MDR Menu substitutions

[BlueLadyBlue]

When we were on the Emerald in August we went to the MDR on I believe it was the first evening. There was prime rib on the menu that was served with some gravy maybe as jus, can't recall. My friend ordered the beef but asked for the gravy on the side in case it was not to her taste. Our waitress did not want to accommodate that request but she finally agreed. At the time, I was surprised by her but later wondered if this is really a big deal somehow. I have never worked in a professional kitchen, never even been a waitress (grew up in a small town with one small restaurant and no job openings!) and the ships are serving hundreds of people in a limited time SO my question is: Does it make it difficult for the wait staff and/or kitchen if I want to change something? Gravy on the side rather then served with it already on or if I want no broccoli or extra broccoli or a baked potato instead of mashed etc.? I'm not trying to make their jobs more difficult so if anyone has first hand knowledge of what this entails, I would really appreciate your comments. I'm thinking now that they may have an assembly line in the kitchen and any deviation would be disruptive. In land side restaurants with many fewer diners not so much but perhaps on a ship. Anyone with any experience in this area?

[paul929207]

My wife is lactose intolerant and allergic to shell fish. She often gets adjustments to the menu offerings and never has a problem.

[JF - retired RRT]

In my opinion, the waitress was lazy & rude.

I've never had to fight with wait staff to get what I want.

With one exception...DH wanted spaghetti & meatballs from the kid's menu and the waiter (this was at lunch so not our usual dinner waiter) refused!! We reported him to the head waiter and the waiter bent over backward to treat us waaay nice for the rest of the cruise.

 

To the question about the kitchen. Meals are already semi-plated. The waiter walks thru and grabs the dishes he needs adding finishing touches as he goes. Example: the gravy you requested, salad dressing, baked instead of mashed.

If what you're asking for isn't available on that day and you really really want it, tell the waiter and he'll make it happen for you on subsequent days. There was a post on here not too long ago where the poster asked the waiter for an item he wanted that wasn't available and they made it special for him for the rest of the cruise...every day.

[Thrak]

In my opinion, the waitress was lazy & rude.

I've never had to fight with wait staff to get what I want.

With one exception...DH wanted spaghetti & meatballs from the kid's menu and the waiter (this was at lunch so not our usual dinner waiter) refused!! We reported him to the head waiter and the waiter bent over backward to treat us waaay nice for the rest of the cruise.

 

Wow. I bet that waiter got an earful from the head waiter. I've ordered the Volcano from the kid's menu and my wait person lit up with a huge grin. She loved it. :) Refusing a request of that sort is a good way to find oneself demoted back to the crew dining room. At the very least it's a black mark against future promotion.

[victory2020]

Been a food server for over 40 years. Yes, any special order is a pain but most of us want to please - that's why we're in the business. You'll always get the ones who don't want to do anything they don't have to - when this happens I try to start up a conversation &it turns out that they are at the end of their contract & are burned out. I can relate! LOL. Happens more now that the tips are pooled opposed to given directly to servers. It always helps to ask nicely & acknowledge that it is a hassle for them.

[Colo Cruiser]

I always ask for sauces like that on the side.

Never had an issue and they were more than willing to accommodate.

They get requests like this all the time.

[cynbar]

This might only be me, but I ask for menu substitutions in moderation. I do often ask for gravy or sauce on the side because too much or the wrong taste can ruin a meal for me. This has always been done with a smile, by the way. But other things, such as a little more broccoli, I stay away from. I do believe the meals are produced in assembly line fashion and it is extra work to make changes. So if something is not likely to ruin my meal, I leave it as is.

[EastBay Cruisers]

This might only be me, but I ask for menu substitutions in moderation. I do often ask for gravy or sauce on the side because too much or the wrong taste can ruin a meal for me. This has always been done with a smile, by the way. But other things, such as a little more broccoli, I stay away from. I do believe the meals are produced in assembly line fashion and it is extra work to make changes. So if something is not likely to ruin my meal, I leave it as is.

 

Good idea, and I'm sure that your empathy and polite requests are much appreciated. :)

[EastBay Cruisers]

Been a food server for over 40 years. Yes, any special order is a pain but most of us want to please - that's why we're in the business. You'll always get the ones who don't want to do anything they don't have to - when this happens I try to start up a conversation &it turns out that they are at the end of their contract & are burned out. I can relate! LOL. Happens more now that the tips are pooled opposed to given directly to servers. It always helps to ask nicely & acknowledge that it is a hassle for them.

 

Excellent point - very well taken. Thanks.

[Micahs Grandad]

Say please and thank you and they will be very accommodating within reason

[JF - retired RRT]

Wow. I bet that waiter got an earful from the head waiter. I've ordered the Volcano from the kid's menu and my wait person lit up with a huge grin. She loved it. :) Refusing a request of that sort is a good way to find oneself demoted back to the crew dining room. At the very least it's a black mark against future promotion.

