Dear Dunkin' Donuts,
I realize you're all about the coffee now, but do you have to line your countertops with coffee machines and coffee displays? Do you realize that they block the view of the donuts, the product that's actually a part of your name?
I don't drink coffee. When I go to Dunkin' Donuts (which is surprisingly a lot, given that before I moved to Massachusetts, I didn't have much of a Dunkin' habit. Now I go at least a few times a month), I'm going for a donut or a bagel. Problem is, because I'm 5'4", if I'm standing in line, all the coffee-related stuff blocks my view of the donuts and bagels. I often can't make a selection until I'm actually at the register, and at that point, the cashiers are hurrying me along because they want to get the line moving as fast as possible.
On Monday, I was in a store where the donut sightlines were so bad, I had to ask, "Do you have crullers?" because I couldn't see them at all. For the record, this was an outlet with crullers, which was a great bonus, but the customer experience was so frustrating and so unsatisfying that I don't know if I want to go back there.
In fact, I often will think that a donut would be a good snack. However, I'll opt against it because if I don't know what donut I want, I don't want to deal with the stress that ordering entails. Isn't there a way you can showcase the donuts, yet still have enough counter space for all the coffee makers? It'd certainly make me want to run to Dunkin' more often.
Thanks for listening.
Your pal,
Jill
Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurants. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Brewery Service Update
Dear Readers,
I got a nice little e-mail back from the GM at Cambridge Brewing Company. The Boy had also written in and had heard back pretty promptly. The GM apologized and said that they'd made mistakes that night and it ended up in customers getting lousy service, which was totally unacceptable.
Here's what he told me:
I got a nice little e-mail back from the GM at Cambridge Brewing Company. The Boy had also written in and had heard back pretty promptly. The GM apologized and said that they'd made mistakes that night and it ended up in customers getting lousy service, which was totally unacceptable.
Here's what he told me:
Thanks for understanding. We do genuinely care about our customers here. But, alas we do screw up from time to time:-) I’m so glad you’ve decided to give us another chance. We certainly owe you at least a beer on the house! Next time you’re in just ask for me or Laura (The AGM) and we’ll definitely get you one on the house.
Cheers,
Chris
Very nice reply that made me feel really good. I realize we all make mistakes, but it's nice when you run into a person that owns up to them and makes amends.
Chalk this up to good management 101!
Your pal,
Jill
Monday, July 4, 2011
Brewing up a Lousy Experience
Dear Chris Punis, General Manager of Cambridge Brewing Company,
Tonight was my second visit to CBC. As my four friends, husband, and I stood in the courtyard of 1 Kendall Square, a man hurried his child out of one of the restaurants and on to the square, where she promptly threw up.
That's pretty much how I felt about my experience at CBC on Sunday evening.
About a year ago, I was at CBC and felt fairly underwhelmed about my experience then. I mean, it wasn't awful -- if I remember correctly, we had a good, friendly server, but the food and the beer were just all right. I didn't feel the need to go back, and I figured you wouldn't miss me.
Then a friend suggested going to CBC tonight. At first our visit seemed normal. Met 5 friends at the bar; my husband got a beer; the hostess was really nice and seated us right away. Our server got our drink orders in a fair amount of time. She took our food order in a fair amount of time.
And then we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And we cursed our friend for ordering a "very well done" steak.
And we waited some more.
And we wondered just how the medium rare burger was timed to match the very well done steak and just how long it took to bake a couple of pizzas. I mean, I know you're going to have a "slow food" event next month, but is your current service an indicator of what that event will be like?
And then the food finally came. Great food is worth the wait, but was this worth it? Well, I had the pizza of the day, and it was pretty tasty, but nothing that I would remember--except for breakfast the next day, since I had some leftovers (and speaking of leftovers, does your kitchen not have any aluminum foil in it? I asked for tin foil instead of a container because I only had two slices of pizza, and I wanted to wrap them flat and slide them into my purse. I didn't want to deal with a container. I had to deal with a container because the server said the kitchen didn't have anything smaller).
While we were eating, we got the standard check-in from our server, and I managed to get another beer ordered. No one else did -- and we had some empty glasses at the table. Any other checking in was done on the move. If we really needed something, I'm not sure we could've stopped her because she was busy.
