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Mi Cocina-Gate: The Case of the Impatient Waiter

Posted on November 7th, 2008 10:32am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Events, Restaurant News

I’m sure that by now you’ve read the “Mi Cocina Memo” on FrontBurner. If not, do so now and I will give you a few minutes to locate the story on the “seatback pocket” in front of you. Ready? Okay, here goes.

 Yesterday, just after Timmy posted the note, Mr. Greg Good, the new CEO of MCrowd called me. Needless to say, he was horrified. “I saw this on FrontBurner today and was totally embarrassed,” he said. By the time Good read FB, he’d already received the complaint, apologized to the customer, and offered the family a make-up meal. And he changed the restaurant’s policy. “We put a high value on our customer,” said Good. “This is not an example of what Mi Cocina is all about.”

 But back to the subject at hand: a policy of asking customers to vacate a table. Right or wrong? Left or right? Red or Blue? There have been times that I felt rushed at Mi Cocina. Years ago, my sister and I used to go to the tiny Preston Forest location and play a game with the waiters. We’d laugh as the waiter handed us a menu while he asked to take our order at the same time. We’d order a drink and make him conform to our time. I’m sure the throngs of people huddling in the foyer didn’t like watching us chat over a margarita while they starved. We sure didn’t like it when the situation was reversed and we were molecules in the throng. (Thankfully, they’ve expanded the space and added a bar.)

As much as I love the guacamole and nachos, MiCocina is not a fine dining restaurant and many times they have to accommodate waiting diners. And Dallas is not Europe-if you take a seat at a restaurant here, you aren’t expected to be spending the next four hours over a meal. Waiters get paid by tips. More tables means more money. It’s the American way.

 I’ve never been handed a framed evacuation notice, but I’ve seen table tents in other restaurants asking diners to be respectful of waiting patrons and to limit dining times during certain hours. Yes, it would tick me off if I was handed one–I don’t like being told what to do.

The diner did the right thing–he wrote a letter to corporate management. If you ever have a bad experience at any restaurant, you should always write corporate management. A manager on duty is less likely to relay your complaint to corporate because he or she would be admitting there was a problem in his or her restaurant. The only way a restaurant can fix something is for someone to tell them it is broken. Oh, and then cc SideDish. We always like to know what is going on.

44 comments

  1. The thread over on Frontburner is so self absorbed and negative. Surely Sidedishers can see things from the point of view of a waiter making $2.13 per hour plus tips, with only a few hours per shift where people are actually eating that waiters and waitresses make their money (from which they are often required to tip out their bussers and hostesses). They then have to declare 18% of total sales to the IRS (with computers and credit cards there is little room to fudge). What they are left with pays their rent, clothing, food, and in a lot of cases the college loan (no government bailout for waiters). Tables that don’t move during rush hour is an issue for all waiters and waitresses, who are in essence entrepreneurs renting a limited number of tables for the night to make a living. By the way, the affronted customer was not asked to leave, but merely to open the table by moving to another part of the restaurant (such as the bar) – according to channel 5’s blog the card reads “As we are in the restaurant business, if you are sitting at this table without eating or drinking – during peak hours – we may ask you to sit at another table”. There’s no good way to ask a camper to vacate a table. If you do, they probably won’t leave a tip, if you don’t you risk loosing a quarter of your business for the night to someone who cares so little about you and the other customers who came to eat a meal that they under tip anyway. Help the waiters of the world who want to preserve good relations with their customers and turn tables – Sidedishers how would you propose to handle the situation?

    @ 10:36 am on November 7, 2008

  2. “…we were molecules in the throng.”

    Anyone else misread that?

    @ 10:43 am on November 7, 2008

  3. I think what the problem is that people were not given the opportunity to order more drinks or dessert. Both things that make money for the place and the waiter. It is incredibly shortsighted. And I cannot imagine how much business they have lost after this thread and the NBC story. (BTW, that reporter on channel 5 is just awful. Are we not a top ten market still? The way she emphasized certain words was just bad.)

    @ 10:50 am on November 7, 2008

  4. Gastronome, In these days and times, we can all appreciate the waiters’ situation. But let’s face it —Mi Cocina’s food is marginal at best. The draw for the place is the people watching and wanting to be watched. This may explain why people linger far too long after they’ve finished their meal.Perhaps Mr. Good and his staff should consider charging a 10-minute rental fee for taking up space. Say $10 for the first 10 minutes and $2 per minute after that.

