After a ruined birthday meal at the site in Buckingham - we decided to give Beefeater another chance yesterday (Tues 16th Oct 23), and booked a table online for 18:15. I had also put some notes in relation to a table request.
My wife and I arrived at exactly 18:15 and waited for what seemed an eternity. The restaurant seemed steady for a Tuesday night, couple of large tables, but not heavily busy in my eyes.
The lady in front of us was approached and said she wished to book for Xmas Day. The colleague (who was wearing a blue and white pattern shirt - not the same uniform as the others) - went off to get someone else. He returned with a gent in a black chefs jacket and he took over.
The colleague in the shirt then asked how he could help. I advised we had a booking and our name. He just said how many people (not referring to the booking). He went to sit us down and mumbled something as he walked off, just dumping the menus on the table. No finesse or "wow"
After about 10 minutes a waiter came over and asked what we wanted. We ordered drinks and when these were delivered we ordered our food.
We were sat close to the "pass" in the kitchen. Whilst we waited we saw food sitting for too long before any waiters picked up. The guy who had seated us walked past the areas several times, yet rather than take food out just ignored it. He was seen going in and out of the kitchen, talking to the chefs and eventually making a dessert and singing happy birthday to a guest (while all the food was still sat waiting to be collected)
As we continued to wait for our starters, my wife noticed the chef (the same one who helped the lady with the Xmas booking), picking up salad with his bare hands and placing it on plates. Furthermore, another chef had netting on his long tied up hair and beard, but lots of his hair was still exposed.
I turned round and saw the same chef that my wife had mentioned, handling not only the salad, but also other food items and not washing his hands or wearing gloves.
Our starter arrived (it had been sat on the hot plate for around 10-12 minutes), the potato skins were warm at best, the goujons were the same - in total from ordering it was almost 35 minutes to get our two starters. Not acceptable at all given it was ready and was just sat on the pass.
I happened to turn around and while we waited for our mains, watched the chef in the black jacket. I saw him picking up salad, just like my wife did, with his bare hands. My wife said if her food came over with salad on the side, she was going to send it back and ask for fresh that had not been handled by the chefs bare hands. What happened next though, totally shocked us both.
The same chef handled some more salad, and then placed something else on the plate in addition to the green stuff, again with bare hands. He then poured what looked like beans/sauce on the plate, and then LICKED HIS FINGERS - TWICE. He then continued to handle other food.
I immediately went to our waiter, as we now both felt sick. I told the waiter to cancel our main courses and explained what had happened. He said sorry and wandered off.
I went back to our table and got my coat, my wife and I went towards the exit. I asked the waiter if I could speak to the manager. He asked me which chef had licked his fingers. I pointed and to my disgust was told he was the MANAGER!!!!!
The gent in the shirt though (white and blue pattern) was another manager. I told him what had happened and he just mumbled something, no real apology or concern - said "we will have a word" and said we could leave!
Needless to say, another poor visit when in fact this should have been the visit to restore our faith in Beefeater. If anything it has done quite the opposite.
Emailed head office and advised that contact will take longer than usual due to lots of other communications from other customers - says it all...
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