In fact, everyone looked busy, and looking around the half-full back dining area where we were, I couldn't understand it. Where was everyone going? Why was the hostess busing glasses?
Eventually the server came back to see if we wanted dessert, and we opted to split a strawberry whoopie pie. This whoopie pie took a good 10-15 minutes to show up. It's not like it was fresh-baked or required some sort of special preparation. This was a huge whoopie pie that was refrigerated, wrapped in paper, and put on a board with a carton of milk on the side. Why did it take so long?
Perhaps the wait wouldn't have been as bad if we didn't have empty glasses. No beer, no water, no hope of getting anything because our server was too busy elsewhere. My husband had to ask the bartender for a pitcher of water. Our server didn't even notice the pitcher on the table when she brought the dessert. Needless to say, we asked for our check right away, and our server was lucky she got a 15% tip.
I don't expect or want anything from this letter, but I want you to know that I won't be back, and it's not because the beer and food aren't acceptable. It's because the service is so bad that it brings down any quality that's in the product you offer. Not that it matters -- CBC has plenty of fans who don't mind being ignored.
Your pal,
Jill
Tonight was my second visit to CBC. As my four friends, husband, and I stood in the courtyard of 1 Kendall Square, a man hurried his child out of one of the restaurants and on to the square, where she promptly threw up.
That's pretty much how I felt about my experience at CBC on Sunday evening.
About a year ago, I was at CBC and felt fairly underwhelmed about my experience then. I mean, it wasn't awful -- if I remember correctly, we had a good, friendly server, but the food and the beer were just all right. I didn't feel the need to go back, and I figured you wouldn't miss me.
Then a friend suggested going to CBC tonight. At first our visit seemed normal. Met 5 friends at the bar; my husband got a beer; the hostess was really nice and seated us right away. Our server got our drink orders in a fair amount of time. She took our food order in a fair amount of time.
And then we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And we cursed our friend for ordering a "very well done" steak.
And we waited some more.
And we wondered just how the medium rare burger was timed to match the very well done steak and just how long it took to bake a couple of pizzas. I mean, I know you're going to have a "slow food" event next month, but is your current service an indicator of what that event will be like?
And then the food finally came. Great food is worth the wait, but was this worth it? Well, I had the pizza of the day, and it was pretty tasty, but nothing that I would remember--except for breakfast the next day, since I had some leftovers (and speaking of leftovers, does your kitchen not have any aluminum foil in it? I asked for tin foil instead of a container because I only had two slices of pizza, and I wanted to wrap them flat and slide them into my purse. I didn't want to deal with a container. I had to deal with a container because the server said the kitchen didn't have anything smaller).
While we were eating, we got the standard check-in from our server, and I managed to get another beer ordered. No one else did -- and we had some empty glasses at the table. Any other checking in was done on the move. If we really needed something, I'm not sure we could've stopped her because she was busy.
In fact, everyone looked busy, and looking around the half-full back dining area where we were, I couldn't understand it. Where was everyone going? Why was the hostess busing glasses?
Eventually the server came back to see if we wanted dessert, and we opted to split a strawberry whoopie pie. This whoopie pie took a good 10-15 minutes to show up. It's not like it was fresh-baked or required some sort of special preparation. This was a huge whoopie pie that was refrigerated, wrapped in paper, and put on a board with a carton of milk on the side. Why did it take so long?
Perhaps the wait wouldn't have been as bad if we didn't have empty glasses. No beer, no water, no hope of getting anything because our server was too busy elsewhere. My husband had to ask the bartender for a pitcher of water. Our server didn't even notice the pitcher on the table when she brought the dessert. Needless to say, we asked for our check right away, and our server was lucky she got a 15% tip.
I don't expect or want anything from this letter, but I want you to know that I won't be back, and it's not because the beer and food aren't acceptable. It's because the service is so bad that it brings down any quality that's in the product you offer. Not that it matters -- CBC has plenty of fans who don't mind being ignored.
Your pal,
Jill
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Lack of Service
Dear Rajat Suri,
I read about your company E la Carte, which is an electronic menu board. On paper, the concept sounds like it might be useful: Tablet computers that serve as menus (mainly in sit-down restaurants). Customers can place their order and pay directly through the tablet. No more waiting for the server to take your order (especially if the server takes your order incorrectly) or bring your check. And if you want to add on dessert, it's really easy to do that partway through your meal. Plus, the tablet has games on it, so you can play while you wait.
