There's something comforting about the familiar sizzle of a flat-top grill. At Pockets Diner in Lucedale that put the old flat-top to good use.
My "real" job takes me all across the state and on Monday I was in Lucedale for business. After my appointments it was getting pretty late so I stopped in at this little road-side eatery. Pretty simple looking from the road, no fancy signs just a cedar and white siding building with a with sign that said - Pockets Diner.
It was about 2:00 PM and and I was the only customer in the place, I was instructed to "sit anywhere" when I walked in. I picked out a table pretty close to the door, you never know when you'll need to make a fast exit in unfamiliar surroundings.
The server was very nice. After scanning the menu, which included breakfast served all day, I settled on a diner favorite. I ordered the chili cheese burger and a side order of hash browns. I asked that some of the chili be served over my order of hash browns.
There wasn't really much deconstructing of this burger, because it was a messy one. The entire meal was cooked on the flat top from the slight browner than I would have liked hash browns to the hand pressed hamburger patty to warming of the bun itself which has soaked up a little of the clarified butter that keeps the flat top sizzling.
The burger was a diner classic - hot, juicy and full of flavor. From the butter soaked into the bun to the fresh beef to the meaty chili. I can't be sure that the chili was house made, it was good chili not great chili.
The has browns were good with the chili as well.
When I got up from the table I was feeling pretty good about my meal and Pockets and was considering putting them on my list of semi-regular stops.
When I got the register things went down hill. The waitress gave me the total and I gave her my debit card to swipe.
When I got the key pad to enter my PIN, I noticed that the total was $2 higher than what I had been told. That was when I was shown a very small sign by the register that can easily be over looked that there is a $2 per transaction sur-charger on using a credit/debit card. I seldom carry any cash so I was pretty much out of luck at this point. I was assertive but not rude when I expressed my disbelief and displeasure on having to pay the fee.
The food is pretty good at Pockets and the people are nice enough but I can't advise anyone to go there unless you have cash.
All the more reason to give up the CC which already charges way more than should be allowed.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a credit card, being in my other line of work it's just never made sense. But, I do utilize a debit card and that's what I used and was still issued the surcharge.
ReplyDeleteI think it's all the more reason not to go back to Pockets.
I am very glad that you enjoyed our food, but dont blame us for the credit card surcharge!!! at least we were courtious enough to let you know that there was a charge in the first place. most places dont! its the bank that charges, we have nothing to do with it, as i tried to explain to you... and as for bein assertive and not rude, thats crap, you took my head off about it, im just the waitress!!! oh and thanks for the tip!!!!!!!! seeing as you enjoyed everything.....
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ReplyDeleteSweetheart, sorry. I guess the bank got your tip, because $9 plus a tip for a chili burger and hash browns, that's just not going to happen.
ReplyDeleteDid you call either of the two debit card companies that I gave you the names for that charge about anywhere from $.15 per transaction to 8% of the sale?
please dont call me sweetheart, im so over all this crap. people like you who talk so bad about us for something so stupid is killing us. i suggest that if you go out to eat, you at least have the decency to tip, if nothing but a dollar! its just an insult! i am a young mother of 2 infants and work hard for my $3 and hour, because of people like you not tipping, i make nothing else!!! and as i explained earlier i am nothing but the waitress, i have nothing to do with the way things are ran here. i do not have any financial control or anything else... i do my job and do it well. if you cant understand that, you are no longer worth my time....
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