Consumers Unhappy With These Cape Town Restaurants

Unhappy Consumers - Unhappy With Bad Service.

Besides my usual batch of fan mail, hate mail, pics of naked women, pics of naked men, and adverts promising to cure my bald spot; I received the following two emails this week.

One relates to a particularly bad experience at the Quarterdeck Restaurant, situated at the Grand West Casino, whilst the other was more of a concern regarding the excessive wine prices at Belthazar Restaurant, situated at the V & A Waterfront.

Not having much going on at the moment, I thought this would be an interesting case study to see whether these two establishments would take the time to address these grievances, or simply ignore them and foster resentment on the part of the customer.

Complaint #1: Quarterdeck Restaurant, Grand West Casino

Name: Bernie Polison
Comment: The old lady’s 50th. We choose Quarter Deck at The Grand West. The service, what service – we had to remove our own plates from the table and find our own cutlery. The food was nothing to write home about, it was average. After spending a grand on the meal for the family and after complaining about the poor service we are still waiting for the manager to contact us. In your dreams, they never follow up. QUARTER DECK RESTURANT AT GRAND WEST SUCKS!!!!!!!! Bernie

Strong words there Bernie. I wonder if the manager will be contacting you now.

Complaint #2: Belthazar Restaurant, V & A Waterfront

Name: Louis Germishuys
Comment: On Wednesday my dearly beloved and 4 close friends will be dining at Belthazar. The eating part is what we are looking forward to but I fear that the wine part leaves us Kaapenaars with weak knees. Last time I had bought a few cases of Neil Jouberts 2005 Cab Sav and just for fun i had a peep at the wine list and if my memory serves me correctly the list price for the Neil J Shiraz was + _ R150-00 about a 400% to 500% mark up !!!!!!!!

It is still unjustifiable so why do we pay these prices. ????? I timidly asked them if they had a corkage policy and the standard reply is that they had a huge stock of wines and that is the reason for no corkage and (the high prices). We have a little shop in the V & A since 1992 and I wish I could wack up our prices and justify exorbitant prices by telling our customers that we justify high prices so that they – the customer – could enjoy our large variety. Surely the focus should be on the food and then charge what they like but give us some respite with reasonable wine prices. It would be a very good marketing ploy.v

A good point Louis, I actually remember a story a few months back about Belthazar charging a customer R9000 for a bottle of wine.

I’ve sent the two establishments this url, and encouraged them to respond. Let’s wait and see if they do, and what they have to say regarding the points raised.

Shaun Oakes

This was written by the hulking mass of manliness known as Shaun Oakes. If you enjoyed what he had to say, you owe it to yourself to follow him on Twitter at @shaunoakes. Do it now.

No related posts.

20 Comments so far

Dave December 9, 2008 1:22 pm

Hi
I also have eaten at the Quaterdeck & in fact had my 60th birthday meal there with family & friends.
Unlike the previous person who complained of bad service(Bernie Polison) who starts his complaint with:-”The old lady’s 50th” and then goes on to slate the place. I, my family & friends were given really superb first class service from the time we entered until we left. The food was superb and the service actually excelent. I was even treated to the Chief grilling me a special steak when he found out it was my birthday and I loved steak. The best surprise was when I was actually serves my meal by the chief himself who wished me a happy birthday and long life… I think that you can not at all please some people specially those that start with disrespect like “the old ladies 50th”
Hey man rather stay home where you dont infect others with your complaints.

Regards
D P Rouse
natasha van der westhuizen January 20, 2009 2:38 pm

I’ve been to quarterdeck in grand west twice and on both occasions the food was lovely and we had no complaints about the service. They also has a big variety of foods and desserts and i don’t think anyone was dissatisfied.I think that people that complain about everything should just stay at home.
Shaun January 20, 2009 9:31 pm

@Natasha,

Good for you.
Tracey-lee Rasmus June 10, 2009 10:02 am

I have never eaten at qauterdeck before but my mom promised me that she will take soon.My mom says it is a very nice place and she would like me to have my 21st there next year.When i go there at the end of the month i am sure that i will be very satisfied with my service,but i will first wait and see.I’ll comment on it once i have been there.
Kev June 10, 2009 9:31 pm

I have eaten at Quarterdeck many times…I love that place, it’s a little pricey but it’s the best munchie mission you can have. I unfortunately haven’t been as lucky as Dave (1st comment) to have my food cooked by the CHIEF, I never knew there was a CHIEF there…maybe they trying a spur tactic that I was too pissed or too goofed to see…
Tracey-lee Rasmus June 29, 2009 8:36 am

can you please e-mail me your prices please
Patrick Julius October 8, 2009 8:03 am

