Date of Incident: 10/17 Time of Incident: around 10 pm to 10:05 pm Location: Olive Garden restaurant on 1545 Flamingo Road Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-735-0082 On the night of 10/17, our party of six arrived at Olive Garden restaurant around 9:20 PM. There were very few people in their waiting area and the hostess came and talk to our group at least 3 times to let us know that they have not forgotten about us and they are preparing our table.
Olive Garden closes at 10 PM. We got our food at around 9:55 PM. We just now got our hot food and proceeded to eat. My sister in Law (lucy) now decided she needed to get a sweater in the car because she was cold. It was taking awhile for her to come back and my other sister in Law (Mary) received a call from Lucy stating that she is outside the front entrance of the restaurant and the staff would not let her back in. Mary went to the front entrance to talk to the staff and she returned angry because they will not let her sister back in. Mary's boyfriend also went to the front entrance to talk to the staff and he also came back angry because they would not allow Lucy back in. I finally went to the front to talk to the General Manager and hostesses. The hostess kept apologizing to me. The General Manager proceeded to tell me that he cannot let Lucy back in because it's Olive Garden's policy that they do not let anyone in after 10 PM for employee safety. I tried to reason to the manager that she did not know this but all he kept saying was it's for employee safety and that if he lets her in then he would have to shut down the whole restaurant. He said this with such an uncaring attitude.
I would like to make a comment regarding Employee Safety. Are Olive Garden employees safer at 8pm, 9pm, 9:30pm, 10pm, 10:01pm etc I don't remember anyone asking me whether I was carrying a weapon on me when I walked in the restauranthow do they know that they were safe? Are the Olive Garden employees walked to their car after they get off from work for safety or is the INSIDE of the restaurant considered the "HOLY GROUND"! I have never heard of policy stopping a potential robber or criminal. If someone really wants to get in Olive Garden after closing time—all they would have to do in slip inside as a customer was going out. I have eaten in a lot of Olive Garden restaurants even in different states and not once have I seen security in the premises. The General Manager never once mentioned Customer Safetywhich makes it more apparent that Customer Safety is not important to Olive Garden!
He also told me that I shouldn't be rude to himI guess locking someone outside the restaurant while her hot food was waiting on the table WAS NOT RUDE! I was so distraughtI told the manager that Olive Garden wasted my time to have dinner with my family that they should pay me for coming to Olive Garden instead of me paying them. I told the manager that I want all the food on the table packed and I am not paying for a single penny. My TIME is VALUABLE just like everyone else. I saw one of the hostess whispered something to our waiter. Apparently the manager ok'd it because our waiter packed up all our food. We all left the restaurant very upset, distraught, humiliated, and emotionally stressed. I can't believe that this is Olive Garden's policy? Where is the Safety of the Consumera young lady locked outside the door of the restaurant by herself at night— it was also misting outside. My 10 yo daughter was with us. What if I had asked her to get something in the carthen this young girl would also be locked outside the door due to employee safety. What if I forgot my wallet in the car? I don't think Olive Garden will have a problem then of me stepping out of the restaurant to get my wallet so I can pay them. Oh, but I can't go back in the restaurant to pay due to employee safety. Wow & what a novel idea to get free meals at Olive Garden. Now—maybe you're seeing how stupid this policy is. It's unbelievable that this is happening in this century and this country. I served over 8 years active duty Air Force and several years as a reservist and I have never had this emotional trauma of disrespect, injustice, stupidity, and uncaring attitude towards another fellow human being. It is false advertisement for Olive Garden to promote the concept of Family Dining How can you have Family dining when your family member is locked out of the restaurant in the parking lot while her hot food is on the table! Her purse is inside the restaurant. This brand of When youre here, youre family — does not apply when you stepped outside their door, THEN YOUR A TOTAL STRANGER! Other details of this incident: I recorded every detail right outside the restaurant parking lot in my Iphone because I don't want to forget any specific detail of what happened and I want an accurate description of the incident. Lucy states that as she was going out of the doorthere were other customers that was also going out of the door. Lucy states that one of the hostess asked her if she is done with her dinner and she said "NoI'm not done, I just have to get something out of the car" then she stepped outside the door. No one stopped her nor told her of the restaurant policy. They knew we just got our food, otherwise, why would they bother to ask her that question. If this is a strict policy they should have told us while we were sitting in the waiting area for 15 minutes since they know we are late customers and there is a possibility that one of us would step outside the door after 10 PM. If this is a strict policy - why is the Manager now standing by the door of the restaurant to make sure that I do not let Lucy in but he didn't bother stopping her as she was going out. Was he just waiting to whip out his Olive Garden Policy and enforce his power! He must get a kick out of this. Now you might say, what is the big deal—it's only food. Well, put yourself in this situation. You go to Olive Garden to have a nice dinner with your family and your starving because it is already late at night— then your sister, your mother, your brother, your daughter/son, or yourself steps out door at 10:01 pm to smoke or get something in the car, well, guess what— your whole dinner is over! Where is Consumers Rights? Olive Garden lets me order my food but I cant eat it? Olive Garden enforces a policy but not inform customers about it! Olive Garden only cares about employee safetybut totally ignores Customer Safety! Olive Garden promotes Family Dining BUT without your Family! What went wrong? No Common Sense!!! If you dont have one, then you shouldnt manage anything!!! You should not be a Manager. Otherwisejust put a robot by the door to spit out Policies and see how many customers comes back for more. It is time to wake up Olive Garden Your Garden needs to grow Common Sense!
Very Peeved Ex-Customer! Ctoto
I have a very interesting update on this story.
I have talked to Director of Operations and according to him the General Manager was just following Policy. I guess Olive Garden does not feel that their Managers are intuitive enough to make common sense decision that they have to follow policy by the letter!
0 comments