The Rose and Crown Inn, Henley-On-Thames

What a BIG disappointment the Rose and Crown was last Sunday. One waitress was rushed off her feet and when our food arrived over an hour after we'd ordered it, and just as we were about to stand up and leave, we asked if she was working alone. She informed us that the manager was also working... who'd have known? There was no sign of her taking orders, delivering food to tables or pulling a pint. All this was left to one poor, overworked girl who was doing her very best.

We asked to see the manager and when she came over to ask if everything was alright, it turned out she was a woman we'd thought was a customer because she'd been swanning about the place showing off her baby. We told her the bar was understaffed and how long we'd waited for our meal and asked if there was only one member of staff on duty. She replied "No, I'm working as well, but I have to look after my son." She was unapologetic and her tone was defensive, bordering on agressive - not the best way to treat your customers. She was not prepared to make amends in any way or even understand why we might have been upset so we left our untouched food on the table, paid for our drinks and left. If this woman thinks she can run a business like this, she should seriously think again.

14 Oct 2008 17:58

The Queens Head, Hammersmith

What an appalling lack of service! The Queen's Head will not be getting any further business from me! After going to the bar to find out where my sandwich was long after all my colleagues had their meals, it finally arrived at the table. The bread was dried out on one side, but I was prepared to let that go. After 2 bites midst conversation, I realised that the sandwich was cheese and pickle, not the cheese and ham I'd ordered. Then the penny dropped that it was the very same sandwich my colleague had returned to the kitchen 20 minutes earlier as it was not what he'd ordered. Another person in our party had also not got her meal yet. I took the sandwich back to the bar, showed them it was stale, and said it was not what I'd ordered. The response? Not the apology I'd expected. Oh no! Instead what I got was a diatribe that we were disorganized when we ordered our food and when they brought it out, no one accepted the sandwich.... hardly surprising the latter, since no one at our table had ordered it! I challenged the so-called gentleman behind the bar asking him if he was blaming the customers for their mistake. Again his winning response was "Why not? You can blame us, so we can blame you". Why would you work in a service industry when you clearly don't like people, and have no concept of service? Appalling on every count Queen�s Head and this after over-charging me the week before!!!!

30 Jun 2008 18:07