The Dropping Well in Dublin for Paddy's Day: Would you go back?

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askalot

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Myself and my wife went for a bite to eat in The Dropping Well in Dublin for Paddy'd Day. Food is usually good, we'd eat there at least one a month - more in the summer.

Today was different. The starter for both of us were good and my wife's main course seemed to hit the spot where as mine failed miserably. I went for the burger and chips with peppercorn sauce on the side and I've never tasted sure a plastic, dry and bland bit of meat, I took one bite and had to put it down. I told the witress and she offered to change it but as the burger was the only thing I fancied on the menu I told her that I'd just eat the chips.

Anyway they charged the full 10 euro for the burger, when I complained to the manageress she said that the burger was fine, meat gets dry when it's cooked! And she said that's why the sauce is there! Mind you, the peppercorn sauce would be the only thing to give that burger any flavour.

That was the most expensive 10 euro The Dropping Well will have ever earned as I won't be going back.

Right, wrong?
 
Re: The Dropping Well in Dublin for Paddy'd Day: Would you go back?

askalot said:
Right, wrong?
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Bang on.

We seem to be very bad at complaining in this country at the best of times and when we do it's done in an unproductive/inappropriate manner (shouting etc.).

You were well within your rights to both return the burger and complain about being charged for it (incredible arguement the manager presented).

Not only would i not go back there but if you had the time i'd write a letter to the owner saying so and why.

Customer service in Ireland is generally pretty bad but likewise we're very bad at demanding it too.
 
Re: The Dropping Well in Dublin for Paddy'd Day: Would you go back?

Similar problem in local joint about 6 months ago... except much more expensive. People complained & stayed away. Menu (and chef, I believe) changed, we all went back.

Then the shagger put the prices up.

Hard to win sometimes...

.
 
Re: The Dropping Well in Dublin for Paddy'd Day: Would you go back?

If they had even said 'the coffees are on us' we would probably have been OK about it, after all anyone can have an off day. But the way the manageress dealt with the problem was a masterclass in the school of 'we don't care' customer service.
 
When the food proved unsatisfactory you should have returned it, refused to pay and gone elsewhere.
 
Hi there, I went with my family to TGI fridays Blackrock today,in among the fries there was an Unidentified object, it was only a small piece of paper,like a tag from a bag,I had eaten nearly the whole lot at the time I saw it,the manager came over ,after I had informed the waitress and offered us drinks for the table and insisted that the price of that meal was taken off the bill.we didnt take the offer of drinks as the guy was so cool about the problem and immediatly offered to deduct the price,thats the way buissness should be done.I will return,however I would be weary of the dropping well after the above post,maybe they were under pressure due to the day thats in it,id say write to them,and if they sort you out let us know,and if they dont let everyone know.
 
ClubMan said:
When the food proved unsatisfactory you should have returned it, refused to pay and gone elsewhere.
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My wife's main course was fine so I didn't want to ruin that on her but I take your point for the future.
 
In my opinion if one person's serving is unsatisfactory then the whole meal is unsatisfactory and not worth grinning and bearing it.
 
ClubMan said:
When the food proved unsatisfactory you should have returned it, refused to pay and gone elsewhere.
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I agree Clubman and would relish refusing to pay and leaving, but when your companion doesn't want to make a scene, it's easier to complain, pay up and avoid the place in future.


Murt
 
ClubMan said:
That was no companion. That was his wife! :D
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''Marriage is wonderful institution. If, of course, you like living in an institution''.​

and here's my favourite Groucho quote (wish I'd remembered it for the manageress at The Dropping Well).

''I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it''.
 
Just to give a balanced argument on customer service in the dropping well. I ate there recently with my 90 year old grandmother. She will only ever eat a small meal so we asked for only one piece of meat and a small selection of potatoes & veg.
When the bill arrived they only charged us half price for her meal - which would seem fair enough but I can imagine a lot of places would have charged you the full price and said it was your choice only to take half of it.
I would definitely go back.
 
Just on the refusing to pay issue: If you receive bad food/service in an establishment, can you legally refuse to pay? What if the management insists that the food was fine and that you must pay? I have to admit that I would be afraid not to pay in case they went totally OTT and called the guards or something!
Does it come under consumer law? And who decides what is acceptable and what is not? Just curious!

Sorry for butting in on the thread, but this is something I've wondered about for a while.
 
Clubman your going to have a wonderful evening tonight if your wife sees your messages...
 
Helen said:
Just to give a balanced argument on customer service in the dropping well. I ate there recently with my 90 year old grandmother. She will only ever eat a small meal so we asked for only one piece of meat and a small selection of potatoes & veg.
When the bill arrived they only charged us half price for her meal - which would seem fair enough but I can imagine a lot of places would have charged you the full price and said it was your choice only to take half of it.
I would definitely go back.
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I've heard that The Dropping Well does a half price/half portion option for seniors, my parents have used it in the past. But I know from my own work that the true test of customer service is how it deals with complaints and from my experience it is in this area that The Dropping Well fails. What surprised me was their high handed way of dealing with a customer, this was the first time I had complained after going there for over ten years.


Bluebean said:
If you receive bad food/service in an establishment, can you legally refuse to pay?
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Good question, hopefully someone has the answer.
 
In the past I also got poor service when taking the extended family for Suday lunch in the Dropping Well. I complained and did get some reduction on the bill but at that stage the lunch as a whole was a right-off. I was not happy with the attitude of the management and I voted with my feet, left, and have not returned. Like now I have taken every opportunity to tell everyone about this.

Gel
 
askalot said:
..., when I complained to the manageress she said that the burger was fine, meat gets dry when it's cooked! ...
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You should send the manageress to The Twelfth Lock near Blanchardstown, lovely moist burger.
 
And what's the food like?
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Put em up and you'll bat em. that was too easy.

Does mr chawke still own the dropping well? Quick call to the manager either in the well or in the goat will make sure he gets the message. If hears of your experience, he will not be happy. Friends experience of same in the goat a few years ago where him and the wife were treated to a full nights meal after he complained the day after when he had got no joy after complaining the night before about his dinner being cold.
 
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