JAVA House staff who only want to serve you Mango juice

I finally got some room in my day last month to enjoy some restaurant hopping which is a hobby of sorts and this time I went to visit the Java house along the Lugogo bypass opposite Orynx Lugogo petrol station.  I arrived and after about 3 minutes a waitress came to me with a menu.

Waitress: ‘’Hello, have you received service?’’

Me: ‘’No.’’

Waitress: ‘’I recommend the mango juice.’’

Me: ‘’Ah... no. Well I am waiting for company but I will look at the menu and decide when they arrive.’’

After a long wait, since my meeting party was running late I decided to order anyway and as I kept shouting ‘’Excuse me!’’ as waiters passed by, I soon realised it was going to take a lot more to get service. It was not until a gentleman with a heavy Kenyan accent clad in chef’s garb walked in from the Kitchen into the main seating area that I received service. As he surveyed the seating area, he turned and glanced in my direction, our eyes locked and I began to raise my hand as he briskly made a beeline in my direction.

Chef: ‘’Have you been attended to?’’

Me: ‘’No sir.’’                                           

                                                           

Chef: ‘’Okay,’’ he said as he span around and headed for the closest waiter yelling. ‘’Madam is sitting there and has not been attended to, can’t you see her?’’

I grinned a little because this chef had quite the sense of humour but the waiters could tell he was dead serious.

Me: ‘’ Could I have a BTL sandwich and juice cocktail of mango, watermelon and pineapple. Could you make sure my juice is very cold. ’’

Waiter: ‘’Okay.’’

Me: ‘’Thank you, oh and could you please bring my food and juice at the same time?’’

Waiter: ‘’Yes, madam that’s fine.’’

10 minutes later, my juice arrived and it was warm tending towards hot and on tasting it 5 minutes later I realised that it was not what I ordered let alone the fact that it was not followed by my food. I had not been given fruit cocktail juice but Mango juice, so I wondered whether there had been a plot to serve me Mango juice by all the waiters no matter what I ordered. However not wanting to be fussy, I decided not to complain and typed away at my keys as I waited for my food. All I did was ask for some ice cubes to sort out the issue when my BTL sandwich and fruit arrived 10 minutes later.

Sadly I must say, my BTL sandwich had a rather flat note but then again I am big on flavour so that might be the issue and I also realised the accompanying fruit was charged separately which was surprising but I could handle. 2 gentlemen who I realised later on to be brothers walked in and sat next to me. I decided to pay attention to see what kind of service they would receive compared whether their experience would be any different from mine.  

Younger brother: ‘’Can I have chips, a pair of sausages and salad.’’

Waitress: ‘’No, but you can try this.’’

Younger brother: ‘’But does this come with salad.’’

Waitress: ‘’No, we will charge you separately for the salad.’’

Younger brother: ‘’Fine, I will order what you suggested, but first can I have fruit cocktail juice.’’

Older brother: ‘’What is that?’’

Younger brother: ‘’It is pineapple, mango watermelon juice mixed in one it is awesome.’’

Older brother: ‘’Okay, I need to try it.’’

So when the waitress came back with the glass of juice, the older brother grabbed the glass to have a sip so he could make up his mind on whether to order it as well and this was his response.

Older brother: ‘’This is mango,’’ he said as the anxiously waiting younger brother grabbed the glass to make sure.

Younger brother: ‘’Yeah this is mango, this is not what I ordered I want juice cocktail – watermelon, mango and pineapple.’’

Waitress: ‘’Ok let me confirm with the kitchen.’’

Within 5 minutes, she returned with another glass of juice and apologised as the first glass was indeed Mango juice but it was not cold.

Older brother: ‘’Could I have the same, but it is not cold. Can I have ice like hers as well? But is your ice okay today?’’

Waitress: ‘’What do you mean?’’

Older brother: ‘’2 days ago, I asked for ice with my drink and my stomach was upset all day and yet that is all I had eaten that afternoon.’’

Waitress: ‘’Sorry to hear that, what I can get you?’’

She had quickly brushed over the issue and continued like nothing had happened. Wow I thought to myself but could not stay any longer and had to leave so I asked for my bill. I paid, filled out the customer review form that came with my bill. As I waited for my change, I noticed the waiter remove and read the feedback form and after handing over the money to the cashier he took out the form and disappeared around the corner only to return without it. I cannot say what became of it but what I can say is I had rated the service as poor.