The food on the fantasy was really bland…

[isabellea]

Can you send an e-mail to DCL after your cruise to complain about food quality so the critic does not affect the server rstings? That is what I would do.

I don’t understand why they cannot have the bland and boring on the menu in addition to one or two dishes that are more exotic and tasty. I have a adult-only cruise booked for October on DCL because they were so good accommodating my allergies in the past (allergy to mammalian products) but I’m considering more and more switching to Celebrity or Virgin.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I really wish DCL’s default was the other way around

I don't. I'm one of those who just don't like putting jalapeno peppers in every dish. Or other excessively spicy additions. You can't "just take the pepper off", as the spicy is already in the food at that point. I like basic food with minimal additional flavors.

 

[squirk]

Can you send an e-mail to DCL after your cruise to complain about food quality so the critic does not affect the server rstings? That is what I would do.

You can, but I always worry about that splashing back on your serving team.

The leads (or at least, the leads we’ve had) make it clear in no uncertain terms that the buck stops with them - i.e., they are the ones ultimately responsible if you are unhappy with your food. This has happened too often, and the spiels are too similar, for this to not be something DCL requires them to say.

And just speaking for myself, I really wish DCL didn’t make them do that, as it always kind of makes me feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place.

You’re paying a lot for this cruise, so you shouldn’t have to settle for “meh” food, but at the same time, you see how incredibly hard your serving team is working to keep the normal dinner service flowing as it should.

I don’t want to be the PITA guest who makes them jump through more fiery hoops, nor do I want to be the guest who complains on the exit survey (or via email after the cruise) that the food was bland, and have it negatively impact my serving team.

 

[lklgoodman]

Moderna The Brazilian Steakhosuse…was comparable or even better than Texas De Brazil which it emulates heavily and I was SHOCKED stunningly good and the service was amazing!

Cagneys of course was the second choice as you have to try their signature steak house which was GOOD but Moderna definitely better!

We'll be on the Encore, it doesn't have Moderna on it. My dh doesn't want to eat at the steakhouse because we have some about an hour where we live(small town). But we never go to them, so I may just book it any way and tell him the others were all full, .

 

[Kwami]

You can, but I always worry about that splashing back on your serving team.

The leads (or at least, the leads we’ve had) make it clear in no uncertain terms that the buck stops with them - i.e., they are the ones ultimately responsible if you are unhappy with your food. This has happened too often, and the spiels are too similar, for this to not be something DCL requires them to say.

And just speaking for myself, I really wish DCL didn’t make them do that, as it always kind of makes me feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place.

You’re paying a lot for this cruise, so you shouldn’t have to settle for “meh” food, but at the same time, you see how incredibly hard your serving team is working to keep the normal dinner service flowing as it should.

I don’t want to be the PITA guest who makes them jump through more fiery hoops, nor do I want to be the guest who complains on the exit survey (or via email after the cruise) that the food was bland, and have it negatively impact my serving team.

On the contrary, they're not supposed to give that speech. Disney actively discourage them from doing so by including a question about being pressured to give excellent ratings at the end of the survey. They do it anyway, though, because anything less then 5/5 (excellent) really hurts their prospects for advancement, raises, and preferred assignments. It's a horrible system overall. And, frankly, they shouldn't be judged on the food anyway. They don't design the menus or cook.

 

[TestingH2O]

On the contrary, they're not supposed to give that speech. Disney actively discourage them from doing so by including a question about being pressured to give excellent ratings at the end of the survey. They do it anyway, though, because anything less then 5/5 (excellent) really hurts their prospects for advancement, raises, and preferred assignments. It's a horrible system overall. And, frankly, they shouldn't be judged on the food anyway. They don't design the menus or cook.

I think there are two different things going on here.

1. The servers have to take the blame if the food is bad even though they have nothing to do with cooking it or making the menus.

