Bad Coco Loco Restaurant Experience
Dan
Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
Over the weekend, I went there to celebrate a friend's birthday with a
group of about 20 people. The evening was great, the food was good. We
told the waiter it was a friend's birthday and asked how much a cake
would cost. We heard him say $17.00. That seemed reasonable, until we
got our bill. Unfortunately the restaurant charged us per slice of cake
and it showed up on our bill as $70. We politely explained the problem
to the waiter and the manager. Neither one was willing to do anything
about the charge for the cake. It is possible we misunderstood the
waiter, however I have never been to a nice restaurant where if you have
a legitimate argument about a charge the manager refuses to help you
out. Hell, I've gotten better service at McDonald's!
The manager was so arrogant that he said it was our fault for thinking
that "a cake at a restaurant like ours would only cost $17". What a
load of crap. The cake was a 12" round Chocolate Mouse cake that
probably costs about $15 at a nice bakery.
The kind restaurant was also good enough to automatically include a 20%
tip on our bill(Whatever happened to a standard 15% tip?). No where was
it written that a tip would be automatically included for large
parties. We decided we didn't get the service we desired and we left a
10% tip. The waiter counted the money as we left and called security to
prevent us from leaving. The manager's response..."It is the house
policy to set the tip if we want to". Since when can a restaurant
decide to add a charge to your bill without telling you. They might as
well change the price of your dinner after you order it.
All in all, I hope you will agree that patrons of a restaurant deserve
better treatment than the arrogant, self-centered responses we got from
the staff at Coco Loco. The best response I can think of to this is to
tell as many people to be arrogant and self-centered when it comes to
choosing your restaurant. The next time you are looking for a nice
dinner, go to any of the other great restaurants that DC has to offer.
You deserve better.
Jerry82218
large as 20 people--and 20% is usually the rate for such a group. BUT--they
should have told you this upfront.
I do think that $3.50 per slice of cake--particularly mousse cake--is not
unreasonable. Yes you could get one in a bakery for much less, but you could
get your wine in a liquor store for much less, too.
ju...@hammfamily.org
> It's not uncommon for a restaurant to add a service charge for a group as
> large as 20 people--and 20% is usually the rate for such a group. BUT--they
> should have told you this upfront.
My experience is that 15 or 17% is more likely. They should, indeed have
told them in advance, and they should have graciously accepted the lower
tip, given the fact that the diner had a good experience.
> I do think that $3.50 per slice of cake--particularly mousse cake--is not
> unreasonable. Yes you could get one in a bakery for much less, but you could
> get your wine in a liquor store for much less, too.
Yes, this is a clear situation where the information was not well
communicated. Clearly the waiter SAID $70, but it seems that better
communications and handling of the situation would have been better.
While I don't think this situation is as outrageous as the original poster
did, I certainly would not take a group to that restaurant!!
I also, many years ago, took a group to a fine restaurant and was
disappointed. It was a party, and we had plans for after dinner, and we
had about 15 people. It took us an hour to get menus, and the entire
dinner took over 4 1/2 hours. Every course was excruciatingly slow, and
of course, we never got to take our guest of honor to the club we wanted
to go to afterwards. We also had an expensive cake ($50) as part of the
celebration. We never got water refills, it was pretty terrible.
The reason I won't name this restaurant? Because the manager was very
nice about the whole thing, very apologetic, and permitted us to not
leave a big tip, despite our group size, given the service.
I will admit I have not been BACK to that restaurant, but I will not
besmirch it.
Kenneth Crudup
>I wanted to tell as many people as possible about a recent experience at
>Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
Honestly, what's the *point* of a posting like this?
-Kenny
--
Kenneth R. Crudup, Unix Software Consultant, Scott County Consulting
Home1: 8051 Newell St. #914 Silver Spring, MD 20910-0914 (301) 562-1922
Home2: 5355 Farwell Pl. #242 Fremont, CA 94536-7222 (510) 794-8040
Work : 3055 Orchard Dr. San Jose', CA 95134-2017 (408) 456-7845
ju...@hammfamily.org
> In article <373716C3...@nospam.com>, Dan <"dan<nospam>"@nospam.com> says:
>>I wanted to tell as many people as possible about a recent experience at
>>Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
> Honestly, what's the *point* of a posting like this?
