It’s Valentine’s night, not just a regular Tuesday night. Any decent establishment should know to properly staff their employees to handle a high volume night. Well. I went to Bossa Nova for a friend’s birthday and endured one of the worst customer service experiences. We had a large party of about a dozen people. The booth had enough seats to accommodate all of us and when I arrived, the place settings were already set. The waitress took our drink order and leisurely came by to service the stragglers who came in late. When we finally ordered our food, we had the option of either ordering straight off their regular menu or from the prix fixe menu. With our large group, two people ordered off the prix fixe and everyone else ordered enough tapas to feed our army of guests. About 45 minutes later, the food started to pour out. With no rhyme or reason, the server came by and started to drop off food plates. I asked, “What are you bringing out?” His smart ass replies, “I’m bringing what you ordered.” No shit asshole. Clearly I can see that. With at least 6 plates simultaneously coming out, he should have had the common courtesy to tell us what was on each plate. I told him, “We don’t remember what we ordered. Can you tell us which dishes are part of the prix fixe menu?” He responds, “Look, I’m just the server. I bring out the food. You can ask your waitress.” What.a.fucking.moron. I desperately looked for his hat and cymbals, like typical performing monkeys have – But no such luck. I wondered if I gave him a penny he’d sing and dance. Two hours into the meal, we asked for the check. After waiting 45 minutes for requested silverware (since there wasn’t enough place settings) and still waiting for the check, I stood up and looked for the waitress (which was no where to be found). One of the servers came and I asked, “Could we please have 2 boxes to go and the check. Now.” She looked at me as if I was going to laugh. “We’ve been waiting for 45 minutes for the check. I really need to go.” She replies, “I’m asking for your patience tonight because we’re really busy…. And we made special arrangements to accommodate your large party on Valentine’s night.” Then she walks off. I completely understand restaurants being busy on Valentine’s night – but people in the hospitality industry should know AND expect a packed house on nights like these. Definitely not our fault for the manager’s lack of common sense to properly staff their employees. If serving a reservation that was made 2 weeks ago “accommodating a large group”, I’d hate to see what they do with their normal business. While checking the status of our waitress sorting the bill, I asked a bus boy, “Who is your manager tonight?” He responded, “We don’t have one tonight.” What kind of business are they running? I’ve dined at Bossa Nova a few times in the past and had regular service. Nothing over the top, but nothing as terrible as tonight. I wonder if they’re under new management. Whatever the case – The food is pretty good, the place is cute but the service sucks ass. Keep that in mind if you ever go – Make sure you have at least 3 hours to spare for shitty service.
February 15, 2012
Bossa Nova can bite me
2 Responses to “Bossa Nova can bite me”
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February 15th, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Dear Thao,
I’m motivated to respond to your blog post, even against my better judgement, because i, and my co-workers at Bossa Nova, really do care about our customer service and the experience of our guests. Although I can only speak for myself, I’d like to address some of your points, since we did our best to accommodate your party. Clearly there were some misunderstandings in this regard, which I’d like to address below.
The first misunderstanding I’d like to clear up is is follows. You seem to think that when I said we “accommodated” your party, I meant that we agreed two weeks in advance to reserve a table for a large group on one of the busiest nights in the hospitality business. Actually, the reservation made two weeks ago was for a party of 8. So, when i said we accommodated your party, what I meant was that we agreed at the last minute to increase the size of the party from 8 people to 12 people, even though we were fully booked. We were happy to do this, because we wanted the birthday girl to have all her friends at her birthday party, as we bend over backwards to meet the needs of our customers.
Secondly, I’d like to respond to the following excerpt from your blog:
“With no rhyme or reason, the server came by and started to drop off food plates. I asked, “What are you bringing out?” His smart ass replies, “I’m bringing what you ordered.” No shit asshole. Clearly I can see that. With at least 6 plates simultaneously coming out, he should have had the common courtesy to tell us what was on each plate. I told him, “We don’t remember what we ordered. Can you tell us which dishes are part of the prix fixe menu?” He responds, “Look, I’m just the server. I bring out the food. You can ask your waitress.” What.a.fucking.moron. I desperately looked for his hat and cymbals, like typical performing monkeys have – But no such luck. I wondered if I gave him a penny he’d sing and dance.”
In the above quote, you are speaking of our food runner for whom English is a second language. Clearly any food-runner should be able to address your questions about the food, and we have told him that if he doesn’t know how to address a question to please direct the customer to the server, which he did. You may not like the fact that he was unable to answer your questions about the food, and that you were inconvenienced by having to ask the server, and I can understand your frustration. However, that is no reason to berate him in print on the internet, calling him “smart ass,” an “asshole,” discourteous, a “fucking moron,” and a “monkey.” Especially your last (albeit ungrammatical) sentence, “I wondered if I gave him a penny he’d sing and dance.” Your words are abusive, disrespectful, and mean-spirited. it seems to me they reflect more poorly on you then they do on Bossa Nova.
Finally, you say you waited too long for the check, it was at that point that you asked me to personally to bring it to you. When I found your server to convey the message, she relayed to me a very important detail that you have neglected to consider: at the time you asked for the check, your dessert, a plate of homemade cupcakes brought by your party which we were happy to store and serve you after your meal, had not been brought out yet. In fact, two people were working on getting all your cupcakes ready to serve with candles –as you and i were talking. In Bossa Nova, we do not wish to rudely make anyone feel rushed to leave by delivering the check prior to the delivery of the dessert–especially at a birthday party. Of course, if someone requests a check, we strive to accommodate that request. However it is unfair to say the service is slow due to the wait time on the check, when we were busy preparing to present your dessert. What is rude is making the birthday girl embarrassed by demanding the check before the cake was delivered, and exclaiming at the top of your lungs as you walked out the door “THIS PLACE FUCKING SUCKS,” and writing a horrible review on yelp and your blog, even when we went out of your way to make room for your party on one of the busiest nights, when we were already booked.
It is important to realize that verbal assaults on the internet can be very damaging. As a blogger, it is important to consider the effect words can have on others and also on local family businesses. I took the time today to write this comment, in order that you might see that there is a more positive way to express your frustration, than lashing out at people who tried to accommodate your needs and provide you with a positive experience. Clearly we did not succeed, and for this, I apologize.
In the future, constructive criticism might be a better option for you as a diner, rather than using profanities and negativeness. Especially, at least, on Valentine’s Day.
Sincerely,
Ashley
February 15th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Thank you Ashley for taking the time to write this.
To ensure we are talking about the same thing – Your server spoke perfect English. I would not berate anyone who I knew did not understand me.
I wish you had this positive attitude last night when we initially tried to talk with you. Your attitude last night was in line with the server (aka food runner) and unnecessary.
We waited 45 minutes for the check. I highly doubt it takes 45 minutes to put candles on cupcakes.
You wrote, “there is a more positive way to express your frustration” – I would have rather settled this with the manager last night, but there wasn’t one on duty. Perhaps you’ll take my blog as “constructive criticism” and better prepare your staff next time when a holiday comes around.