Well, Patterson was fair...good even, though he could have played more Truckers songs (I was hoping for Heathens, that would have been good on his own)...
However, the whole experience was totally ruined for me by the shithole Birchmere. I had one of the worst service experiences by far last night there and I am still furious!
Our server took our order normally enough a few minutes before 7:30, I??d estimate. The place didn??t seem very busy, in fact, many sections were closed. My husband ordered a beer and I asked for water (usually they have pitchers of water on the table, and in fact, many of the other tables around us had pitchers of water) and we ordered our meals. We waited several minutes, hoping at least the server or a bus person would bring a pitcher of water like the ones that seemed to be at every other table. Nothing. Our server was M.I.A. for at least 15 minutes, then she could be seen throughout the section, waiting on other customers who appeared to already have their drinks, in some cases getting second rounds, while we sat there with nothing. She came within feet of our table, close enough to notice, if she cared, that we were sitting there with nothing in front of us, not even that standard pitcher of water. I tried to get her attention, but to no avail. (At this time, the show had already started, by the way.) After a few more minutes??now at least 20 minutes from the point we ordered, I was finally able to get her to come over.
??Can we please have our drinks? We??ve been waiting for like 20 minutes.? I said, frustrated.
I couldn??t hear her that well, and I imagine she couldn??t hear me very well either, but I saw the expression on her face and she seemed perturbed about my complaint. She did not offer an apology but said something like, ??I??m really busy?I had a beer on my tray and I couldn??t remember where it went?? and some other excuses, but no aplogy and certainly without the positive attitude that was showing she was sorry and would try to make it up to me. Plus, to tell me she couldn't remember where the beer went is insulting and insane...try the people sitting there with no drinks in front of them, maybe.
??Please just get our drinks now. It??s been 20 minutes,? I asked, wanting to get my attention back to the show.
She then said something about us being free to change to another section??completely inappropriate for her to suggest to a customer, and certainly after the show had started and there were not really open seats in open sections readily available. She left, presumably to get our drinks and the bus person came with our meals. We sat for another few minutes, still with no drinks, so I figured I??d just go to the bar and at least get our pitcher of water.
When I got to the bar, on the other side, seemingly getting my husband??s beer was the server and I heard something like, ??that??s for her.? So the bartender turned around and gave me the beer. That was it. I exasperatedly asked for the pitcher of water, too. Then the guy who took our tickets when we were walking in stepped over and said, ??Is there a problem?? Presumably, he was the manager.
I had hesitated going to talk to the manager because I really just wanted our drinks and I didn??t want to get the server in trouble or whatever, but at this point, I figured, I may as well tell him what was up. The fact that I was at the bar getting my own drinks should have clued in him that, yes, there was a problem.
??Well, we have food on our table and no drinks, although we ordered them before the entertainer took the stage, at least 20 minutes ago, and I had to come out here and get them myself.? I explained.
??Well you don??t have to be rude to the servers. You offended my server.? He said.
I was completely shocked. I am many things, but rude is not one of them. Utterly flabbergasted. ??Well, she offended me by ignoring us and taking 20 minutes to bring our drinks.?
??She said you were ordering her around.? He said.
??No.? I explained, ??When I finally got her attention, I told her we??d been waiting 20 minutes and had nothing there in front of us and she didn??t even apologize and was giving me a bunch of excuses so I asked her to please just get our drinks now.?
He would not budge. It was completely bizarre. ??I don??t know how long you waited for your drinks, but offending the server is unacceptable?? he went on, something to that effect.
I gave him the old spiel about me being the customer and all that, and even explained to him that I had waitressed for nearly 10 years and understood the business, was always nice to servers and gave good tips, but that this was ridiculous. I always say I can forgive any incompetence if the person has a good attitude, is apologetic and communicates in an appropriate way what is going on. But to be left sitting there with no service and no contact for that long is not acceptable. Then to find her ??tattling? on me to the manager, while she should be hustling to get my drinks, finally, was completely out of order. On top of all that, the way the manager handled it was completely inappropriate, too.
I told him I would not be back as I struggled, on my own, to open the door to get back to my seat with some free fingers from the hand I was holding the water pitcher in, since the beer was in my other had, basically becoming my own waitress.
She never came and cleared our plates, either.
Needless to say she got nothing for a tip and I will seriously not go back to that tacky shithole, ever. The overpriced food is terrible and the décor is painfully cheesy. It??s just not worth it.
