Around 9:30pm on 10-7-06 we went to the Winston Salem, NC TGI Friday's at Hanes Mall. We looked inside and it was not that busy there were several empty tables and staff was standing around talking. We usually go to the one in Greensboro but decided to change and go to Winston this time....BIG MISTAKE!
We waited about 15 minutes or so for a table which was fine. We were seated and given 3 regular menus????? My party was 2 adults and a 4 year old...where was the child's menu? We had to get up an go look and ask several people for the child's menu. We finally got the menu but no crayons...ok I can deal with no crayons. We looked over the menu and decided what we were going to order. We waited and waited watching people pass by but never stopping at our table. People all around us that were seated AFTER us got service. OVER 15 minutes later our server came by to take our drink order. She apologized and said it was her first day. WHY her first day would be a Saturday is beyond me, that is just stupid scheduling! We later found out that was a lie it was not her first day. We ordered 2 waters, a mixed drink, a beer, and a child's lemonaide and fried macaroni and cheese as an appetizer. We were about to order our entree when our server walked off! About 10 minutes AFTER we ordered our beverages she was back with 2 waters, 2 teas, and an ADULT size glass lemonaide which she put in front of my 4 year old. We reminded her 1. we did not order any tea and told her again what we ordered 2. we asked for a kid's cup with a lid. She went off again to "fix" the mistake and took the tea with her. Someone else in the meantime brought out our appetizer. We had time for it to cool down and eat it and drink everything left at our table and she still had not come back to us. She went many times to tables all around us and we were ignored when we tried to get her attention. We also still have not placed our order and have the menus. Around 35 minutes have now passed since we were seated, we still have not had a chance to place our food order but at this point she did bring silverware and napkins. We try to tell her we are ready to order and would like more water and the kid's cup but she runs off again! My daughter said she needed to use the restroom. We go into the ladies room and there is SOMETHING puddled ALL OVER THE FLOOR. I am not sure if a toilet overflowed or if someone pathetically cleaned it. No wet floor signs either. NONE of the stalls have toilet tissue except for one of them and it was lying on the floor in a puddle of something! I had some tissues with me so I carried my child in, had her stand on the toilet while I got her clothing ready, I picked her back up and set her on the seat, stood her back on the toilet to wipe with MY tissue, fixed her clothes again, then carried her to the sink to wash our hands. The counter was soaked with water and soap and the trash can was overflowing all over the wet floor. I got her hands washed the best I could, used MY hand sanitizer, took her back to the table, went back and cleaned my hands. When I got seated at the table again we still had menus, the drinks were still empty and the server had not been back. People all around us had food. FINALLY someone else brought out the mixed drink and beer we asked THEM for more water and a kid's cup. The beer was hot. About 10 minutes later they got around to getting our water and a kid's cup. About 45 minutes after being seated our server came by and took our menus, we asked if we could order and she walked off. About 48 minutes since being seated our wait person comes by to ask US why we have not gotten our food yet....we reminded her she had not taken our order yet! The bartender was the only bright spot in the whole place. He was waiting tables and trying to smoothe over upset customers! In the meantime we watched people be seated, order, eat and leave....while we were still waiting. We also watched some people have a word with the manager then leave, and others still just got frustrated. got up and left. One table of 4 was being served their drinks and said loug enough that I heard her that she wanted something else, the wait person who was ours as well, ignored the customer and kept walking away from them.
I called the manager over and spoke with him about the horrid bathroom and the unacceptable service and he just stood there nodding like an idiot not listening to a word I had to say. He offered NO APOLOGY. I was told later by another employee that the manager I spoke with was leaving and probably did not care one way or the other I also informed him I would be contacting the home office and EVERYONE else possible which includes writing a review of my experience on SEVERAL websites. Again, no apology, no trying to make things right, no trying to smooth things over, just stood there like a dummy nodding his head, then he walked off. I see now why the wait staff is so bad! A trip to eat out that should have taken no more than 2 hours (travel time included) took over 4! There was NO EXCUSE for this. I WILL be telling everyone possible including the media what a sorry place this is. We will from now on go to the Greensboro location when we decide to eat at TGI Fridays. So far things have been wonderful there.
I wish there was a star rating for below poor! This business does not even deserve 1 star!
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