went there over the holidays and one word to describe the food-disappointing
hopefully its bad enough that they can see that changes must be made

Reading through these reviews it seems to me that those in control have no impetus to put out a top-notch money-making product -- at least not at this point. To me the biggest tell of this is the continual issues with denial of seating availability while there clearly is plenty of it.

I'm hearing about friends interviewing for the top spot in the Vast kitchen. These guys are creative and good. Players in the local culinary scene.

We ate there last week and, as others have said, the food was good, but not great. The view was amazing. We ate at 5, because we were told there was no other availability, but there were still a few empty tables when we were leaving. It was actually nice to be there early because we got to watch the view transition from day to night. I had the pheasant and the arugula salad, both of which were good. Several people had the steaks, which were not bad, but they commented that the Ranch and Red have better ones. My son-in-law had the agave-chipotle salmon, which was delicious and my daughter had the lemon grass poached seafood. She said the shrimp were excellent, but the mussels were off. We had several desserts which were good, but again, not great. I don't know if I would go back anytime soon, as there are dining options I prefer.

It bears repeating...

Vast is only taking reservations for about one-third of their 250 diner capacity until they have worked out the bugs. This is why it takes so long to get a reservation, why prime times are hard to get, and why so many empty tables are found when you arrive.

One of the objectives of Vast was to have a restaurant with an unparalleled view, while keeping prices somewhat reasonable. The compromise is that the food - although very good - isn't the best you'll find in town. If you want better food you have several options of windowless restaurants that charge far more than you'll pay at Vast.

In addition to Vast, John Williams' group is managing Nebu and the adjacent coffee shop in the Devon Tower, and Flint in the Colcord Hotel, all of which have been open less than a year. Williams was selected by Larry Nichols, both are eager to "open the throttles," and neither wants to make unnecessary mistakes.

All excellent points, OKCTalker.

I would add to the massive and recent undertakings of John Williams and Associates all of the event and private dining space on the 49th and 50th floors.

Vast is only a fraction of 49, and Williams has exclusive food and beverage responsibility for the remainder of that floor and all of 50 as well. All that space is in relatively constant use.


Unfortunately for the proprietors, with such a spectacular setting at Vast, the expectations for the food are going to be high regardless of price point or extenuating circumstances.

Only problem being that Vast has been open for about 2 months now and the reputation is obviously not a good one. As far as the pricing goes I would hardly call it "reasonable" considering the supposed quality of the food. Obviously you are paying for the view, which is fine, but it's hard for me to believe they could still be working the bugs out when Nebu is rolling right along (with much more reasonable pricing).

Count me as one rooting for things to improve quickly as it certainly is somewhere I'd love to be able to rave about.

As a point of clarification, Nebu and Aravalli (coffee shop) are operated by an independent company that specializes in corporate dining.

Williams oversaw their selection and I'm sure there are plenty of on-going management issues, but his company does not directly provide the meals or set the prices.

It bears repeating...

Vast is only taking reservations for about one-third of their 250 diner capacity until they have worked out the bugs. This is why it takes so long to get a reservation, why prime times are hard to get, and why so many empty tables are found when you arrive.

One of the objectives of Vast was to have a restaurant with an unparalleled view, while keeping prices somewhat reasonable. The compromise is that the food - although very good - isn't the best you'll find in town. If you want better food you have several options of windowless restaurants that charge far more than you'll pay at Vast.

In addition to Vast, John Williams' group is managing Nebu and the adjacent coffee shop in the Devon Tower, and Flint in the Colcord Hotel, all of which have been open less than a year. Williams was selected by Larry Nichols, both are eager to "open the throttles," and neither wants to make unnecessary mistakes.

and i agree with most of what you say except that the compromise of a restaurant should never be food. and the biggest misconception of the restaurant industry is that price = quality. it doesn't.

While I understand the issues with opening a new restaurant, once you're open for business, people expect to get what they pay for. And, while I didn't think the prices were outrageous, I don't really think it's any more reasonable than any other restaurant in town. I thought the prices were very comparable to the rest of the higher end restaurants we frequent. I thought the design of the restaurant was very ordinary, which is fine considering the view. But having seen the view, I'm going to wait for the food to improve, or will go back to go to the bar. Again, the food was not bad at all, but the only "wow" was the view.

