Nangamso M

Despicable service at Karoo Cattle, Irene

<p>After driving for about 45 minutes from Fourways to Irene on Sunday the 26th of June in order to have a "grand" dining experience at one of our supposedly favorite meat joints we were left with a very bitter taste. Talk about despicable and unfriendly service. Karoo Cattle serves one of the best lamb shanks we've had and so when the craving hit we decided to once again satisfy it at the best place for the job or so we thought.</p> <p><br />You know that bull service that leaves you wishing you never recommended a restaurant to anyone or ever raved about a joint? Well we had it!</p> <p><br />We arrived and were escorted upstairs to the booths, our table was not assigned to anyone specific. After waiting for close to 20 minutes for someone to service our table, a waitress took our order without so much as introducing herself or offering us eats from the salad bar. She did however apologize for making us wait when we politely alerted her to the time it took to get assistance.</p> <p><br />Already irritated because the place was virtually empty, so I couldn't for the life of me understand what could take so long for someone to acknowledge us and take our order, my partner and I ordered our respective starters and the lady vanished. After waiting and waiting and waiting we decided to help ourselves to the salads..... Then our starters arrived. <br />Without so much as an apology for the delay our starters were dropped on the table. When we were done, we waited and waited for our plates to be collected. If my partner didn't get someone's attention we would still be waiting! We then ordered refreshments. It took just under an hour 30 minutes - NO JOKES, I KEPT CHECKING THE TIME, before someone would again come to our table after our drinks were served. Even the manager passed by twice and enquired from every other table but ours how things were going. Waiters continuously passed us, blatantly ignoring us, and staring at us at that. No one so much as collected our glasses when we were done, asked if we needed refills or checked how we were doing FOR THAT LONG!</p> <p><br />My partner eventually got the attention of the waitress, for the nth time, to try and get us menus to order our main course. Then we got told about the salad bar, 2 hours after our arrival. Our food arrived. My lamb shank looking as divine as always. I couldn't even eat it I was so annoyed and ****ed off. We asked the lady to bring us takeaway containers, packed up and left.</p> <p><br />We raked up a bill of a little under R740. The waitress who could clearly see there was no gratuity asked if "That's all sir" - twice whilst preparing to swipe the card machine, at this point I'm thinking the audacity of this woman.</p> <p><br />And no we did not tip! A tip goes hand in hand with good service and is certainly not obligatory!!!! My partner has never left a restaurant without tipping, no matter how sour the service. Clearly the experience was rather horrendous. </p> <p>A good dining experience is not just about the food. Service goes a long way. When a restaurant is busy, you can anticipate to be kept waiting, but even then, not for eons - and yes, clumsy service may be excused and overlooked. But when you are dealing with a handful of patrons - go figure!!</p>