Supposedly the tablet will help cut down on service errors and increase check amount--thereby increasing tip amounts.
Maybe I don't frequent the restaurants you're targeting with this product, but if I'm placing the order myself, and I'm generating the receipt, the server just becomes a glorified food runner. I'm likely to start tipping 10% then, not the 15-20%/leaning toward 20%, that I do now. Plus, I like interacting with my server. If I have questions, the server can answer them. The server can tell me what's good and what's not. It's the server who makes the restaurant experience what it is.
Nonetheless, I can't fault an entrepreneur for trying, so best of luck to you. One thing though--could you keep a client list on your website so I know which places to avoid? Thanks!
Your pal,
Jill
I read about your company E la Carte, which is an electronic menu board. On paper, the concept sounds like it might be useful: Tablet computers that serve as menus (mainly in sit-down restaurants). Customers can place their order and pay directly through the tablet. No more waiting for the server to take your order (especially if the server takes your order incorrectly) or bring your check. And if you want to add on dessert, it's really easy to do that partway through your meal. Plus, the tablet has games on it, so you can play while you wait.
Supposedly the tablet will help cut down on service errors and increase check amount--thereby increasing tip amounts.
Maybe I don't frequent the restaurants you're targeting with this product, but if I'm placing the order myself, and I'm generating the receipt, the server just becomes a glorified food runner. I'm likely to start tipping 10% then, not the 15-20%/leaning toward 20%, that I do now. Plus, I like interacting with my server. If I have questions, the server can answer them. The server can tell me what's good and what's not. It's the server who makes the restaurant experience what it is.
Nonetheless, I can't fault an entrepreneur for trying, so best of luck to you. One thing though--could you keep a client list on your website so I know which places to avoid? Thanks!
Your pal,
Jill
Monday, October 18, 2010
Start It Right
Dear Restauranteurs,
Whither the starter salad? Maybe it's a New England thing, but I'm having a problem finding a decently priced, properly portioned appetizer-sized salad when I go out to eat. It's driving me crazy--I'm tired of spending a ton of extra dough just to get some veg in my meal!
This last Saturday was about the worst. The Boy and I were in Portland--I went for roller derby, he came along, and it just so happened, we were able to meet up with a college friend of his, which was really nice. She took us to a good local establishment with a nice beer menu. The food menu also wasn't bad--bar food, with a bunch of salad options.
I wanted fish & chips for an entree. I know, I know--not the healthiest of choices, so why I'm complaining about salad may be a shock, but still. I wanted a little bit of salad at the beginning of my meal. No starter salads on the menu, so I ordered a house salad. Cost me something like $6.99--and the Boy got one too. On top of an entree. And to top it off, the salad was huge--I really could've done with 1/3 to 1/2 of it (though the salad alone probably gave me my 5 servings of veg for the day, which was the only good part), but I didn't have the option.
Should I have asked if they could do a half-salad for half-price? I'm not one to order off the menu. I don't like to make life difficult for the staff, especially when the place is full.
Still, I've found it difficult to find a small salad on a menu. I'm not talking the "substitute your fries for a salad" option. I'm talking about 1 cup of greens, with maybe some carrots, a little red onion, and a cucumber slice---and those last two ingredients are icing on the cake. Dressing on the side (and about half of what you'd typically give for a regular salad). Charge me $3.25-$3.50. It's not a huge portion, but it's one that helps me get a little bit of vegetables in with my menu.
If you're worried about food spoiling, start upselling. Make it an attractive deal, creatively mention it when people order, and they may want to start with it. What could it hurt? Not my waistline, that's for sure.
Your pal,
Jill
Whither the starter salad? Maybe it's a New England thing, but I'm having a problem finding a decently priced, properly portioned appetizer-sized salad when I go out to eat. It's driving me crazy--I'm tired of spending a ton of extra dough just to get some veg in my meal!
This last Saturday was about the worst. The Boy and I were in Portland--I went for roller derby, he came along, and it just so happened, we were able to meet up with a college friend of his, which was really nice. She took us to a good local establishment with a nice beer menu. The food menu also wasn't bad--bar food, with a bunch of salad options.
