R/R Macaroni Grill

[cardsfansince82]

Macaroni Grill was the site of the worst dining experience of my life. I ate there about five years ago and haven't ever considered eating there again. I even turned down a free meal comp from the manager that night because I had no interest in giving that place any more business.

[JL21]

Macaroni Grill was the site of the worst dining experience of my life. I ate there about five years ago and haven't ever considered eating there again. I even turned down a free meal comp from the manager that night because I had no interest in giving that place any more business.

Details?

I've always wondered why people offer another meal, free, from the same place that's so bad.

Customer: That was awful.

Owner/Manager: I'm sorry about that. How about some more of the exact same thing that was awful, except this time we won't charge you?

[cardinalkarp]

Macaroni Grill was the site of the worst dining experience of my life. I ate there about five years ago and haven't ever considered eating there again. I even turned down a free meal comp from the manager that night because I had no interest in giving that place any more business.

Details?

I've always wondered why people offer another meal, free, from the same place that's so bad.

Customer: That was awful.

Owner/Manager: I'm sorry about that. How about some more of the exact same thing that was awful, except this time we won't charge you?

Because they want a second chance?

I would say it would have to be pretty damn awful for me to turn down a free meal from a restaurant. I've never had an experience like that from Macaroni Grill or really any other place I can think of.

[JL21]

Because they want a second chance?

I would say it would have to be pretty damn awful for me to turn down a free meal from a restaurant. I've never had an experience like that from Macaroni Grill or really any other place I can think of.

I haven't either, to be honest. And you make a good point.... I guess the restaurant is obligated to do something like that. I just never really understood someone's motivation in accepting it. If I loathed your food so much that I griped to management the first time, I'm not sure how stoked I would be to try it again.

[Leroy]

My worst experience -- My birthday a couple of years ago. We went to this restaurant that was quickly becoming the finest place in town. We went there once over the holidays and everything was fantastic. But high priced, so we didn't go often. So it is my birthday, and I see that their menu has shrunk from what it was. No problem. I like beef tips and noodles, and they had this. They were freakin' awful. I mean, I don't know how you could make something this easy this bad. It tasted like everything was soaked in fish oil, and I really can't stand fish. I just told them to take it back, I didn't want something else. They kept trying, but to me, that was their first strike, and I didn't want anything that came out of that kitchen, I know what can go on back there. I'll try them once more, and if they fail again I'm done. I just don't want to feel like I'm trying to get a free meal.

[haltz]

It takes a lot more than just bad food to comp a meal and then give them a $50-100 gift certificate. Pretty much everything would have to go wrong. You either do one or the other. Comp what went wrong (the steak that got sent back twice, eg), a bottle of wine, or throw them a dessert or a round of drinks if it wasn't a big deal. If the service is really atrocious or something and you think this person is someone that is potentially a regular customer, you give them a gift certificate to get them to come back, but still have them pay for their food and drinks which were fine.

Giving someone a free meal and then a free meal for next time is definitely weird. If it was that bad, like CFS said, I can't imagine that someone would want to come back. I've only done that once I think and a meal that was already horrible from the service side culminated in the guy eating half an undercooked chicken, which is always scary. When I gave them a gift certificate I told them I didn't expect to see them back, but they were welcome to try again on us. I almost started laughing in the middle of it.

[cardsfansince82]

Macaroni Grill was the site of the worst dining experience of my life. I ate there about five years ago and haven't ever considered eating there again. I even turned down a free meal comp from the manager that night because I had no interest in giving that place any more business.

Details?

I've always wondered why people offer another meal, free, from the same place that's so bad.

Customer: That was awful.

Owner/Manager: I'm sorry about that. How about some more of the exact same thing that was awful, except this time we won't charge you?

I've seen condescending before. But this waitress was openly hostile. Trust me it was really bad. And she was incompetent to boot. We ordered some sort of appetizer. Brings out wrong appetizer, corrects it and brings out right appetizer 20 minutes later. We both ordered a caesar/pre meal salad. 30 minutes after we finished the appetizer she sets down the salads and our main entrees at the same time. So by the time we finish our salad our food is cold. All the while she acted as if we were one huge inconvenience to her. I had to go hunt down a manager myself just to get a refill on our drinks. I guess being two young guys she stereotyped us as not worth her effort in terms of a tip or she was just a terrible waitress overall. Either way we spent two and a half hours in this place just to get a crappy meal. I fully realize that this is likely a case of one bad waitress/location but on it's best day Macaroni Grill is just an okay chain resaurant and that experience left such a bad taste in my mouth that I never wanted to set foot in another one again.