2. The dining room team sometimes seems to beg for an excellent rating and DCL doesn't want them to do this.

In my opinion, the first is a DCL issue in the sense that the servers should never have been held responsible for the overall food quality. The second is a service issue that DCL is trying to correct.

 

[squirk]

On the contrary, they're not supposed to give that speech. Disney actively discourage them from doing so by including a question about being pressured to give excellent ratings at the end of the survey. They do it anyway, though, because anything less then 5/5 (excellent) really hurts their prospects for advancement, raises, and preferred assignments. It's a horrible system overall. And, frankly, they shouldn't be judged on the food anyway. They don't design the menus or cook.

Hmmm. Yes, I do remember that question on the survey, now that you mention it.

But at the same time, the pitches over the years just sound too similar to be a coincidence, I think? The same turns of phrases, the same gravity. I wonder if there's "official" policy, and there's "real-world-this-is-what-you-need-to-do-in-order-to-get-promoted" policy on the Q.T.

If they're not supposed to be doing it, DCL is doing a really crap job of policing that policy.

 

[lovingeire]

So my mom is very particular and complained openly about the food to our servers, but she loved the Indian food they brought us on the last night! It was so good! (And she was literally eating the plain chicken off the lighter menu much to our server's dismay...)

 

[Dug720]

On the contrary, they're not supposed to give that speech. Disney actively discourage them from doing so by including a question about being pressured to give excellent ratings at the end of the survey. They do it anyway, though, because anything less then 5/5 (excellent) really hurts their prospects for advancement, raises, and preferred assignments. It's a horrible system overall. And, frankly, they shouldn't be judged on the food anyway. They don't design the menus or cook.

There is a difference between giving the speech once (fine, though I assure them I understand) and giving it every night (which is when it crosses the line to begging).

I'm not holding once against them. More than that is OTT.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Definitely got the speech too by our servers and you never want to hurt anyones career especially if their great people

 

[Kwami]

Hmmm. Yes, I do remember that question on the survey, now that you mention it.

But at the same time, the pitches over the years just sound too similar to be a coincidence, I think? The same turns of phrases, the same gravity. I wonder if there's "official" policy, and there's "real-world-this-is-what-you-need-to-do-in-order-to-get-promoted" policy on the Q.T.

If they're not supposed to be doing it, DCL is doing a really crap job of policing that policy.

Well, sure. Who's going to police it? The servers work under the head server and the restaurant manager (who is usually also a head server). They also want the same 5/5 ratings! There's really nothing to be done for it as long as the system exists in its current form.

 

[squirk]

Well, sure. Who's going to police it? The servers work under the head server and the restaurant manager (who is usually also a head server). They also want the same 5/5 ratings! There's really nothing to be done for it as long as the system exists in its current form.

Well, I guess that's my point: why even have the rule, or why even ask the question on the survey, if nobody is ever going to enforce it?

It's almost as if they want it both ways - to guilt-trip us into 5-star reviews and "clean" surveys, but still be able to say, "Hey - we asked them if they felt pressured, and everybody says 'no'."

 

[PrincessShmoo]

"Hey - we asked them if they felt pressured, and everybody says 'no'."

Of course, if everyone were to fill out the survey honestly, instead of feeling pressured into giving those Excellent ratings, things might actually change.

 

[squirk]

Of course, if everyone were to fill out the survey honestly, instead of feeling pressured into giving those Excellent ratings, things might actually change.

Exactly. But nobody wants to be the one to get their serving team dinged for problems in the kitchen, which are totally out of the team's control. So the status quo is maintained.

The more I think about it, the more I think @CampbellzSoup has the right idea. Reject the limiting nature of the survey, and write your own narrative that clearly and categorically rejects the notion that your serving team can or should be held responsible for problems in the kitchen.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

My server team and room hostess worked their butts off I feel terrible that one be responsible for the food that’s like having the hostess be dinged if room decor wasn’t nice things out of their control…

 

[katmigordon]

This seems like a great way to keep the food from getting any better, shouldn't the people who make the food be held responsible? They'd never hold the kitchen staff to account for waiting on you.

