Not a repeat customer

[surrealestate]

I had a few minutes of time to kill on Highland and Central and was a little hungry so popped into Roast Beef and Pizza King (it was right there) to get some fries. They turned out to be the type that are all coated with crap to make them stay crunchy even when cold, but these were bad even given that. I ate a few, tried adding salt, ate a few more, and decided it just wasn't worth it.

If you know my relationship with french fries, you know that's really saying a lot.

But they were weird and greasy and gross and didn't even taste like potato. There were cups stacked by the silverware so I took one to get some water, but realized there was no water out, so I asked for a fill at the counter. The guy told me he couldn't give me water. I told him I just needed a couple of sips because I didn't like the fries and couldn't eat them, pointing to the mostly-full plate at the table. He said he couldn't give me water but offered to pack the remaining fries so I could take them home. I figured I must have been too subtle, so I said I didn't want to take them home, that I was going to throw them away because they were disgusting and I just wanted some water to wash away the taste. He said he couldn't give me water.

I shrugged, bussed my tray, threw away the food and left. Went about my business and two hours later, after a glass of water and two other drinks, I still have that nasty-ass taste in my mouth. Yuck.

(They did have bottled water for sale, but given that I only needed it because the food was so gross, I wasn't about to give them more money.)

I'm almost tempted to finally create a Yelp account just to post a negative review.

Comments

[gentlescholar.livejournal.com]

Isn't that illegal? I thought you *had* to give tap water on demand if you serve food. I know Faneuil Hall has no decent water supply in the center and they get some kind of exemption, but there's at least a water fountain nearby.

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

We live right there and have still never tried them. The one time Nick went in they couldn't give him what he wanted, either (a slice). Now I guess we never will.

[pseydtonne.livejournal.com]

I'm fully in favor of you pasting this into a Yelp review. That kind of data makes Yelp useful.

I hate how hard I have to filter Yelp to get valid details now that I'm in a new city. I looked up a local hardware store and had to realize many of the positive reviews were from inept, wealthy people.

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

I say yelp them.

[c1.livejournal.com]

You bussed your table after that?

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

Um, that's against the law. They cannot not give you water if you request it.

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

I vote against Yelp though. They totally deserve it, but Yelp is kinda evil.

[smacaski.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I feel like that might be worth a complaint to the Better Business Bureau or whoever deals with overseeing restaurants, than just to Yelp.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Good point. I guess good habits die hard.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I wondered that but I wasn't sure enough to push it. I mean, I could have also asked for my money back because the food sucked, but I'd already decided I wasn't going to do anything but ask for water.

I was doubly stunned at the refusal to give me water and the lack of any acknowledgment whatsoever of the food complaint. The last time I made a similar complaint at a pizza place (and it was just to tell them, when I walked by a few days later, that I'd liked the old brand of something and not so much the new one), they immediately fixed me an order for free, even after I said it was unnecessary.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

That's a big reason I don't have an account. Grover is my buddy!

[c1.livejournal.com]

I mean, it's commendable that you took the high road (and yes, that's a great habit to have, and they should die hard) but I'd have given you a pass, in the light of far less than stellar service like that.

[xuth.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's an actual law that they must provide water for the asking (there are potentially local laws but I'm not convinced they exist in MA). Rude as hell not to? Absolutely. Illegal? I'm pretty sure the answer is no (and that's with a slightly better than cursory search*).

* MA has adopted the federal 1999 Food Code by reference with some addendums.

[ron_newman]

wow, I've never had a bad experience like that there, but I've also never ordered fries and have either bought a drink or brought a full bottle of water with me. Guess I'll think twice about going there again.

[xuth.livejournal.com]

Can you cite a reference for this? I did some research and everything I've seen says that they don't have to. See my earlier comment for a reference to the statutes where I'd expect to find something like that.

[c1.livejournal.com]

I couldn't find any reference to a requirement to offer water in restaurants in any of the Mass. General Laws. Can you tell me where you found this?



I did, however, find out that if you sing the Star Spangled Banner, you better do so in its entirety, and not at all as a medley or dance music, lest you be fined $100. (MGL 264 S.9)

[xuth.livejournal.com]

While that law (MGL 264 S9) is absolutely fabulous, I'm sure it runs afoul of the 1st amendment to the US constitution.

This would be similar to the statute that says that while schools must lead students in the daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance, federal courts have held that no individual can be required participate (and I believe this includes the members school administration who are supposed to be leading this).

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure it's not illegal (a lot of fast food places and cafes charge for cups, which has made the news with no mention of running afoul of any laws).

It certainly is crappy customer service.

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not going to do an exhaustive search, but I thought this might be of interest: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/721551#5778921.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I don't know if some random commenter counts as a source :P Of course, that applies to all of us, heh.

[tober.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I too think it's not illegal. Quite some time ago, MA and a lot of other states had a law that at a restaurant you had to be given a glass of water (without even asking for it) unless you actively requested no water. That changed a rather long time ago and even when it was in force I am not clear on exactly what sorts of places that law applied to. It certainly applied to full-service restaurants and I'm quite sure it didn't apply to e.g. Dunkin Donuts but there's some gray area in between.

Wandering further afield... I think MA also used to be one of a number of states in which, at a restaurant, if you were by default given something to spread on your bread, it had to be butter (and not e.g. margarine). I believe that too is no longer the case.