To warn us of what to expect if we take a group to Coco Loco. Or more
accurately, to dissuade us from doing so. It worked for me. I won't
take a group there.
--
*Julie Holm, Northern Virginia, USA DoD #1604
*Virago Rider, avid cross-stitcher, church musician, geek and mom
*Official Armourer and Webmistress of the Nasty Girlie Gang
http://www.ziplink.net/~holm You can get to the NGG there if you try!!!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"You can wait a lonely lifetime for a knock upon your door;
Ships are safe inside the harbor, but is that what ships are for?"
(From "Wake up and Dream" by Thom Bishop and Ed Tossing)
Kenneth Crudup
In article <hDHZ2.248$PR3....@petpeeve.ziplink.net>,
ju...@hammfamily.org says:
>To warn us of what to expect if we take a group to Coco Loco. Or more
>accurately, to dissuade us from doing so. It worked for me. I won't
>take a group there.
Sheesh. Just as I thought. So, you really believe that instead of the sane
"having a bad day" conclusion, you'd rather believe there's some Rule #257
in the Coco Loco Operating Manual that reads "Make sure you screw over large
groups"?
I can only help but laugh at the people steadfast in their desire to "tell
the Whole Internet" about one bad experience they've had. It's just as bad
in the aviation newsgroups, but hey, the planes seem to keep flying, and
I'm sure Coco Loco will be around for years to come.
But, if it makes ya happy ....
Persepo...@nospamrocketmail.com
jho >In dc.dining Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
>> In article <373716C3...@nospam.com>, Dan <"dan<nospam>"@nospam.com> says:
>>>I wanted to tell as many people as possible about a recent experience at
>>>Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
>> Honestly, what's the *point* of a posting like this?
jho >To warn us of what to expect if we take a group to Coco Loco. Or more
jho >accurately, to dissuade us from doing so. It worked for me. I won't
jho >take a group there.
Me 3. There are too many choices in this area, and I refuse to give
my money to such a place. Consider Coco Loco LART'ed from my list.
While a %15-20 is considered in the "normal" range, and a
misunderstanding in the price /can/ sometimes happen- the manager should
have at least took a polite stance in this misunderstanding rather than
taking such a arrogant stance. His %20 tip is based on his perception
of "superior" service- what you need to do is some leg work and find out
who owns the place and let them know of the service quality and the
manager's radical tactics at collecting that %20.
Also, a piece of advice [not specific to this scenario]-> before going
to a place with a group of >6 people, you should call ahead and get a feel
for seating, pricing and tipping issues.
Herb Tyson
restaurants actually GIVING us a free cake, given that they're making so
much money on a large dining party).
However, trying to assess a 20% tip that is not clearly posted anywhere
isn't. Having security hold you against your will--after you had already
paid for the food--was illegal. They simply cannot do that unless the police
have been called (e.g., when a shoplifter is caught, security can hold the
suspect until the police arrives, but security cannot attempt to mete out a
sentence).
I would have called the police at that point. I would also have raised a
tremendous ruckus so that everybody in the restaurant knew exactly what was
happening and why. Getting more witnesses of any possible violence or
threats as you proceeded to leave can only help your case. Holding you there
against your will is called "false imprisonment." If you have witnesses and
can document what you say, you probably have an action against them,
criminal and civil.
Based on this, there are enough good places around that I'll NEVER go to
Colo Loco. The other guy's opinion notwithstanding, this kind of
information/experience is precisely why I read this newsgroup. Don't be
intimidated into not posting bad as well as good experiences.
Dan @nospam.com> <"dan<nospam> wrote in message
news:373716C3...@nospam.com...
MrKablooey©
"nice" restaurant, only water would be cheaper. As for the tip, it's
usually on the menu somewhere, but then again it's safe to assume that most,
if not all, restaurants will add the tip for large groups since they usually
get stiffed.