You can, but I always worry about that splashing back on your serving team.

The leads (or at least, the leads we’ve had) make it clear in no uncertain terms that the buck stops with them - i.e., they are the ones ultimately responsible if you are unhappy with your food. This has happened too often, and the spiels are too similar, for this to not be something DCL requires them to say.

And just speaking for myself, I really wish DCL didn’t make them do that, as it always kind of makes me feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place.

You’re paying a lot for this cruise, so you shouldn’t have to settle for “meh” food, but at the same time, you see how incredibly hard your serving team is working to keep the normal dinner service flowing as it should.

I don’t want to be the PITA guest who makes them jump through more fiery hoops, nor do I want to be the guest who complains on the exit survey (or via email after the cruise) that the food was bland, and have it negatively impact my serving team.

 

[brentm77]

Exactly. But nobody wants to be the one to get their serving team dinged for problems in the kitchen, which are totally out of the team's control. So the status quo is maintained.

The more I think about it, the more I think @CampbellzSoup has the right idea. Reject the limiting nature of the survey, and write your own narrative that clearly and categorically rejects the notion that your serving team can or should be held responsible for problems in the kitchen.

Sounds like some executives found a way to consistently report to their bosses that customers LOVE the food and they know the surveys are accurate, because the customers said so!

 

[squirk]

Sounds like some executives found a way to consistently report to their bosses that customers LOVE the food and they know the surveys are accurate, because the customers said so!

Yes, precisely - by leveraging our compassion and sympathy for our servers.

 

[MomOTwins]

Exactly. But nobody wants to be the one to get their serving team dinged for problems in the kitchen, which are totally out of the team's control. So the status quo is maintained.

Well not totally out of their control. I remember my first night on the Fantasy, I ordered a lobster pasta and our server (politely) stated that was not very good and suggested two other options. I thought that was kind if weird and borderline rude so said I still wanted the pasta (I thought lobster = yum, pasta = yum, how bad could it be?) but when the entrees came, our server brought out his recommended dish anyway in addition to the pasta. I took one bite of the pasta, realized it had zero flavor, and ate the second dish he brought which was very tasty. From that point on I always ordered what he recommended and had great meals. He even brought me my favorite dessert on the trip from another kitchen on the last night of the voyage as a special farewell treat. So I do kind of see what the servers mean when they say they are responsible for making sure we enjoy our food. But I agree the kitchen should be held accountable as well.

I think this is something better addressed with a conversation with the “head server” when he visits your table, so you can balance critiquing the food with making clear your server team still bent over backwards to make sure you had a good meal despite kitchen missteps.

 

[squirk]

Well not totally out of their control. I remember my first night on the Fantasy, I ordered a lobster pasta and our server (politely) stated that was not very good and suggested two other options. I thought that was kind if weird and borderline rude so said I still wanted the pasta (I thought lobster = yum, pasta = yum, how bad could it be?) but when the entrees came, our server brought out his recommended dish anyway in addition to the pasta. I took one bite of the pasta, realized it had zero flavor, and ate the second dish he brought which was very tasty. From that point on I always ordered what he recommended and had great meals. He even brought me my favorite dessert on the trip from another kitchen on the last night of the voyage as a special farewell treat. So I do kind of see what the servers mean when they say they are responsible for making sure we enjoy our food. But I agree the kitchen should be held accountable as well.

I think this is something better addressed with a conversation with the “head server” when he visits your table, so you can balance critiquing the food with making clear your server team still bent over backwards to make sure you had a good meal despite kitchen missteps.

I agree the server should be responsible for stuff, like, the food was undercooked or cold - e.g., the food wasn’t prepared or served properly.

But I don’t think any of us expects (or even wants) anyone on the serving team to run back to the kitchen and cause a ruckus because the prepared-to-spec food was bland and flavorless.

I think you make a good point that maybe the Head Server can take the complaint and properly filter or channel it so that the serving team doesn’t get hurt.