Too Big to Care

I am not a fan of chain restaurants. It isn't that I don't like the food, or think I am "above" eating in them; I love drive-thru burritos, and chicken Caesar wraps that are the same from coast to coast. Oh, and don't even get me started on how Happy Meals have saved my life when with nieces and nephews. No, it isn't the food that gets me, or the atmosphere for that matter, canned as it may be, since I like clean places, and chains are usually the cleanest. No, what gets me is the fact that most chains have crappy customer service, because they aren't required to do any better. After all, a company with millions of customers, even in this economy, isn't required to care about one or two. Or, in this case, fourteen.

My husband comes from a large family that tries to get together at least once a month. Due to the large number of people, and varying tastes, that usually means we end up at one of the many chains that populate Utah. Yesterday, to meet to review pictures from Grandpa's 80th birthday party, the choice was Olive Garden. That is when I learned that hell serves delicious breadsticks.

With a party the size of ours we usually try to make a reservation. However, the OG does not accept them. They don't even want to be warned. When I called I was told they were "never busy at that time" and that I "shouldn't worry." Nevertheless, my husband and I got to the restaurant 15 minutes early, only to find his sister was already there, and had put our name in. The wait was supposed to be less than a half an hour. We thought we were golden.

Then an hour went by, and the real adventure began.

I could go into details here, but I won't. Suffice to say, there were many, many excuses, my minor blow up asking for the name of the regional manager, and three, count them, three, free appetizers. Then there were lost orders, long waits, mixed up dinners, and a family member left to watch as we all ate and then asked him to put his dinner in a box because the kids were about to explode.

At the end of the meal I walked out ahead of the family because I thought I was about to explode. And that's when I noticed it: nobody cared. It wasn't just the restaurant treating customers shabbily, it was the other way around as well. I overheard two waitresses talking about how they had been stiffed by mid-size parties. I saw a couple simply walk away from an enormous amount of food debris left on the floor by their toddler. And I saw a table of teenagers run their fingers over their glasses, creating that galling, high pitched noise, despite the fact it was obviously bothering other diners. That's when it came to me: no one cares. If it is a chain, no one thinks they are accountable for their behavior. Everyone believes they are anonymous, and absorbed into the crowd, and therefore have no real responsibility to behave.

It almost makes me think that Locavores should stop pushing the global warming issue, and start pushing the manners issue. Of course, what do I know? I am only one person, and the Olive Garden certainly won't miss me. And as long as I eat at other restaurants owned by their parent corporation they won't care.

Should we?

Follow Libby Mitchell on Twitter: www.twitter.com/logicallibby

Comments

[mgj2727]

It doesn't have to be a chain to offer poor service. So many restaurants here in LA that are locally owned and operated (and in Chicago, where I used to be) - live down to that standard of poor service.

And this is to say nothing of the pricing of food/alcohol at these places - in LA, the appetizers are now running about $10 a dish and the entrees run around $20+ (and this a pasta!). Most wine lists here serve plunk at the under $50 price point.

My partner and I have given up on the more expensive restaurants and are focusing more on BYOBs or doing potlucks (as mentioned in other posts). Most people find that when you eat at home, the service is better, wine is better, no tax and no tip required! And they aren't trying to upsell you on the basics, such as water - seems here in LA the mantra is "sparkling or still"... not telling you that the 'still' is still bottled and runs $8 a bottle. You HAVE to ask for 'just tap'. And then they make you feel bad for that.

So, your comments about the chain restaurants are quite true - but guess what, the same swill is floating around many (most? some?) locally owned restaurants. I'm tired and exhausted by the hipper-than-thou attitudes, the lack of service, the constant and oppressive up selling, the marginal food, the plunky wines.

[68-lukeburlington]

When a chain restaurant sends a "secret shopper" to a location (and ALL the chains use secret shoppers), what that shopper is sent to listen and look for is NOT good service.
What the company want from their servers is: DID YOUR SERVER OFFER A SPECIFIC PROMOTIONAL ITEM?
Did the server up sell you order? (if you order a piece of pie, did the server offer to make it a'la mode?)
Was your party greeted with the canned greeting specified by the company? ("Welcome to the Olive Garden, Where everything is super-cheesy!")
and did the server offer a specific desert item?

