Old Union Diner

[Paranoid]

I wouldnt be surprised if someone has posted a thread like this before...

Is it just me or do the staff at the Old Union Diner really have it in for all students?!? I mean the customer service is SO depressing, and almost makes you feel guilty for turning up!!

I've always tried to be polite and helpful whenever I'm in there (e.g. taking my empty plates and cups back to the counter to save them the trouble) but I dont even get a raised eyebrow at that (well I do sometimes but its with a look of suspicion!)

I was just in there today and wondered why on earth people would bother re-visiting the place.

Its a shame really as the decor is brilliant and a great source of conversation, but if the staff dont like students why did they bother applying for the job!?!

[kas48]

to be quite frank, your name suits you perfectly (paranoid). the staff have always been really nice to me and my friends - i even got a free glass of milk once due to an error on their part. and if you hadn't noticed, it's the same staff as at the union canteen. the old and the new union establishments are great!

[Steveo]

Actually, kas48, Paranoid is not the first person to complain about the staff in the OUD. From the volume of complaints The Sinner has recieved in the past, I do believe something must be wrong in there.

[hr]

[s]Alone at night, I feel so strange, I need to find all the answers to my dreams[/s]

[tintin]

Yes - there was a thread a while back about the surly service, rubbish opening hours, expensive prices etc. Seems they pride themselves on it.

[flarewearer]

Beatons Rocks!... slightly off topic, but it does

[hr][s]Have you ever wondered how you get triangles from a cow?
You need butter, milk and cheese, and an equilateral chainsaw.[/s]
http://www.magnificentoctopus.com/

[Paranoid]

I dont mind Beatons, and no I havent actually noticed the same staff in both (but interesting point all the same).

But I still think I'm right, and not paranoid either. I went in today and granted it was about 3.30, so they were busy tidying up to close, but when I asked for a sandwich she kinda huffed and sauntered off to the back without any recognition that I'd said anything. 5 minutes later after leaving me there waiting not knowing if she was actually responding to my request, she storms back out asking for £3...felt really bad having to ask for a coffee as well!!!

Anyway, was just my little moan for today. I much prefer Beanscene anyway but its been getting incredibly busy recently!?!...and your always guaranteed a smile in Costa (even a goodbye as you leave!)

[papercutheart]

Maybe there is two of every staff member and one works in each Diner...conspirisaaaaah!

[tintin]

Beanscene is great - I really enjoy going there. Costa people are always very friendly as well - probably the fact that they are Italian and know how to treat customers: so many British places could do with customer service training.

[Smith]

What you all need to do is learn to make and cook for yourself

/end


[hr]
I tried thinking of an innovative witty remark, but could only come up with this...

[Oli]

I'll bring this to the attention of the catering manager in the Students' Association

[flossy]

Myself and Koala Boy went in today to order takeaway lunch and the OUD staff were busy but friendly and efficient.

[someone]

I would not say the service is bad there. It's not brilliant but I have no complaints about it. They have never been rude. I have been there quite often too.

[kas48]

i go to the old union cafe almost everyday for lunch and they're always nice.

i would however complain about their opening hours. seeing that it's just beside the library, it would have been good if it was open evenings and weekends.

beanscene and costas (despite attractions!) are really expensive.

all cafe/bar/etc staff get pissed off when more people arrive near closing, but most try to hide it! personally i have not been in at such a time, and perhaps then they are impolite.

[Guest]

I too have had bad experiences in there. I asked for a deluxe hot chocolate, not realising that deluxe meant with marshmallows. Anyway, being vegetarian I don't eat marshmallows. To cut a long story short, they threw the chocolate away, made a fresh one and then charged me for TWO hot chocolates. I know I made a mistake but it didn't say on the menu that deluxe was with marshmallows and if I'd known before, that they were going to charge me for two, I would just have left and gone elsewhere. I thought it was quite out of order but didn't really want to make a fuss. Having worked in cafes in the past, when a customer makes a mistake you just make a fresh coffee, whatever. Anyway, I haven't been back in there since...