It has to be said that Vast will be wildly popular as long as the food is at least "good".

It simply doesn't need to rely on food alone as the draw, and is one of the very few restaurants in OKC in this position.

I went for the first time last weekend. There is a valet on Harvey ($10) where you enter the rotunda, which is spectacular. I liked the overall design of the restaurant, but I also like the contemporary interior finishes throughout the tower (by Gensler?). I thought the food was great, very innovative and globally-inspired unlike anything you'll find in other restaurants in town. My only complaint was each dish was too heavily salted for my taste, but some people might like that. Service was excellent and I would return, though not on a regular basis because it is pricey (for dinner, lunch would be easier to swing). If you don't want to eat it's a really nice place to have a drink, and will be even better in the spring/summer when it's light out longer and you can actually watch the sunset and see greenery. OKC is not the most beautiful place from the air during the winter, but at night it looks pretty cool.

Pete - Thanks for the clarification on Nebu and Aravalli.

Jedicurt - When I said that Vast "compromises" on food, I mean that they strike a balance in the overall dining experience between food, atmosphere, service and price. To offer the finest food would price them out of most diners' realm, which is their stated goal NOT to do.

Pete - Thanks for the clarification on Nebu and Aravalli.

Jedicurt - When I said that Vast "compromises" on food, I mean that they strike a balance in the overall dining experience between food, atmosphere, service and price. To offer the finest food would price them out of most diners' realm, which is their stated goal NOT to do.

Really? It's not as if they have to pay rent. And, the view makes decor fairly unnecessary. I did not at all get the impression they'd overspent on decor. Service should be the same as at any of the higher end restaurants. So, I don't really see that they need to spend more to offer the same food as any of the other better restaurants in town. What I DO think is that food is not a corporation's major interest. When you dine at a restaurant where the managers are hired by oilmen, you don't necessarily expect the food to create shock and awe on your palate. I expect more of the Good Egg Group, because food is what they do. And, I will be dining more at Good Egg establishments, because they are good at what they do - better than the chefs at Vast, at least at this point in time. When I want a view, especially for guests, I'll go to Vast, but not because I can't wait to eat there again.

Regardless of the reviews, I'm still going there for my 35th birthday this year.

As a point of clarification, Nebu and Aravalli (coffee shop) are operated by an independent company that specializes in corporate dining.

Williams oversaw their selection and I'm sure there are plenty of on-going management issues, but his company does not directly provide the meals or set the prices.

True, but Williams' staff, including his top chefs, were tasked with helping open Nebu ... so that was an additional task they faced.

The biggest problem for Vast is that their menu is impractical. Every single item on the Dinner menu needs to be priced $10 higher based on the ingredients and preparation that are described.

I have a friend that works in the kitchen at Vast and they say the place is hell, poorly managed, and entirely inefficient. The job they have is 85% to prep a single side dish every day. The other 15% is running around finding what can possibly be helped with.

I have another friend who went to apply for a management position and found that none of the server applicants she encountered had serving experience (and why would seasoned servers apply when the menu price is not particularly attractive?).

Every single wine they are pouring by the glass is marked over the wholesale bottle price. That's about the only way I think they could make up what I imagine are horrible food-costs. But it's unfortunate to mark up wine even more than it's marked up in the average restaurant.

I'm not sure exactly what role Devon has played in all of this...I imagine they have taken too active a role in the process for the restaurant to reach it's full potential, so on that end, WA cannot shoulder all the blame.

It has to be said that Vast will be wildly popular as long as the food is at least "good".

It simply doesn't need to rely on food alone as the draw, and is one of the very few restaurants in OKC in this position.

This is a great point.

Had the scallops the other night, and they were excellent ! Three of them for $34.00, and the side was very small, but with the bread and a shared desert, we left full. My wife's strip steak was more than she could eat, so I got about a fourth of it.

It was a very good experience.

We ate there Friday evening. Of the four meals at our table, three were very good and one was good. The Salmon, the Lamb and the seafood of the day were all very good. The filet was only okay, but you should probably not order a steak at a restaurant that doesn't specialize in it. The salads were all very good also. The deserts were not so good...in fact, somewhat disappointing.