    @ 10:53 am on November 7, 2008

  5. I known’t know Greg Good left Cheddar’s for MCrowd . . . he’s a good guy, no pun intended.

    My family and I eat out a lot. We frequent MiCocina in HP and other restaurants that are pretty volume driven. The service there is quick which is why we eat there – we can get in and out in 35 minutes. When we have more time, we let our waiter know what our dining pace will be and we tip him well to give us our space. Since my husband’s fam is in the restaurant biz, we know better than to linger too long when they need to turn the tables. No excuse for that kind of rudeness but perhaps the Mico’s in the West Village has to deal with a less considerate crowd.

    @ 10:58 am on November 7, 2008

  6. didn’t know. It’s Friday . . .

    @ 10:59 am on November 7, 2008

  7. Please explain 18% of total sales. Back in my day you were required to report 100% of tips earned. The minimum you could report was 8% of your sales, but go under 8% and risk getting red-flagged by the IRS and get audited. Happened to a close friend of mine, not pretty. Like I said, this was 15+ years ago. Just curious what current standards are. I believe Nancy has said something similar, everyone should be required to wait tables for a minimum of six months. Too many people gripe about service, food, etcetera and are clueless about the restaurant business. I’m to the point where I will not dine out with certain “friends” because they are rude and have this air of entitlement that is embarrassing.

    @ 11:01 am on November 7, 2008

  8. There’s a difference between having your dishes removed while you are still eating vs. being encouraged to vacate the table 45 minutes after you have finished, paid the bill, and are just sitting around chatting. I think it’s common courtesy to take that conversation to the bar area and let someone else have the table.

    I agree with Miranda that it’s just stupid to not offer the customers the opportunity to spend more money.

    I’ve heard of some restaurants that would comp people a drink at the bar if they would vacate a table. There’s always a good way to accomplish what you want – presenting a framed “Get the hell out of my restaurant” sign probably isn’t the best option.

    @ 11:04 am on November 7, 2008

  9. @Gastronome: I totally understand your point about waiters being underpaid, overworked, etc. But the customer who was asked to leave was not eating at MiCo during a peak time. There were other tables available. They were not asked if they needed anything else (dessert, anything else to drink) before the bill was placed on the table. From the sound of it, the couple was at the table for approx. 30 minutes or so before they were rushed out. There is no excuse for this. Personally, I don’t think a table should ever be asked to vacate. I think this is just one of the crappy parts about waiting tables (and yes, I have done it before). And also, I don’t think it has to do with people not caring about the waitstaff when they don’t leave the table. They are probably just enjoying each others company for a few more minutes, not trying to offend.

    @ 11:06 am on November 7, 2008

  10. Every experience I have ever had at Mi Cocina has been more than pleasant. Have you ever been the one waiting to get a table watching people who have completed their meal just talk when you and your kids are starving. Mi Cocina appreciates my time enough to be efficient with service; a compliment over the many restaurants who take 20 minutes to even give you a menu. These people complaining said they had many great experiences at Mi Cocina and encountered one challenging experience. And according to Nancy, the CEO of the company personally called these people to make good and even offer another meal. Can’t think of another restaurant company who’s CEO would make this kind of effort – most use form letters to answer complaints. I think Mi Cocina deserves a round of applause & they will get my dining dollars! I agree with customer on Channel 5 and my fellow blogger here — a waiter is a respectful professional who deserves to make a living to take care of his/her children like the rest of us. In closing, enough already about this situation – there are bigger issues in the world that deserve our positive energy. Mi Cocina has made it right in an awesome way; you can please some of the people all the time but you can never please all the people all the time no matter how hard you try. Motto of the day!

    @ 11:10 am on November 7, 2008

  11. @Gastronome — talk about self-absorbed. I suppose we should all have our credit cards waiting to hand over when the food is delivered, stuff our faces while the tab is run, and leave a 30% tip while we’re running out the door, hopefully busing the table to make a faster turnaround time?

    Okay, hyperbole, I know you’re not being that extreme. But even the individual waiter (much less management/corporate) can see that it’s very short-sighted to give diners the bum-rush out the door just so you can seat another group at that four-top. Yes, congrats, you refilled your table, but not only did you probably cut your tip in half from the first group, but they’re not going to come back. And they’re going to spread the word to their friends and, in the day of the blog-o-net-o-sphere-o-tubes, to anyone else with a computer and a DSL connection.

    Bottom line, if a group lingers, it may be necessary to ask them, politely at first, and maybe later more pointedly, if they need anything else. But to fire an unprovoked warning shot across their bow with a pre-printed notice to vacate ASAP, that’s just stupid and bad bidness.

