43 replies to this topic

[julienne]

I'm also still not that impressed with Vista 18...and it need some serious upgrades to the decor. The view is amazing, but I think Gordon Ramsey could have a heyday in there!

Ha!
Renovations (read updated decor) to Vista 18 slated for the new year.

[peanutflower]

Vista 18 has to be one of the worst restaurants in Victoria for service. I haven't even got as far as the food the three times I've tried to take out of town visitors there. It's really a shame, becuase the potential is high. I remember going there in 1977 or 78 when it was called the Parrot House, and it was really good. But now, not so much. Terrible. Management should be ashamed.

[VicHockeyFan]

Vista 18 has to be one of the worst restaurants in Victoria for service. I haven't even got as far as the food the three times I've tried to take out of town visitors there. It's really a shame, becuase the potential is high. I remember going there in 1977 or 78 when it was called the Parrot House, and it was really good. But now, not so much. Terrible. Management should be ashamed.

I often wonder to myself, how a place can have "bad service".

OK, I guess I can think of a few ways. I've never worked in the food-service business except as an observer, so correct me if I'm wrong...

You can have way too few staff on for the room. That can sometimes/often be idiots for staff (calling in sick etc.), but to be a consistent problem, I'm guessing it can be owners/managers cutting corners by underscheduling or letting staff go early.

Then you can have poorly trained, or just staff that don't get it. I used to have the odd girlfriend that was a server, I'd roll my eyes when she told me it was a tough job. I don't think it is, but I do know some people can't perform the simplest of tasks.

And then I guess you can have poor cummunication/systems between servers and the kitchen. I DO know a lot of cooks that are idiots, quite frankly they are a different lot, personality-wise. Some can't handle pressure well, and many do not have the social skills to interact properly with serving staff.

But I think of places like Barkleys, or Harbour House, there is no possible way you would get poor service there, it would not happen. Even at a place like Samuel's, with lower prices than all mentioned here, including Vista, poor service would not happen.

Don't managers see service problems? Don't they care? Do you really have to have the owners on site for the staff to perform properly?

[Caramia]

Here's another way to get consistent bad service: Have one waitress on staff who cares more about her own tip pool than being a team. She will 'steal' other wait staff's orders when they come up if they are the same as what her table has ordered. That way her table gets the food moments after ordering, and the other table has to wait much longer.