The Lunch Box - Sandusky

Since we had such a good experience, we chose to return. There were six of us at the table, and after ordering our drinks and food, our server informed us that they were out of soda glasses and that we would need to wait for them to be cleaned. We understood and proceeded to place our food orders. However, when the food arrived, we still hadn't received any drinks, and the server seemed to be auctioning our meals instead of serving them. I find this approach to be one of the least desirable things a server can do. After about ten minutes of eating and roughly 25 minutes without water in our glasses, we finally received our sodas. Ironically, the glasses used for our sodas were the same ones used for water. We watched as she served other tables with drinks while we waited for our glasses, sitting there for at least 40 minutes before receiving the same glasses with water. It was clear that no one stepped in to assist our server until the long-awaited beverages finally arrived. After we finished our meals, we waited another 15 minutes for our checks, growing increasingly frustrated as our dishes still piled up on the table. We eventually approached the woman behind the counter to request our checks and then waited an additional ten minutes. It was clear that more assistance was needed during busy times. The only time our server received help was midway through our meal. Some of us waited outside while others paid with credit cards, and I was astonished when my friends came out to tell me what happened inside. Following this poor experience, my friend left a 10% tip on her meal. The woman behind the counter expressed her annoyance that my friend had paid half the bill in cash and the rest with a card, claiming the till was off and that we didn’t want to wait another 10 minutes for it to be resolved. After our friend started complaining, the woman behind the counter did not realize she was serving part of our table and expressed her disbelief that someone had only left a dollar tip. She suggested our server was struggling because she couldn’t afford health insurance and labeled us all as college kids who should leave town. What she neglected to recognize was that, although some of us were in college, we were paying customers. It felt like tourists were not welcomed there. I decided to speak with a manager since no one should ever complain about tips from customers. While some of us are in college, most of us are successful professionals. A restaurant benefiting from tourists shouldn’t disparage them. I found a server outside and asked to see the manager. Upon hearing my concerns, he looked surprised and inquired who had made comments about tips. He informed me that the manager was in the kitchen. While I waited, the woman behind the counter began speaking to me with an attitude. I clarified that I wasn’t there to speak with her but to see the manager. She claimed I shouldn’t be there since I was “just a college kid” and that she was the manager. If that were true, then the owner should be embarrassed. I told her she had no right to complain about our tip and that the service we received was poor, warranting the tip we left. She dismissed my experience by saying that I was just a college kid, prompting me to explain that most of us had experience in the service industry and were well into our twenties. Respecting customers, regardless of their age or background, is paramount. When she escalated her tone and began to curse, she threatened to call the police if I didn’t leave. I walked out, warning her that she would regret being rude to customers. The food, on the other hand, was good. I ordered a broccoli and cheese soup that was quite bland, and my friends were similarly disappointed with their meals. The takeaway from this experience is clear: if you're looking for a restaurant with subpar food, terrible service, and a manager who seems to resent tourists, then this is the place for you.