I just want to tell all those people that say the Quaterdeck sucks are un-educated.I’ve eaten there on many occassions & have always expierianced great service.Quarterdeck @ Grandwest is not a 5 star restuarant,it’s a 10 star.Keep up the good work.
Trevor Knowlden October 23, 2009 11:34 am

hi im turning 50 on 26 Nov 09
can you forward me your menu and advise on how i go about doing a booking( if there is service charges involved ect
my contact details 0721082849
021 7133634 until end of Oct new -021 7884175
Piet October 23, 2009 11:57 am

hahaha… since when did this become the official contact center for quarter deck???
Tracey-lee Rasmus February 9, 2010 2:22 pm

When i walked in at quaterdeck, i tought to myself, today im going to eat like a cow. i was so hungry.When i was done eating my sunday lunch i crossed over to dessert. That was my mistake. The chocolate moose was so sour that i had food poisoning the next day and i threw up. Qauterdeck was the worst choice i ever mad. Schoongezicht is the best, there are never dissapointments like quaterdeck.
MARC May 21, 2010 10:39 am

we went to the comedy show where we ordered drinks, while my girlfriend was busy drinking she got a huge piece of glass in her mouth which she nearly choked on and cut her mouth… unexceptable. i would like further feed back please.
MARC May 21, 2010 10:41 am

0726583961 that is my cell number
Mrs Jennifer Jacobs January 20, 2011 8:21 am

Hi, I have always been a fan of Quarterdeck Restaurant, we had our oversees visitors there last year in November and thoroughly enjoyed it. Last night 19 January 2011 we took our home town family there for supper. What a hugh disappointment. I was so embarrassed I just when quiet after telling them about Quarterdeck only to find out it is not the sam, the stand has dropped tremedously. All the food was cold including the hot meals. There was no coke and no fanta drinks and coke is one of the most popular drinks. The meat was so underdone we could not even eat it.The sweet potatoes looked like the dogs food. What a waste of time and money. I dont think I will recommend anyone to go there.
heidi July 25, 2011 6:19 pm

has anyone eaten at the beijing orchid at grand west casino, cape town. i was wondering if they had a buffet and what it was like?
heidi
Thembisa August 24, 2011 11:29 am

I stay in brackenfell close to Schoongezicht and Quarter Deck the best for me is Quarter Deck great service and nice food.I booked a table today for my family knowing that I will enjoy myself.

Keep it up!!!
s perrang September 28, 2011 8:49 am

Good day,
I made a booking for the 28 october 2011 and after 2 days I called to cancel and change the date to the 14 october 2011.I was told that the dates were now changed and that all I have to do is pay the 50% deposit and fax the reciept.I carried these instructions through and called again to confirm the receipt of the fax and deposit. when I called this time I was told that the date change did not take place.I was promised that this would be sorted out ,however,to date nothing has happend and every day my bother’s 60th birthday is getting closer. This is absolute bad service. I was even told that the person i spoke about the cancellation does not exist,but yersterday she answered the phone again.

Please sort this problem out and get back to me as soon as possible.

Kind Regards.
S.Perrang
VERONICA REID October 11, 2011 8:07 am

WE HAVE EATEN AT THE QUARTERDECK QUITE A FEW TIMES. HAD MY HUSBANDS 50TH THERE, GO REGULARLY ON A WEEKEND, HAVE NEVER BEEN DISSAPOINTED, STAFF HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FRIENDLY AND FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN GREAT. KEEP IT UP. GOOD VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY.
curt davids December 11, 2011 4:44 pm

Need the price list and menu pls
Tracy July 4, 2012 2:17 pm

The food at Quarterdeck used to be fantastic when the casino first opened. We used to go there as a treat and the unlimited oysters! Since the past 2 years, the standard has dropped tremendously! The ‘hot’ food is all served lukewarm and the fish dishes all taste the same? The food just doesnt look and taste fresh like it should! Over the past 2 or so years, we’ve been back about 4 times and each and every time I’ve been sick the following day? Refuse to go back! What a shame as it used to be soooo good!
Kim February 9, 2013 1:17 pm

Myself and my husband had lunch at the Quarterdeck Resturant on Sunday the 03.02.2013 to celebrate our wedding anniversary…. What a mistake, the food was horrible, hardly any variety…the chicken they call roast hardly looked like chicken at all…The only piece of roast meat they had was roast beef, this was tasteless and dry, the medium rare pice was more like rare.. Can you believe it, no roast lamb, no lamb curry, whats up with that? Desserts was ok… Definitely will not recomend anyone to go there again! Yep Schoongezicht you rock! Will definitely tell the tale wherever I go! Dissapointed