Support NeoGAF

[Biske]

So if the guy would have asked to order a single egg, would he have been told no as well?


I imagine going to a place and saying "can I add bacon to this?" or "can I get a side of bacon?"

And being told "nah bacons only for items on the menu that have bacon"

and it would baffle me.


Just all seems rather silly.

 

[xJavonta]

How the fuck do you spend $75 on a restaurant unless you're paying for like 4 people? And $500 a month? Damn, that's more than I spend on food period in a month.

As for the special order, I wonder if the place just doesn't do special orders? I'm confused as to why the manager specifically turned that down but maybe he was under orders not to do it because of the waffle and egg special they were doing.

I spent 65 on a date for me and my gf. Idk where you can get four people for $75 unless it's like Cracker Barrel or some other really low end dine in place. Most chain places aren't that cheap

 

[Gravy Boat]

If eggs are on the menu, then asking for one on a burger shouldn't be a big deal. The excuse they gave was pretty bad.

How the fuck do you spend $75 on a restaurant unless you're paying for like 4 people? And $500 a month? Damn, that's more than I spend on food period in a month.

I literally just got back from a meal with my girlfriend where we paid £85, about $115. $75 for two people sounds like a completely standard price unless you're used to only eating at the very cheapest places and only getting 1 course.

 

[Diprosalic]

Who spends $500 a month at the same restaurant?

That's only like 4 times a month. I do that easily.

 

[starchild excalibur]

Assuming this story is even true which, after a cursory look through this thread it appears that it isn't, I wouldn't stop going over a restaurant denying me a special order unless that special order was fulfilled elsewhere at a similar price with equal or better results than at the current restaurant. In other words, I'm not going to stop going to a burger place that denies me an egg on my burger unless I can find a similarly convenient, tasty, and fairly-priced burger place that does. Otherwise it's just spiteful and an unnecessary inconvenience to me.

That being said, if this was a real manager they'd be an idiot for comping a $71 meal to save a few cents on an egg. I can't think of a reason why, as a business owner, you'd be unwilling to sell an item unless it comes with another item (in this case, the egg must come on top of the waffle special). It'd be like a repair store being unwilling to sell a hammer unless the buyer also purchases the nails. Any well-run, adequately-stocked restaurant would offer the option of a customer coming in to buy a single egg. They'd certainly charge the customer a premium for it, but a profit is a profit. And eggs are a food commonly mixed and matched and paired with so many other things that it'd be idiotic to sell it only as part of a specific meal anyway.

 

[mnannola]

I only ask for and expect whats on the menu. I may ask for things to be removed, but I don't really ask for special requests like that. If I did, and they told me know, I would be cool with it since it's not on the damn menu.

 

[Lakershead22]

Spending a certain amount a month doesn't make someone a VIP customer. Not going back to a restaurant because they denied someone a special order is kinda dumb.

 

[xxracerxx]

Why would someone stop going there over such a petty thing is the real question.

 

[Maximus.]

I never go to a restaurant and ask them to alter the meal unless it states my options on the menu. I wouldn't throw a fit or quit going there if I liked the place, especially if they covered my meal. If this story is true, that person is a baby.

 

[clearacell]

if it's not on the menu then you shouldn't try to order it...if they made special orders for everyone then every order would take so damn long because you don't have all the ingredients on hand in one area all the time...especially if there is a special where everything is all ready to go in one spot and you have a limited amount of items for the day.

I'm a cook -_-

 

[davidwhangchoi]

i wanted egg added to my fried rice. they couldn't do it.
so i called another chinese take out and they did it for me.
i go there now.

 

[Eidan]

If you want an egg on your burger, make the shit at home. He shouldn't have gotten comp'd.

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

i wouldnt stop going and depending on the reason i would just stop going less if i feel sad about it.

a lot of places i go/order they gladly do me a solid and oblige and if they have to charge extra i dont care ill pay because i know it isnt on the menu

but yeah if they were willing to cover the whole meal instead and the dude still got butthurt and posted a blog about it that's some sad shit or it isnt the whole story

 

[Straight Edge]

If a restaurant that serves breakfast can't serve up an a la carte egg for a customer, they're doing it wrong.

