When an entity, institution, company or individual advertises itself as "the best" - in whatever category might be defined, it is expected that it consistently is just that. And not just on some days, or most days....but ALL days! Unfortunately, as with most aspects of American culture, "the best" has now become a catchall hype phrase, a throwaway, like "the richest", or "the fastest" or "the smartest" - when further investigations generally expose them as shams.
I bring this up because just over a month ago, after having spent three days in Vegas (to celebrate my wife's birthday) we decided to avail ourselves - while staying at the Wynn-Encore- of a breakfast buffet advertised as "the Best in Vegas". Indeed, so invested is the Wynn Breakfast Buffet in this belief, that when one receives the breakfast ticket-check it doesn't say "the Wynn Buffet" but simply "The Buffet" - as if it defines the very word and there are no quality options. (See image of partial ticket above).
Unfortunately for the Wynn, we had already gone to two previous breakfast buffets at the Bellagio. When I say that their service and food were extraordinary, I do not exaggerate. Every dish impeccably presented, and temperatures correct - all cold foods kept cold, all hot foods (especially eggs and ham!) kept piping hot. We even remarked to each other while filing our plates how they even took temperatures of each food!
Our next to last day in Vegas we opted to try the Wynn's Buffet, since it was "the Best in Vegas" or so it proclaimed, and besides we were staying at the Encore (on a special offer package - which included 1 night free, two others at recdced rate and free tickets to see the show 'Le Reve') and the Wynn was adjacent to it. We arrived at about 9.00 a.m. and got our ticket and table soon after.
We reconnoitered a bit to decide what to get, and so we opted for the Eggs Bendict, while I also went to get some russet potatoes, hash browns and sliced Virginia ham to go with it.
Make no mistake that the food looked very scrumptious. Alas, with the first bite or two, we were appalled to find everything at barely room temperature - the ham and russet potatoes were probably at less. When my wife told the very understanding waitress that the eggs and the seafood frittata she had selected were cold, she brought a Service Hostess to talk to us. I went on to try the scrambled eggs, and sausages, hoping for the best.
My wife was quickly presented with a fresh dish with three Egg Benedicts, all of which were barely at room temperature. My own, recently plated scrambled eggs and sausages were likewise again barely at room temperature. Deciding I’d had enough, I opted to go back for a freshly made (at station) omelet which I knew would have to be piping hot. However, the Virginia ham slice I selected was barely lukewarm.
Meanwhile, the hostess offered to bring the Chef to talk to my wife. He appeared after some time, (during which interval of some 25 minutes she was of course unable to leave the table) . The Chef responded to my wife’s complaints by asserting that “all temperatures were normal”, which seemed strange, unless guests are supposed to be happy with cold eggs. In addition, in contrast to the Bellagio we beheld not one single temperature taken as we were there.
The Chef just said he was sorry for the inconvenience. (This despite the fact that the people in the table adjacent to ours had also complained to their server regarding the temperature of their hash browns, russet potatoes and seafood frittata.) However, the unspoken subtext I detected was along the lines of : "We are sorry that you believe we are having such problems with our excelent food!")
We then decided to see one of the managers at the Wynn to see if some semblance of satisfaction could be elicited. This, given the fact my wife had been reduced to simply eating one of the cold Benedicts, some Swiss Muesli (which she compared to “glue”), some fruit and a pastry. While Assistant Manager Andrew Halterman listened to us attentively enough, his response was not significantly different from the Chef’s: only saying he would “check it out” and he regretted we were not satisfied with the food.
To try to assuage us, he offered us a “line pass” to the next buffet, an offer we forthrightly rejected as next to an insult. First, it did not in any way compensate us for the dining inconvenience and lost time already experienced, and second, having had such a sub-standard buffet once, why on earth would we choose to possibly endure it all over again? Did we look to him like we just fell off the turnip truck from Arkansas - so desperate were we for a germ of acknowledgement?
Two weeks later we decided to write (professional form hard copy letter- NO email!) the Wynn -Encore President, Andrew S. Pascal. To his credit, and the Wynn's- a response was made, worded as follows:
I bring this up because just over a month ago, after having spent three days in Vegas (to celebrate my wife's birthday) we decided to avail ourselves - while staying at the Wynn-Encore- of a breakfast buffet advertised as "the Best in Vegas". Indeed, so invested is the Wynn Breakfast Buffet in this belief, that when one receives the breakfast ticket-check it doesn't say "the Wynn Buffet" but simply "The Buffet" - as if it defines the very word and there are no quality options. (See image of partial ticket above).
