"...grind the pepper yourself, it's the same thing"

As I have stated previously, I can't stand bad service or bad food..especially if I am paying for the meal! Ooooh, hate it! Not everyone is cut out to be a server, but if you are one..please do the job the best that you can. I guess that can be said for all professions.

I had mentioned in an earlier blog that I would mention what I affectionately refer to as "the pepper grinder incident". Well, today's your lucky day. That, and we ate at the same restaurant last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It was yummy.

Since I live in Marysville, Wa...the fine dining choices are quite limited within a 40 mile radius. Granted, there are several good restaurants in town which are good but if you are craving the fine dining experience or a fresh piece of halibut...you are on a road trip to either Seattle or Bellevue (40+miles one way). One exception to this is Anthony's Home Port in Everett. Chris and I will go there for a special evening or if we are just craving fresh seafood. I grew up with Anthony's and Arnies in Edmonds being so close and frankly, took them for granted. Not anymore.

What I like about Anthony's is that it's close to us and both the food and service are consistent. Well, up until our visit that fateful evening a little over a year and a half ago....

To preface, I just would like to say that I completely understand that everyone has a bad day. You can't be cheerful all the time, even if you are in customer service. I can tell the difference between an off night, a new server and then what we had...

The dinner started out with just small things..the server took longer than she should have to greet us and take our drink order, no cocktail napkin for under my drink (I am a freak about condensation on my drink glass). While we were waiting for our appetizer to come (steamed clams) she was arguing with the couple behind me about a question they had regarding a mystery vegetable on their plate. Then it moved into things like, we didn't get small forks for the clams and there was no bowl to put the shells in. I got a "put out" attitude when I nicely asked for a bowl. She responded - "for what?" Uh, the clam shells - hello? (I said that last part in my head). And then the moment happened. You know, that moment when things go from tolerable to not so much. Our salads arrive and now picture this: she puts them down and just starts walking off - doesn't say a word. I am staring down at my salad and then I look up at Chris to notice him staring at my salad and then at me. He looks up and calls out to the server "excuse me?" she comes 1/2 way back to the table. 1/2 way! Not back to the table. That is part of what makes this moment so memorable (the manager seemed to be equally speechless as I retold him later...but I don't want to get ahead of myself here) Chris said, and keep in mind, we both are still being friendly with her at this point... "could my wife get some fresh ground pepper for her salad?". I am one of those who likes a little food with my pepper.... So the server, whose name was Kacy H. (as printed on our receipt) says half turning to walk away.."there is a pepper grinder on your table, you can grind it yourself...it's the same thing".

Insert looooooong dramatic pause here.

We both just look at each other. I'm sorry, did I really just hear what I think I heard? Ok, at this point..I am mad, but not pissed. Not yet.

Just then, I turn around to notice the table diagonal from me grinding the pepper for each other on their salads. What just happened? I am so confused. So now with our server out of sight, there wasn't much else to do but grind the pepper myself on the salad from the one on the table. We ate our salads in silence. We did that because of the arguing from the table next to us and up a couple of steps (if you have eaten there, you know what I am talking about) was having with each other over fresh ground pepper. It was a "good old boy" taking a couple out for dinner and you could tell that he was treating them. At one point, he said to the same server as she was, again, walking away from his table..well, more like raised his voice to say to the server along the lines of "I want some fresh ground pepper on my salad before I am done eating it!" That fresh ground pepper never did come for him either. There were other misc. discussions/arguments taking place at the other three tables with and without the server that we could hear bits and pieces of.

Our entrees come. Our server was not the one to bring them. I had ordered lobster, and on the plate sat a baked potato. "Um, excuse me...did I get a choice of starch with this entree?" was my question. I asked because I didn't remember getting a choice and I NEVER order a baked potato as a side. They are too filling for me. The way that this particular gal fell all over herself to right the wrong of the starch was a stark contrast to the "I don't care what you need" attitude of our server. And it reminded me in a flash of the kind of service I should expect at Anthony's and I was instantly over it. All of it.
I think I did ask for a different side dish, and she was very kind..but the damage was soooo done. Our server was crazy enough to come and ask us how dinner was. My response was to put my fork down and deliberately turn to look out the window. I think Chris said something quickly to her to make her go away before I flipped out. He read my mind and all he could say was " please, for me wait until we are home before you talk to the manager" because, oh yes...the manager was going to chit chat with me about this one and Chris didn't want a scene.

I couldn't get home fast enough. I dialed the number and asked for the manager. I could tell that he picked the line up from the hostess desk because of how noisy it was in the background. I began with letting him know that I had a few concerns with the service we had received that evening at dinner. When he went into his manager mode, I began with...ahem, and I quote "well, I guess it all started going down hill when our server told us to use the pepper grinder on our table and grind it ourselves, it's the same thing." I heard nothing but the murmur of the busy restaurant coming out of the phone for about 10 seconds. His next words were "would you mind if I put you on hold? I would like to go into my office so I can take notes".

We like Scott the manager.

Long story concluded: Scott did what I would expect a manager should. He took notes and there were several more gasps and pauses on his end as I had narrowed down the evening to the few moments that prompted my phone call. He was kind enough to invite us back for the same meal again...on Anthony's. Which was delicious and every bit of the special evening that the time before should have been. I had him come to the table so I could personally thank him for his attention. We still go back to Anthony's and it is because of how Scott the manager dealt with the situation.

I don't want much, just fresh ground pepper on my salad.