Dan @nospam.com> <"dan<nospam> wrote:
> I wanted to tell as many people as possible about a recent experience at
> Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
>
> Over the weekend, I went there to celebrate a friend's birthday with a
> group of about 20 people. The evening was great, the food was good. We
> told the waiter it was a friend's birthday and asked how much a cake
> would cost. We heard him say $17.00. That seemed reasonable, until we
> got our bill. Unfortunately the restaurant charged us per slice of cake
> and it showed up on our bill as $70. We politely explained the problem
> to the waiter and the manager. Neither one was willing to do anything
> about the charge for the cake. It is possible we misunderstood the
> waiter, however I have never been to a nice restaurant where if you have
> a legitimate argument about a charge the manager refuses to help you
> out. Hell, I've gotten better service at McDonald's!
>
> The manager was so arrogant that he said it was our fault for thinking
> that "a cake at a restaurant like ours would only cost $17". What a
> load of crap. The cake was a 12" round Chocolate Mouse cake that
> probably costs about $15 at a nice bakery.
>
> The kind restaurant was also good enough to automatically include a 20%
> tip on our bill(Whatever happened to a standard 15% tip?). No where was
> it written that a tip would be automatically included for large
> parties. We decided we didn't get the service we desired and we left a
> 10% tip. The waiter counted the money as we left and called security to
> prevent us from leaving. The manager's response..."It is the house
> policy to set the tip if we want to". Since when can a restaurant
> decide to add a charge to your bill without telling you. They might as
> well change the price of your dinner after you order it.
>
MrKablooey©
Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
> In article <373716C3...@nospam.com>, Dan <"dan<nospam>"@nospam.com>
says:
>
> >I wanted to tell as many people as possible about a recent experience at
> >Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
>
> Honestly, what's the *point* of a posting like this?
>
> -Kenny
MrKablooey©
people. To someone who doesn't care about being treated like shit, it's no
big deal. However to people who are hoping to be treated in a decent manner
at a place they are patronizing, it's a different story. What "Coco Loco"
did was not good customer service but who knows, perhaps everyone missed the
"automatic 20% gratuity" on their menu (if it is indeed printed there) then
again, it's not likely. I, like several others here, also will not
patronize "Coco Loco", even if I did know where it was.
Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
> >> Honestly, what's the *point* of a posting like this?
>
> > ju...@hammfamily.org says:
>
> >To warn us of what to expect if we take a group to Coco Loco. Or more
> >accurately, to dissuade us from doing so. It worked for me. I won't
A. Nonamus
MrKablooeyŠ <mrkab...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Did you read it?
I'm a new reader to this thread and, yes, obviously, I read it.
And while I personally probably would not complain about this,
an unexpected $53 charge on a restaurant bill is not good.
This will end up costing the restaurant more than $53.
Which is why better restaurants try to settle things before
a disgruntled customer has a chance to spread the word.
Opinion by A. Nonamus.
Eric Gorr
service was bad is enough to make me not go to this restraunt.
This part of his story was more then just "one bad experience." It
appears to be restraunt policy.
Now, if you don't mind this policy, then by all means, don't let me stop
you from going to this place.
There are so many options in this area, it's nice to know about those
one could potentially eliminate.
Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
> Sheesh. Just as I thought. So, you really believe that instead of the sane
> "having a bad day" conclusion, you'd rather believe there's some Rule #257
> in the Coco Loco Operating Manual that reads "Make sure you screw over large
> groups"?
>
> I can only help but laugh at the people steadfast in their desire to "tell
> the Whole Internet" about one bad experience they've had. It's just as bad
> in the aviation newsgroups, but hey, the planes seem to keep flying, and
> I'm sure Coco Loco will be around for years to come.
>
> -Kenny
--
== Eric Gorr ====== ICQ:9293199 ====== http://www.teleport.com/~ericg ==
"Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both
benefit and harm." - Sun Tzu
== Insults, like violence, are the last resort of the incompetent... ===
Persepo...@nospamrocketmail.com
person that complains, there are probably two or three dozen that will
not because they think "its just one bad experience".
I for one appreciate the posting. Would I take family or business contacts
there in the future? hell no- I simply won't risk the embarassment/waste of time
in dealing with the manager calling security or any other crap like that
now that I know who is running the show there.
