Saturday, January 3, 2015

I So Wanted to Like This New Restaurant


 
 
Good morning!  I hope today finds you well.  15 minutes posting timer is on here.
 
Yesterday was one of those days I got to sit around mostly, because I had the holy satisfaction of a slightly achy body.  New Years got started off right.  Two hours of exercise.  The only part I missed were my triceps, so typing on this laptop caused no pain at all.
 
Yesterday I also got to try out the darling restaurant above, open for breakfast and lunch in a tiny hamlet near me.  I discovered it new year's eve day and was so excited I could park myself somewhere new for breakfast.  Sometimes I feel embarrassed to show up at my regular spots - alone, with my New York Times or a good book - "Here's the lady with no friends!" It seems to broadcast, as tables fill up with chatting couples and families.  "She should have a sense of shame and free up a table for two!".   So I either try to avoid the busy diner hours, from 8 - 9 a.m. or sit at the counter. Well, I got to this place about 10 a.m.. Three tables for two, and the waitress led me to one.  I ordered French toast $10, and a cup of coffee $3 and pulled out my book.  The French toast was delicious, though it was served on a paper plate ?!?  The sweet waitress returned and asked me if I'd like more coffee.  Since my cup was now half full, I said  "Sure.   Could you top it off?"
 
OOps!  Time's up.  I'll be quick. The bill came, and she'd charged $1.75 for topping it off!  So this woman became the lady every waitress remembers - the one who leaves a tiny tip of $1, for a bill of $16.  But I went out of my way to explain why and paused at the counter on my way out.  "1.75 to top off my coffee?  The waitress didn't tell me I would be charged.  Of course I would have said 'no'.  Frankly, I feel fleeced, like you're nickel and dimeing your customers.  Generally restaurants don't charge for a refill.   Makes for happy customers.  A little goodwill  is generated.  This charge takes away the goodwill.  You will see I left a tiny tip and this is why."
 
I hoped they would remove the $1.75 charge, but they didn't budge. 
 
Don't know if I'll return.  But if I do, you can be sure I won't agree to have my coffee warmed up. 
 
Have a lovely day, friends!
May your day be warm and bright

6 comments:

  1. $10 for French toast is bad enough and on a paper plate. What were they thinking? I have never ever been charged to top off a cup of coffee. It will be fun to watch them close their doors when they aren't able to build a customer base who keeps coming back.

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  2. My thoughts exactly. I would have become a regular customer but for the exorbitant charges.

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  3. Yup! Their business will be done by summer. I don't drink coffee so don't know if they charge to top is off--I don't think so. I have never paid $10.00 for French Toast, it must have been a special bread? No sausage to go with it?

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  4. Multi-grain bread with fresh fruit and real maple syrup. Round here, restaurants charge $2 extra for real maple syrup, extra for fresh fruit, extra for ambiance, so I suppose $10 isn't out of line for fancy French toast (on a paper plate?!). The staff told me that coffee refills did start out free. But a couple ladies would hog a table and nurse one cup of coffee for hours, so they started charging. Come on, aren't there nicer ways to encourage people to be considerate of other customers?

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  5. I can see where some of thesesmall shops that offer WiFi could have a problem with people sitting all day and not buying much. And maybe in that case if would make some sense to charger for the 3rd cup (but not the second, for crying out loud). But they should clearly post their policy and/or set a time limit on tables. My cousins owns a restaurant and does have a 1 -1 /2 hour limit to tie up a table. He's been in busy over 50 years at the same location and is in no danger of losing customers over it.

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    1. I love your idea of charging for the third, but not the second cup, and presenting this policy with an amusing sign their clients can't miss. Hey, I've nothing to lose by returning and suggesting this!

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