What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

[craigwatanabe]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

Eh Kimo55...my sympathies. All I can offer you is a: Oh Well and a roll of Rolaids

When I get service that bad I still tip...a penny. That one-cent tells all that you didn't forget to tip but the amount is what was deserved.

Next time bust out a clipboard and start scribbling words on it and tell the manager wait till the review hits the news stands now asshole!

[kimo55]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

thanks craig.


eh and I see now how and why this stuff may be justified:
Palomino's is...
a corporate chain!
apparently Seattle-based, owned by something called: Restaurants Unlimited


aaaahhhhh yessss!

[zztype]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

I've been to palomino a few times and never had it that bad. But I would be just as outraged as you at the service and especially the manager's attitude. But the manager's attitude tells you where it all comes from, eh?

Like Craig said, miniscule tip says it all.

I'd give them, like, a dollar for tip. One buck. Be sure to split it with the busboy and the bar, eh?!! Hahahah.

Of course, after a night like that, I won't be back. I went to a restaurant in 1978 where I experienced an evening like that. The restaurant is still around. But I have never set foot in it again.

My condolences.

Blaine

[tutusue]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

Bummers, Kimo. In a restaurant of that quality we all expect and deserve better service. I've not had even mediocre service at Palomino's but law of averages says it's gotta happen to someone at sometime. Sorry to hear it was you. How 'bout pasting your post above into an email to the manager?

I'm on their mailing list, from which I got the following info:

Reply-To: "Palomino Honolulu" <palomino_honolulu@reply.whatcounts.com>
(dunno if it's a send only addy)

Kunani Blake, GM
Palomino
(808) 528-2400

My question is, why did the rest of the people at your table not say something to the waiter when he started to clear your plate? I don't mean to imply that the loss of your plate is their fault but it just seems like human nature to say something. Just curious, that's all!

[kimo55]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

This is a corporate chain; they con't care cuz they don't have to.
corporate policy is; don't spend money on help that does not need to be there; consequently, the waiter was late with all drinks, and too slow with after dinner coffee, cuz he had no assitance; busboys to help with incidentals...
He was overworked handling things other help should do.

Will try this email sue, but as most corporate chains, they want no incoming. No spam nor any feedback on what they may improve upon.
Except via html forms and fields. That addy would take it thru this conduit:
http://reply.whatcounts.com/bin/front

"why did the rest of the people at your table not say something to the waiter when he started to clear your plate? "

Whoever stole it, didn't "start to clear the plate" apparently.
The others at the table were talking animatedly as we all were that nite and did not notice the person whizz by and scoop the plate wikiwiki like.

"I don't mean to imply that the loss of your plate is their fault but it just seems like human nature to say something. Just curious, that's all!"
The part of human nature to enjoy each others company to the exclusion of attention to whatever else was going on, took over, esp. as we were in a quite celebratory mood then as we had drinks at home before and drinks there. So we were partying. celebrating a birthday.
We really didn't think he had to be sentinels after our own table.

We were hoping we didn't think we had to protect ourselves from ill-trained predatory servers. Who deliver the salad plate with their thumb stuck in the salad. and grab plates from us while we are dining, while at the same time, ask: "You still working on this?"

oh. and another thing that got me panties inabunch; when he asked us if we wanted coffee, many did; there were some that wanted decaffe and some wanted regular. ya know; "I'll have decaffe..." "I would like regular", that's how it goes after dindin, ya know... BUT!
he continually tried to press us to summarise;
"So! Thats TWO decaffe and THREE regular?!"

as if WE should figure out the order for him. i tellya; I am not in any mood or condition by that time of nite to help the waiter figure out, synthesize, re-word or consolidate any part of the order for his brain to carry back to the kitchen. I don't wanna get my mathematical mind functioning late at nite, no matter how small the quiz is. That is his job.

[kimo55]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

law of averages says it's gotta happen to someone at sometime.

Don't know how often the law of averages didctates stuff li'dat will happen to others, there, but the waiter was not oblivious; he was continually apologizing for the place and for running outta stuff so often. We felt badly for him, t'aint his fault. ('cept he shoulda known what WAS 86'd beforehand, rather than make ME wait fer mah gawdayumed beer for half an hour, thengewvurrymush)

how often does the law of averages say a stack of plates will be dropped and come crashing to the floor, just three feet from seat of the birthday girl?

[TurquoiseDuck]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

In response to the horrible/non-existent/lousy/lacking/lame service at Palamino's.....I got this to say.

I am always slow in my thinking when this kind of thing happens. While I was reading your post, it came to my mind that maybe telling them that you are a Mystery Shopper and get paid to write reviews on places of business. They probably could care less, but you never know yeah ?

I like the idea posted about writing things down on a clipboard and make like you going write it in the newspaper.

There are web sites where you can go post your consumer review about places. I don't have a link. Bet it is easy for find though.

[Miulang]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

thanks craig.


eh and I see now how and why this stuff may be justified:
Palomino's is...
a corporate chain!
apparently Seattle-based, owned by something called: Restaurants Unlimited


aaaahhhhh yessss!

