Here's Your Tip, Tortilla Bar....

I am not normally one to complain about restaurants or customer service...but this was the worst! This is why you should never never never never never ever ever ever ever evvvvverrrrrrrrrrr eat at The Tortilla Bar on State Street in Orem!

After three Valentines Days together, Kevin and I have figured out that this isn't exactly our holiday. Our first Valentines we were in San Francisco in possibly the scariest hotel I have ever stayed at in my entire life. Our second Valentines Day, I was very sick and we didn't celebrate.

This is the story for our third Valentines Day celebration:

We didn't want to make it a big event this year. We were going to St George for the Parade of Homes (which is INCREDIBLE this year, so if you can go, DO IT!) so we didn't want to spend a lot of money or spoil each other. We wanted to be together on a small weekend trip. 

We ventured out on Thursday for dinner. My choice was Dave & Cranky's. Another high recommendation from the Martin family :) We love that place! Make your reservation today!! 

Unfortunately they were closed for a private party. I had received a $40 gift card last year for The Tortilla Bar on State Street in Orem from my previous employer. I thought, why spend any money at all? Let's go try this place out!

We arrived and were seated and were enjoying each others company :) The food was disappointing, especially for the price (which they did not put on their menu = red flag) but it was okay. 

When it came time to pay, we handed the waitress our gift card and waited a while. She came back and said "Sorry, we cannot accept these gift cards." I think she saw the surprised look on my face and mentioned that she could grab the head chef/owner if I wanted to speak with him. I indeed did want to speak with him. I was very confused... 

He came over and said "Sorry, we cannot accept these gift cards. Because of who signed them, we cannot accept them." 

I proceeded to tell him, very nicely, that these did not have an expiration date and that they were paid for by someone. I was still trying to figure out why we couldn't use them. I was so confused...

He said that the man who signed them was not authorized or something and I said, probably way too nicely again, that the signature wasn't our issue. 

He then looked me in the eyes and raised his voice. At me. His customer. With 3 tables around us already staring.  "The issue is, you came into my restaurant, you ate my food and you will pay for it!" 

Then he walked away. I was appalled. Thrown back. Angered. Humiliated. 

I paid. I did. I should have just set the gift cards on the table and walked out. Instead I paid and as I was walking out, I kindly told the owner that he just had lost a customer and that he probably shouldn't speak to his customers that way. He put his hand up (the 'talk to the hand' motion) and said "Bye"

So....learn from my mistake. Just don't eat at Tortilla Bar. Ever. 

Needless to say, we did not leave a tip.