    @ 11:10 am on November 7, 2008

  12. This problem is not isolated to MiCocina these days. To think that I’m about to spend a nice sum of money and I have to worry about a waiter and his comp plan is ridiculous. MiCocina is famous for this action. I do recognize a blatant abuse of my customer rights are excessive as well, and that a waiter needs to make a living…But the places that this is so obvious need to make internal policies to deal with this.

    @ 11:11 am on November 7, 2008

  13. @Gastronome: I currently have, and have for decades had, family members involved in various phases of the restaurant business, so I’m pretty sensitive to the server side of the issue.

    Having said that, people should be allowed, within reason, to dine at their own pace. I have a friend who inhales whatever is put before him in three minutes. I have a son who is a slow eater. These things average out for restaurants and waitstaff. Those who can’t deal with the fact that people enjoy meals in different ways should not be in the business.

    As a diner, I have a tendency to linger at a table when business is slow as opposed to during peak times. However, I feel no need to rush through a meal just because there’s a wait for a table. I either encountered the same wait for my table or arrived early enough to avoid the wait. Other patrons have the same opportunity, as well as the ability to go somewhere else if they don’t want to wait.

    Also, if the server does a good job, he or she is going to do well by me. Trying to rush me isn’t going to decrease my time at the table by more than a tiny bit, but it’s very likely to reduce the tip, so a smart server will do better by lightening up a little.

    And, finally, the MiCo restaurants as a group are arrogant and irritating, which is why the only time I’ve been in one in the last five years was as a favor to someone who had never been there and wanted to try it. My experience that day was similar to those I’d had in years past.

    @ 11:17 am on November 7, 2008

  14. When I waited tables if the table sat chatting for another 45 mintues to an hour I would fully expect to be compensated for taking up my table. 90% of the time this was the case. To me it’s only fair.

    @ 11:23 am on November 7, 2008

  15. Hey Nancy, how come we haven’t heard from the customer in question? Why doesn’t he step forward to answer some of these questions about the time line. It’s pretty easy these days to toss a dart on a website and do some damage to a business from an anonymous shadow. Mi Cocina puts their name on responses, the dude should put his out there. IJS.

    @ 11:30 am on November 7, 2008

  16. Most of the time, if my friends and I still sit there after we have finished our meals, we are still drinking and ordering more wine, margaritas, etc. And, I may be wrong, but I bet they are making more money off of my friends and I having another three rounds of mambo taxis then a mom, dad and kid just eating. :)
    IJS

    @ 11:33 am on November 7, 2008

  17. Gastro… here’s your solution: make every restaurant take-out only.

    There. Problem solved.

    If course, it means fewer people will be employed but heaven forbid someone have an opportunity to enjoy eating food without feeling like he’s jamming corndogs down his throat in a State Fair competetion.

    @ 11:34 am on November 7, 2008

  18. @Gwyon–that’s funny. Made me think (fondly) of the Frontburner post and link re: Angie Harmon a few days ago…

    @ 11:35 am on November 7, 2008

  19. @Dgirl: Sounds like Greg Good is the new sheriff in town with the cojones it’ll take to turn things around at Mi Cocina. If he does for them what he managed to do at Cheddars we’ll all be much happier campers by this time next year. His reputation as a straight shooter who delivered quality goods and service at affordable prices should translate well to a venue in need of a fresh approach. Best of luck with your new gig Greg.

    @ 11:49 am on November 7, 2008

  20. Asking the average Dallasite (especially in the West Village area) to think about other’s needs is a pretty tall order, but that’s about the only thing that would solve this situation.

    If I am going out with the intention to sit at a table all night, I’m going to be with a party of at least 4 and I’m going to order so many drinks that the waiter won’t care – and leave at least 20% (more depending on how loud our party is) – that’s almost $2.00 for every $9 margarita at MiCocina. Restaurants should charge for refills on non-alcoholic drinks after a 45 minute period so as to foil the attempts of the little ladies who sit around gulping down free iced tea and chatting all night.

    If you go to a packed restaurant and have a table of 4 or more and are having lots of drinks and see a family with kids waiting at the door to be seated – KEEP EATING/DRINKING. When you have kids, you aren’t allowed to go to crowded restaurants and complain. Leave the fun stuff to those of us who chose not to procreate and like to go to nice long dinners and have adult conversations. You don’t see me spilling beer all over your family at Chuck-E-Cheese. That being said, MiCocina is obviously somewhere between family spot and crowded, trendy restaurant, so there’s some grey area (various locations offer different vibes, so drive a little further to find your best fit).