 

[CS_Dan]

i wanted egg added to my fried rice. they couldn't do it.
so i called another chinese take out and they did it for me.
i go there now.

...A Chinese place didn't do egg fried rice?

 

[Jpop]

Who spends $500 a month at the same restaurant?

The $500 in a month tells me that this wasn't exactly a fine-dining sit down restaurant. Also not too hard to spend that much even on a single dinner.

Nice bottle of wine a couple of cocktails per person and 3-5 courses at a decent restaurant and you are running close to $400. This is for 2 people, more people more money.

There is no legitimate reason, other than the restaurant being assholes, to deny putting an egg on a burger... Bad business and bad customer service. This is hospitality and it is an extremely simple request.

There are actually plenty of reasons why the restaurant. There is also a reason that tons of restaurants don't do adjustments to their menus.

 

[Lenardo]

if i was an ass:

i'd order a hamburger, & i'd order the waffle with egg thingy..tell the waiter,.. now i want you to throw the waffle out, take the fried egg and put it on the hamburger-pay for both meals

since i am not, i just pick a menu item and order it.

now if the food is overcooked or very undercooked...then i have sent food back.

especially if overcooked...nothing i hate more than an overcooked steak.

medium rare to medium MAX for me.

 

[Caddywompus]

I remember this retail propaganda article meant to improve customer service. Attempting to reconfirm the out dated idea the custom is always right and you should bend over backwards at every guest's whim.

The idea that you would hold it against the entire restaurant because your demands aren't met just makes you petty and self aggrandizing.

 

[Seirith]

I wouldn't ask them to do something that wasn't on the menu as a normal choice. If I wanted a burger that had an egg on it I would have gone some place that had that on the menu or made it at home, not expected them to make that for me.

 

[Supervlieg]

How much did he tip though?

I usually just ask and if it's not possible I just go for what's on the menu. If there isn't anything I like on there I have no business going there.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I would definitely escalate as high as possible to make my dissatisfaction known and start looking for better alternatives. I can understand inflexibility in *removing* items from an item (like croutons from a salad), but when it comes to adding an egg? That's crazy.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

I don't ask for menu adjustments just like I don't shout out story suggestions in the theatre. Hell, unlike the theatre they even let you freely review what is available before deciding to sit down.

I'm completely with the restaurant on their policy.

Probably cost them a bit of money here but they might be successful enough that it doesn't matter.

Edit: why do some restaurant goers think the menu is a starting off point for suggestions?

It's food that one person is going to consume, not some long lasting public work of art that a customization is going to ruin for everyone forevermore. Especially at a restaurant where you've eaten at before a bunch of time and you know the menu well enough that it's reasonable that you would know, "hey I really like item A, but it could really use a bit of Z."

I mean, unless he asked for ketchup on a hot dog of course.

 

[Jpop]

I would definitely escalate as high as possible to make my dissatisfaction known and start looking for better alternatives. I can understand inflexibility in *removing* items from an item (like croutons from a salad), but when it comes to adding an egg? That's crazy.

It isn't at all.

-Restaurant allocated x amount of stock for a special and x amount for regular usage. (HINT: Good restaurants run on thin supply margins, bad restaurants over order supplies)

-Food is cooked on a line if their hot station doesn't have room or time to accommodate frying eggs then the restaurant isn't going to slow up everyone's order to appease one guest.

-He comes in all the time and waves his dick around like it's made of gold restaurant probably isn't his biggest fan and won't go out of their way to accommodate him.

I can keep going on.

Edit:

Restaurants have no issue ommiting certain things when possible. Adding things and doing adjustments is different it creates tons of uneccesary issues for an already demanding and stressful job.

 

[pelicansurf]

I would've taken the free dinner instead. Gone back too.

 

[CaviarMeths]

Restaurants get food supply orders daily. If they were worried about running out of eggs for a promotion, they could have just put more eggs on the order form for the next day. Like, it's one egg. That was very unreasonable of the manager.