The prices weren't exceedingly high, especially considering the views (ambiance is part of the price in a restaurant like this anyway and to be expected).

My biggest complaint was the speed of the service...more like a French eating experience with too much time between courses. The server was very knowledgeable and attentive, but the kitchen let him down a little. They were very gracious and brought us about extras gratis. Since this kind of dining with these views is kind of an "experience", having more leisurely time to enjoy the bright lights of OKC was relaxing..

All in all, a nice experience and one to share with out of town guests.

Had the scallops the other night, and they were excellent ! Three of them for $34.00, and the side was very small, but with the bread and a shared desert, we left full. My wife's strip steak was more than she could eat, so I got about a fourth of it.

It was a very good experience.

Oh yes, the views were extraordinary. I felt like we had the best table on the floor. It was in the Northeast corner looking both North and east over the rest of downtown....was incredible.

Laban West, who has an amazing collection of OKC pics on his flickr set, recently dined at Vast and took a bunch of great shots. Here's some for your pleasure.

Looking down at Devon Ice Rink
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8378334582_3313153aee_b_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/73409321@N00/8378334582/in/photostream)

The Myriad Gardens below
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8190/8377290955_339a7020ba_b_d.jpg

Looking out to the west
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8086/8378380204_13a03e41f6_b_d.jpg

Train tracks over Bricktown entry
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8071/8378387822_ed87b2a58b_b_d.jpg

Towards the Chase Tower
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8378399166_4e249ec29c_b_d.jpg

Convention Center and Arena
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8378406840_e0a76d1e90_b_d.jpg

Looking east over Bricktown
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8377343721_5a90c7e6c8_b_d.jpg

North panorama
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8496/8378433122_d6af18b8e9_h_d.jpg

Laban West and his wife Susie
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8378435088_13d4a18dc0_b_d.jpg

Laban takes in the view
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8235/8377365361_3a277da240_b_d.jpg

Looking up to the tip of the tower
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8378443576_cb3620d978_b_d.jpg

Susie enjoying her meal
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8074/8378447416_1ecca99b83_b_d.jpg

The buffet
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8336/8377375501_2eeacd2960_b_d.jpg

Buffet selection
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8377362121_58c22b5145_b_d.jpg

Others dining at the restaurant
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8377358137_122ebdb42d_h_d.jpg


Photos by Laban West (http://www.flickr.com/photos/73409321@N00/)

Laban West, who has an amazing collection of OKC pics on his flickr set, recently dined at Vast and took a bunch of great shots. Here's some for your pleasure.

Looking east over Bricktown
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8377343721_5a90c7e6c8_b_d.jpg

Photos by Laban West (http://www.flickr.com/photos/73409321@N00/)

Those are amazingly thoughtful photos. The interesting detail I like about the one quoted is the perhaps-fortuitous, Stonehenge-like alignment of the eastbound railroad tracks, tracks which were once themselves a popular association with OKC of long ago. A sort of a looking-toward-the-past.

So I just made reservations for 2, 6 weeks in advance on a week night for our 12th anniversary. I requested window seating and she said she couldn't guarantee it. I asked if there was available window seating for that night at the time I requested and the person said there was and she would put me down for window seating but she couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't be bumped when I arrived. I was a little shocked by that response. I asked if she could put a note down that this was for my 12 anniversary celebration in hopes I wouldn't get "bumped". She dismissed this and said no, "I will just put down your window request".

I have booked reservations and requested window seating several times at the the Sun Dial in Atlanta, the Top of the World in Vegas,, and once at LA Prime and have never been told that my window seating could be bumped.

It has been a few years since I have ate at those restaurants, so is this now the norm? Is it typical to be told that even though a restaurant has availability to accommodate your seating request at time of booking that it may not be available the night you show up?

You should call back and tell someone else of your reservation, who you spoke to, and how aghast you were to their response. I know they're working out the kinks but from what I've heard, the place hasn't been full enough for you to be bumped so you should shove that knowledge in their face.