    Essentially, the restaurant shouldn’t ask you to leave, but they should expect you to tip well enough to compensate that waiter for his/her time. You, as a diner, need to hold up your end of the bargain by drinking all night and tipping well or handing the guy a $20 and telling him to leave you alone for an hour if you’re at a small table. If you don’t have the cash to do that – eat out less often, move the party to Starbucks or someone’s house, or retire for the evening. You’re not obligated to leave, but you are obligated to pay the restaurant and their staff for their time.

    **Brad is not a waiter, but waited tables on Summer breaks in college.

    @ 11:55 am on November 7, 2008

  21. The bartender at the new Mi Cocina in Allen @ West Village handed my 6 year old daughter a bill for $1.30 after she hopped onto a stool in the completely empty bar and asked for a few maraschino cherries…which I thought was kind of odd. To his credit, the GM was embarrassed and refused to accept payment…I suppose waitstaff can sometimes go rogue.

    A better way to handle it was the way Tracy Rathbun handled us at Shinsei…we had finished dinner and were hanging around talking at the table. Tracy asked us if she could “buy us a drink in the bar”…in a very gracious way.

    In the popular/busy pizzerias in Naples (Da Michele, Brandi), they practically tip you out of your chairs to turn tables…

    @ 12:04 pm on November 7, 2008

  22. There are always two sides to the story – if the customer was rushed, that’s bad. If the waiter wasn’t upselling, then it’s his fault the customer was there, not buying anything else.

    It would be nice to have a restaurant here where you could eat in peace and where the waiters understood the concept of courses. When the Spousal Unit and I were in France, I went to find a waiter to get the check the first night because I didn’t realize the table was pretty much ours for the duration.

    The strangest solution I’ve seen was in Virginia Beach – there’s a tourist trap all-you-can-eat buffet and if you’re there over four hours (per the table card), you’re charged for another buffet. Term limits are always a solution.

    @ 12:07 pm on November 7, 2008

  23. Forcing customers to hurry because you want to make another buck seems detrimental to repeat customers and customer service in general. Good luck getting any tip if my party is asked to vacate before we’re “done”.

    That said, if you’re done eating and it’s time for conversation and coffee, it’s time to go. That’s why I always continue ordering drinks for as long as I’m at the table.

    Unless I’m at MiCocina, home of the two drink limit. I can’t count the number of time I’ve been there with friends and inevitably someone asks for margarita #3 and get’s told they’re cut-off.

    Now that I think about it, who cares about MiCocina anyway? It’s not far off from Taco Cabana in terms of quality of food.

    @ 12:27 pm on November 7, 2008

  24. Working tables at a restaurant is difficult, income can be tight and people can often be disrespectful in any number of ways. Agreed. However, I think many are on here posting because they’ve had similar rushed experiences at Mi Cocina and the fact that there’s actually a written/framed policy for it has caused a lot of us to have a collective “Ah-ha!” moment.

    When I go, I’m regularly given frustrated looks if I don’t order my entree with my appetizer and have had plates taken, ready fork still in hand. Last time I went, I actually felt I had to inform my waiter that I preferred to slowly work through each course, which unfortunately didn’t have much of an effect on our service. Still, I always assumed that this was because they had a young and constantly changing waitstaff and it never prevented me from making an occasional stop. This new fact that they actually have signs locked n’ loaded and instruct their waiters to push customers through service leaves a bad taste in my mouth and really cheapens the previous visits I’ve had there. I understand WHY MCrowd is pursuing these policies but somewhere along the line they forgot about average customer’s experience.

    @ 1:05 pm on November 7, 2008

  25. @Gastronome – word up. Greg comes from a restaurant family and his father was well loved and respected in the biz. He’s going to be great — looks like there are a few “opportunities” for him to deal with. Wish you the best, GG!

    @ 1:17 pm on November 7, 2008

  26. I’m simply amazed at the number of people that have be rushed out of that place — esp. West Village. The new location is Lake Highlands is very similar.

    The food is no where near top notch anymore, either. Brunch potatoes are like hot slabs of tasteless brown starch. My wife and I stopped going there a year ago, as I’m tired of having my entree dumped down 120 seconds after the guacamole appetizer or queso was set! And NEVER give me my check while I’m still eating.

    I think it all goes down to one thing: pi$$ poor waitstaff training as they have grown the past 2 years. You’re welcome, Mr. Good.

