Cotton Patch Cafe — Restaurant in Bryan

I've eaten here many, usually outstanding service, matched with good tasting food. However, this last time, which happened to be my father's birthday, we were seated with a new Male server, who was training with a seemingly veteran female server. Everyone always orders a cup of potato soup since its the family favorite. Well, this time it was extremely salty, and a completely different color than usual. We said something to our "veteran server". Her response to us was "I'll let them know, they just do what they want in the kitchen." Then she walked back to the kitchen which was only about three or four empty 4-top tables away, and then immediately, and within earshot told the kitchen. Thenn both her and the kitchen apparently thought that was funny. She didn't offer to have them remake or to bring us anything else. Later she told us she had them take it off the receipt. We weren't necessarily asking for it to be free, we came out to eat because we wanted food to eat. Our food was nowhere near as good as usual. We weren't even brought out the rolls until we asked for them. When we were first sat we were asked if anyone "wanted rolls or an appetizer". We had said yes and then asked for the soups. I guess he meant it as "one or the other". The trainee even had difficulties with the drinks. He asked my father to taste his since he couldn't remember if he had handed him the root beer or diet coke. My grandparents are diabetic so it's pretty important they at least have the diet coke and not something with as much sugar as the root beer. He ended up having to go through two of the drinks before we were able to determine which one it was. Once we did, he grabbed them and ended up taking them back to the kitchen to remake them anyway. When the entreees arrived my grandfather couldn't even eat his meal. Throughout the meal he asked for a few different condiments, which were indeed brought. I only mention this because he was trying his best to find a way to enjoy his meal.Eventually the trainee stopped coming around and the "veteran" was the only one attending to us. Several times she asked us if we needed to-go plates when the only person who could have possibly been done eating was my girlfriend and maybe my father. There were still three of us with mostly full plates. Still, she prompted my grandmother several times if she was going to need one as though she wanted us to be done. She was still actively eating from her plate,albeit a bit slow since she's older. Before even half the table was finished, she asked if the check would be all together or separate. My father jokingly responded he hadn't decided yet since we weren't even done eating yet. A short while after she came right back to the end of the table announced the total aloud and asked who would be paying. I've never experienced something like that in my life. I've either had the waiter place the check on the table or at most had the waiter ask who would be paying and then place the check next to that person. My father, again, tried to asuade the awkward situation by joking about how we hadn't even decided if we were going to want dessert or not since it was his birthday. Up until this point we hadn't even been asked about dessert. I've always had the check brought to me after I've been asked if we were interested in dessert or not, since clearly this is to be included in the total. She then proceeded to defend such a tacky thing by claiming it was policy, and "I'm just trying to get yalls total for ya'll" and then somewhat mumbled that she thinks they offer free dessert if it was ACTUALLY my father's birthday, emphasizing actually. But...

The "more" that continues from scrotie schultz' and I's experience.

As she was clearing out some of the plates, she again asked if my grandfather wanted a to go plate since clearly his plate was still about 80% full. At this point my grandfather mentioned that he absolutely did not want to take the food home, that he wouldn't even feed it to his dogs. She was silent and then finally asked if he didn't enjoy his meal. He of course stated that he did not and that they had over salted this meal as well. She apologized and only said she'd let the staff know. Again, did not offer to have it remade or to have them make something else....Even Denny's does this. He came to eat and at this point has effectively eaten next to nothing. He asked if the fresh coffee they had was decaf or not, etc. And she took a moment like she wasn't sure what they had and then said yes but that it would be an additional $3 or so. He said he was hoping to at least switch out his meal for the coffee and she legitimately said something to the effect of: it wouldn't make sense since he had already eaten some of his food. He reiterated that he didn't really eat much of it as the majority was still there and WHY. He ordered a coffee for him and my grandmother. She later came back to let us know she told the kitchen and the manager about the saltiness of the food and then proceeded to ask my father if the dessert would be to go. We had again not shown any indication of leaving yet and felt like we were being pushed out. In this same visit to the table she reached directly across my face without so much as an excuse me or announcing that she was reaching for the plates as though I was just a chair in her way and not a person. I physically had to lean back and get out of her way. When she brought the coffees out it took her a solid minute to walk from the kitchen to the table very slowly because she had overfilled both cups so they were slightly spilling every step she took. She handed my grandfather his cup and immediately he noticed the cup wasn't entirely clean. It had streaks from coffee spilling, but not wet fresh ones, dry ones. Although I suppose the long walk might have given them sufficient time to dry. She did not even acknowledge his comment. Instead she tried to hand my very much so elderly grandmother with visually trenbly hands the cup from across the table prompting her to stand as she reached for it instead of walking around and setting it on the table. The entirety of the time she ended up having to reprint the check 3 times. The last of which, when she brought it to my father and she loudly, thought at least not announcing this time, pointed out the only difference in this one was the 3 added dollars for the coffees. Please keep in mind that the majority of all this came from the veteran who was training someone. I wouldn't even be writing this if the only problems came from the trainee. We've all had a first day and understand what it's like to not know what to do or how to do it. However given the experience provided by the veteran who ended up finishing more than 75% of the lunch, maybe this is how cotton patch wants their employees trained since it seems the veteran wasn't any better. I can't even adequately express how disappointing this experience was. Happy birthday father. Now to find my grandfather...

Have never been to a Cotton Patch. Didn't know what to expect. The last 18 months I've done the Cracker Barrel twice and it was a hit and a miss respectively, altho first time visiting one of them, too. Have never tried Cheddar's, either, but pretty much have felt they were prolly all the same kind of idea. Leaving the theater after many flicks, I finally asked a buddy, have you ever eaten at one of these and what are they like? They mumbled something and that was the end of that discussion. A week or so later, we're trying to find somewhere not crowded on a Saturday, more on the healthier and savory side. The buddy suggests, hey, what about that place over by the theater you've not tried before. Welp, this is the same buddy that's taken me to Cracker Barrel twice and it was good first time, definite 'let's not do this again' the 2nd time, types of experiences, and they LOVE the Cracker Barrel, so wasn't certain what to expect for Cotton Patch. Walked in, it's quiet, oh thank you. Greeted right away, seated and quickly the server is out and is absolutely a joy. And really, many servers walking by smiled towards us as tho they really enjoyed their days at work. Our server was super patient with my buddy, eager to find out if the tap to pay was working (that's brought to the table, cuz it had been broken for awhile) when I was asking about that, regularly checked to see if our drinks were ok, offering refills (absolutely not fun when you feel you've gotta hunt down someone for more pop) on both beverages and rolls. It's not like the place is empty, the servers each had a min 4 tables, some tables 5+ ppl. What got me the most, tho, was how each and every table had at least 1 elderly person (70+, yes, including mine) at it, and that person was fully engaged in convo with everyone else. It's as tho ppl know to come to this place cuz you're treated well and the food is actually not only really tasty, but healthy. My buddy had the Angus with gravy and chopped onions and something else smothered on top and he was elated that the gravy didn't taste like it came from a can (like sadly many places do these days). But what especially got them excited, the broccoli was STEAMED, not microwaved and had such good flavoring to it (they LOVE their veggies). I enjoyed immensely some chicken salad dish with corn salsa, black beans, avocado ranch, tortilla strips, purple cabbage. Heck, we wanted healthy, we not only got it, but it was VERY good, amazingly so. It was a long, outta the way drive to come here, but certainly glad we did and wouldn't mind making the trip several more times, if this is the norm for...