All you can eat my AZzzzzzz

[HUSKER 37]

I went to Chompies in Chandler Friday after my Son's Soccer Game for "All you can eat Fish" and they refused to give me 3rds..

 

We were so hungry afterwards, we had to get a pizza at Domino's on the way home....

 

Worked out to over $3 per guppy...I ordered 2nds as soon as I saw how small the portion size was and had I known they closed so early, would've put in an order of ~tripple that..I tipped the waitress ~20% because I felt bad for the spot she was put in, but I'm wishing I'd refused to pay the rest of the bill..

I called the Mgr the next Morning asking for a partial refund but he refused..Offered me half a dozen bagels.

 

.

[Cactusboy]

had I known they closed so early, would've put in an order of ~tripple that..

 

.

 

So it was because they were closing?

 

Is that the one by the mall? I haven't been to a Chompies but I used to live really close to that mall.

[T_O_Bull]

That's CRAP H37. Bad word of mouth advertising will work against them. Tell everyone you know and as many as you can that don't.

T_O_B

G>B>R

[charism4]

T_O_Bull is right, In the end it's their loss. Especially if more people find out about it. But if they refused your next serving because they were closing, they should have at least given you a partial refund.

[HUSKER 37]

The waitress was kind enough to google the closest Domino's Pizza to finish my meal.

 

Cactusboy..It's the one between Target and Chandler Fasion Mall.

 

I went back a week later after I'd calmed down a little, but was even more pissed after talking to the mgr..He then went on to say "all you can eat 'within reason' " and re-offered me 6 free bagels..I just told him I'd rather complain about them on their facebook page..

 

I wish I'd asked permission to bring in a camera crew and have it aired on "3 on your Side" (Local TV segment that tries to reunite people with their lost wages/money/scams).

[strigori]

All I can think about when it came to all you can eat fish, and not getting enough is the Simpsons episode where Homer gets kicked out of the all you can eat seafood restaurant, and then sue for false advertising.

[Conga3]

Something sounds fishy here.

 

You went to a restaurant with an "all you can eat" fish promotion right before they closed and you're upset they stopped serving you?

 

I can't imagine a restaurant refusing service after only 2 orders... unless the kitchen was closed - or they wanted you to leave for other reasons (appearance, body odor, behavior, etc...)

 

I understand some restaurant owners "try" promos then figure out they are losing their ass and 'water down the margaritas' per se...

 

Others are bad managers and can't control the kitchen vs. servers vs. mangers battles that go on behind the scenes.

 

BUT, having been in food service, I've seen too many customers abuse promos and get upset with food orders that are put in after the kitchen closes...

 

---

 

I'm going to need to conduct a full investigation into this matter before passing judgement.

[HUSKER 37]

Something sounds fishy here.

 

You went to a restaurant with an "all you can eat" fish promotion right before they closed and you're upset they stopped serving you?

 

I can't imagine a restaurant refusing service after only 2 orders... unless the kitchen was closed - or they wanted you to leave for other reasons (appearance, body odor, behavior, etc...)

 

I understand some restaurant owners "try" promos then figure out they are losing their ass and 'water down the margaritas' per se...

 

Others are bad managers and can't control the kitchen vs. servers vs. mangers battles that go on behind the scenes.

 

BUT, having been in food service, I've seen too many customers abuse promos and get upset with food orders that are put in after the kitchen closes...

 

---

 

I'm going to need to conduct a full investigation into this matter before passing judgement.

 

Yeah..I realize I know almost nothing about food service..Other than the names of most of the bacteria that will get them closed down..Although my 1st real job was while I was in Jr. High ..a week before I turned 15 and a new supermarket chain came to town and hired me...Being a "Man of the World" Naive me asked for 25 cents an hour and they lowballed me at $2.21/hr (min wage..Thought I was gonna be rich!).

.Spent every day in class for the 1st week having "The Customer is ALWAYS right" drilled into my head over and over...Watched all the filmstrips..on how to be curteous to the customer..while avoiding all foodfights..Even worked at a sister store in Kearney while they finnished building our store.. stayed at that job (weekends durring Football season) until I went to UNL ~4 years later..Apologizing to every customer for breathing wrong..or just thanking them profusely..

 

My Son's soccer game got over just around dusk..And it was about 7:20PM when we pulled up to the restaurant..I'd had a craving for fish for about 3 weeks and had googled possible places, concentrating on all you can eat places because more times than not, I get hungrier after eating at most places than before I start. and being a single parent, we usually don't go out more than once a month.

