BETTER BREAKFAST: On one morning during our vacation we decided to drive to a chain restaurant that usually has a breakfast buffet. This location did, but it was a little light on the grub selection. I have never actually seen a breakfast buffet that had no bacon, but when I asked about it they told me they would bring me a plate immediately, and they did.
The service was excellent with the server being very attentive to our beverages and removing plates as food was consumed. This was service as expected from the no-wait seating to the immediate greeting by our server, and quality food with just a shortage of choices.
But the selection of pies on the buffet was incredible coming from a place known mostly for selling whole pies.
People say that training is the basis for the delivery of excellent service so I had to wonder if because this is a chain that probably has a corporate training program the service is inherently better. The price was better at only $9.99.
The resort by comparison is an independent and their subcontracted restaurant services are also an independent. So maybe they just hire and hand the car keys over as some limo and charter operators are known to do. You just can’t do that and expect everything to work as planned. What’s worse, you can’t get mad at a chauffeur who ruined your good client because he was not properly trained. That’s your fault.
The afternoon would be filled with fun and surprises. As Shell Beach is located two hours west of our hometown of Bakersfield, it is referred to by locals in both Bakersfield and Shell Beach as Bakersfield West. It would be inevitable that we would indeed run into someone we knew. It happened several times and many people from Bakersfield were at the resort. This included the Bakersfield-based house deejay who announced that Jim and Hillary Luff from Bakersfield were on the dance floor and asked us to raise our hands in the air (and party like we just don’t care) at which point he asked how many other Bakersfield people were in the house.
As the crowd roared, the deejay announced, “Limousine Scene will be providing free — absolutely free — rides home to Bakersfield on Sunday morning and if you are from Bakersfield you know Limousine Scene.” That was nice! Thankfully no one took him seriously.
I did take note that a captain with the Bakersfield Police Department was in the crowd. I knew the captain through working with the police department, having a son in the department, and my friendship with the chief. At about the same time, Hillary pointed out a girl across the room who had been her friend in junior high and high school but they had lost touch. As luck would have it, that was the captain’s wife. It made for a nice ice breaker. The real shock came when we put two-and-two together and found that the captain’s wife, Amy, had been a gymnastics teacher for two of our kids in elementary school. This was more of a brief part of their school day, which is why we never met her as a teacher. That was 22 years ago! We moved to a table together. They ordered chips and salsa before I had a chance to tell them the resort restaurant wasn’t a good choice for food. True to form, stale chips and rancid salsa were delivered after a long wait and promptly sent back and credited.
I don’t ever want to be known as the limousine company that consistently falls on its face. At least they are indeed consistent. What are you consistently known for?
Next: All about the BBQ.
Print | posted on Friday, June 05, 2009 5:11 PM