Outback Steakhouse — Restaurant in Springfield

When we got here the server had one other table with one about to leave.  Okay fair enough.  But asking for tea over and over watching my companion be served in the beginning wasn't the best.  She stared ahead dead eyed with a tight, pinched, pained look on her face.  There was none of the sweetness she showed her other tables.  We assumed because we were only having lunch special.

asked for tea.  2. she gave me jo's tea.  3.  I nicely asked again. no tea. Then again. finally after awhile.  I said I will take coffee thank you.  4. I got one salad and a soup,  The soup was awful.  5.  asked for another salad.  she brought jo salad.  6. Brought jo soup.  7 Still no salad.  Finally I begged for my second salad.  I would estimate it took 12+ minutes or more to get a bowl of premixed salad.  In a dead section. After the seventh mixup lets call it.  I helpfully said "Are you feeling okay? "  Because she managed to confuse herself serving iced tea and salad. Could not refill waters.  Simple things.

Then my autistic business partner said "Do you have autism too" helpfully sweetly and trying to be supportive.

She ran to her manager and slandered ME on what just happened and frankly I was looking for a reason to give her a tip because the disgusting behaviour was unconscionable. In any other restaurant this would be severely reprimanded.  For no reason that is discernible still. I would not be running to tattle on myself when it took twenty minutes to put lettuce in a bowl.

It was my assistant who blurted out the question. I am suddenly the one on trial.

While I tried to talk about the service.  Saying I did not want the kid to get fired because she clearly has issues remembering iced water, iced tea, french onion soup, chopped pecan salad.  Maybe a notebook would help her not lose her livelihood in the future.

Then the manager actually flared her nostrils, curled her lip up and sneered. Baring teeth.  We are consultants in the corporate world. "body language experts" She too had a dead eyed, unhappy stare. Sweet, polite customer service voice.  This experience was degrading.  To my companion who had to defend me as I was suddenly on trial for something she blurted.

There was no means to understand what I had just experienced.  Not sensitive to autistic people whatsoever. There was a snarky attitude underlying with a half raised eyebrow, a smirk and yes as my companion said a general "I was misunderstood in Highschool, I hate HEATHERS.  Screw you blondie"   Actually I am latina and I make it a point to ALWAYS be gentle with people.  Always.

To the managers credit after her childish display.  She comped us nine dollars off.  For our trouble.  I do not appreciate being lied about by the server, when I was patient and trying to be kind to her through SEVEN errors and blatant snubbing, sneered at by the management when I kept my calm and was factual.

This young woman had ONE other table during a very dead lunch hour.  I would say it took an unreasonable amount of time to bring a premade salad in a dead restaurant while serving my companion multiple times with no acknowledgement of my request even.

Management is terrible at handling special needs people.  Actually flares her nostrils, sneers and makes contempt faces when she is appraised of a continuously disrespectful situation.In a very measured and professional manner on my end.

When I should have been livid after SEVEN errors in a half hour and absolute degradation in how that server would bring my companions tea, her soup, her salad.  Ignoring my requests until I BEGGED.

Very uncomfortable environment.

I suggest you go to IHOP next door.   The crepes are divine.  Their service is unbelievably warm and the food is never freezing.  Like our cold salsa they call chili here.  Cold bread. Even cold steak- my grandmothers steak I got takeout the day before was cold as well.

If you want a warm server here. Tristan is awesome. Deserves a much better job. Like that managers...

I hate writing negative reviews but felt the need to.

When I come to this outback I am generally ignored, perhaps because I am not dressed to the nines, I have no idea but many friends have wondered ifs because I seem to across as not impressive looking enough and therefore not a priority. I have gone even to the curb side pick up and have been ignored if I go in, multiple staff memebers passing without even mentioning getting help. Decided to try again today with a friend of mine because her grandmother wanted to pay for us. What a day that came to be.

