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Wait Time in the Easley, SC location

Posted Sun September 24, 2006 6:33 pm, by Crystal S. written to Outback Steakhouse

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On Friday September 22, 2006 my husband and I went to the Outback in Easley, SC. When we arrived we were told the wait time would be 20-25 minutes. After 40 minutes I asked how much longer the wait would be. I was told there were still 2 parties ahead of us and the wait would be another 15 to 20 minutes. This would turn a 25 minute wait into an hour wait. That is a huge difference. If the correct wait time had been given to us, we would have stayed at the bar and had another round of drinks.

If the wait time is going to be an hour, then tell patrons it will be an hour. If I had known the correct time, I would have been prepared to wait an hour.

My family and I eat at Outback at least once a month. This is the first time we have had this experience with such a difference in the wait time.


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Re: Wait Time in the Easley, SC location by Waitress4916 Thu October 26, 2006 @ 4:23 AM
by Crystal S. Posted Mon December 18, 2006 @ 3:23 PM

Customer Service is expected at resturaunts. I know that wait times
are estimated, however there is big difference in a few minutes
additional wait and a 35 minute additional wait. If a waitress is your
full time profession I hope that you exert a more customer firendly
focus when you are serving those of us eating out that take up space
at your table.

Reply
by belle Posted Sat October 7, 2006 @ 9:03 PM

I know people don't want to hear this, but when the hosts tell you
your wait time this is not including the tables that will sit for 50
min after paying the bill, tables that are meeting to catch up and
plan on staying for 3 hours, etc,etc. The "wait list" is based on
tables coming in eating their dinner and leaving. This does not
always happen. We cannot go to a table and ask them to get because
there is a 2 hour wait and they have been finished for an hour. We
just have to wait until they decide to leave. The host staff does not
like dealing with this anymore than you do.
If you eat at Outback once a month you should know and expect a wait,
I assume everything has always been great and this was an
inconveinence. They did not decide to make you wait 1 hour vs. 25
minutes on purpose.
One last thing....why couldn't you stay at the bar and have another
drink, you had a pager - right?

Reply

by Firebrat Tracy Posted Mon September 25, 2006 @ 2:43 PM

Oh, lighten up.

Logically, don't you think that if they had known *for certain* that
the wait was going to be longer, they would have informed you?

Seriously, think about it.

Why not tell you in advance, and have you wait in the bar and purchase
more drinks, therefore earning more profit for the store?

It's sometimes difficult for restaurants to gauge how long certain
parties are going to linger after their meal.

You chose to wait. Then you, presumably, had a good meal, paid for it,
and left.

Additionally, I find it quite sad that (by your own admission), you
eat there often with great results, only to choose to publicly
complain about a 25 minute extra wait the first time it happens.

Reply


Applause by tickytack Tue September 26, 2006 @ 1:08 PM


by Brennie Posted Sun September 24, 2006 @ 10:40 PM

See the problem is you have the term wrong. It's not called a "wait
time."

The correct term is an "ESTIMATED wait time"

Problem solved.

Reply

by RedheadWGlasses Posted Sun September 24, 2006 @ 8:13 PM

When they give you an estimated wait time, it's just their best guess.
If enough parties linger after dinner, order dessert, etc., then that
throws things off.

Also, not only do I agree with p d that you should have spoken with a
manager if it bothered you that much, I don't think that a one-time
incident warrants an email to company headquarters. If it happened
regularly and speaking with a manager didn't resolve things, then
fine, email company headquarters and let them know it's a problem.

Reply


Word! by Firebrat Tracy Mon September 25, 2006 @ 2:36 PM
by p d Posted Sun September 24, 2006 @ 6:58 PM

Why didn't you speak to a manager instead of writing to PF?

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by gb Posted Sun September 24, 2006 @ 6:53 PM

When they tell you the wait time it is just an estimate. They are
averaging how long it will take a party to get in, order, eat and
leave. They cannot rush people out because there are others waiting.
you certainly wouldn't like this if it happened to you.

Why didn't you just stay at the bar until you were called?

Reply




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