I wanted fish & chips for an entree. I know, I know--not the healthiest of choices, so why I'm complaining about salad may be a shock, but still. I wanted a little bit of salad at the beginning of my meal. No starter salads on the menu, so I ordered a house salad. Cost me something like $6.99--and the Boy got one too. On top of an entree. And to top it off, the salad was huge--I really could've done with 1/3 to 1/2 of it (though the salad alone probably gave me my 5 servings of veg for the day, which was the only good part), but I didn't have the option.
Should I have asked if they could do a half-salad for half-price? I'm not one to order off the menu. I don't like to make life difficult for the staff, especially when the place is full.
Still, I've found it difficult to find a small salad on a menu. I'm not talking the "substitute your fries for a salad" option. I'm talking about 1 cup of greens, with maybe some carrots, a little red onion, and a cucumber slice---and those last two ingredients are icing on the cake. Dressing on the side (and about half of what you'd typically give for a regular salad). Charge me $3.25-$3.50. It's not a huge portion, but it's one that helps me get a little bit of vegetables in with my menu.
If you're worried about food spoiling, start upselling. Make it an attractive deal, creatively mention it when people order, and they may want to start with it. What could it hurt? Not my waistline, that's for sure.
Your pal,
Jill
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Busy Eating, Back on Thursday
Dear Readers,
It's not that I haven't wanted to blog, it's that I don't think I can squeeze my stomach underneath a desk, or perch a laptop on my belly.
One of my favorite ads from the late 90's was an ad for McDonald's, saying, "Chicago's the City of Big Shoulders, and we didn't get those shoulders by pushing back from the table." Boy, you could say that again! I've done almost nothing except eat during this trip--and I'm not even getting close to hitting all the places I want to go to. There have been big dinners, huge breakfasts (can you say bacon cheddar potato pancakes and cinnamon rolls from Ann Sather?), filling lunches. Today is another lunch, another big dinner, and I've got to try to get to at least one cupcake place.
So, excuse me while I abstain from blogging for the next day or so....it's been an hour since I've eaten, and a hot pretzel is calling my name.
Your pal,
Jill
It's not that I haven't wanted to blog, it's that I don't think I can squeeze my stomach underneath a desk, or perch a laptop on my belly.
One of my favorite ads from the late 90's was an ad for McDonald's, saying, "Chicago's the City of Big Shoulders, and we didn't get those shoulders by pushing back from the table." Boy, you could say that again! I've done almost nothing except eat during this trip--and I'm not even getting close to hitting all the places I want to go to. There have been big dinners, huge breakfasts (can you say bacon cheddar potato pancakes and cinnamon rolls from Ann Sather?), filling lunches. Today is another lunch, another big dinner, and I've got to try to get to at least one cupcake place.
So, excuse me while I abstain from blogging for the next day or so....it's been an hour since I've eaten, and a hot pretzel is calling my name.
Your pal,
Jill
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Do You Know What You're Missing?
Dear Readers,
This entry could be a letter to Jay McInerney in response to his article "It Was Delicious While It Lasted" in October's Vanity Fair. This article is about the Spanish restaurant El Bulli, which will be closing in 2011. Although I like food a lot and do write about it, the world of fine dining is, well, still too fine for me. I knew about Chicago's restaurant scene, but since I don't read much about restaurants (much less pay for the opportunity to eat fancy on a regular basis), I hadn't heard of El Bulli. Should I admit that? Probably not. And probably not to Jay McInerney.
What's the big deal about El Bulli? Molecular gastronomy. It's one of those massive-course meal restaurants (McInerney had about 35 courses during his meal), and everything's deconstructed, which means basically, it's too fancy for me. Yes, I appreciate fine dining once in a while, but I also get tired of fancy food. Even with small portions, the food can be too much. Too much that I don't understand, and after a while, it's too much to even care about. Then again, my brain feels exhausted after listening to "Top Chef" contestants describe their dishes for the judges.
So no letter to McInerney. I'm just not at his level. You know how else I know? Here's a sample sentence from the article:
I certainly can't. And it makes me wonder, how much bone marrow do you have to eat to declare it your favorite food? Do you ever go to a bar for a quick bite and wish they had a bone marrow-infused burger on the menu because you could really go for some marrow right about now? When you're PMS-y, do you wish you could have a carton of marrow? [which then devolves into admitting that I don't know just how marrow is packaged. Do you have to scrape it out of the bone yourself? Does it come in a container that you spoon out, much like ice cream?]
