Rebecca's in Edgewater

[Rail Paul]

And what's the big deal about the cash tips?? They included a note in the guest check to kindly leave a cash tip if paying by credit card.  I don't think it's quite fitting an upscale establishment.  I understand the reason -- immediate payout for the service staff and saving the credit card discount -- but it seems so cheesy.

There was a thread here a few months ago about cash tips at Rebecca's. We never reached any finality but the conclusion seemed to be:

(generous) They were thoughtfuly trying to minimize the taxable income to servers which would flow thru the credit card paper trail. Somebody mentioned they have many part time servers.

I think they need new accountants. Not even Martha Stewart would try to float that one. Too many people in the know

[ngatti]

ASKING for cash tips? ASKING you to leave after 90 minutes. 28 DOLLARS for...TILAPIA???

I don't care how good the food is. I don't go out to get aggravated. I'm skipping this one.

Nick

Edited November 18, 2002 by ngatti (log)

[201]

I dream of a day when all of these threads will be merged together, but until then... I'll just have to be content with providing links to the other "Rebecca's in Edgewater" threads!

Count 'em folks...

One

Two

Three

And if you're still counting along, this thread would be number four!

edit: just changed a couple words for clarification

Edited November 18, 2002 by 201 (log)

[glenn]

I dream of a day when all of these threads will be merged together, but until then... I'll just have to be content with providing links to the other "Rebecca's in Edgewater" threads!

Count 'em folks...

Ok, I'm goin' to stand in the corner for another 2 months!

[Rachel Perlow]

I DID IT!!! New wonderful board feature for you all to go and praise in the Site Comments forum. Those links above won't work because all the Rebecca's threads are now here. In chronological order regardless of thread. Yippee!

[glenn]

So the excessively trivial in me wrote a letter to Rebecca. But this may be my last one, forever (yeah right). I've written 4 or 5 letters to restaurants in the past year or so and never got a response. It really gets me pissed. Every place I've worked at we answer every correspondence unless it's completely off the wall, which may be this is. But anyway, no response after almost 3 weeks, though my check was cashed promptly.

November 18, 2002

Rebecca's

236 River Rd.

Edgewater, NJ 07020

Dear Rebecca,

My wife and 2 friends had the pleasure of dining at your establishment this past Saturday, November 16th. We enjoyed our dinner immensely. The service was also excellent.

Unfortunately, I miscalculated the tip and left only about 8%. Therefore, I 'm enclosing a check to compensate. I called your establishment on Sunday to apologize. I spoke with our server and she refused to accept my offer of an additional tip. Kudos to her. She said I could make it up next time. Since I don't know when I'll be back, I'd like to set things straight now.

While we enjoyed our dinner immensely, I would like to just mention a few things that detracted from an otherwise perfect evening. About five or ten minutes after we finished and paid for the meal, our server politely told us that there was a party waiting for our table. I thought this was completely inappropriate; especially considering the four of us had only been there about 90 minutes. Although she didn't ask us to leave, we felt obligated to and I resented it, especially considering the price of dinner. We arrived on time and waited five minutes for the table. I also thought it cheesy tobe asking those who pay by credit cards to leave a cash tip. Lastly, I think your menu is overpriced. $28 or so for an entrée seems a bit high.

Regardless, we had a wonderful time and my apologies to your service staff for my broken abacus. And you'd never believe it, but I'm a C.P.A!

Sincerely,

Glenn Susser

[201]

Well, I don't think there's much more that you can do at this point. Did you by any chance leave a phone number along with the letter? That might have increased your chances of hearing back from the management, but probably only slightly. It may be that they don't care to hear constructive criticism at all, because they do seem to fill up their dining rooms without it. I mean, I think they're somewhat overpriced as well, but I'm probably heading back again this month.

The only thing I would've done differently is to substitute a different adjective for "cheesy". Though I'm not sure which adjective that would be...

I'm curious though, did the previous letters you have written all address similar service issues? Have you tried speaking with management on the nights when something went wrong?

edit: I originally substituted subsitute for substitute. I'm ok now though.

Edited December 7, 2002 by 201 (log)

[tommy]

the bit about it being overpriced seems a bit too subjective.

[glenn]

I usually do include my phone and email address... I forgot to do so in this case. Maybe they're too lazy to write a letter.

My previous written complaints were to Pronto Cena about not being informed about specials and upon complaining, getting an attitude from the waiter (the owner was not present, and it appeared there was no manager); the Iron Monkey via email and fax about not being able to enter the restaurant because of a ridiculous bar scene and no hostess (we had reservations); the Blue Sky about not stating their policy about a 20% gratuity for brunch for 2 people -- an all out email war with the owner ensued (ok, they responded on that one, but with a self-righteous attitude); to that Italian place in Hoboken under the viaduct about horrendous service. In the last case, the owner was too busy non stop talking with a table of acquaintances.

I'm probably more critical than most diners, perhaps because I work in a restaurant and would never tolerate such stuff where I work. I would guess the same applies to people on this board because most of us probably know when we're getting less than first class service. Or maybe I'm just a whiny snotnose. In any event, my letters have always been, to a certain extent, constructive and polite. And what's the matter with cheesy??

[201]

the bit about it being overpriced seems a bit too subjective. 

Your bit about the bit about it being overpriced seeming a bit too subjective seems subjective.

You know what I mean, subjectively at least.

[tommy]

well, providing an analysis of *why* a dish seems overpriced might yield better results. i know if i were the owner and someone said that to me, my first thought would be "come back when you find a higher paying job." not that i'd *say* that of course. but again, some sort of analysis would probably be received well.

Edited December 7, 2002 by tommy (log)

[glenn]

In hindsight, I shouldn't have mentioned the prices because, as much as I hate to admit, you're correct about it being subjective. However, I base my statement on prices similar establishments charge in the general area. But that was no reason for her to get her panties in a bunch and not answer my letter.