Oh yeah. We were on a B2B (43 days) and his tables were next to our table.

When we walked in for dinner ... he would literally run over & pull out my chair, offer us water, smile, smile, smile for about 40 days. It was fun. ;)

[pris993]

26 cruises on Princess, never had a simple request, such gravy on the side refused. Over the years I have found a few wait staff tired or lazy... this is their job, you should never feel you can't ask for some as simply as this.

[donaldsc]

I would have reported her to the head waiter.

 

DON

[caribill]

Sometimes they will be creative in honoring your requests. For example, ask for the baked potato instead of mashed and they may get the already prepared plate that has the mashed potato on it. But before bringing it to you, they will remove (discard) the mashed from the plate and put the baked on it. For them it is quicker as they do not have to wait for a special plating without the mashed.

[Pam in CA]

Happens more now that the tips are pooled opposed to given directly to servers.

That changed September 2001, seventeen (17) years ago. Any difference would have happened a very long time ago.

 

I often ask for modifications. Like has been mentioned, I ask for no sauce or au jus as I’ve found meats are actually better that way (to my taste), a baked potato instead of the starch, etc. I sometimes have a large salad with grilled chicken as my entree. I’ve never had a problem asking for these modifications on Princess. I do tip extra at the end of the cruise.

[geoherb]

It's their job to accommodate reasonable requests. I've also noticed some lazy waiters. For instance I once ordered the breakfast special without the meat. I noticed the waiter just pulling it off the plate. It did not matter to me, but would've mattered to a vegetarian.

[BlueLadyBlue]

Just a quick addition - we weren’t rude, we asked politely and, no doubt, said please and thank you. Maybe she was overworked or stressed about something but she clearly wasn’t happy with our request. I wanted to make sure that asking for a small (to me) change wasn’t more difficult than I expected. Thank you for your replies.

[victory2020]

That changed September 2001, seventeen (17) years ago. Any difference would have happened a very long time ago.

 

I often ask for modifications. Like has been mentioned, I ask for no sauce or au jus as I’ve found meats are actually better that way (to my taste), a baked potato instead of the starch, etc. I sometimes have a large salad with grilled chicken as my entree. I’ve never had a problem asking for these modifications on Princess. I do tip extra at the end of the cruise.

I've been cruising long enough to remember pre auto gratuities!

[Pam in CA]

I've been cruising long enough to remember pre auto gratuities!

Me, too. The “auto-tip” was implemented on the Grand when Anytime dining was introduced. While some people preferred giving out envelopes, I thought it was a pain as you had to carry a lot of extra cash into the ship. It was sad seeing the dining room empty the last night due to people wanting to avoid tipping the waitstaff.

 

We were on the original Royal Princess in May 2001, the first cruise after she’d just completed a 112-day world cruise. The waitstaff was demoralized since after waiting on people for almost four months, quite a few had skipped out on tipping. That was almost ⅓ of their annual income lost. It was horrible to see. A few months later, auto-tipping was implemented.

[Camelia-]

I always ask for gravy or salad dressings on the side because I like to control how much of it I use (I find there's always too much for my liking). Of course sometimes it's not possible simply because food is actually cooked or baked in the sauce so then it's a package deal - take it or leave it..that's when it's time to look at other options or..perhaps ask for a special order for another evening. I know that if they can they absolutely will try to accomodate and it's always much apprciated!

 

Camelia

[OCruisers]

Wow. I bet that waiter got an earful from the head waiter. I've ordered the Volcano from the kid's menu and my wait person lit up with a huge grin. She loved it. :) Refusing a request of that sort is a good way to find oneself demoted back to the crew dining room. At the very least it's a black mark against future promotion.

 

Per above! (y)

[jagsfan]

Wow. I bet that waiter got an earful from the head waiter. I've ordered the Volcano from the kid's menu and my wait person lit up with a huge grin. She loved it. :) Refusing a request of that sort is a good way to find oneself demoted back to the crew dining room. At the very least it's a black mark against future promotion.

 

 

 

My favorite dessert!

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Refusing a request of that sort is a good way to find oneself demoted back to the crew dining room.

 

 

Not really.....it can be a sought after venue.

[OCruisers]

My favorite dessert!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

My DH loves it too and frequently orders it from the Kid's Menu! :D

[tailspintom]

Not really.....it can be a sought after venue.

Funny. They wouldn't have to deal with, well, some of us.

 

I have never had an issue with any of the wait staff on any particular meal alteration. Now, I have had my sardines for my Caesar salad come on the side so I could chose how many go onto the plate (the answer is all of them). I like to limit some of my carbs so I often ask for my main course to be potato free. OK, so I do know that I could just not eat them, but I am a first generation American raised in the "eat everything on your plate" era. But, at any rate, I would prefer not to see spuds on the plate if I am not intending to eat them. I have had some interesting plates served; sometimes with extra veggies, sometimes with evidence that the potatoes have been removed, but I have never ever been denied my little eccentricities.