Our server was openly hostile to my friend though we are not sure why. Perhaps because we both did not want the cold chili that was brought over. However she had to order her things several times over but kept bringing my stuff over. She was ignored about 5 times and the snarling was open. We started to discuss the servers attitude towards everything, it seemed like a more open aggressive attack towards my friend and I was trying to give the server the benefit of the doubt suggesting maybe she is on the spectrum like me. Despite the many times I am treated like crap because I dress in layers due to a cold sensitivity, she and I both wanted to do this.

My friend ready to be understanding of the server asked How she was doing, if she was doing okay, and wondering if she has social anxiety - she was ready to give her tips because its her job to work well with people who work with this.

I wanted to befriend the waiter, I brought up autism, how I work well with other auties. The girl snapped, saying Is that How I present? My answer was cut short as I tried to discuss that I was autistic but she basically rolled her eyes a bunch and flew like the wind to the kitchen.

I pretty much was a wreck the whole day because the woman that was acting callous towards my friend, felt I diagnosed her when I tried to befriend her, and then ran for management. While management did not disclose a friendly attitude towards my friend. They both openly snarled and need to work on their hospitality. I was not trying to be insensitive. The server lacked grace the whole time, and it was an embarrassing situation to be together all around. My friend was saying she was not looking to complain about the service, because she did not want the girl to get fired at all, just did not want to be begging for her salad the way she had to this time. Management snarled at that statement, saying she would not fire the girl, and implied she thinks my friend was in the wrong, when my friend was not the one who did wrong, if it was anything I was the insensitive one. I do not appreciate open disdain, especially since this outback seems to show a coldness to people who look like they might not give tips. Ironically, they should not judge a book by a cover because my friend dined there yesterday, and gave a 20 dollar tip. That was like a 100 percent tip because this is how she tends to tip. She loves to bless people.

I did not diagnose the girl as much as drama seemed to unfurl at the situation. I believe in protecting your workers, but lacking objectivity and trying to shift blame is a weird high school environment that should be lacking in a work place with customers.

I eat pretty well around the city and Outback is always the worst energetically towards customers. I would suggest to anyone who is neurotypical or diverse seeming to keep that in mind when dining here.

Second time getting cold food...

Outback,

I'm definitely embarrassed for suggesting Outback to my co-workers. A couple of them have never had a bloomin onion and I remember YEARS ago going specifically for it. I was bragging a lot about it and what we got, was a joke. The color was dark, the onions were completely raw and crunchy (still had an onion spice) the breading slid off, the pieces were in chunks from not being cut correctly AND the bottom breading was raw and unedible. We also were never given napkins or silverware so we asked the food runner who came by if we could have napkins and silverware. She said yes and then never came back. When our swrver eventually made it back to us, we had to ask him in hopes we would get something to wipe our mouths. The wedge salad was fresh and the bread was warm but never received my soup side. (Hard to mess up salad wedge and bread) The cost on the otherhand, for what you get, is a complete waste of money. Ontop of that, after our order was taken, the server said he was going to disappear for a while to roll silverware (which was comical seeing how we not only werent given silverware until after having to ask twice but then we wouldn't have his service available during our meal time). The managing supervisor who was so focused on taking his cell phone flashlight under the tables to make sure they were clean, but never once came by and asked us how we were or anything at all while going around the booth multiple times. Also, during that time, drinks were out, had to try to catch servers attention for another. I was very close to talking to a manager but I know the table next to us had a problem with something and with our table being in customer service (and 2/3 of the people were servers at a younger age) have a respect level they didn't want to break. I on the otherhand, have been a trainer in the food industry, V.P. of customer relations etc. Customer service is my life. I've read review responses from the company and they all say the same thing and for us to reach out to the company with said web address. In all reality, a review is a reachout. Don't redirect. If the eagerness to make things better is there, please reach out to me or provide a direct number and I will be more than happy to talk about things.

Thank you for your...