https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 11:44:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2856258 Mon, 12 Nov 2018 13:18:13 +0000 Mrsbells 2856258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellocupcake: I dont think its fair to be upset at them. They probably didnt know it was for a birthday and you wanted the full cake look. I think your husband should have explained that to them, their assumption was that you wanted that specific cake. Personally I have worked in food service and would never substitute flavors without being expressly asked. So expecting them to offer a different whole cake is a bit of a stretch. Restaurants run out of things sometimes, the only way they have to make up for it is if you had pre ordered it or called and they led you to believe they would have it available </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2856113 Sun, 11 Nov 2018 08:42:57 +0000 ElbieKay 2856113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did they screw up an order you had placed in advance? Or were they just out of stock in the item that you wanted? I don’t think the latter is a big deal. The only thing that sounds annoying is the slow service. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2856005 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:10:11 +0000 hummusgirl 2856005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would try to appeal to them as a person - but I may be an oversharer haha. I'd probably say something like "So...this is for a birthday and I just don't think half a cake is really what I envisioned. Ya know?" and then kind of have a conversation about options. People usually (sometimes) like to solve problems if they understand where you're coming from. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855969 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:55:22 +0000 PinkElephant 2855969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellocupcake: I'm skirting the customer service question issue, since you've already gotten lots of opinions on that! :) </p> <p>But in the instance that you haven't served the cake already, can you perhaps find some way to plate it on a large serving dish with the pieces on their sides or something (like you'd stack cookies) that looks less "half eaten"? And present the birthday person with one slice, upright, on a plate with a candle to blow out? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855959 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:34:55 +0000 shabang 2855959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry, I do think you're overreacting. Menus are wrong all the time, restaurants run out of things, if he had to wait it was probably busy there, and you didn't place this order ahead of time. I also think it would be unusual for a restaurant to infer that you'd want a whole cake since it was a birthday. For all they knew, the flavor was most important to you, and they figured out some way for you to get it. </p> <p>I'd suggest that when situations like this arise, try to brush them off and move on - you'll have more peace of mind and be healthier for it! Although, I know if I were fixating on something so minor, it'd probably be because things had piled up to the point where this was the absolute last straw and something I could control amidst the chaos, so if you're there, I'm sorry and I hope whatever you can get in free cheesecake makes you feel better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855952 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:21:07 +0000 BadgerMom 2855952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I understand your annoyance, but I would probably be MORE annoyed with DH for coming home with half a cake especially without calling or texting me to see if that was ok. He knows what it's for, the employee at CF may not have at that point, or have forgotten in the shuffle. I also completely agree with @kiddosc:, the workers are not mind readers, so if you have an ideal solution in mind I think it's your job as the customer to voice it and then good customer service from the restaurant would be to agree with it (as long as it's remotely reasonable obviously). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855949 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:12:12 +0000 pinkcupcake 2855949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you didn’t order ahead, then it’s not their fault they didn’t have the flavor in stock. I don’t see why they would have to compensate you for it. You go in, you order it, they don’t have it - end of story. </p> <p>Your husband could have just bought a larger whole cake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855905 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 11:33:36 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2855905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@annem1990: I totally agree I would be more annoyed at my husband! We don’t have Cheesecake Factory around here but with anything else, if I don’t order ahead I will have to accept they might not have what I want and I’ll have to choose something else unfortunately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855903 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 11:22:43 +0000 annem1990 2855903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellocupcake: Completely understand why you’re annoyed. I think I would’ve been more annoyed at DH for accepting a half cake, though. It wasn’t ordered ahead of time, they realized the mistake and DH accepted it. If he had offered solutions or complained right then and there, I would have expected a better outcome. Since that didn’t happen, I feel like the restaurant isn’t really to blame. Is it good customer service? No. But I wouldn’t really expect great customer service at Cheesecake Factory anyways. There’s way too many customers and employees to make that happen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855902 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 11:17:29 +0000 hellocupcake 2855902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkb: oh I was super annoyed with DH