In dc.general Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
KC >Sheesh. Just as I thought. So, you really believe that instead of the sane
KC >"having a bad day" conclusion, you'd rather believe there's some Rule #257
KC >in the Coco Loco Operating Manual that reads "Make sure you screw over large
KC >groups"?
KC >I can only help but laugh at the people steadfast in their desire to "tell
KC >the Whole Internet" about one bad experience they've had. It's just as bad
KC >in the aviation newsgroups, but hey, the planes seem to keep flying, and
KC >I'm sure Coco Loco will be around for years to come.
Miguel Cruz
> The kind restaurant was also good enough to automatically include a 20%
> tip on our bill(Whatever happened to a standard 15% tip?). No where was
> it written that a tip would be automatically included for large parties.
> We decided we didn't get the service we desired and we left a 10% tip.
> The waiter counted the money as we left and called security to prevent us
> from leaving. The manager's response..."It is the house policy to set the
> tip if we want to". Since when can a restaurant decide to add a charge to
> your bill without telling you.
They can't (no matter what they say). At that point, I'd say the tip goes
down to zero percent, and if anyone continues to try to keep you from
leaving, call the police on your cellphone. Making a huge scene is optional,
but based on each party's stake and interests, it certainly couldn't hurt.
What are they going to do, ask you to leave?
miguel
Bill
> In article <373716C3...@nospam.com>, Dan <"dan<nospam> wrote:
> > The kind restaurant was also good enough to automatically include a 20%
> > tip on our bill(Whatever happened to a standard 15% tip?). No where was
> > it written that a tip would be automatically included for large parties.
> > We decided we didn't get the service we desired and we left a 10% tip.
> > The waiter counted the money as we left and called security to prevent us
> > from leaving. The manager's response..."It is the house policy to set the
> > tip if we want to". Since when can a restaurant decide to add a charge to
> > your bill without telling you.
I have seen people complain many times about places where I have had good
experiences. It almost always boils down to one server who didn't give a shit
for his job. This, however, is a lot different since the manager came into the
argument. I think of the thousands of people that read this group and
understand what has happened here that Coco Loco has lost a lot of business
instantly and will lose a lot more as word of mouth spreads this story.
I feel like calling them and pointing out that they should read this group just
so they will remember the event.
Kenneth Crudup
>I think of the thousands of people that read this group and
>understand what has happened here that Coco Loco has lost a lot of business
>instantly and will lose a lot more as word of mouth spreads this story.
Yeah, sure. Does this place ever have a wait at the door?
Maria Rost Rublee
The difference between good service and bad service is how they deal with
the problems. The attitude and the actions of the manager in this case
have led me to cross this restaurant off my list. A crappy waiter is one
thing, a crappy manager is quite a different story. With all the
wonderful restaurants in this area, why chance a bad experience and why
patronize a place with managers like that?
Maria
John Wheeler
you'd not go back to a restaurant, or advise others of your experiences? -John
Wheeler
Kenneth Crudup wrote:
> >> Honestly, what's the *point* of a posting like this?
>
> In article <hDHZ2.248$PR3....@petpeeve.ziplink.net>,
> ju...@hammfamily.org says:
>
> >To warn us of what to expect if we take a group to Coco Loco. Or more
> >accurately, to dissuade us from doing so. It worked for me. I won't
> >take a group there.
>
> Sheesh. Just as I thought. So, you really believe that instead of the sane
> "having a bad day" conclusion, you'd rather believe there's some Rule #257
> in the Coco Loco Operating Manual that reads "Make sure you screw over large
> groups"?
>
> I can only help but laugh at the people steadfast in their desire to "tell
> the Whole Internet" about one bad experience they've had. It's just as bad
> in the aviation newsgroups, but hey, the planes seem to keep flying, and
> I'm sure Coco Loco will be around for years to come.
>
> But, if it makes ya happy ....
>
Kenneth Crudup
John Wheeler <vwhe...@erols.com> says:
>So Kenny, how many, if any, bad experiences must you have before you decide
>that you'd not go back to a restaurant, or advise others of your experiences?
