Originally Posted By dlkozy Just there yesterday and what a waste of quality Disney time that was! This restaurant had a total of 8 tables that had anyone sitting at them and there STILL was a 10 minute wait to be seated! That should have been my first clue! They sat me in the center of the outside court and I asked to be moved 1 table over (next to the metal gate). The gal seating me said that I would have to wait for 10 to 15 minutes to be able to be seated there! I told her that that was ridiculous because there were at leat 20 tables that were empty. She just kinda looked at me. So-being hungry I kept that table. Waited and waited to have my order taken-waited and waited and waited for my food to come. Waited and waited and waited and WAITED for my bill-asked 2 other waiters to find my waiter to get my bill. Handed my waiter my CC and told him that I was wasting MY Disney time and to please hurry back so that I could leave. Had to send out for ANOTHER SEARCH PARTY to get my CC back! Food was good-not worth the time spent, so I will choose to eat somewhere else next time.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Wow sounds like they were short staffed. My sister used to be a waitress and has explained to me - after me being angry for simular seating issues - that each server has a certain number of tables in there area - and there are a certain number of areas... If an area is empty it's generally because that area is not assigned a waiter. By moving over a table you may have changed servers and therefore had to wait for that server to be availble. I know it's frustrating... I usually avoid those restaurants while in DL - I would rather eat and go... I know another LPer had the same issue at the Carnation restaurant... I met up with their party and they ordered ice cream which after 20 min never came - and it still took another 15 - 20 min to get the bill and pay it...
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Ouch! Quite a different experience than the one posted on LP.com from 2 years ago.
Originally Posted By dlkozy >>>"I know it's frustrating... I usually avoid those restaurants while in DL - I would rather eat and go..."<<< I know! You can just feel your precious DLR time slipping away as you wait! :0)
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Our DD had a very similar experience last December. It was busy that morning but their issue was that other tables were being served their food and they were still waiting for someone to ask them for their order. They were also flagging down other servers hoping for some help. They swore they'd never go there again. We've only eaten there once and I don't remember much about the service because we were talking so much with our son and his girlfriend. We enjoyed sitting after a very busy day. I would have been very annoyed if I were in your shoes dlkozy. The credit card thing is crazy!
Originally Posted By DlandDug I don't think table service restaurants are a good idea in general if one is looking to maximize time for touring the park. I like Cafe Orleans if I am there to spend time with friends or family. I am sorry you got such bad service. I don't get to the Cafe that often (because of the reservation requirement), but I have never had bad service there. And unless the menu has changed, I really like the food. Assuming you have the time (and desire), I hope you would consider giving the Cafe Orleans another chance.
Originally Posted By llanatoye I really enjoyed Cafe Orleans. Haven't been there this year but last year went on Christmas Eve and had breakfast there. The wait was minimal (but it was early) and the servers were delightful. Hope it hasn't changed.
Originally Posted By cinderella143also >>My sister used to be a waitress and has explained to me - after me being angry for simular seating issues - that each server has a certain number of tables in there area - and there are a certain number of areas... If an area is empty it's generally because that area is not assigned a waiter. By moving over a table you may have changed servers and therefore had to wait for that server to be availble.<< I was a server for years (all through college and a little after that). And what a silly excuse for cafe orleans to give. We ALWAYS picked up tables in other sections if no one else was assigned the table. You move the person one table over, the server picks up that table instead and the previous table remains empty. Not hard at all. Any good server and good staff can easily fix that problem--especially with a resaurant as empty as that!!!
Originally Posted By cinderella143also >>I don't think table service restaurants are a good idea in general if one is looking to maximize time for touring the park. I like Cafe Orleans if I am there to spend time with friends or family.<< I prefer table service at DLR and still expect prompt service. I should be able to eat at a place like Cafe Orleans and still maximize my time at the park. One shouldn't have to wait forever for simple things like having an order taken, getting a bill, or running a credit card.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains <<I was a server for years (all through college and a little after that). And what a silly excuse for cafe orleans to give.>> Not sure what they gave as a reason -- that is what my sister said would happen at Trader Vic's when she worked there. They would rather have empty tables and have the costumers happy with their service than fill the tables and spread the staff too thin.
Originally Posted By cinderella143also Well I made sure that I always gave excellent service no matter how many tables I had. However, like I said in that earlier post, they could have seated someone in that other table, the server could pick it up, and then you don't seat the original table so that the server will have the same amount of tables that they would have had originally!
Originally Posted By cinderella143also By the way, has anyone had the cheese Monte Cristo? It is soooo yummy!!! And since it is Disneyland there are no calories right?
