Date of visit: October 11, 2013
Submitted by GUEST BLOGGER
[rating=1]
4221 Ellsworth Rd
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
After yet another busy day at work, I come home and work on an event that I am planning for a non-profit group, then lo-and-behold I look up and there is the husband standing. I suddenly realized I had too much on my “plate” to cook and plate up dinner, so I suggested we go to IHOP. I have only been to one other IHOP, in Holland, MI. It was fantastic so I knew there was one not far from home. So I hop with my husband in the truck and take the short 15 minute drive to IHOP in Ypsilanti, Michigan off Carpenter Rd.
The parking lot was not full and well lit; we parked and walked in. We were greeted by two people who looked at each other as to who was going to seat us. Finally a decision was made and off we went. First stop to a booth but we both decided that a table would be better so we moved. We were then greeted with a quick “Hello my name ???? (we did not understand what she said), what would you like to drink? We both chose Coke, and off she scurried. We were trying to decide what to order. I have a very bad habit of ordering the same thing over and over again. I don’t like change so I ordered the same meal I had at the Holland IHOP, reasoning it was good once it should be good again. My selection: the stuffed French toast. The husband had decided on a sample plate, sausage, bacon, ham, eggs etc.. you kinda get the drift.
Here comes our waitress, she sets down our beverages (she was actually only gone a few minutes) and asked if we were ready to order. We both said yes placed our orders, and off she scurried again. By this time we had a few minutes to look around. This IHOP did not seem very clean, not that there was food all over the floor or stuff left on the tables, but just didn’t seem clean. Tables seemed to be worn in places and the carpet a bit dingy, and you can’t blame it on them being busy, that night at least as there may have been 10 or less people seated.
We lost track of time, filling it with idle chit chat, but long enough for us to be served. The meals were okay, nothing to write home about: although they did cook my bacon just right. We had only had our food about a minute or two and here comes the waitress (again) to ask us if everything was ok. (what could go wrong in 30 seconds?) We did say everything was fine, she left and returned a minute later -returning with our bill just in time for me to swallow the second bite of food, or was it the first? Anyway we just started eating and were presented with the bill. Not a good sign.
We finished our dinner and noticed through the entire meal our waitress had disappeared, never to be seen again. IHOP’s policy, pay your waitress. With cash in hand to pay the bill we waited for her to return, and waited, and waited and waited. Finally my husband got up and walked over to a station where a waiter was working. He asked the waiter if this was where he paid his bill. My husband was told no, our waitress would have to take care of it and with that the waiter turned his back on my husband and went back to doing whatever he was doing.
The waiter never offered to get our waitress, just turned around and put up the ignore.. The hubby came back to the table and we looked at each other for a few more minutes noticing that the waiter never left his station to assist us when it was obvious we wanted to leave. I being who I am, decided that I was leaving, I snagged the bill and cash out of the hubby’s hand and got up marching to the main cash register/hostess area where we came in. An lo and behold there are the same two greeters who could not decide who was seating us.
They asked what we needed. I said I was ready to leave and wanted to pay the bill. Perhaps they are foreigners because they looked at each other as if we were speaking a different language, Asked us who are waitress was, we didn’t have her name, just a description, that must of close because both of them scurried off to find her. That took a few minutes – yea! they found her in the kitchen. IHOP doesn’t’ have too many places to hide and avoid customers besides the kitchen or the restrooms – so there was a 50/50 chance they would locate her the first try.
Without a smile or a spring in her step the waitress took our bill and cash, went behind the front register, tapped on the screen to start the transaction, and nothing happens. The cash drawer didn’t open, the receipt machine didn’t start: she just stood there, holding on to our $50 an our bill not knowing what to do next. She looked around and began to go through her (I assume) tips, flipping through a few dollar bills. She asked around to see if anyone had change for the $50.
Together the other waiter and waitress came up enough change to allow us to cash out. (I wonder how they straighten that out he he) I just know the drawer didn’t open, but we did get are change and left.
This will not be a place that I would never want to go back to. Bikers don’t have to avoid this one, they could have fun there.