A call to Tortilla Jo's, and a larger question about DL CMs

[tzeitel]

I am a WDW vet (and ex-CM) and now that we live closer to DLR it has become our home park. We've gone to DLR 3 times now and have yet to encounter a bad/rude/etc CM. They are super nice and more relaxed than at WDW - of course we tend to go during slower/cooler periods, so not sure how CMs change once the heat and the big crowds start arriving.

 

[HydroGuy]

Out of curiosity I just went to check my reservations for next month and to see if I could book TJ's on July 18 and my reservations will not come up. That has never happened to me before but it sounds like the DLR website is having problems. Maybe that is what is going on. I would suggest trying again later today or tomorrow.

I went back just now and was able to book TJs for July 18 6PM dinner. So I think the OP may have had a glitch with the DLR dining reservation system.

 

[Indiana Scott]

Tortilla Joes is really a mixed bag when it comes to customer service. We eat there during every trip and while most of the time the service is adequate, sometimes it's just bad.
During our last trip we approached the exterior dining area and asked the hostess for a table for the three of us. She told us it would be 45 minutes! I looked around and counted at least 7 empty tables. I then asked her why the long wait since there's so many empty tables and no one waiting. She wouldn't answer me and just reiterated the 45 minute wait.
We walked around to the main entrance in front of the restaurant where the hostess was happy to seat us immediately even though they were more crowded!
Why the person on the outside was so determined to jerk us around is beyond me but is typical of the service level at TJ's.

 

[missbrooke06]

Tortilla Joes is really a mixed bag when it comes to customer service. We eat there during every trip and while most of the time the service is adequate, sometimes it's just bad.
During our last trip we approached the exterior dining area and asked the hostess for a table for the three of us. She told us it would be 45 minutes! I looked around and counted at least 7 empty tables. I then asked her why the long wait since there's so many empty tables and no one waiting. She wouldn't answer me and just reiterated the 45 minute wait.
We walked around to the main entrance in front of the restaurant where the hostess was happy to seat us immediately even though they were more crowded!
Why the person on the outside was so determined to jerk us around is beyond me but is typical of the service level at TJ's.

It can be dependent on how many servers are available for a section.

 

[Star Wars Girl]

I think it's about the same as WDW. You'll get ones who truly want to be there and who love working there. You'll also get ones who consider it to be just a job and who couldn't care less.

Also, as others have said, just like at WDW's Disney Springs, many spots in DTD have non-Disney employees working there. In general, I've found the CMs at DL to be extremely friendly.

 

[AndyR]

The DL dining booking system has its quirks. We've had to call Brennans (Brunch), TJs & Uva directly in the past year.

 

[taniahappy]

I just think she was caught off-guard but it shouldnt make you feel bad at all, better be prepared than not.

 

[mgd]

This actually reminds me of a situation I had when calling in to check on a reservation I had made at the Grand Californian for dapper day. I needed adjoining rooms and 2 queen rooms, but the website didn't have a spot to choose those explicitly. So after booking I had called in and asked the person (who I believe is an actual DL CM) if I can specify that ahead since I didn't see it as an option when booking. The guy replied somewhat curtly that yes, I had to specify it in a tone as if that was common knowledge and the rest of the interaction was cold. I called in a few weeks later to make sure that my requests were still showing and would be honored since we all know how "requests" can be ignored at hotels, and the different CM sounded somehow offended and said yes, they have a team that makes sure every night that requests are prepared for each stay, as if I was wrong to doubt them. So I felt somewhat similar to how you must have felt and this was actual CMs twice, and although I may have personally felt a little put off by them since they could have been more friendly and polite, the reality is they are all just people with different perspectives doing their job that can get rote, and it does no one good to feel bad about it if someone wasn't as polite as you hoped, since it could be a lot worse than that. Just be happy when you do get the CMs that go out of their way to be polite.

 

[sherilaine]

I have not read the entire thread. We made a reservation at this restaurant about a month out we did get a text reminding us of our reservation. It all worked out great. No need to worry! The reaction was likely because Disneyland is not somewhere you have to book very far in advance.

 

[Arielismyfave]

I'm sorry that this person was rude on the phone. Regardless of being a Disney employee or not, that doesn't excuse it. Try not to let that set the tone for your trip. DL planning is definitely less intense than WDW - for better or worse.

In our 4 days in DL/DCA, we had several "rude" interactions with CMs, but also had conversations with kind and wonderful CMs.

I am not sure what time you were looking for a reservation there, but the 3 times we walked past Tortilla Joe's it looked like a minimal wait. If nothing else, call back in a few weeks to see if the reservation is still noted.

 

[Indiana Scott]

It can be dependent on how many servers are available for a section.

Yea, I know they do that but it's still lousy customer service.

 

[Kontos]

Just call back at the end of June to confirm and then maybe the week before again to make sure.

 

[Malcon10t]

Yea, I know they do that but it's still lousy customer service.

So, would it be better to seat you at a table that there is no server available to serve?

 

[Indiana Scott]

So, would it be better to seat you at a table that there is no server available to serve?

Absolutely. Get us some water and explain the situation and we'll wait in relative comfort. I'd probably even wonder over to the bar and start on some margarita's while we wait. Either way would be fine and much more customer friendly and I'd end up spending more money.
Or, a manager or assistant manager could take care of the customer - wouldn't kill them to do so.

 

[Malcon10t]

Absolutely. Get us some water and explain the situation and we'll wait in relative comfort. I'd probably even wonder over to the bar and start on some margarita's while we wait. Either way would be fine and much more customer friendly and I'd end up spending more money.
Or, a manager or assistant manager could take care of the customer - wouldn't kill them to do so.

Have you worked in a restaurant before? The manager is going to be WAY too busy to handle this. The hostess isn't in a position to start you drinks, and if there is no assigned server, you could sit for quite a long time. Restaurants are not going to seat you at a table that doesn't have an assigned server. I've accidentally been sat at a table without a server, it was 20 mins before it was caught (and I was quite unhappy), and another 10 to get a table with a server. You could go grab a seat in the bar if it is that empty.

 

[Julia M]

We ate at Tortilla Jo's for the first time in September. It was crowded, but we found room at the patio bar. The bartender was about as nice as anyone could possibly be and we never moved from the bar to our table...we just stayed there! I'm sure you'll have fun!

 

[Indiana Scott]

Have you worked in a restaurant before? The manager is going to be WAY too busy to handle this. The hostess isn't in a position to start you drinks, and if there is no assigned server, you could sit for quite a long time. Restaurants are not going to seat you at a table that doesn't have an assigned server. I've accidentally been sat at a table without a server, it was 20 mins before it was caught (and I was quite unhappy), and another 10 to get a table with a server. You could go grab a seat in the bar if it is that empty.

Yes, I have worked at restaurants and I have managed retail establishments and customer service companies where I was very successful. So I do have a good idea of what customer service is and we would never turn a customer away.
It comes down to a matter of opinion; You would rather be told to wait outside and I would rather be asked to wait at a table or even at the bar.