Unfortunately for the Wynn, we had already gone to two previous breakfast buffets at the Bellagio. When I say that their service and food were extraordinary, I do not exaggerate. Every dish impeccably presented, and temperatures correct - all cold foods kept cold, all hot foods (especially eggs and ham!) kept piping hot. We even remarked to each other while filing our plates how they even took temperatures of each food!
Our next to last day in Vegas we opted to try the Wynn's Buffet, since it was "the Best in Vegas" or so it proclaimed, and besides we were staying at the Encore (on a special offer package - which included 1 night free, two others at recdced rate and free tickets to see the show 'Le Reve') and the Wynn was adjacent to it. We arrived at about 9.00 a.m. and got our ticket and table soon after.
We reconnoitered a bit to decide what to get, and so we opted for the Eggs Bendict, while I also went to get some russet potatoes, hash browns and sliced Virginia ham to go with it.
Make no mistake that the food looked very scrumptious. Alas, with the first bite or two, we were appalled to find everything at barely room temperature - the ham and russet potatoes were probably at less. When my wife told the very understanding waitress that the eggs and the seafood frittata she had selected were cold, she brought a Service Hostess to talk to us. I went on to try the scrambled eggs, and sausages, hoping for the best.
My wife was quickly presented with a fresh dish with three Egg Benedicts, all of which were barely at room temperature. My own, recently plated scrambled eggs and sausages were likewise again barely at room temperature. Deciding I’d had enough, I opted to go back for a freshly made (at station) omelet which I knew would have to be piping hot. However, the Virginia ham slice I selected was barely lukewarm.
Meanwhile, the hostess offered to bring the Chef to talk to my wife. He appeared after some time, (during which interval of some 25 minutes she was of course unable to leave the table) . The Chef responded to my wife’s complaints by asserting that “all temperatures were normal”, which seemed strange, unless guests are supposed to be happy with cold eggs. In addition, in contrast to the Bellagio we beheld not one single temperature taken as we were there.
The Chef just said he was sorry for the inconvenience. (This despite the fact that the people in the table adjacent to ours had also complained to their server regarding the temperature of their hash browns, russet potatoes and seafood frittata.) However, the unspoken subtext I detected was along the lines of : "We are sorry that you believe we are having such problems with our excelent food!")
We then decided to see one of the managers at the Wynn to see if some semblance of satisfaction could be elicited. This, given the fact my wife had been reduced to simply eating one of the cold Benedicts, some Swiss Muesli (which she compared to “glue”), some fruit and a pastry. While Assistant Manager Andrew Halterman listened to us attentively enough, his response was not significantly different from the Chef’s: only saying he would “check it out” and he regretted we were not satisfied with the food.
To try to assuage us, he offered us a “line pass” to the next buffet, an offer we forthrightly rejected as next to an insult. First, it did not in any way compensate us for the dining inconvenience and lost time already experienced, and second, having had such a sub-standard buffet once, why on earth would we choose to possibly endure it all over again? Did we look to him like we just fell off the turnip truck from Arkansas - so desperate were we for a germ of acknowledgement?
Two weeks later we decided to write (professional form hard copy letter- NO email!) the Wynn -Encore President, Andrew S. Pascal. To his credit, and the Wynn's- a response was made, worded as follows:
On behalf of Mr. Pascal, I would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding your recent experience at Wynn Las Vegas. Please accept my sincere apologies for the disappointing level of service you and your wife received from the staff at The Buffet during your recent visit. I regret that we fell short of your expectations in regards to the food quality and service. There is no excuse for our inability to extend our guests with timely service, genuine care and concern for their needs.
While we continually strive to improve our facilities and service, the information you share allows us an opportunity to see our operation from your perspective. Please know that we take this very seriously and assure you that all efforts are being made to rectify any future issues.
Again, I apologize for your inconvenience and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to experience the first-class quality our guests have come to expect at Wynn Las Vegas.
Sincerely,
Steve Weitman
Vice President of Food and Beverage
While we continually strive to improve our facilities and service, the information you share allows us an opportunity to see our operation from your perspective. Please know that we take this very seriously and assure you that all efforts are being made to rectify any future issues.
Again, I apologize for your inconvenience and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to experience the first-class quality our guests have come to expect at Wynn Las Vegas.
Sincerely,
Steve Weitman
Vice President of Food and Beverage
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Apology accepted!
And we certainly appreciate the finally our dining disaster was acknowledged, though it should not have taken going so far up the hierarchy to get it. But, we certainly hope to go the Wynn breakfast Buffet next time we are in Vegas, and hopefully on that occasion will be more than satisfied beyond our expectations!
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