Your best bet is to go to Vast for cocktails before dinner or a night cap after dinner. Choose any other higher end establishment for your dining experience in town and you will be much better off.

You're welcome in advance.



So I just made reservations for 2, 6 weeks in advance on a week night for our 12th anniversary. I requested window seating and she said she couldn't guarantee it. I asked if there was available window seating for that night at the time I requested and the person said there was and she would put me down for window seating but she couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't be bumped when I arrived. I was a little shocked by that response. I asked if she could put a note down that this was for my 12 anniversary celebration in hopes I wouldn't get "bumped". She dismissed this and said no, "I will just put down your window request".

I have booked reservations and requested window seating several times at the the Sun Dial in Atlanta, the Top of the World in Vegas,, and once at LA Prime and have never been told that my window seating could be bumped.

It has been a few years since I have ate at those restaurants, so is this now the norm? Is it typical to be told that even though a restaurant has availability to accommodate your seating request at time of booking that it may not be available the night you show up?

Your best bet is to go to Vast for cocktails before dinner or a night cap after dinner. Choose any other higher end establishment for your dining experience in town and you will be much better off.

You're welcome in advance.

Say what's up to Chris Brown for us!

Here's a blog post from a young lady who was treated to a dinner at Vast, and was quite happy with the experience:

brandon & kathleen: Valentine's Day (http://brandonandkathleen.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentines-day.html)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d05nAAn90BY/URqigo8sqkI/AAAAAAAAFOc/12AwzMKnQ2c/s1600/251542_10151423732654106_772688223_n.jpg

Couple of pictures posted showed the Buffet, but don't see it mentioned on their website...anyone know the cost, hours of operation etc?

http://www.vastokc.com/menu

Here's a blog post from a young lady who was treated to a dinner at Vast, and was quite happy with the experience:

God bless them and their future. What I see there is a heartfelt sharing of a young woman's lovely evening; a vacation from her usual routine of college and child-rearing that perhaps arrived early in life.

Kudos to her thoughtful husband, but I see this as a view through some heavily-rose-shaded glasses. Nothing objective is posited, really, and it's merely a slice-of-life in its own right. Which is certainly better a review that I can do at the moment, mind! I know some people who have been, though, and while their experiences are generally positive, they are shades of what has been posted in this thread by others.

Couple of pictures posted showed the Buffet, but don't see it mentioned on their website...anyone know the cost, hours of operation etc?

Lunch Menu | VAST | Globally Inspired American Cuisine Oklahoma City, OK (http://www.vastokc.com/menu)

The buffet is $18, including a drink but not tip. It's lunch only - I think 11:00 until 2:00. I've had it twice, and I feel it's about the right price. The Skirvin buffet is $14, and the one at Vast is about the same quality but with a much better view.

The bar:

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/857194_412739935485190_346922216_o.jpg?dl=1 (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=412739935485190&set=a.326434214115763.75029.259744237451428&type=1&relevant_count=1)

Pic from the Vast facebook page.

Note the array of overhead lasers -- ready to zap any unruly patrons at the first hint of trouble.
:wink:

From what I've been hearing, it sounds like things are starting to come together a bit now. Still a mixed bag of reviews, but instead of being almost entirely bad, there have been some very good reviews.

Had school event there a few months back in one of the group rooms. Awful food, super slow service at the 2 bars, overpriced, staff did not seem happy to be there. Great view, everything else mediocre.

I'd advise giving it another chance at some point.... a lot of that staff has either been replaced or "straightened out"

I've had friends that have been around NYE and now I'm fixing to go on Saturday evening for a birthday dinner. I figured if there were any kinks, that they'd be worked out by now. Will let you know on Monday!

My sister, who has lived in NYC (works in Manhattan, lives in Brooklyn) for 14 years, was here in December and I took her to Vast for drinks at the bar. Actually, we sat at the windows overlooking OKC. She absolutely loved it.

That's probably because she could actually see ground and not other highrises as compared to NYC.

That's probably because she could actually see ground and not other highrises as compared to NYC.

When I had dinner at the Windows on the World at the top of the World Trade Center, I could see the ground easily. Sadly nobody has that opportunity any longer.

That's probably because she could actually see ground and not other highrises as compared to NYC.

