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Ok well hubby has me order a pizza for dine-in. We then happily took off for some pizza in the 25 min. time frame we were given by phone.
We came into the restaurant with barely a seat available. Out of the approximately 8 tables they have available. Three large tables were reserved. Some others were being used. We lucked out though. Before we sat we told the young girl we had ordered ahead. Next thing you know the owner comes and tells us..." we have messed things up here." " How is that?" I asked. She replied, " we do not take orders ahead," "now things are all messed up." She stood there and stated, " what if someone orders a dinner and when they get here the dinner is not ready."..." Well, I stated..." I wouldn't order a dinner ahead at a restaurant." She replied," This IS a restaurant." She walked away before my husband was going to mention we have done this dine-in option before. Just turned her back on us.
By golly, I am standing inside a pizza place that holds the side room vacant waiting for people who want a "grand dinner."
So we sit and a young waitress who was very nice to us served us our pizza even after the owner stated something about " now we would have to wait."
So many people came in looking at the reserved tables and were unable to sit. Later the reserved table people would stroll in a half hour late with no speech about how they held things up. People still standing waiting for a place to sit. I started to rush just because of
their needs.
If you were this business owner would you turn people away, or open up the other side room for them? I would open up the side room. ( of which I have never seen hardly anyone in.)
Even "fine" restaurants that I have been in served pizza in the dining area. All being equal most of use enjoy pizza once in awhile and perhaps might return for a dinner one day.
So we sat uneasy after being admonished by this rude owner.
My children say, "don't go back there." They were shocked at the banter.
However, all of us like this pizza so I most likely will.
Have you been rudely attacked at a pizza place or a restaurant, and what would you do?
Summering,
Youa re upset at what the owner said to you.
Your not upset about not getting a seat, because you did.
Your not upset about not getting the pizza you had ordered ahead of time,
because you did get the pizza.
Don't order the pizza ahead of time to eat in next time.
That's all.
Personally, I have NEVER heard of anyone doing that.
I have been all over the eastern seaboard for pizza, and I have never once
seen a pizza restaurant make pizza up ahead of time for a dine IN customer.
Dine in is usually first come first served, unless reservations are made.
DO you understand that?
I would go back, and the next time you order over the phone,
just pick the pizza up to go and leave.
That's exactly right Butterfly, as far as I did get a seat. Lucky me. But, I felt bad for all the other
people who had to wait while this place has a huge seating area just one wall over. Open it up for gosh sakes.
I have always thought about others first. That is what I do. Apparently some people don't.
I brought it up as a business question actually. Would you as an owner of a business start a rude rant to your patron? I would hope not. I wouldn't.
I have been all over the eastern seaboard too and it is VERY common in NJ and NY. In fact after this happened I spoke to people in NJ and NY that confirmed this.
If there was no seat for us we would have most certainly took the pie home. No issue with that at all.
So do you understand that I have an issue with rudeness to others in a public place.
Sometimes my husband and I just want a pizza at home and other times we enjoy going out and staying.
I will never call this Pizza Parlor again ahead, but I will go and stay there. If I am allowed to do that...
I found your original post to be a little bit confusing - first you said you called in a dine in order to a restaurant and then you said that you told the person you would never call in a dine in order to a restaurant, etc. I have also never heard of calling ahead for a dine in order, but it does sound like a good idea if you want your food ready when you arrive. I might just have to try it sometime! And how do you know that they are holding that side room vacant for people who want a "grand dinner"? Maybe they don't have enough staff to seat people there and people do get even antsier when they are seated and not served in a timely manner, as opposed to having to wait for a table.
And how do you know that the people who had reserved tables were late? You said, " Later the reserved table people would stroll in a half hour late with no speech about how they held things up." How did you know what their reservation times were and who in the world has ever "made a speech" about why they were late? I certainly never have announced any such thing to other diners, nor I have ever heard anyone else do something like that. How would one do that? I'm cracking up, picturing someone walking in and yelling out, "Sorry, y'all, we are late! The traffic was horrible! Sorry about that!"
But that is all beside the point. I can't imagine why a restaurant owner would be so rude to you. It seems very uncalled for and if I were you, I would be upset about the rudeness, but nothing else. Perhaps they misunderstood that you were calling your order and planned to eat it there at the restaurant, as opposed to take-out, which is what most people do when calling in a pizza order, or any other kind of food order. Like I said, I have never heard of anyone doing this, but it's absolutely no reason for the owner to be rude to you. Too bad they didn't just tell you that they would seat you as soon as possible, etc. At least you did get seated and I hope you enjoyed your meal. I wonder about that because you said you rushed because of other peoples needs. I would never do that either. How do you know what their needs were? How do you know they minded the wait and even if they did, so what? Those things happen and it's not your responsibility to make other people happy.
I say, if you like the food, go back. If the offensiveness of the owner put you off so much that you don't want to eat there again, then don't eat there again. If you want to order ahead and eat your pizza at the restaurant, make that very clear when you place your order because after all, it is an unusual request. Maybe to be extra sure, make a table reservation at the same time.
But no matter what, the owner being rude to you is totally out of line. Sorry you had such a bad experience at this place. There are so many wonderful restaurants around here, as I'm sure you know, and being rude to customers is just uncalled for.
I have to tell you all that this was " my husbands" idea as he said they did it all the time back home. (NJ) Then I remembered also that we did. For pizza only...not for dinners. ( yikes)
Again, everyone...it was not on the restaurant side, but the side that is for "pizza" and " take out" or "delivery."
As I have said..." I would never order ahead for a regular dinner, and have never, ever, done that."
I called into the Pizza Parlor to "dine in." and then gave the young lad our order. I don't think that is such a bad request. Unusual to some, but not to us. He had me on hold for a bit but came back on with no issue.
How do I know the tables were being reserved? Because there was a reserve sign on them from when we came in at 6PM. I know how long they were empty because I was there. You had to see the people longing for one of those tables to understand that holding them so long for people is an error.
I found out on Trip Advisor that another couple was upset about the reserved tables while they waiting forever. At this same place.
After his wife was shunned by a question on this, the husband went up and spoke to the owner. The owner told him to " get out if he didn't like it." They did..." and will never return"". Per their Trip Advisor statement.
If I am late to anything I do say "I'm sorry" ...it is the first words out of my mouth. I watched them waiting for these people to arrive.
The other side...This is a side with a fancier menu of Italian dinners. Which is great. Table cloths and more grand. Mostly when we go in, it is full of empty seating. I'm just saying, use it. They are not the Bellagio.
Let your pizza guests use it. Many times we go in a group of 12 or so and it would be great.
How did I know people were waiting for a seat? They were in the front, on chairs, waiting.
Rudeness is never right. Never acceptable. FYI...I will not order a "dine-in" again that's for sure.
One thing our family can agree on in food is pizza. They all love it. Some like different kinds.
When we go out in a group everyone has a different type.
Often when family is here we get carry out. Sometimes delivery. We have some that eat it cold too...ugh.
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Huh?
