Dining Out!

Denny's has a newer menu than what it was in the old days, and most of the dishes are tasty.  Denny's is also a quick stop, so it's a nice place to eat when you don't have all day.  In my experience, Denny's has a lack of consistency both in the physical appearance of the restaurant and in the quality of its food.  Last week, Y and I went to the Denny's on I-10 in North Palm Springs and man! was it NOT a good experience.

The restaurant is clean enough, but there is no ambiance and no sound damping, so every scrape of a plate is magnified into a significant noise. I became far too aware of the noise as I listened to the staff gossip and giggle, rather than come over to our table and take our order. Once the order was on the way to the kitchen, the gossip and giggling continued, often involving the cook in the conversation, which became very clear when our meals arrived.

My broccoli and chicken skillet was charred on the bottom; I've had it before at other Denny's and it was cooked perfectly, so I think the cook was distracted by the gossip girls.  It was impossible to get the staff's attention from our seats, so Y got up and went over to the group to ask for a refill on our water. Another couple at a booth near ours kept looking toward the staff huddle and I told them they may have to go over and break up the gossip group to get any service.  The best part of the meal was the apple crisp; the rest of the dining experience was sub-par.

I complained to the supervisor, who was one of the gossips, that the staff acted in a totally unprofessional manner and ignored customers who were there to be served.  She apologized and gave me a "free entrée" card--but it's only good at that Denny's location and I'll never eat there again!

The dining experience begins when the diner enters the parking lot, so the appearance of the business has to attract attention first and then be supported by what's inside.  The staff at this Denny's gave the impression that they really don't want to be there doing the job they were hired to do, and if I were their boss, I'd fire the whole crew and start over with people who want to be there and work hard to do a good job representing the venue and the menu.

As for the free meal card?  Thanks, but no thanks.