Well, we all know there is a crisis all around the world economically. Company cutting back staffing to surplus their bottom line. Personally, I understand the "concept" behind it, but was always taught..........."it takes money to make money"
Now that all the companys have cut back and alot closed p completely..... I believe competition b/w companys of the same suit are important. Being better then your competitor will keep your head afloat. Im just sick of seeing half ass work and service from companys during a time they should be striving for more.
My family and I ate at Applebees tonight. Was complete shit. So, I sent them an email. I encourage everyone to do the same if you have a problem with a public businness. The only way to fix things is to let them know.
If you have a problem and make an email...post it here. But ALSO email companys who go above and beyond. Post those as well if you like. Also post the emails you get back from them
Heres mine to Applebees corperate:
To whom it may concern:
I would like the oppertunity to write you reguarding my recient visit to one of your Applebee locations. More specific, the location on 14 mile road, just west of Stevenson in Madison Heights, MI.
Our party consisted of 6 people total. My wife, my mother, my sister, my 2 young sons (3 and 2), and myself. We recently had a choice of $25 gift cards to quite a few resturants from a company we deal with. Although your establishment was not the closest, we have had good dining experiances at Applebees in other locations. Due to the past satisfaction we have had in the past, we decided to pick Applebees as our choice.
Upon ariving to the resturant, we were plesently suprised to see no line out the door, a typical sign of no waiting. Being it a Sunday afternoon, we expected to see more patrons, but again, we were happy to see that we wer not 5 or 6 familys deep in line. We walked in and I noticed quite a few open tables. I counted 6 upon entering. This was more an observation then me looking to find every open table. My family and I waited around 5 minutes for the hostess to return to her station. She greeted us properly and asked all the approprate questions to assist us. She then told us it would be a 20-25 minute wait. Immediatly we were all confused and I started looking around more through the resturant. Other then the 6 open tables I saw when walking in, I noticed another 5 open tables on the other side. Please note, I do not know what sections were smoking, and which were not. I do know we had no preferance. Out of the total 11 tables I saw open, 5 of them still had yet to be "bused". I noticed every group that entered after us had a usual 5 minutes added to their time as opposed to that we were told. The first party of 2 that was there prior to us was seated around 10 minutes after we came in. They were seated at one of the open/cleaned tables that had sat their empty since we were there. I can not say how long they waited, nor how long the table was open. I can, however, say the table was open and cleaned 10 minutes prior to them being seated. Around the 15 minute mark, someone seeming to be a manager came to assist the hostess. He spoke to her for a moment, and then they both went to clean a few of the unbused tables. During that time 4 groups entered. Neither the manager nor hostess acknowledged them. 2 of the 4 partys ended up leaving. 1 person from a party waiting after us approached the hostess and asked.. "I see alot of open tables, why are we waiting? Are you short staffing?” The hostess replied “We just had 2 partys of 11, things got backed up. We will seat you as soon as we can” The patron actually appologized for even asking or questioning the hold up. At no time did the hostess appologize for the wait or offer to “check” on things. (A typical thing most employees can do to show the customers they are atleast doing what they can to move things along.)
After around 25 minutes we were seated. The table was clean as was the floor around us. Our waiter approached us with in 5 minutes asking us for our bevarage choices. All but the beer came relitavly quickly. I can understand the bar, having to service the entire resturant, may get backed up from time to time. Waiting a few extra momnents on the beer was understandable.
We had a situation with a spill of our drink from 1 of our children. It was promply adresses, cleaned, and replaced by the staff. The wait staff seemed to be ready and willing to help.
After our order was placed, it was around 15 minutes before service. That time frame is not typically long, but with all said above, it felt longer. The waiter did appologize for the wait. However, one of our sons dropped a piece of chicken, out of our reach, on the floor. Watching many employees pass it, eventually it was stepped on and grinded into the floor. Not 1 employee was looking at the ground or paying attention to debris white they walked. Atleast in the area we were in. This is vital in every publically open establishment, expecially resturants. Companys are and should be rated on face value in reguards of how much pride the staffing takes in cleanliness. This was a dissapointment.
As stated above, we have visited a few locations previously and all went well. I will have to say this time, however, noone in our party was happy with the food we were served. Everything was made according to the menu reguarding portions, but taste wise lacked quite a bit in comparison to the food I have been server before from Applebees. Summing it up....the food was really dissapointing.
After expressing what I personally experianced, I would just like to leave you with my opinions and thoughts.
I have been in retail management for 10 years. I understand more then ever the economy downfalls and how hard it is today to “make a buck”. I know, as well as you, that it is a fight for every dollar vs your competitors. How do you strive to be the best? Be better then them. How do you do that? Well, thats for you ‘being in the resturant industry’ to decide. I have to say, Applebees unfortunatly did not deliver tonight.
My bill was only $60 prior to the $25 gift card. I am not one of those “I spent $1,000,000.00 here in the past year, so I deserve to be treated better” kind of people. If my family and I never visit your establishment again, it wont effect your businness. I understand that also. I just wanted to make you aware of 6 patrons experiances.