Damn sure more than one, and even if I did get online with it, I sure wouldn't
expect much of an impact. Any restaurant with a waiting list couldn't care
less about me or the 20 (*maybe*) people who'd read my article *and* care.
Persepo...@nospamrocketmail.com
warning on their management practices. If you are one of the 20 people that
read the message and would like to continue partronizing them at least
you'll be ready for the stupid-management-tricks from Coco.
In dc.general Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
KC >Damn sure more than one, and even if I did get online with it, I sure wouldn't
KC >expect much of an impact. Any restaurant with a waiting list couldn't care
KC >less about me or the 20 (*maybe*) people who'd read my article *and* care.
b...@upc.com
poster doesn't and is not familiar with standard restaurant practices.
It is almost always the case and expected that for groups of more than
6 a tip of 18-20% will be added to the bill. It is also expected to
pay about $6.00 per dessert. The restaurant charged about 1/2 price
for the dessert and was at the high end of the tip scale although I
frequently tip 20% for good service. The reason that the tip is added
for a large group is partially to aid in figuring each person's share
of the bill with tax & tip included. It is expected that a large
group will spend the entire evening at their table taking all of that
waiter's time and so a larger than normal tip is assesed. If this is
the only complaint, put me down for a reservation now. This has to be
the greatest restaurant in the world, serving a group of 20 people
with no complaints about slow service or poor food? How much more do
you want? The attitude of the staff was poor but if your boss only
paid you half of the paycheck that you had worked for you would have
an attitude too. I am actually adding this to my list of places to go
when I visit there next week. I need to take a group of 6 out for a
nice dinner.
ju...@hammfamily.org
> waiter's time and so a larger than normal tip is assesed. If this is
> the only complaint
This is not the only complaint or even the relevant complaint. The REAL
problem here is the behavior of the Manager afterwards. It was extreme
given the situation, and not at all conciliatory.
Things can go wrong at restaurants, and do. Managers making things worse
is a problem much more than any service-oriented stuff.
ak...@my-dejanews.com
Bob wrote:
[snip] The attitude of the staff was poor but if your boss only
> paid you half of the paycheck that you had worked for you would have
> an attitude too. I am actually adding this to my list of places to go
> when I visit there next week. I need to take a group of 6 out for a
> nice dinner.
>
I'd be interested in hearing your opinions of the food and service after
your visit, as I have yet to hear anything positive about Coco Loco.
Please send us a review.
--
Bloodmonkey Media, Inc. (http://bloodmonkey.base.org)
"Your eyes are full of hate, Forty-One. That's good. Hate keeps a man
alive. It gives him strength." - Jack Hawkins meeting Charlton Heston
among the slaves in "Ben-Hur"
--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==--
---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
Richard Quin
>
>I am actually adding this to my list of places to go
>when I visit there next week. I need to take a group of 6 out for a
>nice dinner.
Well, good luck. I ate there once and was very unimpressed. In a city with
many excellent restaurants, you have much better choices. I admit the decor
was pretty nice and the service fair during my visit, but I would have rather
the money have been spent on finding a better cook. If you want a nice dinner,
I recommend Red Sage or numerous other similar places. I doubt you'll be
impressed at Coco Loco, unless ambience means more to you than the food.
The complaint, as I read it, was not so much about the service charge, but
rather the manager's attrocious behavior. Like most who posted here, I would
not think of returning to a spot where the manager tried to illegally hold his
guests captive when they were willing to pay for their food but had what they
considered a legitimate complaint about their treatment. I also agree that if
the restaurant adds a service charge for larger groups, it should be stated on
the menu. I often see this on menus at places I frequent; in such cases, one
knows what to expect. This is only fair.
ju...@hammfamily.org
> In article <37415995...@nntp.we.mediaone.net>, b...@upc.com says...
>>
>>I am actually adding this to my list of places to go
>>when I visit there next week. I need to take a group of 6 out for a
>>nice dinner.
> Well, good luck. I ate there once and was very unimpressed. In a city with
> many excellent restaurants, you have much better choices. I admit the decor
> was pretty nice and the service fair during my visit, but I would have rather
> the money have been spent on finding a better cook. If you want a nice dinner,
> I recommend Red Sage or numerous other similar places. I doubt you'll be
> impressed at Coco Loco, unless ambience means more to you than the food.