That is exactly what she said. Followed by "You just can't get this in NYC".

That is exactly what she said. Followed by "You just can't get this in NYC".

Damn, I'm good, lol.

Went for birthday dinner last night. Place is absolutely a whole other world! Jesus, it was awesome. Sat at the bar first and then went over to the window to look straight down. Talk about a lil woosy. My buddy that came with went over to the window and wouldn't go any closer than 3 feet from the edge, lol.

I don't know what people expect out of the food but I thought it was amazing. Definitely worth the price. I had the ribeye and I don't know what the white cream was on the plate that surrounded the artichoke leaves but lets just say, thinking about it now makes my mouth water! I asked my dad jokingly after dinner if we flew to Chicago to eat dinner.

It was just before sunset when we went in and it was dark when we left. I wanted to take a pic of my city at night but I didn't get the chance. Did get plenty of daytime pics. Will post them later because I'm still recuperating from a night out!

Went to Vast last month for the third time. It continues to improve. The food is getting much better although I worry it's a bit too "continental" for what what we traditionally get here in OKC. I would say the food this last time was great - not the best I've had but worth the price and the evening was very nice. The service was excellent. We asked for and got the far SE corner table that has glass on two sides - what an awesome place to have dinner. It's like you are floating out on the edge of the building. I'll go back. They do have spots most nights now, so don't think you can't get a reservation. The bar is awesome by the way. Great view, great drinks and a nice wine selection.

I would like to be as positive as possible, so I'll say this: the salad and the views are excellent.

On the other hand:

1. Prissy, uptight, demanding service. They actually DEMANDED that we place all of our orders at once (starters, salads, main courses) "to serve us better."

2. The maitre 'd was extremely rude.

3. While the meat dishes were decently prepared, the sides were atrocious and served cold.

4. The atmosphere was completely dead; you could barely hear the bad elevator music above the lifeless din of the blue-haired blue bloods' conversation.

It was an embarrassing experience (we hosted another couple). I've been sitting on this review awhile, not sure if I would post it, because I wish Vast well. But Vast aspires to "world class" standards and it doesn't even rise above OKC's humble fine dining standards.

Right now it's doomed to be a novelty restaurant that you do once and never do again -- for the view only. The ambiance sucks; devoid of energy.

Wow ^^^^ None of that happened this past Saturday for me. Its a two way street ya know. Id have to say the only bad thing was that after we got our entrees that our server never came out once to ask how everything was. A gent in a suit did, so that was good at least.

Have been several times and it gets better each and every time

I would like to be as positive as possible, so I'll say this: the salad and the views are excellent.

On the other hand:

1. Prissy, uptight, demanding service. They actually DEMANDED that we place all of our orders at once (starters, salads, main courses) "to serve us better."

2. The maitre 'd was extremely rude.

3. While the meat dishes were decently prepared, the sides were atrocious and served cold.

4. The atmosphere was completely dead; you could barely hear the bad elevator music above the lifeless din of the blue-haired blue bloods' conversation.

It was an embarrassing experience (we hosted another couple). I've been sitting on this review awhile, not sure if I would post it, because I wish Vast well. But Vast aspires to "world class" standards and it doesn't even rise above OKC's humble fine dining standards.

Right now it's doomed to be a novelty restaurant that you do once and never do again -- for the view only. The ambiance sucks; devoid of energy.

How long ago was your visit?

I would like to be as positive as possible, so I'll say this: the salad and the views are excellent.

On the other hand:

1. Prissy, uptight, demanding service. They actually DEMANDED that we place all of our orders at once (starters, salads, main courses) "to serve us better."

2. The maitre 'd was extremely rude.

3. While the meat dishes were decently prepared, the sides were atrocious and served cold.

4. The atmosphere was completely dead; you could barely hear the bad elevator music above the lifeless din of the blue-haired blue bloods' conversation.

It was an embarrassing experience (we hosted another couple). I've been sitting on this review awhile, not sure if I would post it, because I wish Vast well. But Vast aspires to "world class" standards and it doesn't even rise above OKC's humble fine dining standards.

Right now it's doomed to be a novelty restaurant that you do once and never do again -- for the view only. The ambiance sucks; devoid of energy.