I'd feel dumb about getting pissy over an egg, but really, they should have just gave him an egg. That was bad customer service and if it became a repeated issue of bad customer service, sure, I would find a new restaurant.

Restaurants have no issue ommiting certain things when possible. Adding things and doing adjustments is different it creates tons of uneccesary issues for an already demanding and stressful job.

When I worked as a line cook in a restaurant, the most annoying thing was when servers put something like "no cilantro" on an order where cilantro was chopped up and mixed into the sauce. One day the head cook actually brought a server back into the kitchen and told her "here, you try to take the cilantro out of this." She never did that again lol.

Adding things to an order was usually a non-issue. If an order came in with "egg on top of burger," nobody would bat an eye. I could only see it being an issue if eggs were not served at all for dinner, a breakfast menu only item. Then of course it would screw up the line and the server would be hesitant to accept that order. If the customer was a regular and made a stink of it though, damn right the manager would come back into the kitchen and tell us to make a fried egg for Mr. Fancypants.

 

[The Shadow]

Seems exceedingly petty to stop going to a restaurant, particularly since the manager seemed apologetic and offered to pay for the meal.

I mean, it's a stupid policy, but if it was created by people higher up than the manager because it's a franchise restaurant or whatever, then he's just doing what he's told. Yeah, some people are ok with bending the rules, but some people aren't. My roommate was like that, and anything that was vaguely "grey" would give her a lot of anxiety.

Yeah sure it's just an egg, but what's stopping anyone else from making that request? Why make a special accommodation for this guy and no one else? Because he spends X amount of money there? That strikes me as entitlement. I deserve special treatment because I have a fat wallet.

Eh, bottom line, if I liked the food and I made a special request, and the manager offered me a free meal because he couldn't accommodate me, I wouldn't feel bad at all. If nothing else, I'd probably recommend the place for having good customer service.

 

[cilonen]

Why didn't he then go ahead and order the egg / waffle special, transfer the egg to the burger and ditch the waffles?

Dude sounds like he could have probably afforded to do that to make a point.

 

[Hephaestus]

This whole story is confusing, why not just charge him for the waffle/egg deal then toss the waffle?
The offered to pay his $71 bill instead of walking across the street and buying a dozen eggs for a dollar?

The only 2 possible answers is this guy was a dick and they just didnt want to, or the cooks are so dangerously incompetent that the slightest variation in an order would cause a butterfly affect (effect?) and end up burning the whole place to the ground.

 

[cilonen]

This whole story is confusing, why not just charge him for the waffle/egg deal then toss the waffle?
The offered to pay his $71 bill instead of walking across the street and buying a dozen eggs for a dollar?

The only 2 possible answers is this guy was a dick and they just didnt want to, or the cooks are so dangerously incompetent that the slightest variation in an order would cause a butterfly affect (effect?) and end up burning the whole place to the ground.

Yeah, that's actually an even better point, if they could burn $71 then the manager could have bought the special and just given the dude the egg.

Makes no sense.

 

[Tigress]

What I find weird is the restaurant is willing to comp his bill over maybe one special not being ordered. I mean if they are going to comp his bill and lose some profit one way or the other, why not just be out one special order, make your regular happy, and be out *less* money as I doubt the special is worth more than a 71 dollar bill.

Seems like the manager should have thought a little more about what he should sacrifice to make the customer happy.

And, as a customer, no, I wouldn't stop going just over that. I don't expect them to make a special order for me and it seems entitled to take your ball and go home if they don't make an exception (it would just make me extra happy and more wanting to support them if they did make an exception). I don't want to be that kind of customer.

Now if they normally offer the burger with an egg (like it's a listed option), I think I would be a bit peeved. They should have ordered enough eggs then to fulfill their whole menu.

 

[Starfish Hero]

If there's anything I've learned in years of customer service, it's that the comp offers only come out when:

A: you really fuck up or
B: the customer is making a scene and you don't want to deal with them anymore

I don't know the full story, but I'm pretty confident the manager didn't think an egg was worth $71.

 

[wetwired]

Yes. Went to a brand new pompous burger place. Tried to get Mayo removed from my burger. Got told they don't make alterations but they'll happily take your money if you wanted to make additions... For a cost.

