Zipps Sports Grill — Restaurant in Tempe

I have always enjoyed coming here and have had several great experiences on game days watching sports with my friends. However, had a bit of an odd one recently.

The other night when I went in with my friends, I had 5 beers, they each had 1, and our tabs were rung up reflecting that. However, after being charged, the bartender came over and said that he had two beers unaccounted for in the system. He asked my two friends if they had maybe had 2 each instead of just one to which they replied no. So, he just pointed at me and said “okay I’ll just throw them on his tab then cause they must have been his” excuse me? You don’t get to just randomly throw shit on my tab. He walked away to discuss with the other bartender who supposedly told him he remembers me drinking those two extra beers (the original bartender who served me wasn’t even there anymore lmfao). He then got the manager for me, who was the most professional of the bunch. He offered to review security footage, which he did, and confirmed that I did infact only drink 5 and that my end of the deal was paid. The 2 unaccounted beers were a simple mistake. What i did not appreciate was:

Why are we just automatically jumping to the conclusion that the customer is wrong and putting me on trial over TWO BEERS

They preached how it couldn’t have been a mistake because the bartenders ring up the beers as they go so in their words “it’s pretty accurate”. That was legitimately the defense they tried to take. Pretty contradictory to preach accuracy when the whole reason we’re having this discussion is because you weren’t accurate and there’s two beers unaccounted for?? You can’t make this up

We seriously had to go under video review over 2 miller lites? Just to confirm the fact that it was indeed just a simple mistake?

While the manager apologized to me, the original bartender who just wanted to throw the two beers on my tab for the hell of it never apologized. He apologized to my friends for ringing up their food incorrectly, but not to me for falsely accusing me of how much I owed.

Why did he ring me up and then afterward say there was unaccounted beers? kind of odd.

Overall i would like to reiterate the professionalism of the manager who made things right. But as someone who has worked in food service before, id like to remind you guys that when you make a mistake it's your fault and your fault only. You dont just get to go around making accusations and trying to charge people after the fact. It's not like i hopped over the counter and stole those two beers? You made a mistake that wouldve cost you less than $10. Oh and some more advice, generally when you make a mistake like that and cause a big scene just to be wrong you offer a partial refund or a slight discount toward the next visit? Well, thats what i was always trained to do atleast. As you could probably guess that didnt happen. I think for future ill stay away, im not paying an accountant to come with and track all my beers for the...

Well I was the first of 6 to arrive for dinner (the Mill Ave location) my friend really wanted to come here, it was my first time. There was a sign that read "Please seat yourself" and no hostess in sight. the place was pretty quiet and I'd say a quarter full if that (later I noticed an entire section with lights off not being used, probably used for game nights). So I sat down at a table with the room for 6 and decided to wait patiently for the rest of my party to arrive. Well a manager came by and told me that I cannot sit there because that table is for parties of at least 4, I calmly told him 5 others were going to be there soon. He wasn't letting up, refused to compromise, and kicked me off the table.

Now I have worked in a restaurant so I didn't fight it. But the place wasn't busy at all, only a quarter full, only one table of that size was being used, so I wasn't holding up business for them. So I went and sat by the door and waited for my group. Then I noticed a hostess was stationed at the front, then they put cardboard notices on the larger tables asking for customers to ask a hostess about sitting there.

Once my group came, we were sat down in the same area I was in just the next table over. At this point I was trying to just get over it. I saw the same manager walking around going in and out of the back and helping deliver food to tables, checking up on other customers, usually the signs of a hardworking restaurant manager who cares. But he avoided eye contact with me, ignored my table, and he even had the gall to check on the table adjacent to mine and walk past us.

Ok what did I do? I was cooperative, I never raised my voice, and I was patient and polite with all of the staff. Yet clearly this guy wanted to give better service to everyone else then us, didn't apologize for anything, and didn't even acknowledge us as customers.

Seriously, this establishment failed. Had there been a hostess up front she could have told me I would have to wait for at least 4 (common practice). Had the cardboard notices been place on the tables I would have seen it and talked to a hostess. Then the very same manager doesn't even treat the rest of my group the same as the rest of the whole restaurant.

There is a line between doing what your told/following policy and providing bad service. All he had to do was come by at least once, maybe apologize to me (I don't feel it was absolutely necessary but it's the action that proves he cares for the customers and their experience).

I do feel I was wronged, sign said seat yourself, nothing said I couldn't sit there, and the place was rather dead. And this is what I get for being a cooperative and polite customer.

I figured I'd add a quick piece about the food. The food was average but kinda slimy, I had a burger and a beer. Neither bad but for the same $17 I could get better from Red Robin, Buffalo Wild Wings, 4Peaks, or...

So I received a promotion and joined a new real estate brokerage. My buddies who were as as follow 1. Director of risk/fraud department 2. Computer programer for a risk/fraud department 3. Manager of a risk/fraud department and me. When it was time to go I asked for the bill and it to be split 4 ways (unfortunately earlier in the day I had been a victim of fraud myself and my bank account had virtually been cleaned out). I received a regular bill for $24.87 and my buddies received their regular bills. While walking out the door my wife called to let me know that our account was almost drained. Because of the fraud I thought nothing of Zipps but was concerned that my server would not get her tip amount. I tracked her down to offer a different form of tip. At this point she said "Sorry" I'm like, no its my fault, but here have some money. She's like no, I ran your bill for $128, but it will come off as soon as we batch. So, I'm like okay let me talk to your manager real quick so I can get a receipt for my records. He came over half hearted(if barely) apology and refused stating it would be cleared up when he batched that night ( I knew it would not, remember by former employment and company? It takes 3-5 days for an ACH return), He gave a card that said "Manager" but when I looked her up on social media it was a 18-20 year old college student that works at Zipps. I woke up this morning and left several messages going from calm to relativity angry (see I can take ownership for my actions). About an hour ago a got a call from accounting or management (claims) and said it would clear up over the weekend and they were sorry (but it felt very forced). After telling her with my background that their might be options to fix it by doing this or that with her hypercom she refused and went back to the script. So, finally I did ask for $100 gift card for my time and troubles (see honesty is not that hard) again NO! So I said fine, I would let you all at YELP decide, she said she did not appreciate my "threats" as you can see they were not. All I want at this point is 1. A sincere apology from someone anyone at Zipps and 2. An admission they handled it poorly and will update their training to do a better job in the future. If they do these things I will retract this and or give 3 stars. Merry Christmas all and be careful with your bills during this busy...