Sorry, but if you were being as "positive as possible" you would have said something along the lines of "we went on an off night" instead of assuming that the restaurant is "doomed to be a novelty restaurant that you do once and never do again".

I would like to be as positive as possible, so I'll say this: the salad and the views are excellent.

On the other hand:

1. Prissy, uptight, demanding service. They actually DEMANDED that we place all of our orders at once (starters, salads, main courses) "to serve us better."

2. The maitre 'd was extremely rude.

3. While the meat dishes were decently prepared, the sides were atrocious and served cold.

4. The atmosphere was completely dead; you could barely hear the bad elevator music above the lifeless din of the blue-haired blue bloods' conversation.

It was an embarrassing experience (we hosted another couple). I've been sitting on this review awhile, not sure if I would post it, because I wish Vast well. But Vast aspires to "world class" standards and it doesn't even rise above OKC's humble fine dining standards.

Right now it's doomed to be a novelty restaurant that you do once and never do again -- for the view only. The ambiance sucks; devoid of energy.

The spouse and I went on Friday night, January 11. Everything you just described as negative was the complete opposite. We had the NE corner, excellent views, and service from 3 or 4 different waiters. They waited on us hand and foot, and the scallops were the best I'd ever had. What gets me is that lately everyone has said it's getting better ???? It was mostly great as far as we were concerned, they could have had larger side portions, but maybe they are trying to tell us something, eh.

We can't wait to go back.

How long ago was your visit?

Within the last three weeks, on a weekend night.

It wasn't just me. The other couple we dined with were laughing at how bad the service was. Also, quality service and ambiance are essential elements. Vast was laughable.

Regarding the cuisine, there were some interesting concepts there, and some of it was well executed, but there's no excuse for serving cold food. It should be noted that when I pointed out the cold side, the waiter made a sneering comment when he brought out the replacement, WHICH WAS ALSO COLD.

On a previous visit for drinks in the bar and small plates, we were delighted by some of the staff, including a sommelier who has sadly left the restaurant, and another staff member, who was friendly and talkative to my wife and me.

It's almost as if this "straightening up" that occurred was extremely ill conceived and amounted to "lose all personality and do not communicate with the guests."

Whatever they're trying to do, it isn't working.

For those of you who have experienced world-class dining in cities other than OKC, suffice to say this place doesn't come close. Clueless.

Question: have you ever eaten in a "fine dining" restaurant that demands you to place your order for starters and appetizers at the same time you place your orders for mains? We thought it was some kind of joke, but realized they were serious. I cannot imagine in a million years wasting another minute of my life worrying about getting a reservation to that amateur hour.

By the way, I knew several people would react to this completely 100% honest review this way. Sorry, but the above happened, it is what it is, and whoever is running the front of house at VAST is in outer space.

For those of you who have experienced world-class dining in cities other than OKC, suffice to say this place doesn't come close. Clueless.

Question: have you ever eaten in a "fine dining" restaurant that demands you to place your order for starters and appetizers at the same time you place your orders for mains? We thought it was some kind of joke, but realized they were serious. I cannot imagine in a million years wasting another minute of my life worrying about getting a reservation to that amateur hour.

By the way, I knew several people would react to this completely 100% honest review this way. Sorry, but the above happened, it is what it is, and whoever is running the front of house at VAST is in outer space.

I have experienced fine dining in the US in places like LA, San Francisco, New York, Miami, etc. and also in Europe in cities like London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Brussels, Amsterdam, etc. I have always ordered the entire meal at the beginning. I can't imagine why anyone would think that is a problem.

In the case of the ordering sequence I think it boils simply down to the old adage "The customer is always right".

I've dined in over 30 countries and at some of the worlds most acclaimed restaurants. While Vast isn't world class, it in no way resembles the negative post of Guru when I have been there. The service was very good and the food was too. Not the best ever, but quite well prepared, fair portions and fairly priced. Atmosphere was very good and appropriate for this type of restaurant. By the way, theyoffered my table free deserts when THEY thought one of our guests might not be happy (which wasn't even the case). They went overboard to make sure we had a nice evening.

