Sigh
I loathe writing negative reviews.
But here I find myself doing just that.
And about one of my favorite places to eat in Lexington.
A great place for breakfast, lunch, dinner and later bar fare. A great sports atmosphere. A place that families close by call their own. If I lived within walking distance I'd be there a lot every week.
Winchell's on Southland Drive is one of my favorite places to go relax and enjoy a meal. I've brought more friends from out of town to this restaurant than any other over the past few years. It's consistently good no matter what you order despite the varied menu and daily specials. That's saying a lot.
So that made this morning's experience all the more disappointing.
My Husband Brad planned out our whole weekend--one of the first in quite a while where we would just be able to be together. He made Winchell's a must do for Sunday breakfast.
It was busy as usual but not overly so and we were seated right away. Brad ordered a special--corned beef hash over toast with country gravy and scrambled eggs--plus a side of bacon. It's not breakfast without bacon, y'all. I ordered the 2 Egg Special--over easy with bacon and rye toast with a side of jalapeno cheese grits. *slurp*
We were starving and upon the arrival of our plates dug right in. It wasn't half a second before I saw Brad become distressed as he chewed and began reaching into his mouth. He'd picked up a piece of bacon first--who wouldn't?--and I had no idea why he was spitting it out.
Turns out there was a really long hair on it. Really long and curly. He got it in his mouth as he chewed that first piece of bacon. It was gross as he held the hair on his fingers until the server--who seemed to have to serve every single person on the other side of the restaurant before he got back to us--finally came to the table.
When the server arrived he was very casual to us but so had that 'deer in headlights' look about him. He did not say he was sorry. That's a problem. I don't care if you are the lowest restaurant on the food chain if there is significant issue with the food you should educate your staff to always say you are sorry if there is a problem. He asked if Brad wanted another of the same dish which he didn't because he was really hungry so he ordered pancakes which would take less time.
So I was left with my full dish of eggs over easy and toast and grits that would go cold unless I ate them and my Husband sitting and watching me eat.
This was interrupted by the manager on duty who did apologize but said to my Husband, who shaves his head, that he didn't understand how the hair had gotten on the bacon because it was a long hair and all of his kitchen help had short hair and had hats/nets on. And then he looked at me with my long, blonde hair. He said he was taking Brad's meal off the bill. Then he skittered away.
Turns out he meant only the dish we sent back because of the hair. We paid full price for Brad's substitute order. And our server--well he acted like we had the plague.
And in thinking about it we got angrier---the manager seemingly forgot that pretty much every single female waitress in the place had long hair. That does not count the many patrons whose tables were bussed with dishes passing through the same doorway through which all the food came out. But then again logic seems a hard won commodity these days.
We were really disturbed by this. We've been regular customers and referred friends there and have brought out of town guests to a true local Kentucky restaurant.
I am shocked that any restaurant--even one as popular as Winchell's--would treat their customers this way.
I hope it is an anomaly.



