Just one thing let the service down - but that is my memory
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2008-01-31 18:30:10 - Graham Ellis
A good, lively bustling breakfast room at the Premier Inn in Nottingham this morning. I admire Duncan's introduction and interaction with customers - noting that he took special care to go back and look after a gentleman who was on his known, clearly new to the culture, and could (and did) benefit from an extra little bit of TLC. The croissants were fresh, there was plenty of coffee on tap, and a kitchen order was taken well - not smartly, but in reasonable time.
And I waited.
Breakfasts came out and staff appeared comfortably busy but, looking around, a lot of unserved tables. Emma came around to clear some plates, and - unusually for me - I asked if breakfast would be with me soon; she scurried off into the kitchen and came back to say that they cook it fresh, and I was now top of the stack. When I inquired if it generally took as long, she admitted that had a rush at in the kitchen, and one one chef instead of the two booked.
Top of the stack I may have been, but several other brekkies came out before mine, eventually, appeared while I hot steadily more antsy, and when I did get it, I felt cheated that I really didn't have the proper time to enjoy it.
Time can be of the essence in the morning, and the best of service and the best of intents ruined by just one slip up such as this timing. And I wasn't being awkward - I had a train to catch, and phoning up the station and asking them to hold the train for me was NOT an option.