"After waiting over an hour, the manager finally brought our drinks: one on-the-rocks margarita and a semi-frozen margarita. I noticed our waiter serving entrees to another table that had arrived well after us, which tested my patience. When the waiter caught my glance, he turned and casually asked if we were ready to place our order. At that moment, we decided we’d had enough and requested our check along with the manager.
When she arrived, we expressed our dissatisfaction with the service and mentioned how we had seen another table being served shortly after they arrived. The manager sincerely apologized and offered to cover the cost of our nachos to make amends. Despite adding beef for an extra $3.00 on top of the nachos, which cost $8.99, we hardly touched them because they were greasy and unappetizing. While she covered the nachos, we still paid over $40 for our drinks and the additional $3 for the beef.
Although the restaurant was crowded, the manager walked us to the exit, repeatedly apologizing and almost clinging to us as we left, urging us to return soon. This place held special memories for my mother and me, filled with laughter, giant frozen margaritas with salt on the rim, and a plate of “crazy nachos” accompanied by great service. My mother passed away on Memorial Day in 2005, and nearly 20 years later, I still miss her deeply, which is why I wanted to return to El Phoenix—the special place we shared.
From this experience, I realized two things: 1. You can’t go back, and 2. Customer service seems to be a thing of the past. However, I found the opposite to be true at Red Lobster on Hwy 26 in North Richland Hills, where we had the BEST servers! She was cheerful, friendly, and went out of her way to ensure we felt comfortable and valued. Our visit there was a delightful experience, complete with excellent service and delicious food, all in a great atmosphere!"