    @ 1:31 pm on November 7, 2008

  27. Mi Cocina bites. But what the kitchen turns out notwithstanding, I am not tipping a waiter to bring me food. I am tipping him for customer service. I don’t demand that he polish my boots with the oil on his nose — in 2008, this would come off as stilted, although I confess a certain nostalgia for the gracuious lickspittle of yore.

    I generally tip quite well, and a bozo like this — this — waiter — thing — would get a flat 15%. And if it were a great-looking woman, well, let me tell you, missy, make that 26%.

    I don’t eat Tex-Mex to have my human dignity humiliated.

    @ 2:32 pm on November 7, 2008

  28. gracuious = vacuousness deployed in service of graciousness

    @ 2:34 pm on November 7, 2008

  29. >>And, finally, the MiCo restaurants as a >>group are arrogant and irritating,

    I agree, the AAC has been acting uppity as well, but the Crescent court has been real sweet lately.

    @ 2:49 pm on November 7, 2008

  30. Greg Good definitely has his work cut out for him. This type of negative backlash is how successful restaurants come to an untimely end, especially in these difficult economic times. When you begin to act as if your restaurant is bigger than and doesn’t need the very individuals you rely on to stay in business, you’re in real trouble.

    Every time I have dined at MiCo (which was frequently, because I like their food), it’s the same thing. It seems to be (or have been) corporate policy to turn tables as quickly as possible. It’s just that some servers and bussers (sp?) handle it with a little more finesse. But not the last time I visited.

    I took a friend to dinner for his birthday a few weeks back at the newer Walnut Hill & Skillman location of MiCocina. It was a crowded Friday night and the wait was extensive, so we headed into the bar for drinks to pass the time. Fortunately a table opened up right as we entered. Entrees showed up just a couple of minutes after our appetizer of queso, which we had barely started on. My order was incorrect, which took twice as long to fix as it did to get entrees in the first place. In the meantime, we had trouble getting someone’s attention to order new drinks, but literally two seconds after my friend put his fork down to eat some chips and queso we still had on the table, someone was there to take his plate away, even though he wasn’t finished. We told the busser to take his hand off the plate, and it took a few seconds to register with him, like he didn’t understand what we were saying. A couple of minutes later, the same thing happened with a waitress from one of the other tables who tried to clear my plate. Finally, our original waitress returned after an extended time and I told her of what had happened twice. She apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again. Once my friend finished his meal (I was still eating), the original busser was at the table within five seconds to remove his plate and for good measure also took our chips and half eaten queso before I could swallow my food and offer a protest. Our server, promptly and without solicitation, brought the check over within another two minutes. We had wanted to order another round of drinks (and finish our queso), but decided it was too much of an effort to “swim against the stream” and went elsewhere. Mind you, this all occurred within 35-40 minutes time and the bar had mostly cleared out… very off-putting.

    I haven’t thought once about returning to a MiCocina since that night and I’m not sure I ever will. Like others here have said, there are way too many other good Tex-Mex options with good service in this town to put up with a place that treats people in such a manner. We are not cattle and we have a choice.

    And for those who claim it’s about waitstaff making tips (which I don’t believe for a second), what do you think the tips will be like when people stop coming?

    @ 3:00 pm on November 7, 2008

  31. >The diner did the right thing–he wrote a letter to corporate management. If you ever have a bad experience at any restaurant, you should always write corporate management.

    better yet Nancy…dont’ eat at a place that has corporate management.

    And as for the “being a molecule in the throng” how about, if the wait is over 20 minutes, you just go someplace else?

    There are *plenty* of place, many that serve above average food, that don’t rush you at all. I’ve never been rushed at Avila’s or El Fuego.

    I’m sorry that servers don’t feel that they’re making all the money that they’re entitled too, but that’s not my problem. I go out to enjoy myself, not to support somebody else. Dallas may not be Europe, but there are places here you can go and linger over dinner and never feel rushed.

    @ 3:11 pm on November 7, 2008

  32. My plate was picked up the other night at Ziziki’s as I was taking the last bite (but how did she know?). It is just down-right rude to pick up plates at a table before all are finished. With the economy and all, I’m guessing that a ton of restaurant’s will fold. I was at Houston’s last week and I could have shot a 12 gauge and never hit a sole. These waiters/owners better practice a bit of whatever Daniel said. Did anyone ever notice small cameras at Mi Cocina HP on the walls? To listen or to rush waiters to rush customers??

