El Rancho Nuevo Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Saint Charles

I ate here with friends the other night and had a disappointing experience. The food was pretty good but at the time to pay, the woman checking us out skipped through the screen that showed the breakdown of our items to the tip screen that gave us the option to tip 18, 20, or 22 percent. We each tipped 20 percent but I noticed that my total seemed too high compared to the item prices on the menu. On the way out, I asked for a receipt so I could see the breakdown myself because it wasn’t offered, and we found out that there was a hidden 20 percent gratuity added for parties 5 or larger. Now I have no problem with auto gratuities (even though for 5 people it is unconventional), however we weren’t ever told about it by either the server or the woman checking us out. The woman checking us out said that it’s the responsibility of the server to tell us, but it really should be made clear by both people. The tip options should reflect it as well. In my experience if there is an auto gratuity, the tip options are 3, 5, or 7 percent usually. However I can understand that they cannot always control these machines. At the VERY least, the person checking us out should show us the breakdown of the totals. There is a small sign when you walk in that mentions it, but if you missed the sign like we did, there is no other way to know that this hidden fee is added. I am not sure if it was because we’re young and they thought we wouldn’t be able to catch it, but it is a very shady and misleading practice so that servers can get more tips. I called this morning and they did refund the additional tip, so props to them for making it right, but I wanted to leave a review warning future guests to pay close attention to your order totals and ensure they reflect the correct prices. I can only hope that the restaurant speaks to their staff about this so that it doesn't happen again to other unsuspecting guests. It is important in the restaurant industry to be transparent about these...

We normally go to this restaurant and have a good time, eat good food, and have lost of drinks. However we went for my wife's birthday this most recent time and it was the worst experience we have ever had there. I came in and asked for how long of a wait for 7 people, which I was told about 15-20mins, I gave my name and number to the person at the front desk who wrote it down on a note pad. Fast forward 45 mins later and we were still standing waiting for a table, one from our group asked the host table how much llonger when they responded shortly. When a table opened up near the front a lady that came in after us went to the host table and said "we will take that table" and butted in front of us with a group of 9. They sat them down and when we asked how the bumped infront of us since our name was next and how much longer, they said another 30 mins. When we confronted the face that we had already been there for almost an hour with a previous told 15 min wait time they could not answer and kind of just walked away. We eneded up taking our whole party to another Mexican restaurant who took our name over the phone and sat us down as soon...

My wife and I went here Friday October 27th at 7:15. We were seated immediately and the waitress came over chewing on peanut m &m's. She took our drink order and brought them back promptly. We said we needed a minute... a MINUTE to look over the menu. My wife and I waited 20 minutes and the waitress never came back, so we asked the host, who had just seated a new table, if he could please get the waitress. A busser came by and asked what the issue was (not our waitress). We told him we just needed to order. He said ok and told the manager who was standing behind him talking to a group of his friends. The manager looked at us, did not acknowledge us, and went back to talking with his friends that were customers that night. After a several minutes, he went to the table that was JUST SEATED to take their order. My wife called to him to say we were leaving and he put up a finger and winked at her. I walked out and my wife stayed to try to pay for the drinks. The only saving grace is we didnt have to pay for 2 drinks with took a sip of each. Would not recommend this place. Horrible and...