Customer 'service' rant #93 .....

[CanucksTraveller]

"the breakfast comes with americano"

That's so Camden. Anywhere else, breakfast comes with tea, maybe with coffee as a substitute if you're fussy.

Can you imagine?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm confused, it's a restaurant and you walked to the counter. You may well think you were next but there were probably tables ahead of you waiting to order and you would effectively be pushing in.

Wrong.

 

[ColinJ]

Cafes always confuse me because they all seem to have different rules: some you need to go to the counter, others it's table service, others it's table service but you need to pay at the till etc.

I was at a cafe control halfway round the route of a local audax event. There were scores of hungry cyclists queueing up behind me. The young woman at the till took my order ...

"THIS piece of cake?"

"Yes." (Why has she taken her hand off the plate ...?)

"And a can of Coke please." (From the fridge immediately next to the till. What is she writing down?)

I stood there waiting for my Coke and cake. She told me that the waitress would bring them to me when she had served the 50-odd cyclists ahead of me.

I pointed out that it was taking longer to write the order down than it would to just hand me the Coke and cake!

Deep, stroppy sigh, and my order slammed down on the counter ...

As I walked away with my goodies, I heard her say "EVERBODY ELSE IS HAPPY TO WAIT THEIR TURN!"

That might be because the All-day Full English Breakfasts are not sitting on plates next to the till just waiting to be handed over ...?

 

[NorthernDave]

That's so Camden. Anywhere else, breakfast comes with tea, maybe with coffee as a substitute if you're fussy.

Can you imagine?

A old school café near here used to have a sign up that said "We serve two types of tea and two types of coffee - black or white" that the old guy behind that counter simply used to point at when anyone tried to order anything different. They did do a stellar fry up though

 

[ColinJ]

I swear, until you've had poor a customer service dining experience cph-stylee you've not had poor customer service!

How about an establishment which does not take reservations?

One of my colleagues was leaving and a big group of us were going out on his do. He wanted pizza/pasta. We were told to turn up and wait to see if they find space for our party ...

 

[Markymark]

Wrong.

And in your "sleepy daze" where you could barely hear the waitress you remember that aspect vividly. That every table in all corners of what is probably a large restaurant, was empty, as any table occupied may have been ahead of you in waiting.

Okeydokee.

 

[NorthernDave]

How about an establishment which does not take reservations?

One of my colleagues was leaving and a big group of us were going out on his do. He wanted pizza/pasta. We were told to turn up and wait to see if they find space for our party ...

I've had that, trying to organise a meal for the team at work
"We don't do reservations, just turn up and we'll fit you in"
"But there are going to be 30 of us"
"That's fine, we'll fit you in"
"30 people will take up about half your seats - are you telling me that you'll definitely be able to accommodate us all when we turn up, bearing in mind it's a team event so we'd want to sit together?"
"Yes, it will be fine I'm sure..."

We went elsewhere. If you've every organised any sort of team event like this you'll know why.

 

[Fab Foodie]

And in your "sleepy daze" where you could barely hear the waitress you remember that aspect vividly. That every table in all corners of what is probably a large restaurant, was empty, as any table occupied may have been ahead of you in waiting.

Okeydokee.

I'd been standing outside it for around 10mins, whilst DD#2 went for her pre-flight ablutions, so I had a pretty good idea of the activity level (or lack thereof) of the 2 staff members (one of whom was behind the counter). Neither was it a large restaurant, it was very open in design so easily viewed, nor were there many people at tables.

 

[Fab Foodie]

How did your daughter's flight go? I trust she arrived safely

So far as AMS, now she's in-flight to Tokyo until midnight or so.

 

[classic33]

So far as AMS, now she's in-flight to Tokyo until midnight or so.

Findthatplane.com or flightstats

 

[jefmcg]

Findthatplane.com or flightstats

She's still in the air. It would be on the news if a LHR->NRT wasn't on the radar.

For whatever reason, landside it awful at most airports. I have had friends drive me out to TUL for a 1am flight, with plans for white wine and giggles, and found the only thing open landside is McDonalds, who closed a few minutes later. Only upside is McDonalds in Melbourne serve pretty good macaroons and excellent coffee. Say goodbye to friends, cross to airside and enjoy and excellent G&T with tapas - solo.

Next time we will bring our own wine & snacks.

Edit: Hubris has undone me. I had forgotten what was written on my luggage tags, and decided the code for the main international airport out of Melbourne was TUL. It is of course MEL, so I hope no one has found themselves accidentally on their way to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

 

[classic33]

She's still in the air. It would be on the news if a LHR->NRT wasn't on the radar.

For whatever reason, landside it awful at most airports. I have had friends drive me out to TUL for a 1am flight, with plans for white wine and giggles, and found the only thing open landside is McDonalds, who closed a few minutes later. Only upside is McDonalds in Melbourne serve pretty good macaroons and excellent coffee. Say goodbye to friends, cross to airside and enjoy and excellent G&T with tapas - solo.

Next time we will bring our own wine & snacks.

There's a few radar blackspots that aren't covered.

 

[jefmcg]

There's a few radar blackspots that aren't covered.

I'm sure. But that's only space for a Dad to worry. If a flight entered the blackspot, and hadn't left when it should it would be on the news. Looking at a flight status that hadn't been update for several <units of time> is just the sort of thing to worry a dad.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm sure. But that's only space for a Dad to worry. If a flight entered the blackspot, and hadn't left when it should it would be on the news. Looking at a flight status that hadn't been update for several <units of time> is just the sort of thing to worry a dad.

True, but I'm on and off planes every week like others get buses, so I shan't watch and I shan't fret. LHR/DUB return tomorrow :-(

 

[HertzvanRental]

FF. You weren't wearing "that hat" were you!!
Would explain a lot!