    @ 3:31 pm on November 7, 2008

  33. Mi cocina has always being a good company, everything that hapends there is for a reason, a reason created by MICO but after giving too much money and success to his other investors, now they think he does wrong. Well guess what? he builded the MI COCINA world for him his investors and for people like Good, because he found a job! and the note about leaving the table for other customers is truth, and the reason why is there is because MI COCINA is popular that everyone wants to eat and drink there.Now after all the success I am sure that MICO is proud of himself, being able to feed entire families,hundreds and hundreds of employees, and also exemployees that learn so much from him that now a days created their own restaurants, such as ANAMIAS, CASA BLANCA, MANYS, LUNA DE NOCHE and many many others. And also feed the palate of entire families, kids had grown eating his rice and beans. What a few people says bad about Mi Cocina it does not matters.

    God Bless Mico

    @ 6:50 pm on November 8, 2008

  34. Maybe the problem is that we have a model that allows restaurant owners to pay people below the minimum wage and expects them to make up the difference in tips. This is at the heart of the need for turnover. Who knows what promises were made to the waiter when he joined the wait staff. In Europe, wait staffs are paid regular salaries that suit the type of service a patron of that restaurant might expect. In some cases, a tip is included. This included tip is often around 10% allowing patrons to tip more for excellent service creating the incentive. As a waiter in Europe though, you get a fair wage regardless and customers are guaranteed a pleasant dining experience. The worst place I have ever been in Dallas for rude service was at an El Fenix where they would begin to wipe down your table and remove everything before everyone at the table had finished their meal!

    @ 8:37 am on November 9, 2008

  35. This item is worth this much commentary?

    @ 7:52 pm on November 9, 2008

  36. I appreciate this post. As the informant of the whole Mi Cocina Memo on FB, I need to pass on a little bit of information.

    1. As of 11/8, Mr Good has not responded to the folks that submitted the complaint via email. He may have responded to others, but not the authors of the email I sent to FB.
    2. As the memo states, the inside was not busy. There were open tables.

    I don’t think the idea of asking patrons to move along to allow others to dine wouldn’t offend any of us. But the key is in how this is done. There are clearly right ways and wrong ways to do this.

    What we may be seeing is that Mr. Good has his work cut out for him – maximize profits while maintaining a certain level of customer service.

    @ 10:22 pm on November 9, 2008

  37. I saw the question raised, so I thought I’d try to address it.

    The folks that had said experience at MiCocina are friends of mine and copied about 25 of their friends on their complaint.

    I forwarded it on to FB, who did a little research to verify the facts – namely that the sign or note did exist.

    I haven’t chimed in further because I’ve been on a business trip. The folks who had the hurried experience don’t read the FB – though they probably will now…

    @ 10:31 pm on November 9, 2008

  38. Checking with Mr. Good. Stay tuned. As the taco turns.

    @ 9:42 am on November 10, 2008

  39. Nancy – shouldn’t that be “As the table turns?”

    @ 11:21 am on November 10, 2008

  40. well i guess the SOUP NAZI opened a restaurant in Dallas !

    IMHO, part of the “experience” of trying a new restaurant is to be prepared that the desired results may not be what was attained

    let me make a suggestion – PAY, TIP, GET OUT and NEVER RETURN

    (but do NOT bad-mouth or otherwise try to expose the place – why ? the most effective revenge is a slow painful death !)

    it may take time but i’ve seen my share of places that had no reason to continue, recently close, but now those customers are frequenting, and crowding me out, of MY favorite places !

    on the other hand, if the food is to die for, well then, obey and be humbled by whatever indignities you must endure – and i’ve done this as well, to the extent of being repeatedly over-charged on a credit card charge and was initially of the mind to “let it go” for fear of being ex-communicated from the restaurant !

    remember, its not personal – only business

    frankD

    @ 11:49 am on November 10, 2008

  41. The folks who submitted the complaint have been contacted. He writes, “I just spoke to Greg and told him I’d contact you and let you know that I spoke with him. Thanks for your story/blog on this.” Game off.

    @ 4:25 pm on November 10, 2008

  42. I’ve worked for Greg Good and eaten at Mi Cocina. Both not that great.

    @ 5:03 pm on November 10, 2008

  43. Jorges is so different but in a good way! It is light and authentic not the same pete and repeats all over dfw that all stemmed from Mias/MiCocina/Luna de Noche..etc. Went to fedora on saturday..was fun!

    @ 10:04 pm on November 25, 2008

  44. Mi Cocina??? Look out for Masaryk…..Addison Circle……09

    @ 11:46 pm on December 28, 2008