Customer Service

[K C Muffin]

There is a new steakhouse not far from us - we'd eaten at one with the same name in Lee's Summit and enjoyed it, so decided to try one close to home. Is anybody familiar with Longhorn Steakhouses?

We got there approximately 6:15. This place has only been open for about 3 weeks and was packed. The lady at the podium gave hubby a buzzer and told us it would be around 45 minutes. We went and got wine at the bar and just stood around until several people got up at once and left plenty of empty seats for me, hubby and the cowboy (he was hot!!!) on crutches to sit. We sat and waited. And waited. Several people that came in after us were seated when hubby decided to investigate. He was told there was another Brown on the list and she accidentally hit their buzzer (lucky them) and that she would seat us next. Which was OK, but cost us approximately 15 more minutes.

We were seated and the server was extremely busy and didn't get to us right away with water and bread. That was pretty much OK - they were swamped and all. She finally waited on us, told us she was extremely sorry and dessert was on her. OK. We ordered an appetizer and it came out right away. Then we ordered our dinner. Everyone around us had been served. Hubby thought they were back in the kitchen spitting in our food as we sat. Finally, the server came back over and apologized again and told us our food would be right out. Well, instead of our food (in another 10 minutes) a manager appeared. He apologized and was personally seeing to our food order and would have it out right away. Which he did, after he slaughtered the fatted calf. I ordered my steak med rare and a baked potato. My steak was well done and my potato was rare. No problem, still. Then the manager came out to check on our food (I didn't even complain - what a sweetie I am!!!). He apologized again. The server came over to get our desert order (to go - we'd already been there almost 3 hours).

She was followed by the same manager who brought with him our check, which was totaled at zero. zero. We figure with the wine we ordered (Oh, yeah, we had to send one glass of wine back because the glass was filthy and still had lip prints on it) and steaks, appetizer and desert, we spent at least $80. Hubby told him we both were in positions to entertain clients and frequently checked out new places to see if they would be good places to go (which was absolutely true, I just wouldn't have told him that). The manager thanked us for being gracious. When he returned (hubby had given him a credit card for the nice tip he was leaving the server, who was really great), he brought us the zeroed receipt, and $50 worth of gift cards for future use.

Now, in total, we received probably $130 in goods for the $25 tip hubby left the server. THAT is customer service. Good customer service is when they understand they slighted a customer and do whatever they can to make it right. Obviously, the whole evening was a bust, but when we left, we had the manager's business card, his boss' business card and he had ours. We shook hands as friends.

We'll go back - 2 reasons: first, even though the service sucked, they recognized it and more than made up for it. second, the food there is heavenly! Oh, and there's a third.....I have a desert in my fridge that would make angels weep!!

DC's Applebee's could take lessons.

[NoLongerInRadioGuy]

Never mind...it was late and I was thinking about Lonestar, not Longhorn....sorry!

[Lou]

I think Radio Guy is probably referring to Lonestar Restaurants. Yep, there's one here in GC, and Mary and I patronize it frequently. That's because we don't have the 'Longhorn' or 'Cowtown' here in GC. When in Dodge, which is frequently (in fact we were there today), we visit the above-mentioned restaurants. No need to go to Applebee's, we got one here (and I like it). But we used to also go to the old 'Freighthouse', back before it was Central Station (we don't go there now), and before that... the old Spur Club. And before that, the old 'Hidden Lake' or 'BrushFire Grill' (Elaine... where are you when we need you!) These days, Mike at Cowtown serves up the best "chow" in town according to us, although Cliff (and Terry) do a good job at the Longhorn. What do you think, fellow DodgeBoard members?

[wordsmythe]

We've got a Longhorn here in T Town and I LOVE it.

We've had service problems on a few occasions but a manager has ALWAYS taken care of it before I've even mentioned it.

The food as always been good.

[Made in the USA]

I tried the Lonestar in Garden City twice. First time I had great service and good food. Second time I had terrible service and terrible food. Have never went back. Evidently the Manager there needs to take some lessons from some of these Managers that you all list.

Used to go to the Cowtown quiet a bit, until I got poor customer service from the manager there.

Freighthouse used to be good, although prices were a little steep. Have not been to Central Station, but I hear the lunch specials there are good.

The Longhorn in Dodge, well, if Cliff would run the thing right, he would have a gold mine. However, seems like he cares more for the Saloon than the restaurant. Terry (chef) is gone, and I say good riddance. The service is normally good, however the food varies!

Applebees has never impressed me in DC.

Peppercorn's is normally pretty good at times.

What Dodge needs is a restaurant that serves GOOD FOOD with GOOD SERVICE. Gee, it is no "rocket science" owners! If you are not "making it", then it is your own fault!!

[BroncoFan]

Went to a Longhorn in Liberty,MO. Was my first time in this steakhouse. We waited forever to get in, but the food and atmosphere was really good.

Interestingly enough, my wife ordered a steak k-bob and the waitress said they were out. As we eat our meal, we see several orders of kbobs going out to several tables around us. We just missed the order, but they really put a good dish together. We want to go back just to try them.

[K C Muffin]

all my experiences in the Longhorn in Lee's Summit have been great - I take clients and company reps there almost 100% because I can count on it being good. I didn't realize, though, that at night they play country music. No problem for me - I like it, but hubby rolled his eyes. You all are right - the customer service has to be practiced at every level. If you have a manager that's too good to stop at tables and inquire about the food (especially when new in town), and servers that are all new and not taught service (our server was probably in her 20's and mentioned she'd come from Chili's, so she knew good customer service paid for itself in tips), you fight a losing battle to get your market share of yuppies that are too busy to cook. There are too many other places that do practice good customer service. That's where the lines are. I chalked up the long line last night because they were newish. But I don't expect it to change much. I do expect that the kitchen staff will get better training and be on top of their mark before much longer.

[Bubba]

Speaking of Longhorn Steakhouse...wouldn't the one in Dodge City be in violation of a trademark for using the same name as the chain of Longhorn Steakhouses? Unless the one in Dodge is part of that chain, which I doubt.