Hope Valley Diner

Reviews 4

WH

Whitney G

Very good food and wait staff, very poor management! I refuse to support a business that doesnt strive for great customer service. Durham offers too many great restaurants to settle for one that has awful customer service. My husband and I came here for dinner this evening. There was a man at the host stand who barely said hi to us and also told us he had never hosted before, in a frustrated tone. We later saw that the host staff was running late, and the man who sat us was probably forced to step in until she got there. While we were waiting on our drinks, this same man said very rudely to the staff behind the bar, "We all know that doesnt belong there! Please move it!". One of the staff snarled back at him and said shed only sat it there for a minute and she would move whatever was out of place. I ordered a $7.99 omelet and he ordered the seafood platter for $14.99. The seafood plate only had 4 shrimp, 2 scallops, and 2 pieces of small catfish along with the green beans and onion rings. My husband expressed his concern of the small portion to the waiter. The waiter checked with the manager and returned to us to confirm that this was the appropriate portion. The manager never came over to express an apology or to offer a helpful solution. My husband approached the manager and introduced himself as the person who expressed concern about the seafood portion. Her name was Annie and she was behind the counter at the register. He expressed that he was more upset that she didnt come over and address our complaint more than being upset over the small portion. She said "Im sorry that is what we charge and there is nothing I can do". I joined the conversation after hearing her unhelpful reply and assured her there were plenty of things she could do to make it right. I explained that she could begin by asking us what she could do to make it better. She continued to point at our receipt and say "this is the price, and I am unable to change it". She even told us we werent the first to complain about the seafood portion size. I told her that I understood seafood was expensive but she could have offered more green beans or bread since those are low cost additions. However, she made no effort to provide good customer service or welcome us back with a free appetizer. I asked her if she was okay with 2 upset people leaving her restaurant and never coming back and she said she was okay with it. Arguing with the customer is very unprofessional and by the end of our conversation we had an audience in the restaurant. Very poor management and a very poor atmosphere. We will not be returning to this restaurant and will not recommend it to anyone based on the service we received on top of experiencing the tension amongst the staff.

A

A Private User

really enjoy the food at Ricks. That said, and after reading the other reviews here, I have to agree that the service has been horrible lately. The kitchen is very, very, very slow. The wait staff is becoming slower than the kitchen. I make an effort to get to know the people who serve me in restaurants and I can not always blame them for what is going on. I think the problem at Ricks lies with the management. I have noticed that my server, when service is awful (and that is frequent) is trying to handle 4-6 tables spread from one corner of the restaurant to the sidewalk outside. Meanwhile, there may be 3 other staff members standing around the cash register or one casually meandering around the restaurant filling sugar and jam dispensers, oblivous to the empty glasses at the tables in the restaurant. Meanwhile, customers are gagging while hoping for a refill of their drinks, or they need silverware or have yet to even place an order. If management would simply tell the staff that they are responsible for everyones service at all times, including refills of drinks, etc., the dining experience at Ricks would improve immensely. I have waited upwards of 15 minutes for delivery of their daily specials--things that are already prepared and should be able to be plated and served in 5 minutes or fewer. Often, the food shows evidence of having sat under a heat lamp while the wait person has been running from one table to the next in the dining room. Management needs to get a grip on this problem or Ricks may not be around for long, despite its wonderfully, flavorful food. Because the services is so bad, I give the atmosphere, service and value all negative ratings. The food, amazingly, is still very tasty. One last pet peeve. I was seated one evening at 8:50. When the waitress came to the table, the first thing said was "You do know the kitchen closes at 9, dont you?". If you own a restaurant and you say you are open until 9, then your kitchen does not close until the last order comes in from the last table that you seat and you certainly do not ever rush your customers to finish thier meals. This has happened to me at Ricks. I have not seen the offending waitress lately, but no one there should ever rush their customers through their meal.

KI

Kimberly Pringle

The amazing company that I am employed with had Ricks Diner & Catering make the holiday luncheon phenomenal! I mean to tell you it was absolutely delicious. Truth be told, I wasnt always a fan of Ricks Diner, I go occasionally with family and friends that are true fans. Okay, I had a bad omelet experience there and I know it happens to the best of them however, it scarred me...I love, love, love omelets so that was a huge scar for me lol. Hindsight is 20/20 so maybe It was I that was having a bad day because Its hard for me to believe that the deliciousness that I had the pleasure of enjoying today is from the same place. Pardon my leap onto the band wagon but Im a huge fan now and when my family and friends invite me out Im going to be the first to suggest Ricks Diner! Thank yous are in order....My company! Thanks a million for your generosity! The Management serving staff, you could have been anywhere within the company attending meetings, 1:1s, projects, trainings, you get the gist but you were here with us serving with a smile and your graciousness will never be forgotten and we appreciate that! Ricks Diner the setup/serve crew...you ROCK! Southern Hospitality at its best. Friends and Families please check out Ricks Diner & Catering!!! The Mac and Cheese was mouth-watering, Ham and pineapple...magnificent, Turkey and stuffing moist, Roma green beans tasty, Yam souffle scrumptious, Yeast roll perfect....Im not a fan of cranberry but I heard that it too was delectable. :)

A

A Private User

The food is good, particularly satisfying for those who hail from the north but the service is ABYSMAL. I have been there on several occasions as I live nearby and the service has gone from bad to worse. The last two times my wife and I ate there (today being the latest and likely the last), the server has been so bad that I thought a practical joke was being played on us. Make no mistake, I AM a server and have a great deal of empathy for the position and as a result am pretty understanding, but what passes for acceptable at Ricks would get a person fired virtually anywhere else on earth. The slow-motion speed, particularly when then restaurant isnt crowded could almost be forgiven but its the woeful ineptitude that is unforgivable. Wrong orders, constant apologizing for the wait, blaming errors on the kitchen, dropping the check with the entrees never to be seen again, failure to refill coffee and water and disappearing for 15 minutes are all hallmarks of the Ricks wait staff and are difficult to endure. As I said, I do enjoy the food, which is why I have given them so many chances but unless I hear reports of drastically improved service, I doubt I will return.