I hope Applebees progresses during this trying economical time and comes out ahead..... but my family and I will not visit that specific location again.
Best reguards,
Now that all the companys have cut back and alot closed p completely..... I believe competition b/w companys of the same suit are important. Being better then your competitor will keep your head afloat. Im just sick of seeing half ass work and service from companys during a time they should be striving for more.
My family and I ate at Applebees tonight. Was complete shit. So, I sent them an email. I encourage everyone to do the same if you have a problem with a public businness. The only way to fix things is to let them know.
If you have a problem and make an email...post it here. But ALSO email companys who go above and beyond. Post those as well if you like. Also post the emails you get back from them
Heres mine to Applebees corperate:
To whom it may concern:
I would like the oppertunity to write you reguarding my recient visit to one of your Applebee locations. More specific, the location on 14 mile road, just west of Stevenson in Madison Heights, MI.
Our party consisted of 6 people total. My wife, my mother, my sister, my 2 young sons (3 and 2), and myself. We recently had a choice of $25 gift cards to quite a few resturants from a company we deal with. Although your establishment was not the closest, we have had good dining experiances at Applebees in other locations. Due to the past satisfaction we have had in the past, we decided to pick Applebees as our choice.
Upon ariving to the resturant, we were plesently suprised to see no line out the door, a typical sign of no waiting. Being it a Sunday afternoon, we expected to see more patrons, but again, we were happy to see that we wer not 5 or 6 familys deep in line. We walked in and I noticed quite a few open tables. I counted 6 upon entering. This was more an observation then me looking to find every open table. My family and I waited around 5 minutes for the hostess to return to her station. She greeted us properly and asked all the approprate questions to assist us. She then told us it would be a 20-25 minute wait. Immediatly we were all confused and I started looking around more through the resturant. Other then the 6 open tables I saw when walking in, I noticed another 5 open tables on the other side. Please note, I do not know what sections were smoking, and which were not. I do know we had no preferance. Out of the total 11 tables I saw open, 5 of them still had yet to be "bused". I noticed every group that entered after us had a usual 5 minutes added to their time as opposed to that we were told. The first party of 2 that was there prior to us was seated around 10 minutes after we came in. They were seated at one of the open/cleaned tables that had sat their empty since we were there. I can not say how long they waited, nor how long the table was open. I can, however, say the table was open and cleaned 10 minutes prior to them being seated. Around the 15 minute mark, someone seeming to be a manager came to assist the hostess. He spoke to her for a moment, and then they both went to clean a few of the unbused tables. During that time 4 groups entered. Neither the manager nor hostess acknowledged them. 2 of the 4 partys ended up leaving. 1 person from a party waiting after us approached the hostess and asked.. "I see alot of open tables, why are we waiting? Are you short staffing?” The hostess replied “We just had 2 partys of 11, things got backed up. We will seat you as soon as we can” The patron actually appologized for even asking or questioning the hold up. At no time did the hostess appologize for the wait or offer to “check” on things. (A typical thing most employees can do to show the customers they are atleast doing what they can to move things along.)
After around 25 minutes we were seated. The table was clean as was the floor around us. Our waiter approached us with in 5 minutes asking us for our bevarage choices. All but the beer came relitavly quickly. I can understand the bar, having to service the entire resturant, may get backed up from time to time. Waiting a few extra momnents on the beer was understandable.
We had a situation with a spill of our drink from 1 of our children. It was promply adresses, cleaned, and replaced by the staff. The wait staff seemed to be ready and willing to help.
After our order was placed, it was around 15 minutes before service. That time frame is not typically long, but with all said above, it felt longer. The waiter did appologize for the wait. However, one of our sons dropped a piece of chicken, out of our reach, on the floor. Watching many employees pass it, eventually it was stepped on and grinded into the floor. Not 1 employee was looking at the ground or paying attention to debris white they walked. Atleast in the area we were in. This is vital in every publically open establishment, expecially resturants. Companys are and should be rated on face value in reguards of how much pride the staffing takes in cleanliness. This was a dissapointment.
As stated above, we have visited a few locations previously and all went well. I will have to say this time, however, noone in our party was happy with the food we were served. Everything was made according to the menu reguarding portions, but taste wise lacked quite a bit in comparison to the food I have been server before from Applebees. Summing it up....the food was really dissapointing.
After expressing what I personally experianced, I would just like to leave you with my opinions and thoughts.
I have been in retail management for 10 years. I understand more then ever the economy downfalls and how hard it is today to “make a buck”. I know, as well as you, that it is a fight for every dollar vs your competitors. How do you strive to be the best? Be better then them. How do you do that? Well, thats for you ‘being in the resturant industry’ to decide. I have to say, Applebees unfortunatly did not deliver tonight.
My bill was only $60 prior to the $25 gift card. I am not one of those “I spent $1,000,000.00 here in the past year, so I deserve to be treated better” kind of people. If my family and I never visit your establishment again, it wont effect your businness. I understand that also. I just wanted to make you aware of 6 patrons experiances.
I hope Applebees progresses during this trying economical time and comes out ahead..... but my family and I will not visit that specific location again.
Best reguards,