[munchingfoo]

I agree with kas,

I find that most of the union staff can be miserable bastards but if you are finding that try this little thing. Next time you speak to that person make sure you are overly nice. Smile load, be bright and cheery, thank them for stuff. In 99% of the cases i am sure you will see that they respond in exactly the same way. A smile goes a long way.

If you go in thinking someone will be rude you it is likely that they will. People detect little signals like that and subconciously act on them.

[hr][s]I have made my site work again, so feel free to have a look.

My website:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~ag56/ [/s]

[box_of_delights]

The staff at the Diner are miserable as! I make a point of being v. cheerful or smiley with staff in any establishment I go into, and usually get a smile or "hi" in return from them, but not so in the Old Union Diner. I was there the other day and she snatched money out of my hand, no acknowledgement I'd given it to her, no thank yous, not a word when she gave me my change etc. And notice how much joy they get out of smashing the coffee filter things as they empty them?? Like a release of their pent up anger.

Hehe. Oh well. The kitchen staff seem pleasant enough if they bring food out - just the dried up old maids they have serving at the bar. Grr. Britain is HORRENDOUS for customer service!

[Ewan Husami]

Ever worked in a coffee shop?

If so, you'll know just how much force you have to put into emptying the coffee filters. Nothing to do with anger or aggression.



Anyway, why not mention your dissatisfaction to the staff at the time, rather than bitching about it on a messageboard that they probably don't have time to read?

[Dave]

Perhaps it's worth remembering that people who work in the service industry in general are overworked and underpaid.

I worked for 10 years in various catering establishments, from Heathrow airport to the sea life centre. I got the greatest satisfaction in my job (and that isn't much) when working in a restaurant for BA pilots at Heathrow. They were courteous and respectful almost 100% of the time. In contrast, the cabin crew restaurant was an horrific place to work - full of people with "better than thou" attitudes, meaning that it was such a nightmare to work there that even when a customer was courteous, it was difficult for me to raise my mood for them. The same was true at the sea life centre. The facilities at the disposal of the kitchen staff were abysmal, consequently we were unbale to bring a level of service that we could be proud of. That combined with continously disrespectful customers - it's amazing how many people assume that if you work behind a counter serving them then you must be thick - made it very difficult to present a cheery demeanour even when presented with a polite customer. Which is not to say it can't be done. I can remember several times when I was having a day from hell in the kitchen and I was able to resolve difficulties with sustained smiling.

I know for a fact that staff in the Universities catering service (for which I worked for 4 years as well - although not in the Union) find certain groups of students rude and disrespectful, talking down to them because they are in serving positions. I would liken these groups of students to the cabin crew at Heathrow - trying to prove their superiority - as oppose to the pilots who had nothing to prove and so could simply be polite. That service staff may have had the day from hell may impact upon their subsequent service - although it's not an excuse for them being rude, it might provide reasoning for perceived flawed service.

[Lyra]

I've usually found them to be fine. If they are a bit short or abrupt I just assume it's because they've been busy or they're tired/hungove/stressed/pissed off about somone else being arsey towards them etc. There are lots of reasons for serving staff to be a bit surly occasionally (I should know!)no matter how friendly they are usually. Just because you are polite to them doesn't mean the customer before you was, and I know from experience how difficult it is to be polite and friendly to someone when you're mentally murdering someone else...

[Webbie]

I think the main issue here is the that we have to eat a beatons for lunch if we choose to spend lunchtimes in the union. Lets be fair, the food may be cheap compared to many restaurants in town but it is not cheap for what it is. No way. The food is not cooked well at all, and often many meals are reheated versions of others (chilli con carne from bolognaise for example). Now, before someone who works there gives me the logistics of how hard it is to cook 30 meals or whatever, I don't care. I've seen food prepared to a higher standard in many other cafes and its cheaper. Considering beatons is presumably subsidised by the union, this is unacceptable. The staff, however are generally quite nice and i've never had any major problems. Also, i think that the union should provide an area for students to eat there own food. Especially during the cold bastard winters. How is it possibly fair that we should be barred from eating OUR food in OUR union. Especially considering those who enforce these rules are staff of Beatons and not related to the students association, I was told i was "out of order" by a beatons bloke for doing that. I wasn't out of order, he (ok, the system), was out of order!