Microlighters

Guys,

When I read some complaints about the Hardvard Cafe at Rad Airport, I was somewhat sceptical. Surely, the place can't all that bad.

I met old Bo there a while ago and we had a nice time, as I went for a flight with old RV4ker...

Then I was called to rush to the scene to investigate that accident on the Benoni - Bronkhorstspruit road (R25) and zipped up to Joeys again - ONE DAY after returning from a 3-day trip to Windhoek Namibia, where I presented a course...

Anyway - so the softness and I decide we're gonna go grab a munchie at Harvard on the Saturday Afternoon (2 Dec) to be close to planes, etc...

We get there and head straight for a table against the fence, where we can see the planes better.

At this stage our waitress is available and quite nice. We order two Cokes and they arrive. By now, we realized that the wind was a bit in our faces so we asked to move under the canopy (close to the band)...

We were duly moved and left to "simmer" over the menu.

After more than 15 minutes we're looking for our waitress again... Have you ever noticed how ALL waiters and waitresses avoid eye-contact? It looks like they are SH*T scared someone's gonna expect them to serve them...

Now we start noticing how people are waving their arms and flopping their menu's to get attention. So I grab another waiter (couldn;t just talk to him, he looked the other way) and asked where our waitress was... Our Cokes were finished by now, and we were hungry...

So - along she eventually comes, and I still joke that we're obviously not allowed to eat. I even asked her if it was OK if we ordered some food and ate. I'm irritated a bit now, but there's still no need to be rude...

So Jackie orders a Beef Lasagne and I order a steak (medium well) with Pepper Sauce and a vanilla milk-shake WITH my food. Softness was still ok for drinks. And off she goes...

This time after more than 30 minutes and no food, we're looking around again... When we find er, she says the food's on the way... Yay!

So our munchies arrive and I ask about my milk-shake... "It's on it's way, I will fetch it now..." And off she scoots again...

Jackie starts eating and goes "oh no - it's CHICKEN lasagne! Oh well - perhaps they think it's healthier for me." So - although she wanted beef, she stays with the chicken and munches away...

So, good boy as I am I start eating my Veggies first and nibble on my chips. After some MORE time, I had finished my chips and most of my veggies so I dig into my steak - stil no milk-shake...

And what do you know - my "medium well" is SO medium WELL that it's burnwed BLACK on the underside... So now I'm looking for my waitress again - burnt meat is not on...

After AOTHER 15 minutes, I grab another waiter and start complaining about my steak. The waitressarrives and asks if there is something wrong. By now, Jackie has finished her meal. So I point out the burnt steak. No - she will take it back to the kitchen... Still no milk-shake. I ask about the milk-shake and she goes "oh goodness" and promises to bring it to me.

After about 10 minutes, she passes me and DOES make eye-contact this time and widens her eyes and gestures that she will be right back. So she brings my milk-shake WITH my NEW meal... A WHOLE new meal...

Excellent - we can eat. But - there's a problem. I now have cheese sauce... I point this out and the waitress goes "What's wrong? Oh - didn;t you want cheese sauce? Sorry, I'll change the order - your pepper sauce will be right over..." And off she scoots again...

I decide I'd had enough of chippies and veggies so I dig into my steak... And it bleeds like a freshly shot buck! This thing is SO rare, the blood fills my plate!

Now I am pissed off...

So - after sitting staring at my plate and seeing some more people waving their arms and menus around, I find my waitress and call her over. I complain and SHOW her the evidence.

She goes "Oh goodness. Can I get you another one?" So I am now totally unhappy and explain that Jackie and I wanted to come to eat together. She is now finished, effectively having eaten alone, and I am now gatvol of chips and veggies and lost my appetite, so I now DON'T want ANOTHER steak. I ask for the manager, since I am now very unsatisfied. She promises to call the manager and ducks.

15 Mintes later (no - this is NO exaggeraton) still a plate of (cold) food in front of me and NO manager! So another (white) lady walks past and I grab her by the hand and ask if I could please see the manager...

She explaines that she is "one of the managers" and asks how she could help. So I explain the WHOLE fiasco to her and ask her what now... She goes "I am terribly sorry about this, can I get you another plate of food?" I go "No way! We came to eat together bla bla bla..." She looks me in the eye and says "So, since you don't want this meal, I will take it away, and we'll take it off your bill, ok?"

I looked at her and said "You're DAMN straight you're gonna take it off the bill - I never got to EAT the steak." I realize that she's patronizing me and ask for the owner.