They're closed now

 

[CornBurrito]

I would never make a request like that to begin with. A restaurant buys their food supplies based on what is on the menu and volume of orders per particular item so I completely understand the managers points of view.

I don't see why that's the consumer's problem. Many restaurants take special requests, at least in the USA. If you don't want to be competitive and toss a loyal customer an egg then don't be surprised to lose that loyalty.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

I was reading a story about a man who spent upwards of 500 dollars per month at a local sit down restaurant. He never named the place out of confidentiality.

He wanted a fried egg on his burger. Simple enough right?

He's declined by his server.

He then asks why.

The servers says we can't do that special order.

The man is perplexed. How can they not be able to do a simple fried egg on a burger.

He then calls for the manager.

The manager explains that they have a waffle topped with fried egg special going on and they're allocating the eggs for that special, so they don't run out.

The patron says well can't you just give one egg for this time?

The manager declines and offers to pay his bill.

The patron was confused since he's a loyal customer and the bill was only 71 bucks. So the GM was willing to burn a bridge on loyal customer for an egg that only costs probably 10 cents with bulk pricing.

It got my thinking, what would you do if you were denied a special, yet simple order at sit down restaurant?

Would you continue going?

God damn if this doesn't sound exactly like Father's Office in Los Angeles.

Honestly if the restaurant is inflexible then I either change my order or just stop going. Feels like a waste of time haggling with restaurants when there are so many other choices where I lived. If the restaurant feels like it can be god of its own menu then chances are it feels like you need it more than it needs you.

 

[pa22word]

Yes. Went to a brand new pompous burger place. Tried to get Mayo removed from my burger. Got told they don't make alterations but they'll happily take your money if you wanted to make additions... For a cost.

They're closed now

I literally would have walked out. I can't stand mayo anyways, but to ask me to pay for the privilege for the line cook not to squirt some of that shit on my burger is absolute madness.

 

[Ghostshark]

I've had two instances where I've had bizarre, unwavering customer service issues that regarding custom orders.

I went to Wienerschnitzel when I was absurdly hungry and it was the only option at the time. They had a deal for four chili dogs for five bucks, but my friend and I aren't chili fans, it tends to make me ill. We asked if we could get just regular mustard dogs instead, which we were refused.

The second was at a mom and pops diner thing in Vegas. We got burgers, which were good, but my buddy really wanted a banana split for some reason. I asked for an ice cream sundae, but asked if they could give me one without nuts on it. They refused. It couldn't have been because the ice cream was already preprepared, as I could see the kitchen staff making the damn things.

 

[Risible]

Why do you keep ignoring the fact that the extra teabag is the basis for another cup of tea which would be charged a premium, yet you're expecting it for free simply because you purchased one already? A cup of tea or a bag of tea makes no difference is the point I am trying to make since the water is not what's being charged for. You could have gotten a cup of water for free, right? Exactly. So why would you expect another tea bag for free? One free to you means one less to be sold at a profit to someone else in a cup with water.

At first I thought you just didn't understand the difference but now you just sound entitled. Effort and cost of the item makes no difference here. The tea bag is what's being charged for. Stop pretending otherwise.

Ok, let's be clear here - I'm not arguing it should be free. I'm arguing that it shouldn't double the price. Charge me an extra 25 cents, hell even 50 cents, but double the price is simply outrageous and unwarranted.

When I order a tea, what am I paying for? My $1.50 goes towards the cup, the water, the teabag, the cost to heat the water, the cost to pay the preparer, etc. We know for a fact they are making money at $1.50, otherwise they'd charge more.

Now I come in and order a tea and ask for two teabags, not just one. You think it's good business to charge me twice the cost of the original cup of tea to accommodate my request? Simply because you added another 3 cent teabag to the cup?

Again, reading this thread I see why these businesses fail all the time. It's reasoning like yours. I just gave you a real world anecdote where a teabag that costs pennies denied a business a regular well-paying customer and all you can say is the customer is wrong. Ok, congrats, you're right and out of business, satisfied?

