half concern
I love going to half - they have a nice env't and excellent food - however I recently encountered an unfortunate employee. I'm not usually one to complain about service because we've all had a bad day and taken it unjustly out on others - but yikes this womnan was out of control! I was embarrassed besides because I had raved about the place to my sister who was visiting from out of town. We both left feeling like crap. We were yelled at several times and waited an hour for a dip we waited fifteen minutes to order. I think we could have let that go if it weren't actually having been yelled at. The waitress in question ( a very tall, thin black woman who may think she's auditioning for America's Next Top Model) was walking past us and we were in engaged in conversation about an unrelated topic (not about our dip being way late) when without warning she started yelling, "hold on ladies... it takes time!!!" Yikes. I am very sincere in my hope that this woman moves on to a more fitting career, because I just was not comfortable every time she came outside - my heart would actually start to palpitate - I don't like conflict. Anyways, it's nice to have a place to vent about such things. Thanks.
Comments
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I got yelled at by the lady at the 'greenish' laundromat down the street from Half. so did my next door neighbor. There used to be a coffee shop across the street... I never got yelled at, but I would call the purchasing process "difficult to negotiate... nonspecific sense of unease."
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I got yelled at both at Half and at Muddy Waters. I'm glad others have to, not because I want you to be yelled at but because then I know it's not me. Muddy Waters I didn't mind so much, it was kind of funny. She yelled at me because I said I didn't care what kind of grind she grinded my coffee into. It was kind of a passive agressive yell. Half I got yelled at because I went in to find my friend and the woman behind the counter yelled "THERE'S NO ONE BACK THERE!" when I went to check the back. I was 2 feet away from her. So I went to the pet store to get catfood and when I came out my friend was outside and said "We can't go in there, that woman just yelled at me". And we both cried from being yelled at. No, we didn't.
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wait... are you saying that you got yelled at, and then 5 minutes later your friend got yelled at? What was the friend's offense?
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The friend's offense was the same as mine, looking around. The funny thing is the place was empty. And the funnier thing is the woman behind the counter didn't tell my friend that someone was just in there looking for someone. But this isn't the same woman that the first poster described.
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Half has had several unfortunate employees...people who took food orders and then didn't put them in until we asked about it an hour later (it got comped but that didn't make up for us starving) and this one dude who kept trying to turn down the lights when I was in there one evening to read. I realize they want to have an ambience, but there was no one else there, so who cares if it's 10pm and you wnat your "late evening" lighting scheme? I got the waitress to turn it back up and this guy was back five minutes later turning it down.
Venting is fun. -
I got logged out my first time posting (it was the original concern of the pseudo waitress/model debacle) but I just wanted to add that the service hasn't been that great in general. I went back after peering in the window to see if she was there yesterday and seeing that she wasn't thought I would have a coffee while waiting for my clothes to dry next door (well at the laundromat not the pet store) I waited FOREVER for a coffee. I was parched by that time and foolishly asked for a water - I don't know what I was thinking - needless to say it never came. It's such a shame because the place has such promise. I really want to say something to the owners - plead with them really to try and locate some competent staff - or perhaps a training day. I'll volunteer to be a customer and they can take turns practicing how to do their thing. Anyways, it does feel good to vent.
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grr. thats too bad. i was looking forward to trying half, but if that's the case i won't bother. i recently had to give up on mekong after it took over an hour for the food to NEVER show up. no offer to comp on the drinks, no apology from them. and i was a regular there. bastards.
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t-fal, I'm not sure you have to give up on them entirely. I mean, if you just want to go there and have a glass or two of wine with somebody and aren't in a hurry, it's fine. I think we're all just voicing disappointment that it's not what it could be.
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I also have had poor service issues at half, not to the extent of missing food orders, but just a general coldness/unfriendliness.
It's as if they want to bring a little bit of Smith Street to Vanderbilt. IMHO unfortunate. -
Subject: Poor Half
Half means well. Its owners are concerned and polite. They obviously put a lot of hard work, and money, into the place. But their staff has been consistently awful from day one, whether it's the obnoxious bartenders or the seriously wanting service. Sometimes it's been a simple matter of personality: I've found a lot of Half's workers to be incredibly annoying. But the service is the real issue. I get the sense that many of Half's employees haven't worked in the service industry before. They simply need better people working there. Oh yeah, and to lower their beer prices to be at least as cheap as Soda's. -
Subject: owning a business
Owning a business! I used to own a business and it was too hard to find a competent staff. Everyone likes to complain but why don't you try to put yourself in a business owner's shoes. When you do, then post your complaint! -
Subject: What's wrong with Smith Street?
What is wrong with SmithStrret? Why generalize? -
Subject: Re: owning a business
11217 wrote: Owning a business! I used to own a business and it was too hard to find a competent staff. Everyone likes to complain but why don't you try to put yourself in a business owner's shoes. When you do, then post your complaint!
I feel your pain 11217 but if you put yourself in the service business you must give good service. I agree good help is hard to find but if this is a repeated situation the owner(s) should be on hand while the new staff is trained and should be there as often as possible. I myself have not tried half and am sure that at some point I will. I will tell you though I will not allow myself to be treated like that - believe me that waitress would have heard what I had to say - of course in a nice manner.
