Applebee's Fail, or...why I left a paltry tip...

[violiavampyr]

We generally go to Applebee's for large parties, like 6+ people. It's IHOP that I've had very poor service at before, so I rarely go there unless I'm with people and were just leaving the bars.

[MadMike]

I first posted this story way back when I was new to CS, partly because I felt guilty and wanted to know if I was wrong to do what I did. As it turned out, everyone agreed with me, even those who had waited tables.

I used to take my son to Friendly's frequently, and later on, my wife as well. This was a visit with all three of us. At first, everything was OK, we ordered our drinks and food. Drinks were brought out first, and then the food when it was ready. So far, so good.

The trouble started when my wife asked for a refill. When the waitress brought it out, she dropped it and spilled it all over the table, and some of it on my wife. The waitress was freaking out, and my wife wasn't happy, but she understood that accidents happen, and we assured the waitress that it was OK.

What happened next was inexcusable. The waitress simply vanished. She never came back to see if we wanted dessert, to bring us our check, to see if we needed anything else. Hell, she never even came back to clean up the mess. We finished our meal with spilled soda and ice cubes on the table. A few times, we saw her wander into an empty section, but then vanish again before we could get her attention.

We got tired of her little disappearing/reappearing act, and ended up going up front to talk to a manager. If nothing else, it was the only way we could get our check. We told the manager what happened, making it clear that it wasn't the accident that we were upset about, but the fact that the waitress ditched us afterwards. He was nice enough to give us a free box of ice cream to take home, but it was clear that he wasn't happy with the waitress. I would have to have been in her shoes when he got a hold of her.

Oh, and the tip that I left? Zero.

[XCashier]

Guess we're going to give Applebee's another chance, or maybe another location! :P

I'd try a different location. I haven't had any problems with Applebees (I love their low-calorie menu!), but from what others have posted, it definitely sounds like it varies strongly with each location. Best of luck with the next time.

[Moirae]

i have started giving out a tip more often since I moved to the US but I am still very picky about how much, for what and to who. I think you did the right thing.

[Jester]

I have never had a problem at an Applebee's, but I also haven't dined at them too often in recent years, as there is not one in Key West.

I should also point out that I have been in the food service industry since 1986. For those who aren't too quick with math, that's 26 years. So I'm all about tipping.

That being said.....

The entrees coming out at different times were probably the fault of the kitchen. Even so, the server should have advised you of this when he dropped off the first couple meals. Sometimes it IS better to bring the meals out separately; for instance, if the kitchen is putting them up at different times, I as a server would rather get them to the table hot and delicious rather than all at once and have some of them be less than great. But, as I said, the server should have advised you of this. Also, there is a chance that the server was actually to blame; he may have rang in the wrong meals and realized it after they started coming up. These things happen, and are directly on the shoulders of the server when they do.

The mistake in the drink? It happens. However, asking how everything is and not waiting for a response? Unprofessional and inexcusable. But still better than his biggest error.

Handing a hot plate to a customer? Is he fucking out of his mind? Not only is that unprofessional and inexcusable, it's fucking dangerous. Hell, not only will I NOT do that, but there have been many times where I bring out a hot plate, advise the guest that it is hot, and have them reach to grab it from me only to tell them no, please, let me set it down, it is HOT. And in the very few instances where one must hand a hot plate to a guest, say if the configuration of the party or table makes it impossible for the server to set it down themselves, it is absolutely imperative that they hand it to the guest with something the guest can safely grab it with, say a napkin or towel or other insulating item. To merely hand a hot plate to a guest without something like that is ridiculous. In Jester's Tavern, that would be an offense that would result in termination. (Of their job, not their lives, although for something like that, the latter is not necessarily out of the question.)

Did he provide good service early on? Yes. But you tip on the sum total of service for the meal, and the sum total of his service was shoddy, lazy, unprofessional, and unacceptable. Personally, as someone who lives on tips, I think you tipped him $2 too much. He not only owes you that $2 back, he owes you an apology.

Reprehensible!

And for the waiter to take that long to get you the bill? Also not acceptable. Although that one I put on the manager, since he had already talked to you, knew you were less than happy, and should have made a point of making sure you got your bill promptly. From top to bottom and front of the house to back of the house, that Applebee's failed utterly to deliver on their promise.

What happened next was inexcusable. The waitress simply vanished. She never came back to see if we wanted dessert, to bring us our check, to see if we needed anything else. Hell, she never even came back to clean up the mess.

I can partly understand this. She's just made a mess everywhere, and is embarrassed. I've known many servers who, after doing this, just want to bury their head in the sand. I've been there myself.

But what should have merely been an embarrassing accident turned into a miserable failure for two simple reasons. First, she never cleaned up the mess. Completely unacceptable. Secondly, while I understand not wanting to show your face again, the only way you can do this is to have another server or the manager take over her duties at the table so that they are not left high and dry, as you were. Total fail on her part.

She got the tip she deserved: nothing.

[Greenday]

I liked Applebee's when my friends and I first started going in college for half price apps. But the service began to drop off, the food wasn't as good, I got food poisoning the one time I ordered steak. I don't frequent there anymore.

Worst service was when we went out for my mom's birthday in August to a local restaurant. The waitress was slow as hell. She got our drinks wrong. Dinner came out and a bunch of stuff like sides were missing. My step-dad ordered some dish that had blue cheese in the name but there was no blue cheese. He asked the waitress about the missing blue cheese, but instead of getting it fixed, she flat out denied that there was supposed to be blue cheese on it. To top it all off, she had a horrible attitude throughout the night. I got a manager, we told him what was going on, then she mysteriously wasn't seen for the rest of the night and the manager was taking care of us. He told us at the end of the night before we left that he fired her. She had been total crap at her job, lying to customers and such, and he was sick of it so he fired her. Justice served!