Boysenberry, Apple or Rhubarb?

I really don't know where to put this.  I hardly know how to approach it.
 
I went out to eat today.  The meal came with dessert which was a slice of pie.
 
There were choices:  Boysenberry, apple or rhubarb.
 
I asked the waitress if the rhubarb tasted like the side dish of stewed rhubarb that was served with the meal.  It was quite good.
 
Her answer:  We don't get to eat for free and I can't afford to eat here.
 
I was stunned by her reply.  I really didn't need that information.
 
The meal was $9.95 and it consisted of a basket of homemade biscuits, real butter and assorted jams and jellies, soup or salad, a bowl of stewed rhubarb, a choice or steamed cabbage or corn, 2 pieces of fried chicken, or chicken pie, or chicken fried steak or chicken and dumplings with real mashed potatoes and gravy.  Plus it also came with the above mentioned slice of pie and your choice of coffee or tea.
 
I felt rather funny because she couldn't afford what I was eating.
 
I chose rhubarb, not that it matters and I brought it home.
 
She kind of ruined my meal.  I'M SORRY!
 
Also,  the person who seated me looked at my hair and said I'll be right back with the senior menu!  I'm not the required 62 but I ordered off the senior menu anyway.  The senior specials were only on this menu.
 
You restaurant owners out there....  If you have senior specials, would you card someone who ordered off of it?  
 
I've never ordered senior specials before if I wasn't "of age".  
 
 
 

I saw your photo on Facebook. They bring seniors menus to people with blonde hair?

Marlene,
Ignore the adverse comment of the server, Many times there are other factors coming out in their negative thoughts.
 
I like to use the "Granny"-like comments (BEVERLY HILLBILLY QUOTES) about 'Young Whippersnappers' or people who cause my (imagined) drug-flashbacks of Vietnam when a 'kid' does the old-guy comment (un-invited) to me.
 
Service usually improves and rudeness disappears when I start to 'twitch', and hold my breath to redden my face'. I learned to counter rudeness with my own offensive nature from M H , our local resident elder-care representative !
 
BTW  I really miss Boysenberries ! That would have been my choice !

Thank you Mr. Mayor. I appreciate your willingness to admit that you have learned at my knee. I am grateful that one such as yourself, Grasshopper, readily credits my teachings.

I would have brought you a senior menu, cut up you meal, and called dial a ride so you could get back home............

this 64 year old senior lady would get to eat any thing she wants and get a ride home in my Corvette..........
 
 
 
 

The waitress should have all the answers and have knowledge of the foods on the menu. This really isn't her fault, I would blame the Manager or owners. If my employees don't think we have the best food in town and don't have knowledge of the food being served, who the heck is. The way this waitress answered your question is not acceptable, I would have told her to find someone who could answer my question....pnwc

Maybe she did the "pity-play" thinking she was going for a big tip!

But the important questions are-----where did you get all of that for just $9.95? And was it good?
Was it a Dinah's special?

I wouldn't card anyone, I would put the waitress on notice, if I'd heard her comment to you, that she just got a strike and 2 strikes and your out.

Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant.  This particular special was available from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM which is probably the time when they are least busy.
 
I didn't know that the Knott's family sold to the Cedar Point people.
 
This waitress was older.  She was very efficient, probably having worked there for many years, but her response just floored me.  It's not like they serve hundreds of items... they serve chicken and three types of pie.  She should really know about the items she is serving.
 
They have a bakery where she could have ordered one slice of pie or a take-out location where she could have had any of their items without purchasing an entire meal.
 
I don't believe she never tasted the food.  How could she not?   (Knott)
 
I'm going to try to find a place to write them.  I know her name.  I really can't believe her response.  I found it rude.

Amazing. I never thought you could get something at Knott's that cheap. I do love their CFS.
The opposite thing happens too. My daughter was still being given the children's menu at some places when she was 17. Often she took advantage of it too!

I was also surprised by the price.
The regular price was $15.90 with an addition of $2.75 for all white meat.  This extra cost wasn't added to the senior special.
 
Pie and coffee can run you $9.95!

Marlene, I would have found it to be rude, too.  I see Chewie agrees.

I wrote a nice letter and sent it to every single e-mail address I could find.
 
One already bounced back.
 
I included her name.

