why is service so miserable in Alaska (restaurant)?
Aug 13, 2017, 8:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
why is service so miserable in Alaska (restaurant)?
One time waiter left the premises. Nobody was covering because when I asked someone else she said she would find him, and I had to tell her where she went (he went to the parking lot in the back)
Someone asked me what I wanted to drink, other than water, and I responded just water. My soup comes with no water. Nor dors my food. And I could not get her attention. Someone else in the restaurant had to get her attention for me.
Fish and chips is served without tartar sauce. I ask another waiter for it (my waiter does not comr back), he says sure and later comes out carrying food. For another table. Finally I see my waiter and he gets it.
My conclusion is many of these people are seasonal, just here for the summer, so do not have much experience/training?
Someone asked me what I wanted to drink, other than water, and I responded just water. My soup comes with no water. Nor dors my food. And I could not get her attention. Someone else in the restaurant had to get her attention for me.
Fish and chips is served without tartar sauce. I ask another waiter for it (my waiter does not comr back), he says sure and later comes out carrying food. For another table. Finally I see my waiter and he gets it.
My conclusion is many of these people are seasonal, just here for the summer, so do not have much experience/training?
Aug 17, 2017, 12:09 pm
#3
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One time waiter left the premises. Nobody was covering because when I asked someone else she said she would find him, and I had to tell her where she went (he went to the parking lot in the back)
Someone asked me what I wanted to drink, other than water, and I responded just water. My soup comes with no water. Nor dors my food. And I could not get her attention. Someone else in the restaurant had to get her attention for me.
Fish and chips is served without tartar sauce. I ask another waiter for it (my waiter does not comr back), he says sure and later comes out carrying food. For another table. Finally I see my waiter and he gets it.
My conclusion is many of these people are seasonal, just here for the summer, so do not have much experience/training?
Someone asked me what I wanted to drink, other than water, and I responded just water. My soup comes with no water. Nor dors my food. And I could not get her attention. Someone else in the restaurant had to get her attention for me.
Fish and chips is served without tartar sauce. I ask another waiter for it (my waiter does not comr back), he says sure and later comes out carrying food. For another table. Finally I see my waiter and he gets it.
My conclusion is many of these people are seasonal, just here for the summer, so do not have much experience/training?
I lived in ANC for 17 years and ate out far, far more than I should have, and I never recall the service in Alaska being appreciably different than just about anywhere else in the U.S. (and leagues better than service in most parts of Europe and the consistently mediocre service at all but the finest restaurants in South Africa). But I was eating at actual good places to eat, not touristy summer-only lodge-type places that are indeed staffed by summer temp hires.
Aug 17, 2017, 1:22 pm
#4
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Where are you eating?
I lived in ANC for 17 years and ate out far, far more than I should have, and I never recall the service in Alaska being appreciably different than just about anywhere else in the U.S. (and leagues better than service in most parts of Europe and the consistently mediocre service at all but the finest restaurants in South Africa). But I was eating at actual good places to eat, not touristy summer-only lodge-type places that are indeed staffed by summer temp hires.
I lived in ANC for 17 years and ate out far, far more than I should have, and I never recall the service in Alaska being appreciably different than just about anywhere else in the U.S. (and leagues better than service in most parts of Europe and the consistently mediocre service at all but the finest restaurants in South Africa). But I was eating at actual good places to eat, not touristy summer-only lodge-type places that are indeed staffed by summer temp hires.
Aug 17, 2017, 3:19 pm
#5
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Over my many many many visits to Alaska over my lifetime (albeit in rare numbers in recent years), I found service to be at least average if not better, as compared to the rest of the USA. Many of my trips were not during peak tourist season. Notwithstanding this, and not widely known outside of the industry, is that due to climate change, the Tartar Trees aren't producing sauce in historically-reliable quantities, and I believe it has become a special request item in many locales.
Aug 18, 2017, 10:50 am
#7
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Since I'm posting on the go, I'll take the liberty of copying a comment I posted on Facebook last week for a friend who was visiting Alaska:
The restaurant part is easy: Moose’s Tooth. Rated the #3 pizza in the country by...I forget, but some reputable travel magazine. Regardless, they’re right and it’s worth every minute of waiting to get a table. (They have GF crust, too.)
There are a couple of Himalayan restaurants in ANC, if that’s your bent (Yak & Yeti and Namaste Shangri-La). Ginger downtown does modern Asian fusion well.
Skip Bombay Deluxe, the only (and mediocre) Indian option of note in ANC.
Hold out for FAI for the Thai food, though: https://www.adn.com/business/article...on/2014/07/21/ (Yelp now lists 24 Thai restaurants in FAI; with a population of around 30,000, that has to be one of the highest Thai-restaurants-per-capita ratios in the US!) Thai House is probably the best up there, followed closely by Lemon Grass.
I am also addicted to Falafel King's shawarma...they make the second-best shawarma in the country, as far as I’m concerned, trailing only Max’s in Wheaton, MD. Their hours are weird, though.