He comes along and listens to the whole thing as well and also offers (most kindly) to "remove the meal from the bill." So it is agreed that we do not wanta "free drink" and that we just want to chuck now... So this is agreed to and he goes away apologozing profusely for the experience...

So we wait for our bill. 15 minutes later - NO BILL yet!

So I reckon THAT'S IT - let's LEAVE. As we're going out the door the waitress comes running after us "Ma'am! Ma'am! Here's your bill! You must pay!"

So I (literally) GRAB the bill from her and tell her "you're f*king quick now that we must pay huh? But you were NOT available when we needed service!"

At this the owner appears again, so I snap straight at him "You know wht - I was well on the way to f*king walk out of here and not pay now. Your service SUCKS and I have seen complaints, but THIS is f*king ridiculous. Let me just please pay my f*king bill and go! I am gonna f*king surely post this experience on the forums!"

So the owner turns around to the white, manager chick and says "listen - just get this guy his f*king change please, so he can go!"

I am telling you ALL - I will NOT support Harvard EVER AGAIN!

K@K diens!

Let's see how this one pans out Stan.....

http://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15672

We used to go there often, for the last 6 months or so it has gone badly downhill. Last visit was for breakfast. everythigwas cold and bacon underdone. Haven't gone back. It's quite a shame the food used to be awesome.

I am based at Rand & I have also had similar experiences there. We went there during the week & were overcharged for more than one drink. I was unhappy cos I got the impression that the waitron had deliberately tried to shaft us. The prices have increased particularly for drinks, but I have always had good food historically.

Recently too, a mate & myself had 2 drinks each, the bill came to R110. I paid with R150.00. The waiter dissapeared for over 15 mins. I do not give 40% tips & I had to find him. He reluctantly gave me my change.

I also think it is time to boycott the Harvard. Their service is apalling. The old establishment is much cheaper, but the service is also lousy. I have only had one meal there & it was very tasty.

Forensic Flier attended a meeting with us where we are trying to resurrect the club. Let's see what happens.

Never been to Harvard, don't know the operator, but....... Seen many places methodically shrink and slide, because;

No owner, no control. Unless you're a (eg) Wimpy where pattie, buns and eggs are accounted for against stock / invoice, you cannot run any service operation by employing smart asses on the hussle, coz as long as they squeeze a tip, they'll keep on sending any crap out the kitchen.

Normally, on opening anyway, the operator puts in place his elaborate menus e.t.c. to get the lease. But similar to golf courses e.t.c., most patrons are happy to occupy the table, occasionally snack (crap) and mostly booze.

So slowly, first goes the skilled chef, replaced by a (garden) griller boy and bought frozen ready -made meals. The operator replaces himself and tired wife with a ponytail/ tattoed 'one hand on the -u#$%ing
cellphone' asshole and the conciencous student/ waitress can't cut it on the kitchen tips so is replaced by gum- chewing, 'Thanks I'll keep your change coz I gotta kid' hussler. As long as she shakes her ass, some fool is gonna call for her attention.

Sadly, instead of contacting the owner / building management and pushing for accountability we support crappy but 'at least we know what we're getting' franchise outlets like Wimpy's and Spurs'. I supply most of them and it gives me the sh$ts that we pay over R30 for a burger that costs them R9.00 and a second slice of toast for R3.

We need to put more value on decent restaurants, support them and be prepared to pay for quality. Why is it a bargain to pay R50. for a double Scotch 'n soda but overlook anything prepared over R30?

No more Surf 'n turf, burgers drowned in mushroom soup and Maizena, no pre- frozen lasagne, coz the kids get a balloon.

AND TELL THE WAITER SHE FORFITS HER TIP COZ SHE'S RESPONSIBLE TO GIVE YOU HER SERVICE.

So, if your establishment is sliding, tell him;

"We're going to bring back our corporate breakfast and lunches, I'll also bring the family over for evenings if you control the boozers.

We'' phone ahead to reserve a table so you know we're coming, we're basing our order on what you have offered, we refuse to eat pre- frozen lasagne crap, we want quality, AND;


WE'RE AINT LEAVING THIS SHIT HOLE COZ YOU'VE REDUCED IT TO A TOILET, IF CAN'T SUPPLY, WE'LL ENSURE THAT YOU'VE BREACHED YOUR LEASE, SO YOU CAN FU%$K OFF.

No way I would have payed, Forensic, you are a better person than me, for sure.