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| - If I could have given today's experience negative stars, I would have.
The food was average. Nothing beyond what you can get anywhere else in this city. What takes places like this to another level is the service and the ambiance. This is what took Red Robin straight into the toilet.
From the moment we walked in, this place felt different. I've been here off and on for years, but there was a weird vibe in the air. I knew it was going to be a memorable visit after the hostess asked if we were "going to need a high chair for that?" while gesturing at our 9 month old daughter.
We were seated fairly quickly, which was nice, and our server seemed average, didn't tell us about anything new, didn't ask us if it was our first time at Red Robin (usually they do, and it wasn't, but still, try a little), and didn't bring us any silverware or napkins. Took our drink order, took our order, and left.
She knew we had a baby with us, and knew that she had just taken an order from the table of 8 behind us, and didn't bother to consider bringing the fruit cup for our daughter or my wife and I a basket of fries ahead of time since we'd be waiting a bit due to the large ticket in queue ahead of us. She didn't even bother checking on our drink situations in the meantime. Just went all ghost and ignored us.
In this meantime, my wife and I are entertaining our daughter and looking and watching around us. She notices the manager checking in with other tables and rolling her eyes a bit after a few exchanges with customers. I notice a few scoffs and eye-rolls among the staff, and start to get bothered by how the staff is acting like this job is beneath them.
Another server brings us our food. I had asked for a side of sauce that doesn't show up, but she gets it promptly. I had asked for no tomato on the burger, but was talked over so she must not have heard it. No big deal.
We go to serve some fruit to our daughter, but we still don't have any silverware or napkins, so we ask and some are brought reasonably promptly. And set right in front of our 9 month old daughter. Not the brightest of plans to set metal forks and knives in front of any small child, but especially one who is currently fussing a bit at not having any food.
At no point does the manager come by to check on us. Our server barely says another word to us after handing us the bill. They coasted this entire time, why did I expect them to suddenly make any effort? Because I thought they would want us to come back.
I'm of the belief that if you think your job is beneath you, then you should prove it. You never know who is watching or who you're serving, and who may be able to help you get out of the job that you don't really like. I mean, there are so many places to get a mediocre burger, you may as well offer above and beyond service to make it stand out.
I guess when even the manager is rolling her eyes at customers, the rest of the staff begins to believe that kind of behavior is acceptable.
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