"However, that tradition came to an end today. We arrived in full force for the birthday dinner, and after spending $240, we inquired about getting ice cream for the toddlers at the table who weren’t celebrating a birthday. The waitress assured us it was no problem and that we could celebrate and sing. But to our shock, we were later told that we could only receive ice cream if it was someone’s birthday that day.
To make matters worse, when we raised our concern, the manager came out with a very unfriendly demeanor. Everyone in our group noticed her sullen expression and rudeness. We offered identification for the four people celebrating their birthdays, but it didn’t seem to matter. They refused to provide ice cream, citing that it was company policy. After spending $240 with a tip, we couldn’t believe they wouldn’t accommodate us in this small way.
In the past, I’ve experienced places like Outback Steakhouse where they celebrate birthdays for anyone. Given this experience, we’ve decided to shift our birthday tradition to Outback from now on. We left feeling regretful and disappointed, wishing we could have ordered desserts for the entire table. I hope it was worth it for them to miss out on that additional business!"