Yes, Palomino is owned by RUI. RUI also owns Zoopa, Palisade (very very yupscale restaurant with a view) and used to own Cinnabon. I think you should definitely complain about the treatment you got to the GM of Palomino Hawaii. All the times I've ever eaten at the flagship restaurant here in town, I've never had bad service. I think even though it is a "corporate" restaurant, they do have certain standards that need to be met throughout the chain, and if you feel those aren't being met because you had bad service, you need to let them know so they can correct the situation. If you had complained at the time of the incident, you might also have been given some comps, not that that would make up for the spoiled birthday dinner, but Palomino has a reputation to uphold and they certainly don't like to hear their guests air their displeasure with their friends...I mean, after all, you weren't dining at a McD, and for the prices you paid, you'd expect better service than what you got.

Miulang

[MadAzza]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

Like Craig said, miniscule tip says it all.

I'd give them, like, a dollar for tip. One buck. Be sure to split it with the busboy and the bar, eh?!! Hahahah.

Blaine

OK, I can't maintain my silence any longer.

The waiter was extremely apologetic about everything. He wasn't the problem. What is he supposed to do, stick his finger in everyone's dinner to make sure it's hot? That's a kitchen problem. Why blame the waiter?

They also gave us a nice bottle of pinor noir for half-price (half the menu price), by way of apology for things, which I certainly appreciated. So I saved $25 there. That amounts to more than a 10 percent discount off the bill.

I wish I had been paying attention when the busboy took the last third of Kimo's dinner. We were talking, goofing around and taking pictures, and I was turned away from his seat (since he wasn't there). Nobody saw his plate disappear. The manager did offer to give him replacement food. I would have taken it. He chose not to. <shrug>

The evening was not a total disaster. Yes, a few things went wrong, almost all of them related to which beers were available to the one person at the table drinking beer. And the bimbos at the front desk behaved badly. One of them should have taken Kimo over and introduced him to the manager, for God's sake. That's abominable. However, for the most part, everything was fine ... better than fine, in fact. My mom was happy with it; it was her 82nd birthday.

Leaving a penny as a tip in such a situation would be an extraordinarily classless, petty thing to do. I tipped properly, and I will go spend my money there again.

I've had worse experiences at many restaurants in Honolulu. If I refused to go to every restaurant I had a problem with, Oahu's economy would collapse. I make my dissatisfaction known and get on with my life.

I suppose we could have handled the situation this way.

[kimo55]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

I've had worse experiences at many restaurants in Honolulu.

I make my dissatisfaction known and get on with my life.

so have i.
and...
So do i:
http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=5715

[Miulang]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

Happy belated BD, Maddie! Glad you didn't think the evening's meal was totally ruined.

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

"The waiter was extremely apologetic about everything."


yea. over and over. loudly.
my point; he shouldnta had to.


"What is he supposed to do, stick his finger in everyone's dinner to make sure it's hot?"

nope. finger sticking in food was another server's duty that nite at our table apparently.


"They also gave us a nice bottle of pinot noir for half-price (half the menu price), by way of apology for things, which I certainly appreciated. So I saved $25 there."

That was an apology at the beginning of it all, for the fact they hadda return and say:
"we ain't got da kine wine you guys just ordered. whuddelsyuh want?"

and... sorry, maddie, but no; that was a 2004 Pinot Noir they gave us. The one they alluded to on the menu was a 2000 Chateau StJean.
Different vintage, different price.
The wine they gave us, was not even on the menu, at all. Mighta been an extra, or a sample bottle, or a mistake in the delivery, but it wasn't on the wine list.
What we received at a discounted price of twennyfive bux was on average, a ten dollar retail vino.

[kimo55]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

Happy belated BD, Maddie! Glad you didn't think the evening's meal was totally ruined.

Miulang

hey, whoa there! no one else is implying it was totally ruined. after all, as a guest there that nite what da hell do i have to say about anything anyway? nuthin. Just out of a sense of justice, and to get it off my chest, i needed to vent re; experiences in an industry i am all too painfully conversant with, having worked as a butler, waiter, manager, bartender, etc, etc... for far too long in the past...

and of course, i would never have raised hell anywhere near the birthday gal. The elucidation of the shortcomings was made to the manager and here today...
Never in front of the Queen for the day.

[1stwahine]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

Belated Happy Birthday To You Maddie and ooops...I forgot yours too ~ Bro Kimo!

Auntie Lynn

Happy Holidays!

[Miulang]

Re: What pisses you off? - Chapter 4

My friends in the restaurant business used to tell me that there's about a 30% markup on the price of a bottle of wine on a menu, so if a wine lists at $30 on a menu, it only cost the restaurant around $10-15. A 2004 Pinot? Sheesh. That stuff would still be at the grape juice stage! 2000 Chateau St. Jean sounds more promising, although most of the best pinots come from Oregon (look for Adelsheim...great pinot with a very pretty label).

Miulang