54th Street Grill

Attached are the original complaint and our response. Can someone please send a confirmation email once this has been received? If any further information is required, please feel free to call or email Thank you, *** *** Area Director

In Regards to Revdex.com Complaint on 6/2/2017:   I have interviewed both managers on duty that spoke with the complainant, as well as the server who attended to their party.  My conclusions are based on their statements and information I pulled from our computer archives....

  The complainant writes that both the boneless wings and rattlesnake pasta tasted weird and/or nasty after their first bites.  The food was sent into our Micros POS system at 8:19 pm and it was prepared in 13 minutes and 41 seconds.  It would have arrived at the table around 8:34 pm.  The complainant mentions that their server was amazing.  In our business, amazing service typically means that the server is attentive to their guests’ needs and checks on them every 4-5 minutes.    However, even at the end of their meal, when dessert was offered, and the guests at the table informed the server how the bills were to be split, the complainant had still not made mention any dissatisfaction.  It was not until the bills were on the table that the complainant tells the server that she didn’t like her rattlesnake pasta and her daughter did not like her boneless wings.  The complainant said “they’d pay for everything except those items.”  The check was separated and printed from our Micros POS at 8:59 pm and presented to the guest shortly afterward.   If someone were hungry and dissatisfied with their food, it would not make sense to wait 25 minutes or more to mention it to someone.  Their “amazing” server would likely have made between 4-6 visits during that period.   The complainant also mentions that the first manager’s initial response was “I’m not taking it off the bill” and the complainant’s response was that she had not asked for it to be removed.  She also mentions that the manager told her we “changed policy because you people come in here all the time and take advantage of us.”  Per this manager’s statement, he asked questions about what they didn’t like and why they didn’t not like the items.  He then went on to explain to the guest that we had recently implemented new policies because “unfortunately other customers were taking advantage of the system.”  Both managers used, almost verbatim, the same verbiage in regards to these policy changes – just as they had been trained to do.   The complainant writes that the manager told her he would “call the police.”  We did not call local law enforcement, but we do have an off-duty police officer for security on some of our more high-volume shifts.  When the complainant refused the managers’ explanation, she told them to “call Florissant (police) on me because I’m not paying for this.”  It was only then that we asked the off-duty officer to help us to facilitate a solution.   The complainant alleges that her card was charged initially for $58.08 and was ultimately charged $70.60.  Our manager was told by another member of the party that they were on the same check, so the manager put them on one ticket and authorized their card for $58.83.  It was then brought to his attention that there was a miscommunication, which the manager apologized for.  He then went back to the work station and authorized and closed the credit card to the appropriate amount of $35.56.  Per our Micros POS system, the card was never run for any other amount.    Some credit card companies and banks have user agreements that will automatically pre-authorize the card for 20% more than the original authorization amount - especially when the card has been swiped at a business where it is commonplace to leave a tip.  The difference between the original authorization of $58.83 and the alleged charge to the account of $70.60 is exactly 20%.  The “hold” time for each bank is different, but 3-4 business days is normal.  By the time this letter reaches the Revdex.com, it is very likely that the complainant’s account will reflect only one payment, in the amount of $35.56.   In conclusion, 54th Street does not feel that the desired settlement of a refund is warranted.  The account will only be charged the amount that the complainant agreed to pay.  The suspicious nature of the food complaint at the time payment was requested, and the guests’ subsequent actions lead us to believe that the complaint was not legitimate.  Hungry people that do not like their food are highly unlikely to wait 25 minutes or more without mentioning it, and then prepare to leave a restaurant on an empty stomach.   If you would like any further information, please feel free to contact me.  I have statements from our three employees and files from computer archives to support these conclusions.   [redacted] Area Director 54th Street Grill & Bar [redacted] [email protected]