Sentences like these make me realize that I'm not one of them--and that no matter how hard I try to be posh and sophisticated, finding a place that serves a good French fry is more important to me than snagging a reservation to the deconstruction taking place at El Bulli.
So don't look for me begging for a reservation to have the El Bulli experience. I'll be just as happy at home.
Your pal,
Jill
This entry could be a letter to Jay McInerney in response to his article "It Was Delicious While It Lasted" in October's Vanity Fair. This article is about the Spanish restaurant El Bulli, which will be closing in 2011. Although I like food a lot and do write about it, the world of fine dining is, well, still too fine for me. I knew about Chicago's restaurant scene, but since I don't read much about restaurants (much less pay for the opportunity to eat fancy on a regular basis), I hadn't heard of El Bulli. Should I admit that? Probably not. And probably not to Jay McInerney.
What's the big deal about El Bulli? Molecular gastronomy. It's one of those massive-course meal restaurants (McInerney had about 35 courses during his meal), and everything's deconstructed, which means basically, it's too fancy for me. Yes, I appreciate fine dining once in a while, but I also get tired of fancy food. Even with small portions, the food can be too much. Too much that I don't understand, and after a while, it's too much to even care about. Then again, my brain feels exhausted after listening to "Top Chef" contestants describe their dishes for the judges.
So no letter to McInerney. I'm just not at his level. You know how else I know? Here's a sample sentence from the article:
Anne's [McInerney's wife] two favorite foods in the world are bone marrow and oysters, but she never thought that she'd eat them together, out of an oyster shell, or that the combination would be brilliant.OK, show of hands: Who else here can say that one of your favorite foods is bone marrow?
I certainly can't. And it makes me wonder, how much bone marrow do you have to eat to declare it your favorite food? Do you ever go to a bar for a quick bite and wish they had a bone marrow-infused burger on the menu because you could really go for some marrow right about now? When you're PMS-y, do you wish you could have a carton of marrow? [which then devolves into admitting that I don't know just how marrow is packaged. Do you have to scrape it out of the bone yourself? Does it come in a container that you spoon out, much like ice cream?]
Sentences like these make me realize that I'm not one of them--and that no matter how hard I try to be posh and sophisticated, finding a place that serves a good French fry is more important to me than snagging a reservation to the deconstruction taking place at El Bulli.
So don't look for me begging for a reservation to have the El Bulli experience. I'll be just as happy at home.
Your pal,
Jill
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
What's This Country Run On?
Dear Dunkin' Donuts,
Since I moved to the Boston area, I think I've been to Dunkin Donuts more often in the last six months than I have in the last 15 years. No wonder you think the country runs on Dunkin'--Boston certainly does.
I've been really intrigued by Dunkin' Donuts since we moved here. There are so many of them--I'm within walking distance of at least two. What also boggles my mind is that many stores seem pretty busy. I don't get it--sure, breakfast, I can understand a rush. I also understand people who need their coffee (I'm not one of those--the rumor I heard that the coffee tastes better the closer you get to Boston intrigues me, but not enough to test it out myself). And if you're a franchise with a Baskin-Robbins, I can understand the evening customers. But so busy all the time? Really?
I'm no stranger to Dunkin's doughnuts, but as I started grabbing the occasional doughnut from one of your outlets, I find I want them more than I ever have before. Did you put something in the water here to make me crave them so?
Just curious.
Your pal,
Jill
P.S. --If you're putting something in the water, could you put something in the Coolattas to make them taste better? The strawberry one is so digustingly sweet. It sounds refreshing on a hot day, but it's just....blech! I've been burned twice now--no more Coolattas for me!
P.P.S.--Could you start supplying Congress with doughnuts? While the country may run on Dunkin', Congress can't seem to get much of anything done. A good chocolate stick might jump start them, don't you think?
P.P.S.--Could you start supplying Congress with doughnuts? While the country may run on Dunkin', Congress can't seem to get much of anything done. A good chocolate stick might jump start them, don't you think?
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