Garfields.

Okay you have to be kidding me..
Last Friday we decided to splurge and go to Garfield's. If you ever get the urge to do that, let it pass.

We stopped going a long time ago. Not because of the service but because of the prices.
Garfield's seriously charges you for every morsel. At most restaurants you get a salad and a side dish with the order of every entree..
Not Garfield's.. Salad - extra, mushrooms for your steak - extra, butter and sour cream for your potato - extra. I'm pretty sure they even have a pedometer on the salt shaker so that they can charge you for every shake.
You would think that with their prices, service would be off the chart.
If so, you would be thinking wrong.

We went, we had Ryleigh and one of her friends and baby Braydon with us.
They sat us at booth with a high chair for Bray at the end. He was hungry, so as we ordered drinks, I said "do you have mac and cheese, and can I have that right now please". Apparently it comes as a meal and what did I want for my side dish. This poor girl apparently has never been around small children. I said "okay throw some broccoli on there". Getting Bray started early meant there was a chance he would be slowing down in time for me to get my food and be able to eat it while it was still hot..

The mac and cheese came - with fries.. HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY TEETH.. And she set it down right in front of him. He's 7 months old!!!! His hand went right for the steaming noodles (don't worry Amy, I caught him before he got there and moved the plate).
So she says she'll bring me the broccoli I originally asked for. I'm pretty sure we got charged for that.

The girls ordered an appetizer (Braydon was finished eating before the appetizer ever got there). It was set down amongst our empty glasses (pet peeve). We didn't get any small plate for the appetizer. So it was everyones hands in one plate (ewwww - germaphope).

A half an hour later our food came. I always get a pepper steak (steak on a bed of green peppers and onions). It comes on a sizzling (like fajitas) platter that has obviously been put in the oven prior to service. Again, she set it down right in front of "all hands" Braydon (I caught him again Amy and moved the plate).
We finally asked for more drinks, got them, and then we never saw her again (until it was time to pay).

Do you know that the maximum amount of time a 7 month old can sit in a wooden high chair without deciding he's had enough, is about an hour.. We were there for two..
So as I held and entertained Braydon to rescue him from his macaroni boredom, Scott had to cut my steak, and prep my potato so that I could eat one handed.

Garfield's.. Either adjust your prices or improve your service.. Although the food is great, both of them suck.

1.25 out of 5 Kerri stars.

Buffalo Wild Wings

I just have to throw out some quick kudo's to Buffalo Wild Wings.
When they first opened I had to go try it out.
It was the worst service in the midwest. There was so much "that's not my job" going on there, it was crazy.
The manager on duty met us at the door and said "someone will seat you in a minute". And then he proceded to stare at us for 5 minutes until a hostess finally came along. He wasn't doing anything. And the place was not at all busy. It was right at their opening time of the day. He could have easily grabbed some menu's and led us to a booth. But apparently it wasn't his job. We were there for an hour and a half FOR LUNCH.
A friend of mine goes there quite a bit I think. On one occassion, he had an empty glass in front of him for more than 10 minutes. His waitress walked by and said "I'm going to take a smoke break, then I'll get you some more soda".

I love wings, and was truly disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to go back because of the crap service. Bad service will stop me in my tracks.

Well I gave it a second (and fifth) chance, and went back a couple of times (times when it wasn't up to me to pick the restaraunt), and saw some improvements. The best service is actually in the bar area. The bartenders there are the bomb.

Most recently I went back yesterday (Scott, myself and three kids) What strides they've made (BWW's, not the kids). We had Ryan as our waiter. He was pretty good.. Not outstanding, but good. He got a decent tip.
But I did watch all of the other employees. It really looks like they've weeded out the "not my job" people.
Great job Buffalo Wild Wings on the service improvements..
And the wings aren't too bad either.