too. </p> <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I guess my biggest frustration was that it took them close to 20 minutes after he paid to come tell him they don’t have the cheesecake that they allowed him to pay for. </p> <p>@snowjewelz: I emailed them last night. I mean, it wasn’t the worst thing ever where I feel like we deserve an apology but I definitely think they could have handled it better. </p> <p>@annem1990: we’ve walked in every time and been in and out in under 20 minutes. But, that’s why I asked. A part of me is like “it happens, I should have ordered ahead or gave DH alternatives if they were out”. Like, I know poor planning was a part of my overall frustration and I don’t want to have unrealistic expectations of how it should have been handled. ❤️</p> <p>@kiddosc: I love this perspective. I didn’t want to propose anything because I was scared it would come off as entitled. I definitely wanted a whole cake of some sort since it was for a birthday celebration and half a cake looks less thoughtful. Which again, poor planning on my part.</p> <p>@Mama Bird: they did know it was a birthday because we paid for the birthday label chocolate thing. We did not order ahead but they did take his order, let him pay and didnt realize their mistake until he had been waiting for 20 minutes. Part of my frustration is that they didn’t run out...they no longer make that cheesecake in that size. Why is it on the menu? Blah. </p> <p>@gestalt: Exactly this. I was annoyed with DH for bringing home half a cheesecake for sure. We have never waited that long, ever. And we go regularly. I was totally just thinking a minor sign of “sorry we took so long to realize our mistake”. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855893 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:45:03 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2855893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gestalt: yeah, that too. DH would get a major eye roll for bringing home half a cake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855889 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:33:37 +0000 Mama Bird 2855889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: yeah, if they knew it was a birthday cake (did they?) offering half a cake is odd. But some people don't care - they've no way to know whether you do, so your husband should have said something. He could have bought a small cake in a different flavor, or a whole big one...</p> <p>And was the order placed in advance? If it was, I'd expect some kind of discount. If it was a walk in order, I'd just get what's available and not expect a price cut. If I go shopping for chocolate chip cookies and the store only has muffins and cupcakes, I'll take one of these or go somewhere else, but I won't assume they owe me something for being out of cookies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855888 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:30:07 +0000 gestalt 2855888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Perhaps i don't understand how it works, but why should it take long to box up a cheesecake if the order has been placed already? And when the order was taken, they should have checked to see if it was available. </p> <p>I would have been annoyed to wait so long, only to have them give me the option of what is essentially a half eaten cheesecake for a birthday celebration. They should have offered a discount on that. They should have also offered another cheesecake in a different flavor with a small discount - not because they didn't have the flavor you originally wanted, but because he had to wait, order a beer, and was told about the mistake only after that period of time. I don't think it's a customer is always right mentality. </p> <p>Also, i think i would have been annoyed with my husband for thinking a half cheesecake was acceptable. :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855886 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:22:21 +0000 kiddosc 2855886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think their offer wasn't appropriate if they knew it was a celebration cake (and since you'd asked them to write on it, they knew). But I also think it's strange your husband took that offer. I would have asked for a different, whole cake. </p> <p>My dad is a restaurant manager and he often says that he hates when people just come in to complain without speaking up about how they'd like to correct the problem. People often have an idea in their heads about what they would like to make things right. He wishes people would just say that instead of having to guess and then having customers continue to be angry because they didn't receive the solution they had already predetermined in their minds. </p> <p>In this case, you wanted a whole cake but never voiced that and are now upset that the restaurant didn't propose the solution you never told them you wanted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855885 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:18:32 +0000 annem1990 2855885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This wouldn’t have bothered me. I worked in restaurants for years and stuff like this happens. Any time I’ve picked up cheesecake from there is takes a long time. I just know that going in. Plus there was a totally reasonable solution of just picking another flavor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855882 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:06:35 +0000 snowjewelz 2855882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like they absolutely could have gone above and beyond because at the time of the order they should have known or double checked before taking payment so time is not wasted. OR they really could've have told him a lot sooner, before he sat down for a beer for sure. So I'd be annoyed that I waited so long to find out the flavor I already paid for isn't available.</p> <p>I guess my annoyance level would go up depending on how picky I am (or how specific that flavor was needed for the celebration). I don't think I would've accepted to take half of larger size in that flavor if this cake is meant for a celebration; I would have just swapped flavors. I'm not super confrontational so while annoyed I also would not have pushed for a compensation there, but I probably would have called/emailed management after. