Extremely Disappointed - Worst Dining Experience I've Had
I rarely leave negative reviews, but our experience at Sabor in Fayetteville was disappointing from beginning to end.
It started the moment we walked in. There was no warm welcome or greeting from the staff. We later discovered a very small sign on the front door stating they were not serving alcohol. No one mentioned this when we were seated. We didn't find out until we started ordering drinks. While there technically was a sign, it was small and easily overlooked. A simple heads-up from the hostess would have gone a long way. We almost left, but decided to stay because we were hungry.
Our server, Liz, never introduced herself. She simply began taking orders until we asked for her name. Throughout the meal, she was not warm, friendly, or engaging. Her demeanor made us feel like providing good service simply wasn't a priority.
When I asked what type of fish was pictured on the menu, she said she didn't know. I asked if she could check with the kitchen. She seemed reluctant to do so, but eventually returned and simply said it was "blackfish." That wasn't very helpful, but I ordered it anyway based on the recommendation.
We also ordered the house dip, which arrived without a serving spoon. When my mother-in-law asked for one, Liz returned with an oversized pot-stirring spoon that was much larger than the serving bowl. We then requested small dishes for sharing, and they came out soaking wet, requiring us to dry them ourselves.
Once our food was delivered--by the robot, not our server--we never saw Liz return to ask if everything was okay or if we needed refills, condiments, or anything else. Basic table service was completely absent.
The biggest issue came at the end of the meal. We had six people and requested our checks be split into two family groups. The bills were incorrect, and my in-laws were charged separately in a confusing way. After questioning the charges, we believed everything had been corrected.
The next day, however, my father-in-law noticed an additional $76 had been charged as a tip on his card, even though his bill was less than $50. When he called the restaurant, he was told that he had authorized that amount as the tip, which he adamantly denies. After he informed them he would dispute the charge with his bank, management agreed to refund the money.
I understand restaurants can be short-staffed or experience operational issues. I also understand businesses go through challenges. What is difficult to overlook is the complete lack of communication, inattentive service, poor attention to detail, and the confusion surrounding the final bill.
This was, without question, one of the poorest restaurant experiences I've had in a very long time. I sincerely hope management invests in better customer service training and tighter oversight of billing procedures so future guests don't have a similar experience.
Based on our experience, I would encourage others to carefully review their bill and credit card receipt before leaving the restaurant. read more