Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2011 11:14:00 -0400
From: Pam
Subject: GSC
I am writing in support of Jo Anne Clayton’s post Tuesday about the General Store Cafe.
Almost a year ago, I quit going to the GSC because of the high prices and poor service. I, too, recently decided to give the GSC another try and, unfortunately, experienced the same thing: poor service by people who are more interested in texting than waiting on tables and meals that miss the mark in one way of another – although the prices have been reduced.
I ate at the GSC the evening of Friday, Sept 30 and my meal came to me lukewarm. Our waitress did not come back to our table after the food was delivered, so after notifying Vance Remick of the problem, Chef Larrie came out to apologize and offered to warm it up. By this time, my meal was already half gone.
I chose that evening to try the GSC again after going on line to see what their specials were and found a meal I wanted to try. When we got the menu, there was not a single item listed that was in the online menu!! I asked the waitress about the discrepancy and she checked on the menu (shouldn’t she have known about the specials for the evening?)
She came back to say that the menu on line was for Sept. not October (hello!! Friday was Sept 30!!) So a new menu began being served when the old one was still being advertised! It is very obvious that the right hand still does not know what the left hand is doing at this establishment.
It makes sense to me that if you can’t turn a profit with the staff you have and you end up in bankruptcy, then that is the first place that needs to be changed. I read in the Chatham Record that as part of their bankruptcy, the GSC was supposed to be reorganizing, so the addition of a new chef would be one step in the right direction; and I believe the new chef is doing his best with his hands full overseeing the kitchen.
The general manager is the one who takes care of the rest of the house; overseeing the wait staff and catering, assuring the smooth flow of food to the patrons and their satisfaction. Management of the GSC is still sorely lacking and is the reason why this icon of PBO is failing. Why hasn’t the entire staff of the GSC been re-interviewed and new staff hired starting with the general manager on down? It hardly seems like anything is being done to save this icon of PBO!!!!! So sad . . . . . . ..