No Peking Duck today equals SC?

[cindybubbles]

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a SC, a Brain Burp or a mea culpa (my bad) or all three.

I once worked at two Asian buffet restaurants with my mom and dad, as a cashier/bartender. I normally don't get any SC's, but this one I'm not sure about.

One woman asked me if the restaurant had any Peking Duck. I didn't know, so I asked around (or I thought I did). Since it turns out that the restaurant didn't serve Peking Duck that day, as that day wasn't Peking Duck Day (you know it's the kind of place that would have Chicken Mondays, Fish Fridays, etc.), I told her.

She was so mad. She told me that she went over here just for Peking Duck, and that we better have it in stock, or something similar to that. The look on her face and the tone of her voice scared me so much, that I hid in the back room with the soda syrup while my mother handled her (did I mention that my dad and his friends ran the restaurant?).

The situation eventually settled, and I was informed that she wasn't going to pay full price because we didn't have Peking Duck. I don't know if you would have handled the situation differently; I was new to customer service.

[Pixilated]

You gave her correct information ... right? There was no Peking Duck that day. So yeah, you handled it in the only way you could. Apparently she expected to you conjure some up just for her.

I don't understand why she was allowed to get away with not paying full price for whatever she finally did order. As I understand it, she knew from the get-go the restaurant didn't have what she wanted. Either order something else and cough up the correct amount of cash, or go elsewhere.

Once she got to "I came over here just for Peking Duck and you better have it in stock!" (or whatever she said) I'd have recommended she try a restaurant on the other side of town.

The one that closed six months ago.

[icmedia]

Peking Duck takes 24 hours to prepare properly, in order for the skin to achieve the proper level of crispness and the meat to gain a light patina... SO, it's not as if anyone who has had Peking Duck in the past wouldn't know that to order it A La Carte traditionally requires 24+ hours notice; it's not as if you could just scrounge around in the back and whip some up.

[Pixilated]

Ah, I didn't know that. Even better -- if she's had it before, as she indicates, then she certainly should have.

[Teysa]

I've only had Peking Duck once in my life, but wow was it good. One thing though, if the buffet had themed days wouldn't it had have made sense for her to call ahead and see what theme they were on that day?

I'm sorry, I forgot where I was for a second.

[Dave1982]

This is hardly an absolute rule, but in my experience any Asian/Chinese place that is mainly a buffet restaurant is going to be mediocre at best. Peking Duck requires a level of skill that the majority of those restaurants do not have, so they dont' even offer it.

So even if it had been Peking Duck Day, I'm not sure the SC would've been happy (no offense to the OP).

[cindybubbles]

This is hardly an absolute rule, but in my experience any Asian/Chinese place that is mainly a buffet restaurant is going to be mediocre at best. Peking Duck requires a level of skill that the majority of those restaurants do not have, so they dont' even offer it.

So even if it had been Peking Duck Day, I'm not sure the SC would've been happy (no offense to the OP).

That's OK. The restaurant's gone now, but through no fault of the SC.

[EricKei]

The situation eventually settled, and I was informed that she wasn't going to pay full price because we didn't have Peking Duck. I don't know if you would have handled the situation differently; I was new to customer service.

Peking Duck at a buffet? No offense intended, but that's kinda scary.

Of course, I have witnessed MANY people go to a buffet on "special" days (here it's usually seafood like king crab legs or special crawfish dishes) and have one or two people loot then ENTIRE pan of food, leaving nothing for the others. Some will even bring huge bags or purses lined with saran wrap or freezer bags and take the food home. And yes, the people who take all of that stuff are invariably the ones to complain if something else they want is in short supply.

As for half price...? Sure! Give her last week's Peking Duck for half price ^_^

[BeenThereDoneThat]

SC to be sure, solely based on her attitude when she was told she couldn't get what she wanted. Boo frickin' hoo.