点评:We were a party of five at Al Capone’s Dinner & Show on September 6 celebrating an engagement. My aunt traveled from Ohio and was especially excited because she had been to Al Capone’s several times over the years and had wonderful memories of it. Unfortunately, what we experienced was nothing like what she remembered.
Our reservation showed a 7:00 PM start, so we arrived at 6:30 as requested. From the beginning, everything was disorganized. We weren't told where the entrance was and ended up at the back of the line. Once inside, we waited in another line for drinks. Then there was no clear direction for seating. An employee eventually took our party of five to a four-top before another server said it wouldn't work and moved us.
Once seated, someone asked what salad dressing we wanted even though we hadn't received menus. I finally had to ask, "Do we get menus?"
The menu listed Italian wedding soup, which I ordered. I was told they might have run out after serving VIP guests, but then I was simply brought minestrone. When I questioned it, the server acted like I was mistaken and said the wedding soup must have been on their "winter menu." He picked up the menu to check and discovered it DID list Italian wedding soup. This was September 6 in Florida. If you're out of something, just tell the customer instead of making them feel like they read the menu incorrectly.
The appetizer arrived quickly but was cold.
Then came dinner. I cannot emphasize this enough: this was honestly the worst food I have ever eaten in my life. That is the God's honest truth. I've had meals I didn't like, but I cannot remember ever having an entire meal this unpleasant. Nearly everything with sauce was overwhelmingly spicy. It wasn't one dish. The food as a whole was terrible. When you're paying for a "dinner show," DINNER is a major part of what you're paying for.
By the time dinner arrived, our drinks were empty. No one offered refills. No water and no additional napkins. I eventually GOT UP MYSELF, asked for a pitcher of water, brought it back and refilled everyone's water. I also had to get our own napkins.
This wasn't just our table. Tables throughout the room had stacks of dirty dishes while dessert was being served. Guests had empty drinks and dirty plates everywhere. It was chaotic.
We were told they expected around 60 guests but received 129 reservations. I understand being short staffed, but if you cannot properly serve 129 people, don't accept 129 reservations. Cap the reservations. Being short staffed explains slower service. It doesn't excuse this level of disorganization.
When the server told us we could move to the stadium seating for the show, I explained that I had to get our own water and napkins because nobody was taking care of us. He asked how everything else was. We told him honestly that it wasn't good and we wouldn't be back.
After explaining the problems with the food and service, his response was:
"If the food was so bad, then why are you taking it home?"
Yes, we asked for to-go boxes because we had paid for the food. We ultimately threw it away. His response came across as rude and defensive. An offer to get a manager would have been much more appropriate.
He encouraged us to stay because the show was better, but we were done. We purchased tickets for a DINNER SHOW. Instead, we endured a terrible dinner and terrible service and were then supposed to hope the show made up for it.
We left approximately 1½ hours early.
This was supposed to be an engagement celebration. My aunt came from Ohio excited to share a place she had loved with us. Instead, all five of us left disappointed.
Even the souvenir photo added to the frustration. We waited about 15 minutes to see it, and my eyes were closed. After everything else, I asked if they could at least give us the newspaper-style photo without the additional $20 charge. We had already spent approximately $149 and were leaving 1½ hours early. I was simply told no. There wasn't even an offer to ask a manager.
What bothered me almost as much as the food was the complete lack of concern or effort to make anything right.
I understand staffing problems, bad nights and running out of menu items. Any ONE of these things could have been overlooked. But this wasn't one thing.
The entire experience was disorganized from arrival to departure: confusing entrance and seating, no menus until we asked, cold appetizer, unavailable menu items, the worst food I have personally ever eaten, empty drinks, no refills, no napkins, getting our own water, dirty dishes everywhere, a defensive response when we complained, no manager and leaving 1½ hours early.
My aunt had wonderful memories of Al Capone’s, which is why we chose it. Sadly, none of us have any desire to return.
We expected a fun dinner show and memorable engagement celebration. It was definitely memorable, but unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.
翻译:9月6日,我们一行五人前往阿尔·卡彭晚宴秀场庆祝订婚。我的姑姑从俄亥俄州赶来,她特别兴奋,因为这些年来她曾多次光顾这里,留下了许多美好的回忆。可惜,我们的实际体验与她记忆中的完全不符。
预订信息上显示演出开始时间为晚上7点,因此我们按照要求于6点半就到了。从一开始,一切就显得毫无条理。我们没人被告知入口在哪里,结果排到了队伍的最后面。进去之后,我们又排着另一队队伍等着买饮料。接着又没人指引我们该坐到哪里。最后,一名工作人员把我们五个人领到一张四人桌旁,但另一位服务员又说这样不行,于是又把我们换到了别处。
坐下后,尽管我们还没拿到菜单,就有人问我们要哪种沙拉酱。最后我只好问道:“我们能拿到菜单吗?”
