Restaurant owner and customer FOUGHT over ‘disappointing’ customer service: “You’re an embarrassment”
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The rising COVID-19 cases, along with stricter isolation policies, in the country have already impacted many service sectors due to supply and staff shortages. The food and hospitality sector is of course no exception.
Pelican’s Landing in Williamstown. Credit: Facebook.
One Melbourne restaurant owner has responded furiously to a ‘disrespectful’ customer after she complained about the restaurant’s poor service due to being short-staffed.
The customer in question is Kristina, who requested her full identity not be revealed.
“I was completely shocked, I couldn’t sleep that night,” she said, recalling the scathing email she received from John Mousaferiadis, owner of the iconic Pelican’s Landing in Williamstown.
On January 8, Kristina booked a table for three at Pelicans Landing. She was dining with her mother and mother-in-law, and had asked for a table with a view and the $19 menu. According to the 41-year-old customer, the restaurant said both are available for them.
However, when they arrived at the venue, they were met with terrible service.
“I caught an Uber there costing $25 and then waited over 15 minutes just to be seated,” she said.
“The table with a view I had requested was not available. I waited another half an hour without being offered a menu or drink. I finally went up to get a drink from the bar and was going to order meals and was told there was only a limited menu…”
“I understand it’s hard in COVID with staff shortages but this level of customer service is very disappointing and unacceptable.”
Later that afternoon, Mr Mousaferiadis caught wind of the situation and sent back a lengthy response.
“I am sorry for your experience,” he began.
“Obviously you have no idea what we are going through. We’re lucky to be just open and trying to serve everyone with no staff.”
Mr Mousaferiadis also explained that they were handling a wedding event of more than a hundred people upstairs with only two staff available.
“You just don’t understand, and to have a go at me in front of your mother… what an embarrassment for her,” he added. “What a disgrace you are to not only yourself but to me and your mother and now my staff.”
“I don’t need your comments and you don’t understand.”
“In my 23 years of owning Pelicans Landing, I have never met anyone as low as you. You don’t respect what the whole of the world is going through.”
“At least I was open trying to accommodate who I had on. And yes, if you had to eat like everyone else, you would have gotten served finally.”
Mr Mousaferiadis said the past three days have been extremely difficult for him and his staff. He had just personally recovered from the virus, yet he had to work “non-stop for 18 hours” when he got back.
“I can hardly walk now after three days of washing, polishing glasses and working so hard,” he said.
“You should be ashamed of yourself. Stay home and eat baked beans on dry crusty bread next time. You’re an embarrassment.”
When asked about the complaint, Kristina said she was aware of the staffing issues.
“But I rang in the afternoon and asked all these questions.” Then she asked: “Wouldn’t you not have taken the booking if you were that under the pump?”
Mr Mousaferiadis’ full response to the customer complaint. Credit: news.com.au.
What do you think? Should Pelican’s Landing not have accepted the booking (and the money) if they were not fit to deliver the required customer service? Or was Kristina in the wrong in expecting so much during the pandemic?
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