Happy Birthday Groover.

I have had one disappointment after another today but things are getting better. First, Groover’s birthday present wasn’t a great success. I thought I had got something a bit special, having listened to him when we were at this shop – but it turned out he was talking bollocks as usual and I was wrong. Shame really. Maybe I wasn’t listening properly. It happens.

Then we went to T in Cottesloe for breakfast as the place is noisy and dirty thanks to our floor renovations. I don’t know why I thought they would suddenly be nice for breakfast it never has been before. I should have gone to Vans (they have a policy of trying to satisfy customer desires). Nightmare. All I wanted for breakfast was a fruit salad. There wasn’t one on the menu but there were fresh fruit juices so I figured they had fruit. After all Caffissimo where I sometimes get breakfast when I start early at work has fruit salad. But no.

“What would you like?”
“I see you have fresh fruit juice, would it be possible to have a fruit salad?”
“I’ll check with the chef.”

She goes and checks with the chef.

“I’m sorry, the chef says we only have what is on the menu”

I was tempted to ask for a freshly squeezed juice, before they juice the fruit.

“Ah, just the coffee then thanks.”

The waitresses had obviously been well trained to make sure everything was all right. Several times we were asked if we were happy…

“How are you today?” Asks our waitress sweetly as she delivers our coffee.
“Disappointed.” I reply – NOT referring to the weather.
“Did you get blown away by the weather?” She replies as the howling wind forces the torrential rain through the closed windows spattering us with icy drops.

Another conversation.

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“Certainly sir.” The matter is not raised again. Eventually we fold up one of their flyers advertising lunch and stop the table wobbling.

So, paying the bill. Service is included. That’s fine. Nearly $50 for pancakes (I), toast (H), a full breakfast (R) and one drink each. Whatever.

“How was the meal?”
“It was fine although I was disappointed the chef couldn’t make me a fruit salad.”
“Ah, well we can’t source decent fruit this time of the year, so the chef has taken it off the menu.”
“That’s interesting because other cafes can find enough decent fruit to make a fruit salad.”
“Well it will be back on the menu in October.”
“Fine. We might come back then, then.”

I sign the chit and make ready to leave.

“By the way, how was the food you did have?”
“The coffee was excellent, thank you.” Icily. Like the weather.

The waiter from WaiterRant would probably hate me too but then, I guess would at least try to make a polite customer happy. Thanks to his blog I do try to keep in mind the other side of the transaction. I also have a better understanding as what is reasonable to expect. So the fruit they had in wasn’t as good as you get in summer – probably they bought horrible fruit in because who cares when you juice it. But we didn’t get the courtesy of that explanation until we left.

They might not have had the right fruit for me this morning but for goodness sakes come up with a better reason not to have fruit salad on the menu. We don’t live in the outback. If the real reason is that the fruit is too expensive this time of year – either change the fruit you use or bump the price up a bit during winter. I can’t be the only person in Perth who would rather fruit than heart stopping full breakfasts.

Maybe I should rename this blog – Customer Rant – but now that I’m done I feel much better.

We went to see the new Wallace and Gromit movie afterwards which was great – lots of funny jokes that we got and the kids didn’t – like playing Bright Eyes on the radio – and other rabbit references. Afterward we drove down Selby street – they must have had a mini-tornado through there because there were several large trees at the corner of Underwood Avenue blown over.

Now the Eagles are 74, The Crows 43. Yay!