When I go to Tyson’s Corner mall, which I can’t help since that’s where the Apple Store is, I usually find myself walking past the food courts and back where some of the finer restaurants are.
About 80% of the time, two choices fall out: Coastal Flats and Brio. We’re usually split about equal between them.
Until now.
While eating out provides a different venue and food selection, the real selling factor is customer service. Provide me with a slightly better than average customer experience, and I’ll bring you repeat business, referrals, large tips, and word of mouth / blogging advertising. Do something asinine, repeatedly, and I’ll vote with my feet and wallet by taking my business elsewhere. I’m not talking casual mistakes or someone having a bad day, I mean flat out asinine.
In the past, I’ve asked for a table that’s non-smoking, only to be put at, in front of, or behind the bar. I’ve asked for a table where I can spread out and hold a meeting, which involves conversation, and in turn been sat under speakers with music blaring so loud the waiter couldn’t hear our order. In both cases, I walked out before ordering, taking my business elsewhere – but not permanently. Clueless. Simply clueless. But that I can let slip.
Brio – you are no longer on my list of places I visit or recommend.
The story is simple, and it’s one of customer service.
On one visit, I ordered a cheese pizza and the waiter realized that what I was having was so simple, he offer to bring me a child’s meal instead, and billed me exactly what he brought me. We had a great meal, and I tipped insanely.
On my next visit, it took a very long time before we got any service. I assume it was a mere matter of the waiter being over worked, but as the even drug on, it was clear we weren’t exactly getting the quality of service one expects from the average trained waiter at Brio. Still, a bad experience with a waiter is not enough to make me scratch a restaurant.
We placed our order, to which I mentioned that I wasn’t all that hungry — and that a prior waiter had actually suggested the smaller sized pizza. I asked if that was alright, primarily because I didn’t want to pay for something only to take it home. He said it wouldn’t be a problem, and off he want.
And while the drinks didn’t come, nor the bread, for quite a while, eventually we got them, but then the food took even longer to come out. We watches as people were being seated after us, ordering their meals, getting them, eating them, and leaving, while we still waited on something as simple as a pizza and pasta salad.
Just as we were about to pay for our drinks and go somewhere else, they brought out the food — and screwed up my wife’s order. No problem, they’d make another. And needless to say, we were nearly finished by the time it got there.
The manager came over, apologized for the delay (though giving no explanation), and said they’d like to buy my wife dessert. Although, not surprisingly, even that came out after a long delay.
Here’s where things really started to bother me.
Normally, if a restaurant, especially one of this caliber, screws up, they attempt to repair the experience — just as our manager had done with the dessert.
The problem was that after our meal was over, the manager returned to the table, and explained that she was adding a “FEE” to our check. I asked why. The answer I got was that it was because I had the child’s pizza, and I was an adult.
Pause for a moment, because I feel this was a nasty bait and switch — and in particular, done to cover the cost of the “free” dessert, we’d been offered. Look, I’m not griping about trying to get free food; I wasn’t interested in additional food, but got manipulated into buying something I didn’t want under some pretty bad pretext. (It reminds me of the ex-girlfriend who asked for money, which was then used to buy me a token present, and then demanded to know what I had gotten her.)
Had the waiter explained to me that he’d have to charge me the adult price, I would have simply have taken the adult meal and brought left overs home. I wasn’t given that choice. Nor was I made aware there would be a “fee” until after the meal. It also was odd in that I had in my back pocket the receipt still from when there was no “fee” for the identical order — AND — that the fee was added in light of the obviously bad experience we were clearly having with the service.
I have a serious problem with child meals costing adults more. It cost the restaurant no additional materials, and I shouldn’t be charged some delta in what I might have ordered, especially in the context of announcing I wasn’t hungry to begin with and was looking for something light to munch on. Had a child been with me, and I ordered nothing, there should have been no fee. Had I simply elected to take the food to go for a child, there should have been no fee.
If they don’t want to sell me child portions, or want to do so at adult prices, they should clearly announce that and give me the option NOT to order.
It’s the deceptiveness of the matter that disturbs me.
I didn’t challenge the fee (though I easily could have), and instead opted to pay it. The waiter did not get an amazing tip, he got an average one (which was actually quite generous for the service we got); in fact the fee came out of it.
Yes, Brio, you got your fee. Good for you. However, take note — I’m not coming back, I’m vetoing every group lunch there, and I’ve got an interesting story to share about how you deal with customers.
For comparison, let’s look at an experience with Coastal Flats, which is right next door.
At Coastal Flats, I ordered a beef BBQ platter, and with it came a little cup of dipping sauce. The waiter said I’d like it. Well, I tried it, decided I didn’t like it, and simply set it aside and happily ate my food, which was spectacular as always. When the waiter came by, he asked what I thought, and I said, “it was a little to tangy for my tastes, but thanks.”
Within moments, the manager came over, and started profusely apologizing to me about having brought out something I didn’t like. I’m thinking to myself WTF? And I tell the manager and waiter it’s no big deal, the food is great, and I’m just not going to use the sauce. But the manager insists they’ve made a grievous error, and would like to comp my meal and buy me a dessert. I insist that’s not necessary, and he insists it is, and he wants to. I accept, but tell him I’m perfectly happy and that they’re going overboard. He smiles, and at the end of my meal, a dessert arrives with a ton of spoons. For that evening I tipped so heavily it hurt.
And I came back the next time to them, ordered the same thing, said I didn’t want the tangy sauce — thinking that if it wasn’t on my plate, they wouldn’t make a big deal about it. But the same thing happens again; I refuse the meal comp and they still bring the dessert! Only this time, while I’m getting my dessert free, other people at the table are ordering desserts of their own based on the last experience’s tasting. Interesting. We’re buying desserts when we usually don’t. Again, I tip heavily.
And, again, I come back and order the same meal, explain that I don’t want the tangy sauce, all is well, and they bring me my meal exactly as I asked for it. This time, I order dessert (as it’s now tradition), and I have additional friends with me. I’m telling them the story of what had happened last time, and again, tip very, very well.
Coastal Flats is smart — they understand the big picture. They recognize that if they make the customer feel like a king, he’ll spend like a king. I now visit more, and buy more, when I go to Coastal Flats; I also tip on the high end.
So, Brio — enjoy your fee — because I’ll be sitting over at Coastal Flats most likely, sharing customer service stories.
Walt gives the Brio a thumbs down.
Walt gives Coastal Flats a thumbs up.