I guess I wouldn't be so hard on someone who works in a place serving $10 meals.  I'd merely chalk it up a to roadfood experience.  Good chance she doesn't make much money and this job might be the only thing she's suited for.  Maybe not terribly bright, maybe scatter brained, maybe doesn't have the best social skills, maybe preoccupied by something much more important going on in her life than a customer's inane questions about a $10 meal.  Is it worth having her get fired over?  Would that make you feel better?  Sure management needs to train people correctly but do you really think they will take responsibility for their shortcomings or blame someone further down the ladder?

It will be interesting to see if you get a response and what it is. I sent a "nice letter" to Avery Labels last month about problems with one of their products----even included samples showing the issue from the very expensive package I had purchased. Still have not heard a peep from them. Gives me pause to never deal with them again. It might have been different if I had least got a "we're sorry" from them. \I would hope Knott's will address the problem----after all, the reputation they have built depends a lot on that homey feeling and rudeness does not give you that warm, fuzzy feeling. 

Excuse me?  Inane question?  Please.
 
Thousands go through this restaurant every day at a leisurely pace.  No one is rushed.
 
This waitress was very good and I conveyed that in my e-mail.
 
Most meals are in the $20 range.
 
I'm a good judge of people and most of your assumptions don't seem to apply to this waitress.  I have no idea what she was thinking.... which seems to be her problem.
 
Statements like hers would turn me away from repeated visits to this restaurant.  
 
They are not in business to lose customers.
 
 
 

My initial thought was that all food servers should know the food they are serving in case a customer asks a question.  Any reputable restaurant should educate  their employees on all items on the menu. 
 
Even if I visited a fast food joint that served $5 meals, I'd expect the counter person to know the difference between the items on their menu. 
 
It's called customer service.

RC51mike, that makes no sense............. Mar asked a simple question, she should have got a simple response. It doesn't matter if it's a $10 meal or a $5 meal. The waitress didn't do her job................pnwc

I enjoy watching the shows "Restaurant Impossible" and Kitchen Nightmares". Robert Irvine took one of the owners to task a few weeks ago, the same message that has been present on both shows previous times. When the server replied, "we don't get to taste the food", he went after not the waitress, but the owner. He pointed out that "how can someone sell a dish when they have no idea what it tastes like?". It really is the responsibility of the owner to provide the staff with that as part of their "tools". I'm not saying that they be provided with a full meal of everything, but regular tastings of specials and menu items are a necessity to have a successful restaurant. I see this as a management issue and the management needs to rectify it. Hopefully Marlene's letter will point out to them that their staff needs to be educated in what the food tastes like. I cannot imagine this is the first time a diner has asked that question. 

I heard from the manager of Knott's.  That's better than not hearing from him.
 
This is what he wrote which prompted me to write him back:
 
Dear Marlene,
 
Thank you for taking the time to write to us regarding your recent dining experience at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant.  I am very sorry that XXXXX’s attempt at humor backfired on her. She is being made aware that a sarcastic humorous response should not be the first choice in answering a guests’ question.  I can assure you that our server’s are aware of what our items taste like and we do offer a deep employee discount from our menu and ala carte items for their breaks and meals. 
 
Again, thank you for sharing your experience and we are very sorry that for any discomfort you felt.
 
Sincerely,
 
XXXXX
 
I wrote back:
(In part)

I assure you that what she said was not an attempt at humor.
 
My question of whether the rhubarb pie tasted similar to the stewed rhubarb could have been answered with a simple yes or no.  She never did answer the question.  
I thanked him reminding him that the rest of her service was quite good.
 
He tried. 


 
 

Your right Mar, answering your question after the "attempt at humor" would have been the right thing to do............It nice that he answered, now all he needs is the right answers.....................pnwc

I am reminded of a lawyer named Susan Estrich (whose voice just drives me to excitement beyond belief). And while I'd prefer not to eat with her at Knotts whatever, I certainly would enjoy having her explain how to eat one of those Phillipe's lamb things. Considering that she's a law professor in Los Angeles, I would guess that she would be an expert.

"I can assure you that our server’s are aware of what our items taste like"
 
Apparently not!

The owner replied back which was nice. Shows he or she cares and he stated that he spoke to the waitress at fault. Personally, I wouldnt have pressed the matter with a second response. I assure you that you wont recieve one back. Its a done deal. Time to let it go.

I have had the same thing happen at a restaurant. What the heck? "I can't afford to eat here." Wow, not even an appetizer?
 
I think you are missing the important part of the story: did you have the Knott's Berry Punch with your meal? I would have chosen the Boysenberry, which should be SPECTACULAR at Knott's Berry Farm.