I was around the Causeway Bay area early Sunday afternoon, looking for a place to enjoy a beer and snacks for 2 people. Knowing that King Ludwig Beerhall was situated in a pleasant area with outdoor tables and had the sort of menu I was craving for, I decided to swing by.
As I arrived at the restaurant, I saw only a few tables in the outdoor area were occupied. I approached the podium at the entrance and asked a member of staff who appeared to be the Floor Manager for a table for 2. I was seated at a small table spot fairly quickly, but not before I refused her offer of the table right next to the front door where there isn't much room for a quiet conversation and privacy. Looking around, there were plenty of tables available, perhaps because I came alone, it's not in the best interest of the restaurant to offer the more desirable tables to customers like me who obviously will have lower spending power than say, a group of 4...
After I was seated, I looked at their menu and quickly decided what I'd like to order, so I looked at the 3 waiters and waitresses walking back and forth and gestured both physically (raising and waving hand) and verbally (excuse me - in Cantonese) to each one in succession:
The 1st waitress walked by to serve another (bigger) table, but she did not see me.
The 2nd waiter walked by, and said he will be right back as he headed into the restaurant, never to appear again.
And the 3rd one, who was the Floor Manager looking person that offered this table to me, walked passed me towards another (bigger) table - said nothing to me, nor did she make eye contact with me, but she did see and hear me because she waved her hand at me as if she was brushing off a hovering fly, gesturing me to either wait till its convenient for her to serve me after all the guests at bigger tables are taken care of, or perhaps to tell me to go away.
It was a funny feeling being bemused and pissed at the same time. Instead of putting up with this kind of disingenuous attitude to someone who has dined at your restaurants over the years for birthdays and celebrations, I decided I can find a better place to enjoy my Sunday afternoon, so I stood up and left.
By the way, I went to Burger Room just down the road, their beer menu is limited but their snacks are equally good. Even though ordering is done at the counter, they still had better service. Eventually our group grew from 1 to 2, and 2 to 4, and we enjoyed plenty of drinks and food which would have had happened at King Ludwig if not for the god awful service I received here.
题外话/补充资料:
Feeling belittled, unsatisfied and cheated
(以上食记乃用户个人意见 , 并不代表OpenRice之观点。)