I have seldom if ever watched Saturday Night Live, it was on late, and I have never been a night owl (well only for a short time, then I met my Sweetie Bear (SB) and settled down to a life of bliss and sleep.) The first time we were in Chicago, said SB, saw the signs for the Billy Goat Tavern, tried to describe the joke about the service. I am always up for an adventure, so off we went.
The first thing you have to know that in part of downtown Chicago the street level, is 25 feet above ground level. The streets were elevated to allow the train tracks to run under the city. There is a complex web of streets, and yes even train tracks that run under a chunk of downtown Chicago. To get to the Bill Goat, you go down to ground level, a place where the sun don't shine, hasn't shined in 150 years. It was a whole in the wall workingman's bar, for the train workers, and deliver workers who moved freight under the streets. The location is a bit creepy to the uninitiated. Then there is the service - or lack thereof. It is kind of a blur, we were still trying to figure out the menu and the service chaos, when the staff started shouting at us. That brought on SBs panic attack, then I made the mistake of asking for a beer at the wrong counter, precipitating me to be screamed at, bringing on a rare panic attack. Maybe this was too much adventure, or maybe it was just simply rude. It didn't go as planned. I won't try that again.
What is your response to rude service?
My response is at minimum to never go back. I might write a bad review. Your experience sounds awful.
ReplyDeletenow when RTG and I went to the billy goat (on our honeymoon, no less!), we knew what to expect because we memorized the SNL sketches. so their service didn't bother us. neither did it bug us at ed debevic's, another chicagoland institution.
ReplyDeleteat other rude places, we leave no tip and never go back.
heavens! what a horror !
ReplyDeleteI confess I tend to stifle complaints and remonstrations but never go back.