From the Director of Food & Bev. at the R-C Half Moon Bay:

Dear Mr. Dhuey,

Thank you for your visit to the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay and for sharing your experiences with me. It is thorough comments like yours that we are able to continually improve our service and guest loyalty.

I am very pleased that your overall experience at our property was a pleasurable one, however, I am distressed to hear of the unimpressive service you witnessed as well. I would like to sincerely apologize and would like to assure you that discussions will take place on how to make sure these kinds of occurrences do not happen again.

Mr. Dhuey, thank you for keeping me informed regarding your experiences during your stay. We always welcome any kind of constructive criticism that can help us become even better and increase the overall Ritz-Carlton experience to our guest's satisfaction. Of course, I would also like to thank you for your kind words as well. I noticed that although you did have some unpleasant occurrences, your overall view of your stay seems to be that of a pleasant one and we look forward to being of service to you again, soon and often.

Sincerely...

[a cc: to the Restaurant Director]

So, it's just the response I wanted (I specifically mentioned how I wasn't seeking any kind of compensation). I suspect that they'll act more promptly next time a baby's family thinks it's appropriate to use the Ferber method...in a fine dining restaurant! It sure was nasty of that family to put the staff in such an awkward position.