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855880 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 09:59:44 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2855880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellocupcake: ok, I understand this a bit more. I don’t think a different flavor in the 7” warranted a discount because to me that’s just one of those SOL type things. That’s a reasonable alternative and so far it doesn’t sound like the wait time would have been different.</p> <p> Now, if he decided to buy the 10” too big correct flavor cake then a discount or selling it at the 7” price would have been a nice gesture for the misunderstanding/ miscommunication on the CF employee’s part. You’d think though the register/ computer system would be up to date with the product offering that even if the employee wasn’t aware the menu changed they wouldn’t be allowed to ring it up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855879 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 09:47:47 +0000 pinkb 2855879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: what did you DH ask for as the solution or did he just agree to what they offered? A lot of time the place is waiting for you to say what you want the solution to be since they don't just want to throw money away. I would be more upset that DH can home with half a cake when he knew it was for a birthday celebration, but that's just me i guess. ( please note he probably would have been so pissed he wouldn't have done anything and just came home with the half a cake too) I have worked in service a long time as well as DH.. And I do see the issue that they didn't make it right to begin with but sometimes I think as the customer you have make it know what you want when they mess up even if it is asking for the manager and making a stink. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855877 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 09:32:13 +0000 hellocupcake 2855877@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: no no. I never would suggest they comp. his beer since he was just drinking one to pass the time. He definitely placed and paid for the order. They only approached him after he had been waiting, decided it was taking too long then went to have a beer. Their only suggestion was half a 10inch cheesecake to compensate for the fact that they no longer make the 7inch in that flavor. My husband thought they should either give us the ten inch and take the loss or offer a different flavor at a discount, 5 dollars off...nothing big. Even refund us the happy birthday chocolate as a way to make it right. </p> <p>@periwinklebee: at least I know it’s not just me. Before being a SAHM, I worked in all types of service industry type jobs. It was always “the customer first” mentality. I’m not mad just frustrated that it was handled poorly. Even more so that i wasn’t able to pick it up so I couldn’t be there to say something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855872 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 09:14:32 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2855872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’m curious what did he suggest was a good solution? Were they unwilling to do that? I’d be a little peturbed about taking home half a cake and likely would have purchased a whole cake in a different flavor. If the bday boy or girl only had one favorite flavor then I would have bought just the slice of that too.</p> <p>Unless he spoke to someone at the bakery counter and placed or confirmed his cake order before having a drink at the bar I would not have asked for the beer to be comped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855868 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 08:57:02 +0000 periwinklebee 2855868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry... I feel like the quality of service has been steadily declining, unless you can afford "platinum" services, i.e. flying first class. Don't get me started on United Airlines... As you say I'm sure part of it is that people mean well but just are not given the opportunity by management due to the race to the bottom on pricing/profits... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/customer-service-am-i-overreacting#post-2855865 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 08:46:39 +0000 hellocupcake 2855865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I sent my husband to Cheesecake Factory to buy a whole cheesecake. Turns out they didn’t have that flavor or no longer carry it. They told him this after he had already been waiting a little bit (long enough to be drinking a beer at the bar). Their solution is to sell him half of the same cheesecake but in the larger size. He’s already been there a while and we were waiting at home to celebrate a birthday. He takes what they offer, they refund him the difference and he leaves. </p> <p>I think they should have offered a better solution. Half a cheesecake with the little white paper dividers still attached just isn’t as fun to present as a birthday cake. They could have offered a different flavor, an extra slice for his trouble. The problem was on their end. </p> <p>Full disclosure: I feel like we’ve been seeing crappy customer service all around. My husband works in the service industry and is being pressured to make cutbacks all around but keep the same level of customer expectation (pretty impossible) so I get they might not be in the place to just give us the whole cheesecake at some sort of steal but maybe the larger size with 10 dollars off for his time? IDK SOMETHING?! </p> <p>Further full disclosure: I used to work at Cheesecake Factory!!! I know employees get 50% off all cheesecakes. I’m not even asking for that level of apology. Just something that’s says “we understand we screwed up, our menu was wrong, our employee should know the menu, and sorry we wasted almost an hour of your time”... </p>