dime helped to turn things around…
And now we come to the only unpleasant part of the trip: my solo dinner at Carthay Circle.
Let me start by saying that I eat alone in restaurants all the time. In many ways, I prefer it. And I eat at plenty of high-end restaurants. I always tip well – at least 20% and sometimes more – because I realize my bill is smaller than a larger party’s. And except for a handful of awkward experiences, I’ve never had a situation like this.
It started well enough with a sweet host. They did seat me at a huge 4 top by myself, when there were smaller tables available and larger groups waiting, which I found awkward. My server quickly took my order, and said she’d check to see if what I wanted had peppers (I can have a reaction to those).
Then she disappeared. For thirty minutes. No drink, no bread, I finally had to wave someone down for water because I was thirsty. She never came back to tell me what happened with my meal or if I should order something else. She did, however, stop by all the other tables.
Not sure what was going on, I stepped away to use the bathroom. Naturally I carried my purse. There was nothing but my water glass and utensils, but I didn’t want to leave my valuables. I was gone for no more than five minutes.
When I came back, they had CLEARED THE TABLE. In all my years dining solo, this has never happened once.
I actually didn’t even know if the table was still mine and there was no one to ask. So I sat there awkwardly until suddenly my salad showed and the guy who took my place setting gave me more water. I asked why he cleared the table when I was in the bathroom, and he very accusatorily told me they thought I left.
I’d ordered food. Why would I just leave?
Anyway, I couldn’t eat the salad because I had no utensils or napkin; they’d been taken. I was becoming more and more upset and asked to see the manager.
He was less than accommodating and suggested I was being rude (I still didn’t have a napkin or bread), so I did what every thinking person would do:
I burst into tears.
He wasn’t ready for that, and switched into a more helpful form. My meal was already in so I was welcome to stay, and he’d handle things from now on, so please…eat my salad.
The next table actually snickered when I pointed out – AGAIN - that I would love to eat my salad, but I still didn’t have a napkin or fork.
After that, the waitress came by and attempted to make small talk, to which I wasn’t very receptive immediately. THEN she told me how upset I made her and how she never gets complaints and how she’s a VERY COMPASSIONATE person. She also blamed her half hour absence on MY allergies, though that had just been a simple "yes/no" check to tell me if what I was considering had peppers. In actuality, she had not done that and just put the order in without giving me a choice, and the chef just left the sauce off, so the ravioli actually wasn't that good (would have chosen something else, if I'd known or been given the choice).
I could tell she was angry, but instead of going into the fact that making me feel unwelcome was a group thing (and it was a little unprofessional for her to make me feel guilty), I just listened as politely as I could, mentally begging for my check.
I’m not good at confrontation – especially when I’m paying for it.
Then I got out my phone and posted my horrible experience to Facebook.
I couldn’t talk so I jotted a note to them that this behavior is NOT okay, that if they had a problem with a single diner they should seat me at a smaller table and not take the lack of tips from a full four-top out on me…
…But that the pear salad was really delicious.
Suddenly there was a shift. The waitress’ concern became more genuine and her conversation less forced. A whole team descended if I appeared to need anything, including the manager. They let me pick any dessert on the menu for my birthday, though I’m pretty sure that’s not typical. I couldn’t decide so I asked the server to choose, and she put real thought into which I would like best.
She chose some kind of s’mores/chocolate turnover dish. It was weirdly tasty, especially the accompanying popcorn flavored ice cream. She insisted on lighting a candle for me.
As I was getting ready to leave she and the manager returned and apologized and asked me to give them another chance later. As a token, they’d brought Happy Birthday Minnie Mouse ears, which was really sweet.
Truthfully I could have just left, and he gave me that option. But I was hungry and tired and just wanted to eat. It was Saturday night, crowded, and right in the middle of dinner rush and I couldn't face trying to find somewhere else to eat. But I let it be known I was unhappy right then, and that gave them the opportunity to try and turn it around.
Unfortunately, this was my last real Disney experience and it really had the possibility of ruining the whole trip. I didn’t let it, but the whole thing was very sad.
Fortunately, some sweet cast members at the Five and Dime helped to turn things around…