I really hope they get some good staff in there because most of our local places are fantastic and friendly. -
Subject: Re: owning a business
11217 wrote: Owning a business! I used to own a business and it was too hard to find a competent staff. Everyone likes to complain but why don't you try to put yourself in a business owner's shoes. When you do, then post your complaint!
actually if you are the owner, isn't it up to you to set an example of what good service is? you should set the standard, and hold your staff accountable to those standards!
i worked for years as a server, bartender, and a billiards bar cocktail waitress, so i am always very sympathetic to harried waitstaff. but when a place is staffed with rude, or completely incompetent people...i just stop going there. i figure the business owner doesn't care about getting my money. -
i agree! there are plenty of places in the neighborhood and elswhere with competent staff ... why are those businesses able to manage to find good staff, where others are not? to simply say, "well it's too hard ..." is, well, kinda lame actually.
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I think most people realize that running a business is difficult- that is probably why most people don't own businesses. However, good service or at the very least not horrible service should be the number one concern or there may not be a business to run. I, personaly, have not seen much supervision by the owners at Half. I do know that they are nice people, but sometimes that's not good enough when it comes to business. I still go there because I want the place to do well, if I didn't I would definitly frequent other places where I know the service will be decent. I don't know how longer I am going to be able to justify that rationale however.
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guest wrote: I still go there because I want the place to do well, if I didn't I would definitly frequent other places where I know the service will be decent. I don't know how longer I am going to be able to justify that rationale however.
That's basically how I feel. I've been going less and less often, though. The experience never lives up to what I want it to be. I think I cut servers a reasonable amount of slack, especially when it's busy, but Half often isn't and yet the service is still lame. It's like they're just not thinking in customer service terms. As a result, it's not the first bar I think of when going out with friends, nor the first cafe I think of going to when I want to work or read. -
Subject: I agree
I feel your pain 11217 but if you put yourself in the service business you must give good service. I agree good help is hard to find but if this is a repeated situation the owner(s) should be on hand while the new staff is trained and should be there as often as possible. I myself have not tried half and am sure that at some point I will. I will tell you though I will not allow myself to be treated like that - believe me that waitress would have heard what I had to say - of course in a nice manner.
I really hope they get some good staff in there because most of our local places are fantastic and friendly.
I feel our neighborhood has some wonderful places. I have had great and spotty service at just about all of them but that doesn't mean I'm going to dismiss the place entirely. I know that there is good days and bad. I have had great service from Sarah and Jessie at Half and spotty service from some young guy. I have had excellent service from Sara Rose at Soda and spotty service from others. I have had great service from Karen at Franny's but the hostess was rude. What are you going to do? I believe everyone tries hard but sometimes it slips. Let's not forget about crap and rude service from Muddy Waters but everyone seems to think that was funny or cute. No, it was plain horrible. I like our neighborhood spots and hope that more continue to open. -
Subject: Re: owning a business
11217 wrote: Owning a business! I used to own a business and it was too hard to find a competent staff. Everyone likes to complain but why don't you try to put yourself in a business owner's shoes. When you do, then post your complaint!
It seems silly to suggest that patrons can complain only if they themselves have owned a business. I like to know from anonymous venters what is up at establishments I might spend my money at, and if you train people and pay/treat them well then competent staff is not hard to find. -
Subject: Re: What's wrong with Smith Street?
blackjack wrote: What is wrong with SmithStrret? Why generalize?
Nothing's wrong with Smith Street. I just don't want Vanderbilt to turn into a Smith Street clone. -
Subject: Re: I agree
park place wrote: I have had great service from Karen at Franny's but the hostess was rude.
the hostess at franny's is franny.
i get coffee from half often...but i never feel like the environment is comfy enough to chillout. a bit too stuffy...in general. -
yeah half used to be much better ,as far as the servers/bartenders go... most of their good staff left some time ago... and coincidentally, i went from going there 2-3 times a week to going, well, never... sad, huh? their organic/sulfite-free wine is tops though!
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I haven't had a problem with the service at Half, but that "lifestyle store" section is pretty absurd. As the kids say, wtf?
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Laura B wrote: I haven't had a problem with the service at Half, but that "lifestyle store" section is pretty absurd. As the kids say, wtf?
yeah their lifestyle store is a little too "im a yuppie in the year 2000!" for me. but i gotta admit, the slang flashcards they have in there are pretty funny to read after playing drinking games out back with fine wines.... -
drinking games with fine wines? that sounds delightful!
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amygl wrote: drinking games with fine wines? that sounds delightful!
totally. nothing is so absurd, silly, and downright fun.
though i wouldnt be averse to trying the same iwth their pints of boddington's. yummmm.
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Subject: Re: I agree
park place wrote: I have had great service from Karen at Franny's but the hostess was rude.
the hostess at franny's is franny.
Since when is Franny black? HHHMMMMM. -
everytime i've been, franny is the host. and two of my friends are waitresses there...perhaps they hired someone recently. HMMMMM
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Subject: Re: I agree
park place wrote: Since when is Franny black? HHHMMMMM.
Huh? Did I miss something--who said anything about anyone being black? :? -
Subject: Re: owning a business
11217 wrote: Owning a business! I used to own a business and it was too hard to find a competent staff. Everyone likes to complain but why don't you try to put yourself in a business owner's shoes. When you do, then post your complaint!
That is total bullshit.
Part of owning a business is ensuring that you deliver service that customers want. If the owners don't demand reasonable (at least non-hostile) service from their employees or can't be bothered to appropriately train or show up and supervise them, our business clearly isn't that important to them. And if it's not, we shouldn't give it to them. It's not like people are expecting bowing and curtseying- just basic respect
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