Gotta agree with you. Much better places to eat around.
> The complaint, as I read it, was not so much about the service charge, but
> rather the manager's attrocious behavior. Like most who posted here, I would
> not think of returning to a spot where the manager tried to illegally hold his
> guests captive when they were willing to pay for their food but had what they
> considered a legitimate complaint about their treatment. I also agree that if
> the restaurant adds a service charge for larger groups, it should be stated on
> the menu. I often see this on menus at places I frequent; in such cases, one
> knows what to expect. This is only fair.
Yup. Or make that clear. There is nothing wrong with a service charge
being added for groups, but it should be made clear in advance. The fact
that a service charge this large is not made clear in advance is (IMHO)
another clue that the management attitude is not very customer friendly.
Bill
> This is not the only complaint or even the relevant complaint. The REAL
> problem here is the behavior of the Manager afterwards. It was extreme
> given the situation, and not at all conciliatory.
I agree with you totally. You can get a bad waiter a lot of times but
when the manager is involved in the complaint, that's it for that
restaurant. I am yet to hear anything good about this place.
I can understand how someone can go in a large business group
where one person pays, never running in to a problem of this sort.
Groups are a lot harder to deal with I am sure but that is no reason
for the service to fail or the manager to not correct the situation.
Joym999
the service were just ok. Much, much better tapas, not to mention better
service from a much friendlier staff, can be found at Jaleo, which is just a
few blocks away from Coco Loco.
I also agree with those "manager at fault" school of thought about the original
Coco Loco posting. I was surprised that so many of the responses didn't think
the restaurant had done anything wrong; I guess that's why Coco Loco still has
customers.
While it's certainly reasonable and common for a restaurant to have a service
charge for large parties, I have never heard of a place that doesn't mention to
the customers UNTIL they get the bill.
Scott Dorsey
>I go to fine restaurants all of the time. It is obvious that this
>poster doesn't and is not familiar with standard restaurant practices.
Yup, that's true.
But there are a lot of people who aren't familiar with them. That is
no reason for the management to be impolite, though. In the real world
there are misunderstandings, and when there are misunderstandings, the
people on both sides of the aisle are to blame.
But it's the job of the manager to smooth over that kind of problem, and
to make the customer pay the fee while leaving the customer with a good
feeling, that he got his money's worth from that fee.
And that is the difference between good management and poor.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
Christopher C Stacy
That's just a guess, of course.
Kenneth Crudup
Christopher C Stacy <cst...@world.std.com> says:
>Actually, I think thousands of people read these articles, not 20.
So? How many will actually *care* and/or *act*?
Christopher C Stacy
> So? How many will actually *care* and/or *act*?
Presumably the reason that people are reading the reviews posted here
is because they are taking the recommendations into account when planning
their dining excursions.
Why do you read the messages posted here?
Just to entertain yourself with pointless arguments?
Kenneth Crudup
Christopher C Stacy <cst...@world.std.com> says:
>Why do you read the messages posted here?
It's crossposed to "dc.general" (presumably to inspire the outrage of the
entire DC Metro area- I'm sure Coco Loco is boarding the doors as we speak).
Secondly, have you followed the entire thread?
Maria Rost Rublee
: It's crossposed to "dc.general" (presumably to inspire the outrage of the
: entire DC Metro area- I'm sure Coco Loco is boarding the doors as we speak).
I don't understand this attitude. The person gave us information. That's
what the newsgroup is here for. You are welcome to do whatever you like
with that information, including ignore it. But why mock the concept of
posting about a negative experience, especially about a very negative one
and with a business that is locally owned and operated? It's not as
though the restaurant has 100 franchises (and thus attitudes at one
location are not necessarily going to be encountered at others). And even
if it did, you might want to take warning that that specific location has
management problems.
It seems to me that you either dispute the fact that the incident happened
as described (the manager calling security, etc), or that you don't think
the incident reflects on the management at the restaurant. Well, if it's
the first, then just call the guy a liar and be done with it. If it's
the second, then just state your opinion and understand that most people
don't agree with you. Bad waiters are one thing, bad managers are
another. The first means you might have a bad experience, the second can
come closer to guaranteeing it.
