Here is a copy of a letter sent the general manager after two different dining expereinces:
Dear General Manager of the Ammon Texas Roadhouse,
Hello, I am writing you this morning as it has been a few years since my wife and I have begun returning back to your establishment. We were given a gift card for the holidays and went last month. We were originally greeted indifferently with little eye contact and communication, and what few words were conveyed eluded to approximately 30 minutes, so we stayed instead of going somewhere else in the vicinity. However, our wait escalated an additional 15 minutes after I had checked back and then 5 more for a total wait time of 50 minutes when only quoted a half hour. The food and our waitress were very good and we left the experience overall pleased, especially after coming to realize we could call ahead in the future and hopefully prevent the before-mentioned delay.
Last night, my wife and I returned for an early Valentines date, remembering to call ahead this time, were told to be at the restaurant 20 minutes to 07:00p.m., arrived a few minutes early, were briefly greeted, but then given no direct communication once again (let alone eye contact - acknowledgement) and simply shoved an electronic notifier when our table would be ready. So, we simply waited with an expected rush on a holiday weekend. However, ten minutes had gone by and we began to hear the grumbles of the crowd and soon realized we were surrounded by other unhappy couples experiencing similar displeasure. I checked on where we were at and was quoted another 15 minutes. My response was that we had called ahead and were not told that it would be an hour wait (just 30 minutes), nor when we arrived were we told either. In fact, the host's response was that she had told us when we first checked in, but that would have required she actual communicate anything to us outside of sliding the electronic device and sending us on our way. I responded back that we were not told that it would be another 25 - 30 minutes and only got a blank stare back, so I had to repeat myself which still produced no feedback. Despite this, we did not want to ruin our evening by arguing with the host, nor make a scene in front of your other customers, so we carried on and were able to salvage it with relatively good food (spent roughly twice as much money as before) and once again, continued to receive impressive waitressing.
Now, I have over a decade of direct customer service experience, a minor in psychology and both a major and masters in social work. I tell you these things because I know people. I could feel the pulse of the displeased crowd along side our own frustrations. I also understand that our community is growing and there is more and more competition on a weekend evening with regards to eating out. I also realize that there are isolated events, but this experience took place twice in a row, even after following the Texas Roadhouse's advertised recommendations of "calling ahead."
Regardless of good food (though it was a bit skimpy on the fixings and dried out), environment and waitressing, both my wife and I left commenting to ourselves that "it was not as good as last time." In fact, we didn't believe we would be returning anytime soon. Usually, my experience has been that when quoted a wait time it is a conservative over estimate, so that the customer will wait less time that expected, not an average of a half hour more, even after "calling ahead." I am usually not one to complain, but felt that this could be considered constructive to your establishment. It is also not my intention to get anyone of your staff in trouble. In fact, as a social worker, community involvement and advocating is a fundamental responsibility I take seriously. It saddens me to see so many of our local community retail companies close. I am not saying that this is what would take place by any means, but by continued failure to retain clients a facility will eventually feel the strain, especially in these volatile economic times when eating out has become a luxury for some, if not most.
Thank you for your time, effort and support in this matter, and I hope you will find these comments not as "constructive criticism" (which I do not believe in), but rather constructive counsel to help make your company as competitive and positive holistic experience as those others that are emerging in our local community here of Idaho Falls/Ammon.
Sincerely,
(name withheld)
p.s. Please remember, that for every customer that speaks out, there are at least another ten who have not under the same opinion and who have similar intention, but you will not hear from them, they just simply won't return...
Now, let's see what the response is from the General Manager. I will write back, so look for my next comment and hopefully it will be favorable. read more