Continuity C.
Posted
Caddy’s Indian Shores
Caddy’s Indian Shores 42 customers are seated at Caddy’s outdoor dining area, 40 of which are over 60. That’s 95% (yup, I took the time to count AND I used a calculator! ). I did the count and calculation to illustrate just how clueless the organization is, how lacking in their ability to gauge their customer base. While all these over-60’s are patronizing this place the wait staff’s music selection is too loud and dominated by rap music that’s not in anyway reminiscent of what we might have appreciated in our youth. I say this as a 62 year old, part of the majority population at Caddy’s (but among the younger sub-set of 60+ers, ahem). As customers shout to be heard in their groups of 4-6, we are a threesome sitting side-by-side at the bar and give up trying to have a conversation, so we peruse the menu. I’m perplexed once again that Caddy’s charges $11.95 for their fish spread, an ice-cream-scoop-sized portion surrounded by an array of vegetables numbering too many for the quantity, but I guess the mere couple of cracker packs sends some health-conscious message? I might speculate on their objectives all day long, but one thing I know: I can go up the street and acquire two-pounds of the best fish spread I’ve ever had directly from Nachman’s for the exact same amount of money ... so I couldn’t rationalize getting that appetizer again (it’s a one-strike-and-you’re-out game in the restaurant world!) I ordered the classic caesar at a reasonable price of $8.95 and while I was thrilled with the heaps of shredded parmesan topping it, whoever assembled the salad truly overshared - perhaps because it wasn’t really parmesan, not the tasty stuff from the Italian region from which it gets it's name. No, this is faux parm with no actual flavor but it’s appearance and texture were good even while quite a bit whispy. I suspect they’d say it was a different cheese (romano?) in which case, “classic caesar” it is not. While we watched a busboy/bar back (maintenance engineer?) do absolutely nothing (unless his job description is holding onto the key on a lanyard slung about his neck, in which case he's really adept), we observed the manager, a waitress and the bartender converse with one another. We initially mistook their trio for customers, so inattentive were they to actual customers. We concluded Caddy's prices are lofty because they’re employing too many people (who’ve become experts at not working AT ALL): - we had to ask the busboy to take our dishes, something to which he attended with the speed, agility and intention of a sulking teenager prompted by their parent. Well, all but the eye-rolling! - our plates had been sitting empty, cluttering the bar in front of us for a while - shifting them up onto the bar mat to encourage someone, anyone to take them didn't send the message we'd hoped. Hmmm ... Maybe like requesting ice in Europe or water at restaurants, they have a policy to leave empty, useless plates until the customer requests their removal? Of this we’re certain: the dude's response was so slow we wondered if he was remedial, in some way disabled (for which I’d applaud Caddy's) but no, the exact opposite was true and he was just very practiced at being slow, methodical and deliberate - did I say slow? He made it an art form. Observing him and what he wasn’t doing became a bit of entertainment for our group comprised of current restaurant owners from Texas, in other words, our “speculations” bear some cred, not inexperienced at staffing or operating a food and beverage organization. We realized the manager was as unmotivated, untrained, and ill-equipped as the barback/busboy (who we watched drop a plastic cup that he couldn’t be bothered to pick up while the manager was standing within 2 feet but didn’t notice because he was so engrossed in not paying any attention to either his staff or his customers, much less what amounts to a trip-fall hazard). It was about this time that we oldsters were treated to a sampled version of “This Is How We Do It” and it just felt insulting and achingly patronizing. I’m amazed at just how obtuse these folks are. I didn't witness one customer singing along or tapping a foot. They just hunkered down to shout it out at their tables, exercising what, by 60-ish, is a set of vocal chords that aren't called upon to crank up the volume too often. We couldn’t wait to get out (if that's not patently evident). The handheld POS system device we were given to check ourselves out conveniently defaults with a 20% tip. You have to select “custom” to tip appropriately (because 20% mid-day for appetizers and a couple of beers verges on stupidity). Chalk up another point in the insult category. (barback never did pick up the cup he dropped - and nobody else did either)