Kelsey's Lack of Attention to Detail

Thursday evening my wife and I visited our local Kelsey's (8715 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill) as we had not been there in a long time.  After this visit I probably will not return for a long time. 

We visited the restaurant at about 6:30 P.M. to find the front entrance stuffed  with people.  This being the Thursday before a long weekend it dawned on me, people were doing their end of the week date night a day early and enjoying Kelsey's Thursday night half priced wing night.

The hostess welcomed us and took our name and said there would be about a five minute wait while they cleaned a bunch of tables.  In less than two minutes we were following the hostess to our seats.  Not so bad so far.  

We perused our menues to investigate what would tickle our tastebuds.  Our waitress stopped by about six minutes into our menu perusal to see how we were doing and if we would like drinks and if we are ready for our food order. 

From here on things went from good to worse

The Order:  1 Pepsi, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Fries, 1 water and 16 Honey Garlic Wings.

Our server visited other tables before dissapearing to the kitchen to grab our drinks and those for a couple of other tables.  An efficient use of time for sure, but the results were less than stellar,  she dropped off our supposed order drinks: she got the water right but the Diet Pepsi not right.  My wife looked at me quisically of "didn't you order a Pepsi?".  I merely brushed it off. 

We chatted for a bit, but it was hard to hear as the place was very noisy with tables around us competing in how high conversation volume could go.  

I was starting to get a little irritated watching others who arrived after us receive their food while we sat with our drinks contemplating how a table of Italian ladies were dressed like they did i.e. wearing clothes belonging to those who are twenty years younger in college. 

Our waitress stopped by to refill our drinks and said that the Buffalo Chicken sandwich was taking a little longer than regular chicken wings to prepare.  At 25 minutes since ordering, I begged to differ but kept my feelings to myself.  Now reviewing my previous visit, how was that server able to have the same sandwich order in July 2011 at my table in 10 minutes while, fast forward to 2012, our server was struggling to even get it there in 20 minutes (i.e. twice the time)?

At twenty five minutes since ordering our food finally arrived.  However, the Honey Garlic chicken wings ordered morphed into 8 Honey Garlic and 8 BBQ.  The server then spent two minutes explaining to us debating our options: accept the order as is or return it to the kitchen which would take no time at all she promised.  The latter was chosen as I was now completly irritated how a nice evening out with my wife was turning into a adventurous fiasco. 

Our waitress returned in two minutes with the replacement wings.  While she was gone I shared my lukewarm fries that I would have expected temperature wise from McDonald's.

The half priced wings themselves tasted to be overcooked and drowned in a vat Honey Garlic Sauce before being unceremonously dropped on a platter and delivered to your table.  Way too much sauce for an overcooked chicken wing is the main result. 

The Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is where Kelsey's made up for the service and the food issues.  All I added was a squirt of ketchup and my taste buds found the tangy BBQ sauce and the delicious chicken.  The sandwich was great. 

Kelsey's overall doesn't really please me.  We left paying $27.00 for a dinner for two that lacked proper restaurant customer service while the food was mediocre at best.  Meanwhile, it is very hard to have good time where the only place quiet enough to have a conversation with your companion is the washroom is never a good sign.  Add to that the Men's washroom was completely out of paper towel and looking for a cleaning, things really are not inviting for customers to return. Considering all this awesome hospitality we probably will not return for a while.