HendersonvilleRestaurant.com Blog

My husband and I visited the Poplar Lodge for supper this past Friday. The drive up to the Lodge was beautiful and the Lodge itself was great. We had 8:00 reservations and had to wait a few minutes for a table. We sat at the bar and enjoyed looking around and soaking up the atmosphere.
We normally share a meal so we can enjoy a dessert and not be miserable. We ordered the Lodge portion of the prime rib. The waitress told us that we could only have one salad bar with the meal and we said that was fine. I made one trip to the salad bar and my husband shared some of the food from my salad plate. The waitress came by our table and told us that the manager said she was going to have to charge us for an extra salad since we were sharing from my plate. We were not upset – just did not understand why we could not share the salad by making only one trip to the salad bar which is the norm everywhere we have ever eaten and split a meal. I could understand if I had made multiple trips to the salad bar but I only made one trip.
We come to this area often. It seems like a shame to lose customers over such a small issue when you have such a wonderful place.

Restaurant response:
You may find it strange that the owner of the restaurant dislikes salad bars,but I’m not a fan and would love to replace it with a great salad that we make and deliver to the table. One of the problems with the bar is that we owe it to guests to hold down costs, otherwise it would get out of control and our guests would pay an even higher price. Our primary control, therefore, is a policy that the purchaser of the Salad Bar needs to be the guest who uses it and only that guest.

To enforce that policy can present a problem. It sets up a situation that nobody likes. I agree with you that what you describe is “no big deal” but we are only trying to do the best we can to maintain a poicy we can live with. I can honestly say that your complaint is one of very few over the years. Most folks understand and if a salad or a few bites are that important to them, they simply pay for another.

If I could do so without affecting business and guest satisfaction, I would cease the use of a salad bar. It’s expensive,labor intensive and if we are not extremely careful it alienates good folks like you and your husband…..but I would be lynched and I hear that’s no fun. Please give us another opportunity to serve you and accept my apology for any misunderstanding.