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Bob Evan's Restaurants Informative - Cold water for tea
Dear Bob,
We have been going to Bob Evans restaurants for about 4 years. We frequent them from Jacksonville, Fl to Richmond, Va. We eat at the BE in Hickory NC three or more times a week, sometimes twice in one day. So it becomes obvious that we like your food, and the staff at the Hickory location is superb as is the food.
For several years BE’s ability (at all locations) to provide water hot enough to make tea has been less than stellar. The reason you have this problem is a corporate decision to have hot water for tea come from a Bunn water heater in the back of the store. This was a poor decision if only for the fact that the waitresses have to trek to the back of the store for hot water. Some BE’s tried to overcome this by having thermos’ of hot water up front, only to find that customer complaints forced them to use the hot water source in the back.
As a retired manufacturer I can assure you that single source decisions can only lead to failure. Such is the case with BE’s ability to provide hot water at all times. Don’t try to blame the GM’s, cooks or waitresses. Managers and employees can seldom overcome the short sightedness of corporate decisions. Such is the case with BE’s hot water dilemma. Every time we are in BE and the kitchen makes soup hot water becomes non existent. It’s an inconvenience I could live with but will not.
Today was decision time for my wife and I. We can overcome BE’s corporate decisions by eating at IHOP; they never have a hot water problem. So if you’re looking for us we’ll be at IHOP.
We have been going to Bob Evans restaurants for about 4 years. We frequent them from Jacksonville, Fl to Richmond, Va. We eat at the BE in Hickory NC three or more times a week, sometimes twice in one day. So it becomes obvious that we like your food, and the staff at the Hickory location is superb as is the food.
For several years BE’s ability (at all locations) to provide water hot enough to make tea has been less than stellar. The reason you have this problem is a corporate decision to have hot water for tea come from a Bunn water heater in the back of the store. This was a poor decision if only for the fact that the waitresses have to trek to the back of the store for hot water. Some BE’s tried to overcome this by having thermos’ of hot water up front, only to find that customer complaints forced them to use the hot water source in the back.
As a retired manufacturer I can assure you that single source decisions can only lead to failure. Such is the case with BE’s ability to provide hot water at all times. Don’t try to blame the GM’s, cooks or waitresses. Managers and employees can seldom overcome the short sightedness of corporate decisions. Such is the case with BE’s hot water dilemma. Every time we are in BE and the kitchen makes soup hot water becomes non existent. It’s an inconvenience I could live with but will not.
Today was decision time for my wife and I. We can overcome BE’s corporate decisions by eating at IHOP; they never have a hot water problem. So if you’re looking for us we’ll be at IHOP.
Comments:
Posted by Alex1968 on 2010-07-28:
It's nearly 100 degrees out...time to switch to iced tea! :)
Posted by Dryad on 2010-07-28:
Awww..c'mon, Alex. Some people like hot tea in the mornings instead of coffee.
Posted by Alex1968 on 2010-07-28:
:) means it was a joke.
Posted by Dryad on 2010-07-28:
I know what you meant, Alex. I was also thinking that I like to have tea in the mornings sometimes.
Posted by Alex1968 on 2010-07-28:
Fair enough :)
Posted by Dryad on 2010-07-28:
Alex, are you really somewhere, where it is nearly 100 degrees out?
Posted by Alex1968 on 2010-07-28:
Not at this moment, but most of the past 2 weeks 90+ temps, over 100 when factoring in dew point/humidity/heat index.
Posted by Dryad on 2010-07-28:
Ya, a few days ago, we had a heat index of 120.
Posted by Alex1968 on 2010-07-28:
Wow....where are you? Right at the peak, our condo unit was up for exchange of the HVAC system, so we were a week without AC--worst week I can remember in recent history!
Posted by Dryad on 2010-07-28:
Virginia.
Posted by spiderman2 on 2010-07-28:
Tea should be made with water that is almost boiling. I wonder if their reluctance/refusal has anything to do with not wanting to provide customers with water that is that hot?
Posted by CrazyRedHead on 2010-07-28:
I guess they don't want to become the next McDonalds.
Posted by ript on 2010-07-28:
Have you asked them to reheat the water in a microwave after explaining that the water is not hot enough for you to make and enjoy a decent cup of tea?
Posted by azspots on 2010-07-28:
Arizona. The weather dude said 'a cooler day' - high of only 102 or so ;)
Posted by Ytropious on 2010-07-28:
Perhaps there are legit reasons for the way things are. Maybe hot tea isn't a big seller in NC. Maybe most patrons are fine with the water temp from the Bunn heater.
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