And the customer isn't always right. I have witnessed rude, overly demanding, and cheap customers. I have witnessed customers who had no expertise or taste rejecting expensive bottles of wine that THEY mis-ordered but were really just trying to find something they liked better. I've witnessed customers who rejected things THEY ordered because they had no idea of what it actually was, just that it SOUNDED sophisticated. I have been amazed at customers yelling when they weren't dressed appropriately and demanded to be seated regardless. So NO, customer isn't always right. You have to know the context.

Thank you! I didn't want to be the person to break it to sooonerguru but I've had fine dinning, and I don't get the beef with the ordering. It's common practice.

I've had fine dining in Rome, Helsinki and Barcelona in the last 3 years, and they wanted the entire order, other than desert, up front. I had no problem with it.

For that matter, on Royal Carribean, they take your starter and main course at the same time.

Why would I want to be constantly interrupted by the server taking my drink order, telling me about the specials, ordering an appetizer, asking how is the appetizer, ordering a salad, asking how is the salad, asking if I'd like another drink, ordering the entree and sides, etc?

Get it out of the way and let me enjoy the company of my friends.

I never realized offering a customer an option afforded to Chili's customers everyday is such an unreasonable request. I guess it's all in your point of view. If you feel like the restaurant is doing you a favor by serving you then yeah I can see accepting whatever service dogma they adhere to but I'm more in the camp that if I'm paying somebody to service my needs then they better darn well jump through hoops to meet my expectations or I'll simply walk. Restaurants need customers to survive, not the other way around. There is a long history of failed fine dining joints to attest to that.

Its the majority of the customers in your target demographic that determines if the customer is right or not. You obviously can't change your whole operation to fit the tastes of a few individuals.

There are plenty of ways around the ordering situation and a good server will make sure that they achieve acceptable service standards no matter if the guest is intelligent or if the guest thinks they are going to run their own dining experience...demanding (though I'm not convinced that's exactly what happened in guru's situation) is not one of them.

Just because a guest orders something, doesn't mean the server has to turn it in immediately. The pace of the meal is always going to run through the server.

All that being said, a good server will read the guest and provide the best dining experience the guest is willing to have. It's just sad that not all diners are created equal...

My wife and I went to Vast on the second night it was open to celebrate our one year anniversary. The views are amazing, the service was good, and the food met my expectations. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our time, but I don’t know when we will go back. We are not quite in the tax bracket that would allow us to spend $200 on dinner very often. Going into it I knew it would be expensive, and that there would be some things about it I hadn’t experienced. So instead of requiring them to meet me at my level, I wanted to experience what the service is like at their level. I don’t want to go somewhere like Vast, spend a lot of money and be treated like I am at Chili’s.

Vast is not Chili’s, and should not be the standard by which we base our service principals. However, if you feel that should be, then you should know that Chili’s customers are also offered dish water in the ramekins that are their many sides of ranch come in, cups that are quazi-clean, and the many other reasons that make this former employee not eat there. Even though I took great care of my guest’s by making sure their cups, utensils, plates, bowls, and ramekins were clean and free of debris, most of my coworkers did not.

Happy eating!

For those who want it their way, go to Burger King.

In the case of the ordering sequence I think it boils simply down to the old adage "The customer is always right".

That's an adage created by the customer. Those of us who have been on the other side have had way to many experiences where the customer is a freaking idiot.

Best example I can give. I used to own a hobby and game store. I had a person walk in one day and this exchange took place.

Customer: Where are your gas pumps?

Me: This is a game store. We don't offer gasoline.

Customer: So you don't sell gas?

Me: No, we sell games.

<Customer storms out and slams the door>

On many occasions I would have a customer come in wanting me to buy something from them. I would offer the price I was willing to give and a dialogue similar to this would take place.

Customer: I can get twice that much for this card on e-Bay!

Me: What name did you see on the front of the building?

Customer: The Game. Why?

Me: So it doesn't say e-Bay on the front of my store?

<customer would roll eyes, sigh, get angry, etc...>

And no my store didn't close because I was a smart ass that didn't think the customer was always right. It closed because my wife took it in the divorce. So what I learned from all of it is don't go into business with your wife.