Dinner and a Movie-Part 1

Is the Idaho Falls Texas Roadhouse quality going downhill?

Consider this remark left recently in our chatbox:

“… I made the mistake of going to the Texas Roadhouse last weekend with my g/f and halfway through my BBQ Pork Sandwhich, I found a little black beetle crawing in my food. I can’t even tell you how disgusted I was. Everyone at my table lost their appetite. And all the manager would do, was give me MY meal for free. And he knew the rest of the table left without eating but 2 bites of their meals. I won’t be going back there again!”

and a followup:

“It’s the 2nd time in a year we had a problem at Texas Roadhouse. Last year I had a hair in my food. I should’ve known better than to go back there.”

Is it time for more frequent health inspections at the Texas Roadhouse? Sounds like their management may be in decline lately, I’m going to skip them for awhile.

Good luck with all that! Those were my comments from the chatbox.
Both times I’ve gone there we’ve run into problems. The first time a hair, the second time a little black beetle. Don’t get me wrong….the food was tasting good up until that point. But you instantly loose your appetite when you suddently pull somebodys hair out of your food, or see a critter running around your plate.
No thanks I say…..you can keep it!
We’re really not big fans of eating out anyways and this type of thing only confirms why. I’ve worked as a cook in chains such at Texas Roadhouse and I’ve been a sous chef in a couple of finer establishments back in my younger years. I know first hand how dirty restaraunts are and I’ve witnessed many a nasty dish served to the customer. The “5 second rule” has applied to every restaraunt I’ve worked at, except for two of the higher end places I worked. Those 2 had no qualms about tossing a steak into the trash that had fallen on the floor.
I’m a firm believer of anything is edible as long as it’s cooked long enough, but I’ve worked with some nasty indiviuals who aren’t quite as concerned with cleanliness as I am, so that’s why I am the way I am. But that’s just me. Most people like yourself will turn a blind eye to that type of thing and don’t even want to know what goes on behind the scenes at their favorite restaraunt.

How about this….the next time you’re at your favorite restaraunt, like Texas Roadhouse, or Sizzler, or where have you. Take a peek in the kitchen real quick and look at the type of people that are cooking your food and then come talk to me.
I’m not saying every place you eat is disgusting, but I was in the food service industry for enough years that I know better.
Plus, all you have to do is read the reports that the PR puts out each week on your local restaraunts. Violations abound every week.

But hey….some people may say “what’s wrong with a high protein beetle running around in your food”? Survivor man eats them all the time on A&E…..

just a little food for thought

We usually go to Texas Roadhouse for a couple’s dinner, but the previously described experience with a live bug in their food caused us to consider other local options.

We went to the Outback steakhouse instead, the first in a long time for both of us. I like their bread better than Texas Roadhouse’s, but I wish they had seasoned/flavored butter like TR.

The food was great without exception, but I was extremely impressed with the service. Our waitress pointed out to us that they tend to cook their steaks pink, so that was helpful.

After my wife had cut her steak up a bit, the waitress came by and said she noticed the steak was not fully well done as ordered and offered to take it back for a longer cooking.

I’m a huge water drinker and always request a pitcher so I don’t have to go empty waiting for the waitress. They don’t offer pitchers at the Outback, but the waitress never let my glass get below half full anyways, so I was impressed.

When we were leaving, she offered to box up our food for us, and marked the contents and date in pen on the box.

Overall I was really impressed with the service there. I didn’t catch her name, but overheard her saying she moved here from Boise for a CNA program. Hope her bosses and coworkers recognize that what she does is truly great customer service.