I don't recall seeing many restaurant reviews by you in this group; why
don't you contribute some thing positive instead of just harping on those
who take the time to post?
Maria
Kenneth Crudup
Maria Rost Rublee <mru...@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> says:
>then just state your opinion and understand that most people
>don't agree with you.
That was two weeks ago. It's not my fault that people are late reading news,
rehashing old threads.
>I don't recall seeing many restaurant reviews by you in this group;
I don't subscribe to dc.dining .
I still don't understand the rationale behind the "Boycott _____! I had a
(single) bad experience" threads I see all over Usenet, and find them
reminiscent of the way schoolkids tattle on their peers. If the place is
*that* bad, the free market will take care of them soon enough.
ju...@hammfamily.org
> (single) bad experience" threads I see all over Usenet, and find them
> reminiscent of the way schoolkids tattle on their peers. If the place is
> *that* bad, the free market will take care of them soon enough.
Generally I don't either, even though my husband tends to have this
mentatlity. anyone can make a mistake. But sometimes the mistreatment is
so bad that it may warrant it. In this case, the management reaction was
entirely over the top, in my opinion.
Miguel Cruz
> I still don't understand the rationale behind the "Boycott _____! I had a
> (single) bad experience" threads I see all over Usenet, and find them
> reminiscent of the way schoolkids tattle on their peers. If the place is
> *that* bad, the free market will take care of them soon enough.
But the mechanism for that is people communicating their bad experiences to
each other. If a restaurant is going to lose business one customer at a
time, they could shoot people as they walk in and still do fine.
miguel
MrKablooey©
> I still don't understand the rationale behind the "Boycott _____! I had a
> (single) bad experience" threads I see all over Usenet, and find them
> reminiscent of the way schoolkids tattle on their peers. If the place is
> *that* bad, the free market will take care of them soon enough.
Re-read the name of the thread. The word "boycott" is not used in it. It
just says "Bad Coco Loco Restaurant Experience". What that means, Kenny, is
that someone had a bad experience there, and is willing to share the
experience with others. It doesn't mean you should not go there.
You can read into it what you want.... if you read the experience and it
tells you not to go there, that's your perogative. If you read it and say
"who cares?" and go there, that's your perogative, too. Just because you
don't agree with/understand why a particular post was posted, does that mean
there's something wrong with it or it shouldn't be there?
Matthew T. Russotto
Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
}In article <cJD23.115$kP....@grover.nit.gwu.edu>,
}Maria Rost Rublee <mru...@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu> says:
}
}>then just state your opinion and understand that most people
}>don't agree with you.
}
}That was two weeks ago. It's not my fault that people are late reading news,
}rehashing old threads.
}
}>I don't recall seeing many restaurant reviews by you in this group;
}
}I don't subscribe to dc.dining .
}
}(single) bad experience" threads I see all over Usenet, and find them
}reminiscent of the way schoolkids tattle on their peers. If the place is
}*that* bad, the free market will take care of them soon enough.
How does the free market work if people don't relate their
experiences?
--
Matthew T. Russotto russ...@pond.com
"Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in pursuit
of justice is no virtue."
Bill
> How does the free market work if people don't relate their
> experiences?
The way it has always worked ... through advertising.
Two days after the first post, I called the restaurant and asked
if anyone there followed the internet and suggested that
they read dc.dinning. It would seem that they either didn't
look at dc.dinning or just don't care.
I would also like to make a case for trimming headers and not
cross posting this thread to other newsgroups.
Kenneth Crudup
"MrKablooey©" <mrkab...@hotmail.com> says:
>You can read into it what you want.
I really disagree. I find it hard to believe that the intent could be anything
less than "I'm gonna tell the Internet on you", which, like I've said before,
I've seen far too often ("boycott" used explicitly or no). So, he had a bad
experience with one manager- what's going to happen *now*?