Otherwise, lots of options from good to very good (not really *great*, though), but largely New American or similar, often with an emphasis on fresh seafood. You’re nearing the end of the good salmon season, but some of the good stuff is still running, and halibut should also be fresh, too. Names to look at a little more:
Kincaid Grill
Snow City (for breakfast/brunch)
Bear Tooth
Spenard Roadhouse
Simon & Seafort’s
South
Jack Sprat (in Girdwood, so perfect for dinner on your way back from Seward)
Orso & Glacier BrewHouse get good reviews from many people but a few of my friends have a hard time getting excited about either one; I’m somewhere in the middle)
Humpy’s for the deep-fried halibut
Haute Quarter Grill
Rustic Goat
The Bridge
Sack’s
Take the last few there with a grain of salt; they either used to be very good and may have slipped a bit or are newer and still figuring consistency out, but you can check some reviews to see what you think.
There are a couple of Himalayan restaurants in ANC, if that’s your bent (Yak & Yeti and Namaste Shangri-La). Ginger downtown does modern Asian fusion well.
Skip Bombay Deluxe, the only (and mediocre) Indian option of note in ANC.
Hold out for FAI for the Thai food, though: https://www.adn.com/business/article...on/2014/07/21/ (Yelp now lists 24 Thai restaurants in FAI; with a population of around 30,000, that has to be one of the highest Thai-restaurants-per-capita ratios in the US!) Thai House is probably the best up there, followed closely by Lemon Grass.
I am also addicted to Falafel King's shawarma...they make the second-best shawarma in the country, as far as I’m concerned, trailing only Max’s in Wheaton, MD. Their hours are weird, though.
Otherwise, lots of options from good to very good (not really *great*, though), but largely New American or similar, often with an emphasis on fresh seafood. You’re nearing the end of the good salmon season, but some of the good stuff is still running, and halibut should also be fresh, too. Names to look at a little more:
Kincaid Grill
Snow City (for breakfast/brunch)
Bear Tooth
Spenard Roadhouse
Simon & Seafort’s
South
Jack Sprat (in Girdwood, so perfect for dinner on your way back from Seward)
Orso & Glacier BrewHouse get good reviews from many people but a few of my friends have a hard time getting excited about either one; I’m somewhere in the middle)
Humpy’s for the deep-fried halibut
Haute Quarter Grill
Rustic Goat
The Bridge
Sack’s
Take the last few there with a grain of salt; they either used to be very good and may have slipped a bit or are newer and still figuring consistency out, but you can check some reviews to see what you think.
Sep 5, 2018, 10:16 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2013
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In response to your PM regarding restaurant recommendations, I think it's a better subject to have here in public so others can comment and provide assistance (especially as my time online is limited for the next couple of weeks).
Since I'm posting on the go, I'll take the liberty of copying a comment I posted on Facebook last week for a friend who was visiting Alaska:
Since I'm posting on the go, I'll take the liberty of copying a comment I posted on Facebook last week for a friend who was visiting Alaska:
Thanks.
Sep 15, 2018, 7:34 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: PDX
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Posts: 2,989
Even though this thread is over a year old, I’ll throw in my two cents.
I’ve eaten at Humpys probably hundreds of time in my life. It’s not quite what it used to be (they over-expanded a bit and had some financial difficulties as a result) but I’ve never had anything approaching the service the OP described.
As far as SE Alaska goes, if you’re getting mediocre service there you’re probably eating someplace owned and staffed by Holland America Princess Queen England. Most of the locally owned places there it’s just fine, and usually better if you get away from the dock. That or you’re expecting five star Michelin service in an isolated small town.
I’ve eaten at Humpys probably hundreds of time in my life. It’s not quite what it used to be (they over-expanded a bit and had some financial difficulties as a result) but I’ve never had anything approaching the service the OP described.
As far as SE Alaska goes, if you’re getting mediocre service there you’re probably eating someplace owned and staffed by Holland America Princess Queen England. Most of the locally owned places there it’s just fine, and usually better if you get away from the dock. That or you’re expecting five star Michelin service in an isolated small town.
Sep 15, 2018, 11:56 pm
#10
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I've done well at places like Club Paris (the downtown steakhouse), but they seem to hold onto people and it's probably not a bad gig. Also, if u go in September like I'm about to do you're more likely to get the permanent people rather than the seasonals.
The one that drives me nuts is Nevada. When a buffet or hotel isn't really much of a profit center and the profit comes from the casino, then sometimes you get the sense the management and employees don't care as much because it's not a profit center, anyway. If they served more people faster, more might come but it's not a profitable activity. Though you see this less these days as Vegas and other places have raised costs on everything because millennials spend little and often nothing at the tables and slot machines.
The one that drives me nuts is Nevada. When a buffet or hotel isn't really much of a profit center and the profit comes from the casino, then sometimes you get the sense the management and employees don't care as much because it's not a profit center, anyway. If they served more people faster, more might come but it's not a profitable activity. Though you see this less these days as Vegas and other places have raised costs on everything because millennials spend little and often nothing at the tables and slot machines.