I have never written about carry-out, but this was such a bad experience I felt I had to share it.
It was Friday night at 7:30 and my daughter requested Chinese carry-out. I would normally go to the Ming Tree Cafe menu, but she asked for pot stickers. Since, they do not have those at Ming Tree Cafe I reached for the Tan’s Asian Cafe menu. I called in my order; Pot Stickers, Mongolian Beef and Sesame Chicken. The woman at the other end of the phone said it would be 40 minutes. I waited 40 minutes before even leaving my house since I have never been to Tan’s to pick-up carry out and find my order ready. When I arrived the parking lot was full. I went inside and all the tables were full and a few people were standing or sitting waiting for orders. I stepped up to the counter. A small stocky Asian woman with coke bottom glasses with large black frames made eye contact with me and then looked away. When I could finally make eye contact with her again and get her attention a few minutes later, I told her I was there to pick up my order and gave her my name. She went to the kitchen and came back and said it would be another 15 to 20 minutes. This is Tans way of telling your they have not even started cooking your food yet. I told her the was fine and I would go run some errands and come back in 20 minutes. As I started to leave, a gentleman who had just got his carry-out order told me “good luck”. He was told 35 minutes when he called in his order and had to sit for another 35 to get his order once he was here.
I went to Publix, picked up a few things, and went back to my house. After waiting 20 to 25 minutes I left again. I entered the restaurant and the crowd was gone; maybe one or two tables still had dine-in customers. I spotted one gentleman still sitting waiting for his carry-out order that had been there when I was in earlier. I proceed up to the counter again and the same woman waited on me. She went back in the kitchen and came out again and told me another 10 to 15 minutes. This was now almost 90 minutes since I had called in the order and they still had not even started cooking my food. I looked her in the face with disgust and told her to forget it. I proceeded home and put my Tan’s menu in the recycler. That will be the last time I step foot in that establishment. The food is not bad, but not that great to encourage such awful customer service. Unless people take a stand and demand some kind of customer service we are only going to encourage places like Tans to think they do not have to offer any customer service. If you continue to patronize this restaurant another warning is to check your order before you leave. On more than one occasion in the past I have gotten my order home to discover they did not give me what I ordered or what they said was in the bag.
What’s Cooking Tallahassee’s Rating:
Atmosphere: F
Taste: F (Never got my order!)
Presentation: F
Service: F- (Is there anything lower?)
Cleanliness: C
Price: $
[...] Tan’s Asian Cafe – Perhaps the Worst Customer Service in Tallahassee – A 90 minute wait and no food sour Joe’s view on Tan’s. [...]
Ouch. I’m in no hurry to try it out now. I’ll stick to my fave, Bamboo Wok.
You didn’t miss much.
Actually, this place has the some of the best food you will find in north Florida south Ga. hands down. We are all human and make errors so I wouldn’t let one or two bad reviews overshadow the 95% + positive reviews. I’m a fan and would recommend Tan’s to my friends and have. Not one complaint from them. In fact, I just placed an order for pickup and headed there now.
I appreciate your feedback. I will say I have no complaints with the food, when I finally have gotten it in the past. Yes, we are all human and make errors, but my expeience with their poor customer services has been consistent. I believe that how you are treated is also an important part of any dining experience and we should not accept mediocracy becasue it sends a message that it is okay and acceptable. How I was treated at Tan’s was not acceptable.