If you want a real laugh, check out rec.travel.air sometime. It got so bad
a few years ago, they had a thread entitled "Airlines to avoid this week"
compiled from the constant "Never fly ____" or "Bad experience with ____"
postings.
ju...@hammfamily.org
> less than "I'm gonna tell the Internet on you", which, like I've said before,
> I've seen far too often ("boycott" used explicitly or no). So, he had a bad
> experience with one manager- what's going to happen *now*?
If I am not happy with a service or product, routinely tell people about
it. "I tried xyz shampoo and it turned my hair blue!!" for example. This
is just telling people on cyber space. That is all. We each determine
what we do with the information.
I would not buy a shampoo that turned someone's hair blue. I might try a
shampoo if someone didn't like the smell.
I would not go to a restaurant where the management detained a party
because they chose not to tip after what they considered bad service in
the situation the original poster detailed. I might try a restaurant
where some folks received bad service from a waiter on a specific
occasion.
These kinds of converstations happen by the water cooler every day. They
get posted on (physical) bulletin boards. This has been true since before
the internet. Now they can be seen by a lot more people. It is still the
receiver's responsibilty to filter the information through their own
sensibilities.
People have used "boycott" rhetoric for years. What IS the big deal.
If you feel that this person's treatment was acceptable and want to eat at
Coco Loco, by all means do that. It's YOUR call. But don't attack his
discussing it. That is what this forum is for, whether it is dc.dining or
(to a lesser extent) dc.general.
MrKablooey©
you deserve that? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Kenneth Crudup <ke...@panix.com> wrote:
> "MrKablooeyŠ" <mrkab...@hotmail.com> says:
>
> >You can read into it what you want.
>
> I really disagree. I find it hard to believe that the intent could be
anything
> less than "I'm gonna tell the Internet on you", which, like I've said
before,
> I've seen far too often ("boycott" used explicitly or no). So, he had a
bad
> experience with one manager- what's going to happen *now*?
>
Kenneth Crudup
"MrKablooey©" <mrkab...@hotmail.com> says:
>So you just prefer to take it in the backside everywhere you go?
I'd go postal^Whighschool if that happened "everywhere" I went. I much prefer
to fix the problems as they happen (and not let people put things over on me).
eatandcr...@gmail.com
> I wanted to tell as many people as possible about a recent experience at
> Coco Loco restaraunt in DC.
>
> Over the weekend, I went there to celebrate a friend's birthday with a
> group of about 20 people. The evening was great, the food was good. We
> told the waiter it was a friend's birthday and asked how much a cake
> would cost. We heard him say $17.00. That seemed reasonable, until we
> got our bill. Unfortunately the restaurant charged us per slice of cake
> and it showed up on our bill as $70. We politely explained the problem
> to the waiter and the manager. Neither one was willing to do anything
> about the charge for the cake. It is possible we misunderstood the
> waiter, however I have never been to a nice restaurant where if you have
> a legitimate argument about a charge the manager refuses to help you
> out. Hell, I've gotten better service at McDonald's!
>
> The manager was so arrogant that he said it was our fault for thinking
> that "a cake at a restaurant like ours would only cost $17". What a
> load of crap. The cake was a 12" round Chocolate Mouse cake that
> probably costs about $15 at a nice bakery.
>
> The kind restaurant was also good enough to automatically include a 20%
> tip on our bill(Whatever happened to a standard 15% tip?). No where was
> it written that a tip would be automatically included for large
> parties. We decided we didn't get the service we desired and we left a
> 10% tip. The waiter counted the money as we left and called security to
> prevent us from leaving. The manager's response..."It is the house
> policy to set the tip if we want to". Since when can a restaurant
> decide to add a charge to your bill without telling you. They might as
> well change the price of your dinner after you order it.
>
> All in all, I hope you will agree that patrons of a restaurant deserve
> better treatment than the arrogant, self-centered responses we got from
> the staff at Coco Loco. The best response I can think of to this is to
> tell as many people to be arrogant and self-centered when it comes to
> choosing your restaurant. The next time you are looking for a nice
> dinner, go to any of the other great restaurants that DC has to offer.
> You deserve better.
Hi Buddies,
At last we got excellent place to choose Restaurant Review
I've found my answer here http://www.theeatandcritiqueshow.com/