Tough to swallow
I was cleaning off my desk yesterday and noticed a restaurant receipt from last week. We had eaten at a new place on the north side of town Friday night. It was very crowded, and we were lucky to get one of the last tables.
I wish I could rave about the food. Truth be told, it was awful. I paid $9.75 for the worst plate of fried catfish I’ve ever eaten. The service was very slow, and we overheard several complaints from other customers. From the cash register to the kitchen, there didn’t seem to be a single “adult” above the age of 19 working there.
I usually give restaurants a second chance if I figure they’re just having a bad night. Nobody is at the top of their game all the time.
Then I looked closely at the receipt, even though it had been five days since they had run my debit card through the machine. I hadn't noticed it at the time. I just assumed I wasn’t being charged for a glass of …
Water.
My wife and I had ordered water with our meals. This wasn’t a sparkling glass of Perrier or the crisp taste of Dasani.
This was ordinary tap water with ordinary ice. It came in a plastic cup. They did not prepare it for us. They handed us the cup and we walked over to the self-service drink machine.
Now, I have a problem with restaurants charging for water. Granted, it was only 25 cents a cup. That isn’t going to break the bank.
It’s the principle of the thing. There are certain levels of service I expect from any restaurant where I spend my money. Water is one of them. I should be provided with as much as I want, whenever I want. And I don’t expect to have to pay for it. They don’t charge people for napkins, do they?
Overhead? I figured it probably cost them about 2.237 cents to supply this H2O for folks like us -- a penny for the cup, 1.962 cents for the ice and 0.175 cents for the actual water.
This restaurant, which is extremely over-rated anyway, has gone on my “list.’’ I won’t be back unless they change their ways.
I know times are tough. Water has been a precious commodity this summer.
Sorry. I draw the line. What’s next? Are office buildings going to start charging their employees for a few sips at the water fountain? Put a quarter in the slot?
Some things in life are tough to swallow.
I was cleaning off my desk yesterday and noticed a restaurant receipt from last week. We had eaten at a new place on the north side of town Friday night. It was very crowded, and we were lucky to get one of the last tables.
I wish I could rave about the food. Truth be told, it was awful. I paid $9.75 for the worst plate of fried catfish I’ve ever eaten. The service was very slow, and we overheard several complaints from other customers. From the cash register to the kitchen, there didn’t seem to be a single “adult” above the age of 19 working there.
I usually give restaurants a second chance if I figure they’re just having a bad night. Nobody is at the top of their game all the time.
Then I looked closely at the receipt, even though it had been five days since they had run my debit card through the machine. I hadn't noticed it at the time. I just assumed I wasn’t being charged for a glass of …
Water.
My wife and I had ordered water with our meals. This wasn’t a sparkling glass of Perrier or the crisp taste of Dasani.
This was ordinary tap water with ordinary ice. It came in a plastic cup. They did not prepare it for us. They handed us the cup and we walked over to the self-service drink machine.
Now, I have a problem with restaurants charging for water. Granted, it was only 25 cents a cup. That isn’t going to break the bank.
It’s the principle of the thing. There are certain levels of service I expect from any restaurant where I spend my money. Water is one of them. I should be provided with as much as I want, whenever I want. And I don’t expect to have to pay for it. They don’t charge people for napkins, do they?
Overhead? I figured it probably cost them about 2.237 cents to supply this H2O for folks like us -- a penny for the cup, 1.962 cents for the ice and 0.175 cents for the actual water.
This restaurant, which is extremely over-rated anyway, has gone on my “list.’’ I won’t be back unless they change their ways.
I know times are tough. Water has been a precious commodity this summer.
Sorry. I draw the line. What’s next? Are office buildings going to start charging their employees for a few sips at the water fountain? Put a quarter in the slot?
Some things in life are tough to swallow.
posted by Ed Grisamore at 5:59 AM
6 Comments:
I think if a restaurant raises their prices, then they should raise their standards too. Several recommendations by the Telegraph on restaurant reviews was very dissapointing to me. It leaves me to wonder, does any of them know what good, not great, food tastes like. I know their is a generation now that has eaten out that will never know what good, well seasoned food taste like. It's unfortunate.
Sometimes there are people that just come in for a cup of water and buy nothing else. Then they come back for refills. In some cases you have to draw the line somewhere and look at your costs and you just can't give things away. You have to factor in every single thing that cost you, whether it be the cost of one cup, the ice that goes in the cup because it comes out of a ice machine that's either being rented or buying it, or whether it's already bought, but the power that makes it work! I know people look at paying for water is ridicules, I do too if it's in a glass and you're dining in, but where everything comes in something disposable you have to factor in that cost per customer as to what your loses or gains or. 25 cents compared to probably 1.29 or more? And supposidly great service and food? And multiple refills? I'd pay the 25 cents for that.
What has happened to superior customer service? We are in the South, where we are suppose to be known for our hospitality! From department stores to restaurants, when I spend my money, I expect good customer service. Maybe this particular restaurant needs to realize if they raise the bar on their food quality, then the customers will continue to come, and they won't have to generate funds by charging for water.
Superior customer service is gone like the poodle skirt and love beads. Every company now works their employee rositers lean and mean. I see many times people in public places looking at their watches, anxious and overwhelmed with lines of customers hoping that their replacement will come to work. It's not the employees fault they can't give you personal service,it's the merchant and their practices. If you notice in department stores they have purposely cut down on the check-out locations. So don't get mad because the employee doesn't give you the personal attention that you really don't need anyway. Their just making a low wage to service so many customers. All things considered, you want the great service but charging for them within the price of the product will keep you from visiting that business. So, things have changed from yesteryear and if restaurant managers can't hide the price of water within the price for an entree and let the public still think it's free then they have no business running a business. They should have learned that in Business 101.
I have cases where a restaurant has to lower the price of their items because people complained so much about the high prices. Lowering them was to attract the customers in, still giving them good service and putting them first in the "customer is always right" rule. I have found out that whether you keep a low price, have a high price, don't charge for water, charge for water, that the way the world is today, people are going to complain about something. Sure, a logical bonifide complaint about your taste of food is always legit. Also bad service. But I've had cases where people complain about not enough on their plate for what they were paying, (which wasn't high in the first place), to where when we adjusted our price and the amount of food to accomodate the "consumers needs", then some complain there's to much on their plates! And all my employee's give A#1 service.
I know that old standard for employees to adher to "the customer is always right" should be thrown on the cliche junk pile. They are not always right. Granted, they must be treated with respect that you would expect. But be reasonable, people do expect those that make a basic rate of pay to bend over backwards for what they are compensated. That old cliche has given a lot of simpletons, they think, a lot of rope to maltreat employees. It's how someone is raised that makes the difference. I do expect good food, a clean establishment and friendly wait staff, but I never abuse them even if there is an issue.
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