菜单上有意大利婚宴汤,我便点了这道菜。有人告诉我,在为贵宾服务后那种汤可能就卖光了,但随后我还是被端上了蔬菜汤。当我提出疑问时,服务员表现得好像是我弄错了,还说那种婚礼汤应该属于他们的“冬季菜单”。他拿起菜单核对后,发现上面确实列有意大利婚礼汤。当时是9月6日,地点在佛罗里达州。如果某种菜品确实售罄了,直接告诉顾客就好了,没必要让他们觉得是自己看错菜单了。开胃菜很快就上来了,但已经凉了。
接着就是正餐。我必须强调一点:这真的是我这辈子吃过的最难吃的食物。绝对是实话。虽然我也吃过一些不喜欢吃的菜,但从未有过一整顿饭都这么难以下咽的经历。几乎所有带酱汁的菜肴都辣得离谱。问题并不只出在某一道菜上,整顿饭都糟糕透顶。当你花钱购买“晚餐演出”服务时,晚餐本身就是你所付费用的重要组成部分啊。晚餐上桌时,我们的饮料都喝完了。没人主动为我们添饮。既没有水,也没有多余的餐巾纸。最后我只好自己起身,要了一壶水,拿回来后给每个人都倒上。餐巾纸也得我们自己去拿。
这种情况并非只发生在我们这一桌。在上甜点的时候,整个餐厅里的各桌都堆满了脏盘子。到处都是喝空了饮料、放着脏盘子的食客。场面一片混乱。我们得知他们原预计会有约60位客人,结果却收到了129份预订。我理解人手不足的情况,但如果无法妥善接待129个人,就不应接受这么多预订。应该对预订数量设个上限才对。人手不足可以解释为何上菜速度慢,但却不能成为管理混乱的借口。
当服务员告诉我们可以转移到体育场式的座位区观看演出时,我解释说因为没人来照顾我们,所以我不得不自己去拿水和餐巾纸。他询问其他方面的情况如何。我们如实告诉他,情况并不好,我们也不会再来了。
在我们说明了食物和服务上的问题后,他的回应是:
“如果食物真的那么难吃,那你们为什么还把它带回家呢?”
没错,我们索要了打包盒,因为我们已经付了钱。不过最后我们还是把食物扔掉了。他的回应显得既无礼又充满辩解意味。此时,他要是主动提出叫经理来就好了。
他还劝我们留下,说演出会更精彩。但我们已经玩够了。我们买了晚餐秀的票。结果,我们忍受了一顿糟糕的晚餐和极差的服务,之后还得指望演出能弥补这一切。
我们提前大约1个半小时就离开了。
原本这应该是个庆贺订婚的场合。我的姑姑从俄亥俄州赶来,满心期待着与我们分享那个她深爱的地方。然而,我们五个人最后都失望而归。
就连那张纪念照片也让人更加沮丧。我们等了大约15分钟才看到照片,可当时我闭着眼睛呢。在其他所有事情谈妥之后,我询问他们是否至少能免费提供那种报纸风格的照片,而不收取额外的20美元费用。我们已经花费了约149美元,而且还要提前1个半小时离开。结果得到的答复却是“不行”。甚至没有人提议让我去问问经理。
让我感到不爽的,几乎和食物问题一样严重的,是他们完全漠不关心,也毫无补救的意愿。
我理解人手不足、生意不顺以及菜品卖光等情况。这些问题中任意一项都有可能被忽视。但问题绝不仅仅是一个。
从进门到离开,整个体验都毫无条理:入口和座位安排混乱,我们主动询问后才拿到菜单,前菜冷冰冰的,菜单上的很多菜品都买不到,这是我个人吃过的最难吃的食物。饮料喝光后也没有续杯服务,连餐巾纸都没有,我们只能自己去接水。到处都是脏盘子,我们提出抱怨时还遭到辩解式的回应。店里根本没有经理,最后我们提前1个半小时就离开了。我的姑姑对Al Capone’s有着美好的回忆,正因如此我们才选择了那里。可惜的是,我们谁都不想再去了。
我们原指望能享受一场有趣的晚餐表演,并度过一个难忘的订婚庆祝活动。确实挺难忘的,只不过原因全都是负面的。