They really don't care if the service was bad, because a bad server wouldn't suggestive sell.

[JScott]

Well to get their attention probably all 14 of you shoulda walked out without paying the bill.

Next time go elsewhere to places that better accomodate large parties of 14.

I can kinda relate tho I went to a Daphne's Greek Restaurant and waited FOREVER for them to bring the rest of my order, I just walked out, I next went to their website and complained about the service at this particular restaurant, their response was that they would meet with the managment and staff.....I have no idea if this service improved at that one, as I stated in my complaint that I would never go there again.
It was just at that location, as I have gone to their other locations and never had that problem.

[Halsey]

steve...errr..they neve HAVE seen Polesiasns before )cept as minster of missionary)...why not just have to BIG family dinner at home...POT LUCK and YES..boys get tlo clean up)..and NEVER shop at Walart...let's try to save American..One chain restaurant at a time. "kaY?

[marinara]

Dear blogger: Now you know what millions of other people already know. Everything about those restaurants..... is crap.

[Tommie Barlow]

I am very glad that at the end of your article you tried to make it seem like the fault wasn't only with the workers at Olive Garden. I find that all too often people, customers, are willing to forget that people who work at fast food chains are people just like them. Some of the worst days of my life were spent behind the register at McDonald's. I am sorry you had bad service. Next time choose a place that takes reservations.

p.s. You should never EVER eat at an Olive Garden. Too oily.

[tck29]

Good point.

Waiting tables is a huge pain in the a**, mostly due to rude and cheap customers. I always use "please" and "thank you" for everything, and always over-tip. That said, I expect decent service and a smile. That part isn't too hard.

[Conk]

How quaint. You expected civility, manners, and thoughtfulness. That crap is way out of style today. Rudeness and selfishness rules baby!

[sidthekid27]

You're so right! I think it's the symptom of a larger problem. People complain about customer service but it's not just customer service. We have forfeited quality out of laziness in many areas and it really is sad. No one opens the door for people anymore. No one says "please" or "thank you". It's like we've started to slip away from that sense of being civilized, decent human beings, and it's not just companies that get it wrong but often times customers as well. It's a two way street. People, overall, have gotten nastier, angrier, more demanding and less appreciative. There is, as far as customer service is concerned, the tendency to treat those types of workers like gum caught on the bottom of your shoe. It's treatment that (I know from experience) is very aggravating. Many people walk around with this sense of entitlement that eclipses the need to actually treat others like human beings. It's really sad.

[Ato Essandoh]

You get what you pay for...

[josephebacon]

I'd rather go to a local family-owned restaurant than a chain. The Olive Gardens here in the los Angeles area are closing and losing business but there are many wonderful independent Italian places here in Los Angeles that make you feel wanted and they appreciate seeing you. Something you don't see too often in chains.

[clemmers]

Agree! Vote with your pocketbook. I prefer to patronize locally-owned businesses and find it refreshing and delightful. Believe me, the corporate owners of Olive Garden couldn't care less what you think about their service - a local business will!

[dieselis]

Well this is the American workplace. Slacker central the art of work and good service isn't a requirement. Thank GOD there are exceptions. The family nucleus has suffered from a rift actually caused by not sharing dinner as a family unit were everyone pitches in and serves one another. Dad and Mom are the ultimate referee's and diciplinarians. All the days crap and grievences came out at the dinner table. We don't even bless our food anymore. You better not even think about eating before grace. As for the sandwich I'll try one. Won't be putting all that sauce on it, I'll take the sauce on the side. Has to be cooked while I wait, I don't mind. It'll never make it.

[SteveDenver]

The Olive Garden in central Denver dried up and blew away. I just noticed a new restaurant is taking over. Sorry you have to endure such crappy service and terrible food, but when I visited Utah, our service consistently sucked and we were stared at like people in that state have never seen Polynesians before.