 

It never occurred to me to check the closing time (9PM it turns out) it was a Friday night during Highschool Football playoffs..and even in smalltown (Holdrege) Nebraska..All two of the restaurants usually stayed open until 10 or 11..You'd think a metro area of over 2 Million and next to the biggest shopping mall I've ever seen would have restaurants stay open at least until 10PM..

 

My Son insists he wants to be a "vegetarian who only eats icecream" so I was really excited when he mentioned wanting to try BBQ'd Ribs and I'd noticed Chompies also had "All you can eat Ribs" on Sundays..

 

Before we even sat down, the waitress suggested the All you can eat Fish, but when I said that's was what I came here for..That and the ribs for my Son, she apologized and said they only served Ribs on Sundays.

 

I thought she was kidding at first, but then remembering how long it takes me to cook them, figgered it would probably take them 4-5 hours just to thaw them out..My Son got excited when he saw they had chocolate chip pancakes so we decided to stay.

 

It was about 8PM by the time they brought out our order..My Son later complained about the pancakes tasting "funny" and they did taste a little soggy to me..The 3 pieces of heavily bredded fish were each about the size of a baby's fist and were surrounded by about 10? fried potato wedges...When I realized these weren't just appetizers (while the waitress was still there) I asked for 2nds right away..and thinking to myself, "if these take ~35 minutes to show up after ordering we might be here until midnight...Which ---might be just enough time for my Son to finish the soupcakes".

 

The fishies were really hot, but I ate them as fast as I could, thinking the waitress would double my next few orders to get me out of there faster..I usually try to stay away from carbs but I hadn't had potatoes for forever and figured I'd "play along" with the restaurant's attempt at absorbing too much loss by eating their "filler" too...Plus I'd only eaten a bag of pretzels for lunch at 11AM so I was getting a little light headed and figured they'd get a little upset with me if I only ate the breaded guppies.

 

about 5 minutes after I finished the last tater, the waitress brought a heaping plate full of more fried tater wedges and two "guppies"...I inhaled that in about 7 minutes and next time i saw the waitress I asked for thirds...at this rate, I could easily see me going through 3 times what they'd brought out so far.and that this wouldn't even fill up my 112 # ex-wife.

 

That was about 8:25..When the waitress apologized that they had already closed down the kitchen..I wish I'd offered to cook them myself but I did ask if I could take some home with me..that I was more hungry than when I'd arrived..She then wanted to know if we'd be interested in their overpriced deserts..Which made my Son light up, but he'd only eaten a couple of bites of his pancake shaped like Mickey Mouse and trying to be a good influence on my Son...even (I) don't try to fill up on desert anymore..unless it's cookiedough..

 

My Son wouldn't eat any more of his soup.. er pancake.and after I took a bite, I said I didn't blame him...and just to prove a point to the waitress I rolled it up and ate it in one bite..She probably didn't notice..and promptly brought out my bill for ~$21...and then ~5 minutes later brought out another waitress with a smartphone who looked up Domino's for me (like I'd half jokingly requested after the refused 3rds).

 

I didn't feel comfortable using my American Express there for some reason, so I put $25 cash in the notepad thing and s l o w l y walked over to the restrooms with my Son..took our time draining the monsters and washing our hands real well thinking someone there might eventually come to their senses and offer me a partial refund..or some bagels..SOMETHING.

 

Actually I didn't think of the bagels until 5:30 the next morning after googling their headquarters and being reminded that they were a "NY style Bagel shop"... er something.

 

I stopped by after work a week later and talked to the Manager..He assured me this "never happens" where people don't get all they can eat "within reason", but there was "nothing he could do"..I suggested subbing the all you can eat Ribs in two days even though I was bluffing..I'm not sure what would happen to any food they'd serve to a "troublemaker" like me..(I hear stories from a local Shock Jock that used to manage another restaurant out here.).

 

In our conversation, I mention that it would be nice if they didn't recommend "all you can eat" if they're closing the Kitchen within the hour, or at least warn the customer when placing their order..Maybe have a "Last Call" or something..Then he divulged some info like how they usually only bring out two fish things at a time..(to wear us down? or hoping our appetites would catch up if they stall long enough?)..then tried to downplay the "within reason" comment..

 

By now I start thinking, "Accept a dozen bagels and a tub or two of the cheese smaerin's and get the price per unit volume down to a reasonable number so I won't feel so ripped off".and suggested it...He said, " I can't do that...How about half a dozen free Bagels after you buy a tub of $5 cream cheese?...That's when I just said, "No thanks..I'd just rather bitch about you guys on the internet...(Why couldn't I think to say "In my Food Column"?)

 

 

I would've been satisfied with a $10 refund.