Very disappointing...
I have been coming here for years and the quality has been consistently declining. Today may have been the final straw.
The last time I was here was with my girlfriend. We were seated on a hot day at the only table receiving full sun. The table was also rickety. When asked about moving the table or going to any of the other empty tables in the shade, we were told it was okay if we moved the table our selves.... Okay... The server was very nice, but very slow and forgetful. We ordered a coffee and a side of jam with the food. It took about 25 minutes for the food to arrive which is reasonable, but the server didn't check back once in this time. When the food arrived, no jam and still no coffee... fine it happens, not a big deal. So we ask the food runner to let our server know about the missing items... 10 minutes later she stops by, and we let HER know about the missing items. She scampers off and it is literally the last time we see her. About 5 minutes later the coffee is dropped off by someone else, and...still no jam.
At this point we have eaten everything except for the toast. My girlfriend still wants the jam so we ask for that... it arrives about 5 minutes later again. We finish the toast in a couple minutes and sit with an empty table for another 10, Until the general manager stops by with the check for us. We let him know about the issues we had and he says one word, "okay". Leaves the check and walks away. Pathetic.
To be fair the food was really good. That time...
I should say that I have worked in restaurants for 10 years. I have worked as a server, a bartender, back of house, and management. Virtually every position. I am very understanding and very forgiving. I tip well and generally try to make the staffs lives easier.
Today I was sat at the bar and service was fast and friendly at first. I ordered the two egg breakfast. An item I have ordered a dozen times. The item I ordered in the story above in fact. Unfortunately, the toast came out almost soggy. It was cooked on the griddle on one sided only. The griddle side was soggy with butter and the other side was completely soft and uncooked. Not a big deal I think, it has never come out like this before. It always has some crispness to it, even if they "toast" it on the griddle.
A couple minutes later the general manager walks by and asks how the food was. I let him know about the toast. He says one word "okay", then turns around and calls back to the kitchen to get another order of toast. Sure enough it comes up exactly the way it came out before. The server checks back this time. I pick up the toast and show her how it bends in half if you hold it on one end. It is obviously greasy and soft.
I try to explain that I've never had it this way before and I'm really not feeling it. I suggest that they may need to check whats going on with the ingredients or the kitchen. Instead of asking what they could do to make it right, offer something else, or offer to take it off the bill, she looks at me annoyed and says "Okay". They didn't even apologize. The GM was standing behind her listening to this interaction the whole time. It's just pathetic. On top of it the rest of the breakfast was disappointing as well this time, for example the hash browns were soggy and barely warm.
I know how to run a top notch front of house staff. Keep them happy and make the customers come back. The whole time I was just itching to step in and start fixing their problems. It is clear that the problems in the staff are coming from the top. I sure the GM has plenty of talents, but running a half way decent front of house staff is not one of them.
Because I have had enough decent meals here I could be coxed into coming back, but it would probably take direct outreach from the GM or owner at this point.