Thursday, November 8, 2007

Germany-the country that service forgot

It is a well known fact that Germany is a kind of service wasteland in comparison to the US for example. After reading Melisa’s rant about her recent Wal Mart experience I thought I will share my hubby’s experience in a local restaurant last night. Maybe we’re a bit touchy feely after having experienced great service in Ireland but I just thought this was too much.

The hubby and our super nice neighbor that is also our catsitter (the cats love him to bits) decided to go to the movies. Our neighbor wanted to go and have dinner before at a Mexican restaurant located in the same building. As the hubby had already had dinner at home they decided to meet at 8:15pm. The movie was about to start at 8:30pm. Now the neighbor meanwhile had been waiting for his food for 45 minutes (that in itself being ridiculous) and was finally served just as he was supposed to meet the hubby. A short phone call later the hubby joined our neighbor in the restaurant, keeping him company and waiting for him to finish dinner so they could head on over to the movie theatre.The waitress came and asked if my husband wanted to order. He politely declined saying he was just waiting for our friend when the waitress said “If you’re not going to order anything I am going to have to ask you to leave”. Needless to say that my husband as well as our friend were thinking this was a joke which I can assure you it was not. So both of them were left with their mouth wide open. The hubby was then lectured how the restaurant was having to cough up rent and pay for electricity and heating...
Well whatever. As they were now running late for the movie anyway they paid, left no tip but let the waitress and everyone within earshot know they would surely never come back.

When they got home I thought I was gonna have a heart attack when I was being told. I felt like paying a little visit and punching that stupid girl’s lights out. But you can’t mash a brain where there is none so instead I decided to write an email to the manager and post a few bad reviews on the best-known restaurant review websites. With so many people staying out of restaurants in Germany because they simply can’t afford it you wonder where the restaurants get their attitude from.

11 comments:

Danielle Athanas said...

Wow. That's just ridiculous. Your hubby and his neighbor are right to not go back - AND to tell your friends about the poor service too!

Melisa Wells said...

That is CRAZY! Even if they have that stupid rule, especially after waiting 45 minutes for his food in the first place, your neighbor should have been given some extra consideration for his "visitor". I don't understand that at all. What is the world coming to???

Oh, and I loved this: "you can’t mash a brain where there is none". I think I'm going to use that in my own sentence at work today, if that's alright, Kat!

Melisa Wells said...

By the way, "nice" to know that the US is not the only country with some stinky customer service!

Maggie Moo said...

That is absolutly insane. I can't believe it...really. I can understand them being disappointed that one patron isn't eating, however:

1. The guys food was late and caused him to make your husband wait.

2. Your friend wasn't sitting with anyone anyway-your husband wasn't taking a seat away from a paying customer.

3. That's just insane.

I would have flipped out if that happened to me. I think I might have gotten arrested. LOL

Unknown said...

Walmart is the worst place on the planet in every aspect, not just service!
That is horrible and reminds me of a time the kid and I were eating at a restaurant and when the food came it was cold! We told the waiter and he asked me "do you want me to microwave it for you?"

Jen said...

That is the most effed up thing I have ever HEARD! OMG! I would have been SUCH A BITCH!

Then I would have done the same thing as you and left a bunch of bad reviews on all the websites ; )

Anonymous said...

That is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Personally if I didn't get my food in 30 minutes I would just have left. Screw them. I requested a refund for Denny's takeout because my sister wanted a hard boiled egg and 20 minutes later we were waiting for the egg while the rest of the 3 full breakfast meals were on the counter for 10 minutes...the manager gave me the refund.

Valley Girl said...

Some people are just so rude!!!

Andi said...

Good for you....writing about it.

kat said...

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words.
@Danielle-I am so going to tell anyone who wants to listen
@ Melisa - you may use it of course and by no means have I had service worse than in Germany
@ Mags - we have so many things in common. I would've gotten arrested too if I would've been there, which luckily for them I was not
@Spazzgirl- who in their right mind would offer to microwave your food again? That is rude and just as bad

@Jeninacide - I am so on the same page with you

@ Patty - I would've left sooner as well but the guy hasn't had food all day and nothing in the fridge but I know what you mean. You were right to request a refund. 20min for a hard boiled egg? They must have taken boiling that egg very seriously.

@ Valley Girl - Spot on. I still feel like physically hurting them

@ the bluest butterfly - I felt less angry after a bit of writer's therapy :o)

Mrs. J said...

ewww what a very rude waitress! I dunno why it took 45 mins to serve the food! TOTALLY ridiculous.