Communion lunch booking not what we booked or expected

I booked a lunch for a Communion party at a very well-known county cork hotel back in January. We arrived for our lunch this past Saturday, to find the restaurant in darkness and a self-service carvery set up in a function room to cater for circa 200 guests instead. Starters and desserts were also self-service, (everything lukewarm and sitting on open tables for hours) as was tea/coffee. The price that they charged was significantly more than is charged for the same food in the hotel bar, where there was table service. (They also charged €15 for a child's portion of 2 sausages and a handful of chips.)
I voiced my dissatisfaction to the manager before we sat, and again when paying the bill. Her only response was that some people loved the 'casual' nature of the arrangements, and she offered to make sure that in future staff would always let guests know that this was their standard offering for communion lunches.

I was prepared to pay more than twice what I did for a good menu and catered lunch, but the quality of food and level of service we received didn't merit what they charged. The meal was a very average carvery, with luke-warm veg and stodgy stuffing; I've had better on a mid-week work lunch. I was horribly embarrassed in front of family members, some of whom had travelled from the other end of the country to attend. At one point people joked as to whether they should also remove their used soup bowls from the table as nobody was coming to remove them. Luckily they saw the funny side!

I am writing a letter of complaint today, as I feel I was fobbed off at the time. I do wonder what possible recompense can be offered at this stage? The day is gone, and anything they can offer now won't get my family back together to enjoy what was to be a special meal together, but instead has left me with a nasty taste in my mouth.

Things haven't changed. Twenty years ago I booked a table in a restaurant in Monkstown in Dublin. Roast beef was not even a carvery but slices bought in to microwave, hard peas etc. I have never been back to that restaurant since, I think it may even have closed down by now.
Just think, if your meal was nice, you would have gone back another time. But will you go back again?

Mel said:

I booked a lunch for a Communion party at a very well-known county cork hotel back in January. We arrived for our lunch this past Saturday, to find the restaurant in darkness and a self-service carvery set up in a function room to cater for circa 200 guests instead.

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200 guests to a Communion lunch?!

How much did you pay, per person? I just know that I've had a very positive experience at another hotel recently. We were a small party in a large dining room with some other guests. The party nearest us was quite large with a good mix of people. Our meal was very good and the service was excellent and I would definitely go again; the cost was roughly €30 per head (childrens' dinners were a lot less) and very good value for money. For €25- 30 per head I would expect table service and good food.

200 guests to a Communion lunch?!

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I think Mel is saying that instead of a table or two for her family in the restaurant, as she expected, they were seated in the function room with other families in a similar situation. Not that she invited 200 people!

Mel, my advice is look for a full refund. We had a similar experience with a well known 5 star hotel in Wicklow. Our complaint worked its way up to the General Manager who, to his credit, gave us a full refund and a full apology.

Our reasons for being so upset, in addition to the poor quality of the food and service, was that it was a once-off event, people had traveled from abroad and we were deeply embarrassed by the poor quality of the hotel.

Some of the issues we had were; being told that we had arrived too late for the full menu to be available (despite getting multiple assurances before the day that it would be), being told "the chef doesn't do mashed potatoes" when requested for two small children, being told there was no more cream left for dessert!, incorrect bill, plus numerous other service issues. For a 5 star hotel charging 5 star prices it was an unacceptable level of service.

Like I said, full credit to the Manager for offering a full refund and his apologies and he invited us back for a free meal anytime we wanted - so despite the bad experiences on the day our impression of the hotel was not completely soured.

200 people would be pushing it - although, I heard over the weekend of someone preparing 150 of those mini-bottles of wine with customised labels as gifts for friends and relatives for their child's Communion!

We paid €25 a head, not including drinks which they were charging at €5 per (small) glass for wine. Children were €15 for chicken/sausage & chips.

I think you should have asked for an invoice rather than paying on the day then take the hotel to the small claims court or something such like and let them decide what is the appropriate payment for what you got.

Yes, I think for 30 euro a head you would expect table service and good food. I think a lot of these hotels treat Communions as an excuse to over charge and serve up sub-quality food.

Document it all, including any booking information and the names of people you complained too on the day. If part of a larger hotel chain...ensure you copy corporate customer service...I have done so before and it's amazing what some focus from above does.

Eoin

Mel said:

I voiced my dissatisfaction to the manager before we sat, and again when paying the bill. Her only response was that some people loved the 'casual' nature of the arrangements, and she offered to make sure that in future staff would always let guests know that this was their standard offering for communion lunches.

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The IRISH way to complain. Pay now - whinge later.

Too many of us do this (me included), but I have stood my ground on a good few occasions of late and had some success which I felt a bit of proud about. It's gotten to the stage where people providing services etc , dont care what you think as there is enough money around that losing your custom isn't important to them.

Most recent - Well known resteraunt in cork. Cold (not cooked)main course. Re heated twice(microwaved - they said not). Wife finished hers and mine still comming. Complained. Was told sorry but they were busy, and I wouldn't have to pay for my main course. Told them I wouldn't pay for any of it. Argueing back and forth. Made a bit of a scene. End result is I didn't pay and got a twenty euro voucher for next visit. Wouldn't go back as manageress was a pig but,I felt better anyway.

gramlab said:

The IRISH way to complain. Pay now - whinge later.

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To be fair, I complained BEFORE we sat down, and I complained again before I handed over my credit card (for which their machine wasn't working and I had to dig around in my bag for loose cash). However, there were several members of my family with me, and I was already mortified at that stage without making a futher scene, and spoiling the day even more. My letter is in the post this morning, with promises to forward copies to the General Manager and the town's restaurant association if there isn't a satisfactory resolution.

Mel,
best to complain directly to the general manager first,if no joy then the owner ,always in a conversation if you feel it;s going no where slip in that you could not possibly recommend the place to anybody based on the experience you have had..
would this place be in Kinsale by any chance ?

we need to complain more as Irish people,trivial things will always annoy us bu this sort or rubbish service is terrible and we should try and stamp it out.the evening reception of our wedding was spolied a few years back by a night mamanger in a blarney hotel and we complained by letter to the general manager who rang my wife personally and apologied then compensated for a ruined wedding cake which the staff had ruined by scooping the icing off with their fingers and he threw in 6 months leisure centre membership..
fair play to him he was a true professional and a gentleman and never doubted what my wife had told him.. it helped she had 30 witnesses

I'd like to give the restaurant manager another chance to redeem herself before going over her head, but I won't hesitate to take it further.
Yes it's in Kinsale, and being a member of the good food circle i would have expected better. I was offered a cancelled table at our favourite restaurant in the same town the previous week, and would have taken it but for the fact that we had been made to pay a hefty deposit to the hotel. You live and learn.

i know you don't wnat to say publicly but would it be a certain coloured hotel in Kinsale ?

Mel said:

Starters and desserts were also self-service, (everything lukewarm and sitting on open tables for hours) as was tea/coffee.

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If this is correct they were in breach of health and safety regulations for carvery meals, in regard to temperature. Another point to get them on.

M