Last night, I had perhaps one of the most disturbing customer-relations experiences in recent memory, of dining at a restaurant.Having been whisked away to England (with less than 16 hours advance notice) for an urgent, work-related task -- a good friend and work colleague of mine and I decided to go to the center of London for dinner.
We went to Reubens restaurant to eat -- and I ordered a chopped liver sandwich for 4.95 pounds, a pickle and a coke zero. I gave the cashier guy a 20 pound note.
He was busy talking when he took my money and took a 10 pound bill out of the cash register, put it on the cash register, and then started giving me the small change.
He gave me the small change, and then put the 10 pound bill back in the register.
"Excuse me," I said, "I gave you a 20 pound note -- my change includes the 10 pound bill you just put back in the cash register."
He replied rather abruptly, "No, you gave me a 10, you got your change."
I was rather taken aback. I knew exactly how much British money I had brought with me from Israel, and it didn't include any 10 pound notes. Additionally, I knew what was in my wallet -- I was 100% sure I had given him a 20 pound note."I'm sorry, I believe you've made a mistake," I continued, I'm sure I gave you a 20 pound bill -- I don't have any 10 pound bills."
And that's when things got nasty.
"Are you calling me a liar," he raised his voice at my friend and I. "I got a 10 pound note from you, and that's it. "
My friend then commented as well, "He [pointing to me] gave you a 20 pound bill, I saw it as well."
The cashier then started yelling at me loudly -- that he was not a liar, and why am I calling him a thief, when its obviously my fault.
I replied that I'm not insinuating anything, and he simply made an honest mistake.
He continued his rantings at me to everyone behind the counter, how he was right, and I'm wrong.
With nothing left to do and no manager around to complain to, my friend and I ate dinner.
Needless to say, this entire experience provided a very bad taste as an "appetizer" and the cashier/waiter's behavior was rather disgusting to say the least.
You don't yell at customers, let alone over something as trivial as this. He didn't even bother opening the cash register to verify that maybe HE (and not I) had made a mistake.
I made a very clear decision then -- when I would return to my hotel, I would re-check the envelope that I received with cash in it, and see the exact remaining amount. If it would be 10 pounds more than I expected, I would call the restaurant and personally apologize.
If it was 10 pounds less than it should have been, meaning that I had given him a 20 pound bill as I was sure I had (and been short-changed), then I would write this post -- letting people beware eating at Reubens restaurant in Central London.
Hence this post.
The Muqata hereby gives the Reueben's restaurant in London a review of 4 stars out of 5 for its food, and zero stars for customer service.
The quality of the food and location don't make up for their abhorrent customer service.
Jerks.
Note: Above pictures taken last night with my cell-phone. Posts coming later on stuff going on around Israel.
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