 

[FStop7]

I don't know if I'd bail on a restaurant over a special request because I don't really make special requests. But I do have very little patience for unrepentant mistakes or foolishness.

Yesterday I went to Corner Bakery for lunch and placed my order. The cashier asked me "for here or to go" and I said "for here." He then said they're not currently taking "for here" orders because the seating is all in use. First of all, there was seating available. I could literally see there was an open table in the dining area not to mention all of the outdoor seating was open. Second of all, why did he even give me the choice in the first place? I shrugged and told him if they don't want my money that's fine, and I left. I'll never go back. I just have no interest in utter foolishness like this, there are dozens of other restaurants to choose from.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

It isn't at all.

-Restaurant allocated x amount of stock for a special and x amount for regular usage. (HINT: Good restaurants run on thin supply margins, bad restaurants over order supplies)

-Food is cooked on a line if their hot station doesn't have room or time to accommodate frying eggs then the restaurant isn't going to slow up everyone's order to appease one guest.

-He comes in all the time and waves his dick around like it's made of gold restaurant probably isn't his biggest fan and won't go out of their way to accommodate him.

I can keep going on.

Edit:

Restaurants have no issue ommiting certain things when possible. Adding things and doing adjustments is different it creates tons of uneccesary issues for an already demanding and stressful job.

That's all well and good, but I would still be frustrated if I couldn't get an egg added on my burger when I wanted one. If preserving razor thin margins and line efficiency is more important to the restaurant, well that's their choice.

 

[kmfdmpig]

That's all well and good, but I would still be frustrated if I couldn't get an egg added on my burger when I wanted one. If preserving razor thin margins and line efficiency is more important to the restaurant, well that's their choice.

Agreed. Restaurants might save a bit on spoilage by avoiding extra ingredients, but if losing the occasional $6k a year customers is the cost of that then it's probably not a good business decision. Assuming 25% profitability that's $1500 lost for the cost of an egg. You could afford a lot of eggs going bad for that much per year.

Of course, if the restaurant is at maximum capacity anyway then losing the customer won't matter.

 

[Dali]

I think the customer sounds like an entitled bitch personally. The manager gave a legitimate reason for denying the request and offered a very generous compromise.

 

[Stone Ocean]

"Only 71 bucks"

What the fuck, how is offering to give a costumer a free 71 dollar lunch because their supplies are limited burning bridges

 

[spatenfloot]

I don't know if I'd bail on a restaurant over a special request because I don't really make special requests. But I do have very little patience for unrepentant mistakes or foolishness.

Yesterday I went to Corner Bakery for lunch and placed my order. The cashier asked me "for here or to go" and I said "for here." He then said they're not currently taking "for here" orders because the seating is all in use. First of all, there was seating available. I could literally see there was an open table in the dining area not to mention all of the outdoor seating was open. Second of all, why did he even give me the choice in the first place? I shrugged and told him if they don't want my money that's fine, and I left. I'll never go back. I just have no interest in utter foolishness like this, there are dozens of other restaurants to choose from.

Why didn't you just say "to go" and then sit down?

 

[Jpop]

That's all well and good, but I would still be frustrated if I couldn't get an egg added on my burger when I wanted one. If preserving razor thin margins and line efficiency is more important to the restaurant, well that's their choice.

It is.

Being frustrated that you can't order something that's not on the menu is also a tell-tale sign of the type of guests that restaurants will not cater to.

Agreed. Restaurants might save a bit on spoilage by avoiding extra ingredients, but if losing the occasional $6k a year customers is the cost of that then it's probably not a good business decision. Assuming 25% profitability that's $1500 lost for the cost of an egg. You could afford a lot of eggs going bad for that much per year.

Of course, if the restaurant is at maximum capacity anyway then losing the customer won't matter.

Catering to an entitled whiner at the risk of delaying orders for other guests/upsetting them is exactly what restaurants aim to avoid.

Also $500 a month is not that high of a cost if you regular a decent restaurant. I guarantee you it is skin of their back losing him. They even offered him a refund for the cost of the meal.

They did exactly what they should have, I've worked at plenty of places where he would have been told if he doesn't like it he can leave. All of them are successful restaurants with a higher price tag then this one.

