The Bowling Experience
Wow, I’m tired. The “bowling party” turned out pretty good. Eric had fun and so did his friends. It didn’t really start out that great, though. When we got to the bowling alley we saw a couple of tables set up with table cloths, paper plates, cups and balloons and I assumed one of the tables were for us because I had reserved a party. Turns out they weren’t. There were other parties, but I guess the staff at this place didn’t feel the need to get everyone’s tables ready. Anyway, we got regular tables and they gave us a couple of balloons because I asked for them. It also turns out that the lane I reserved was only for the kids “in the party” so we had to actually purchase our shoes and a lane separately. My parents paid for that, and also bought my food and drinks because the hot dogs and drinks the bowling alley provided were only for the kids also. I guess it’s understandable but they should have clarified that when I called and reserved the space. Anyway, the kids started bowling and my step dad was hungry so he got us our food and drinks. When the kids decided they wanted something to eat I went and told the lady at the snack bar and she said it’d be about 5-10 minutes. Twenty minutes pass and I go back and it’s some young teenage guy, roughly about 17, and he’s like they’ll be right out.
In the meantime another party had shown up and used the tables next to ours. They had a clown-magician type of guy and a balloon artist or whatever you call them. Their music was rather annoying, and there were a ton of kids, but they were nice. The clown and balloon guy gave Eric and his friends some balloons and face paint and stuff so that was pretty cool. I noticed though, that the guy at the snack bar brought all those kids their hotdogs after having only been there for 10 minutes while we had been waiting well over 30 minutes by that time. I asked yet again where the kids food was because they were hungry and thirsty. They said “5 more minutes”, but I was already pissed off because the table next to us had already gotten their food. They gave us a pitcher of lemonade (I didn’t want to get coke for the kids.) and it had so much ice in it that it only filled 3 cups halfway with lemonade and then they charged me $2 to refill the pitcher. This time I told them dump out most of the ice.
Thirty minutes later the food still had not arrived, so I went to the manager and let her have it. It turns out the “manager” was also the owner. I asked her what exactly did I pay for since I had to buy another pitcher of lemonade just so the kids could all drink, we’ve been waiting over an hour for food, we didn’t get any decorations like some of the other partiers, blah blah blah. I was rather heated up about the whole ordeal. She gave me some lame excuses, which I got sick of hearing and stormed off.
I guess she realized that her bowling alley was giving us really crappy service, because she gave me 8 free coupons to come back and bowl for free and then she told the kid at the snack bar to give us a giant order of cheese sticks for free also. This made me rather feel a little better because they are one of my favorite appetizers and they are pretty expensive.
After the free bowling coupons, the free cheese sticks and a couple of free refills on the pitchers of coke and lemonade I guess I got over being pissed off about the crappy service. The kids had fun bowling and Eric loved his presents. We ate some cake and let the kiddos run around for a bit with their “balloon swords”, and then we came home where my child and 2 of his friend proceeded to destory the living room with legos and other new birthday toys. I am trying not to let that bother me at the moment. I’ll just deal with it tomorrow I guess.
Overall it was a pretty good day. We had fun, everyone got tired out and I kind of want to hit the sack early tonight. ::Yawn::
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Commenters: Julie
