The worst meal of my life, Bennigans
So far
Bennigans Mahon Point is without doubt the dubious winner of “The worst meal of my life”
Yesterday we were heading to the cinema and decided to grab a burger beforehand, Bennigans is cheap and cheerful and normally pretty average so we shot in there. Seriously and I am not writing this post lightly as I am friends with the GM it was appalling, the worst ever.
1. met at door and lead to table with cutlery wrapped in cheap tissue and menu’s practically thrown on a dirty table at the same time.
2. Ordered 4 burgers @ 5.10pm
3. Ketchup bottle deposited on table, its was Heinz with all the edges gone of the labels back and front and blackened at the edges, appalling we could hardly look at it.
4. Food arrived @ 5.40pm
5. 4 cold buns, 4 plates of fries cooked to 75%, salad was a lettuce leaf, slice of tomato and slice of onion.
I couldn’t believe how bad this was and asked to speak to my friend but she wasn’t available, 4 burgers uneaten, 4 soft drinks and a €70 bill, waitress asked was everything ok whilst not even acknowledging 4 full plates being taken back.
The place was like a bomb hit it, tables not cleared and a smell of grease.
I won’t be going back
other than a conference dinner at which I’m sure the steam was a wingtip shoe in a previous life, worst meals are one at Lyon’s in London 40 years ago, so traumatic I still recall and any meal at Olive Garden
: And restaurants wonder why they are losing business
Oh boy,
I’m new to the blogging world but this is the second post I’ve read regarding poor quality in restaurants in as many weeks. It’s so SIMPLE to get it right in both cases.
In this instance:
1 Clean the table before bringing in the customer
2 Put ketchup into a clean container and replace for each sitting
3 Cook a burger and chips correctly - ffs this one is not rocket science..
4 Survey your customers. - I mean like “throw an eye over the place” every ten mins or so - if customers ain’t eating their food - there’s more than likely a problem.
I was in the Kenmare Bay hotel recently. The evening meal was poor. I aksed for tea afterwards thinking surely they won’t fuck that up. The waitress brought back a shitty little cup of warm water and fucked a tea bag into the middle of the table.. sheesh..ditto what Mike says above..
Bennigans was very good when it first opened. Then all the american staff left and it took a nose-dive. We went there a couple of months ago and unfortunately our experience was similar. The staff just don’t care. The place needs new management.
My favourite Bennigans story - seated at a table , ordered a coffee - asked if they could close the main doors as it was cold - sorry we cant - no problem I might pop to a different table - sorry you cant as you have ordered already . stuck in a cold table in an empty restaurant. wow
After reading Pat’s post last night, and having a good idea of the answer, I asked my Wife: “Worst meal ever?”
Immediate response: Bennigans.
That was within a month of opening (I guess about three years ago, could be four). We often go to Mahon Point Cinema (best in Cork), and shudder each time we pass that place.
I got the burger, which was Munster-Final chip van level at best. My wife had the Potatoe Skins (She’s a vegetarian) and received what looked like the scrapings of the deep fat fryer (from the same chip van).
Occasionally for kicks, I threaten her with Bennigans.
I know, Plain evil.
I have to ask, if it was that bad, then why did you pay?
@elly
you ever refuse to pay for a meal, I know I havent
Yup, I’ve sent meals back and asked for them to be-recooked and had others removed from the bill in the past.
try outback when in the states next
ps nothing like the stuff you used to cook up when i did wash up for you in taste of thiland
In fairness it’s a bit like going to Auschwitz on holiday and complaining about the accomodation.
Bennigans is muck.
I second elly’s comment. I would not have paid. If I go to a restaurant and they serve me inedible muck I won’t pay for it.
I absolutely would not pay the bill. I used to let these things go, but then was in a similar type of restaurant last year and received food that sounds pretty similar to the above, after having waited for 40 minutes.
I asked for the manager, and he didn’t seem all that surprised to hear my complaint. He apologised and took everything that wasn’t fully eaten off the bill (some of my friends will eat anything!) and threw in a round of free drinks. While still not happy, I appreciated the gesture and I left feeling that maybe, just maybe, I’d give the place another shot if I was passing.
Since then, I don’t tolerate lousy/food service and will say as much. Any decent place will fall over itself so as not to not let you leave with nothing good to say about it.
These franchises at big shopping centres/cineplex would appear to be invariably awful. I recently had a similarly poor gastronomic experience at “TFI Fridays” in Dundrum Town Centre. Indifferent to rude waitress, terribly cooked and presented food and quite an expensive bill to boot. I wasn’t expecting Michelin stars; surely it’s not that hard to supply the masses with reasonably priced, reasonanly tasty food?
Thanks for the heads up on Bennigans Pat.
I really think that this and above comments need to be structured so the masses can be enlighten, especially in these belt tightening days.
What this space !
Passed by Bennigans today. Full house. Queue out the door. I ate there about 2 years ago. Nearly killed me. What’s going on?
Now Pat having recently eaten in Bennigans myself I could not fault it. I was there with my partner and two small children. The staff went out of their way to accomodate us despite it being very busy. The food was great ,service was great and we found it very child friendly. What I cant understand is why did you not complain at the time. You never gave them a chance to put things right . Just because your friend was’nt there you should have asked for someone in charge and made your point . I cant believe you were in the same diner as us!
thanks everyone,was planning on going to bennigans after cinema today but i think i’ll give it a miss go somewhere nice