Ok, let's be clear here - I'm not arguing it should be free. I'm arguing that it shouldn't double the price. Charge me an extra 25 cents, hell even 50 cents, but double the price is simply outrageous and unwarranted.

When I order a tea, what am I paying for? My $1.50 goes towards the cup, the water, the teabag, the cost to heat the water, the cost to pay the preparer, etc. We know for a fact they are making money at $1.50, otherwise they'd charge more.

Now I come in and order a tea and ask for two teabags, not just one. You think it's good business to charge me twice the cost of the original cup of tea to accommodate my request? Simply because you added another 3 cent teabag to the cup?

Again, reading this thread I see why these businesses fail all the time. It's reasoning like yours. I just gave you a real world anecdote where a teabag that costs pennies denied a business a regular well-paying customer and all you can say is the customer is wrong. Ok, congrats, you're right and out of business, satisfied?

You are like those guests who order a single press of coffee and wait to ask for more after they have gotten their check.

Sure you'll get that refill of coffee but I'm gonna reprint you a new check charging you for two French presses.

I guess you shouldn't have to pay double for a double of whiskey/scotch ECT.. instead of single?

Restaurants that fail generally are pretty generic and go out of their way to cater to singular guests while forgetting they have an entire restaurant filled with guests that might be affected.

 

[Mahonay]

I just order what's on the menu. If I want something super specific I can cook it for myself at home. I go to a restaurant to experience what they have to offer. I'm also not a picky eater.

 

[Knuckle Sandwich]

Gotta side with management on this one. They need those eggs for waffles, man. You ain't special.

As for me I wouldn't care.

 

[Dali]

Ok, let's be clear here - I'm not arguing it should be free. I'm arguing that it shouldn't double the price. Charge me an extra 25 cents, hell even 50 cents, but double the price is simply outrageous and unwarranted.

When I order a tea, what am I paying for? My $1.50 goes towards the cup, the water, the teabag, the cost to heat the water, the cost to pay the preparer, etc. We know for a fact they are making money at $1.50, otherwise they'd charge more.

Now I come in and order a tea and ask for two teabags, not just one. You think it's good business to charge me twice the cost of the original cup of tea to accommodate my request? Simply because you added another 3 cent teabag to the cup?

Again, reading this thread I see why these businesses fail all the time. It's reasoning like yours. I just gave you a real world anecdote where a teabag that costs pennies denied a business a regular well-paying customer and all you can say is the customer is wrong. Ok, congrats, you're right and out of business, satisfied?

I think they can charge another customer a full 1.50 but only if they aren't out of teabags because some guy thinks he should get 25 cent upgrades. I think the restaurant is better off without a pompous "the customer is always right" type customer hassling the servers as well.

 

[Risible]

I think they can charge another customer a full 1.50 but only if they aren't out of teabags because some guy thinks he should get 25 cent upgrades. I think the restaurant is better off without a pompous "the customer is always right" type customer hassling the servers as well.

Seriously? These replies slay me. We gave out an extra teabag, we're out of teabags! They only come 512 to a box! Plus call the cops, some customer "hassled" one of our servers! Also, I'd much rather get rid of a customer that helps keep me afloat than concede my three cent teabag point!

I'm done here, but seriously, this thread has really opened my eyes to why so many of these businesses (and small businesses in general) fail.

 

[gimmmick]

I have been working at restaurants for the past 11 years. This isn't fucking in-n-out and order off a special menu. It's really that simple people.


I don't do special orders because of what it does to the back of the house staff. It's a pain in the ass to do, and you go to restaurant to try out the menu that they have created, what what pleases you.

 

[Jpop]

Seriously? These replies slay me. We gave out an extra teabag, we're out of teabags! They only come 512 to a box! Plus call the cops, some customer "hassled" one of our servers! Also, I'd much rather get rid of a customer that helps keep me afloat than concede my three cent teabag point!

I'm done here, but seriously, this thread has really opened my eyes to why so many of these businesses (and small businesses in general) fail.

You have no idea what you are talking about in regards to restaurants or small businesses in general.