Alicia
Darden Does Not have Their Stuff Together
I had an embarrassing customer experience on 7/3/24 and the follow up was as frustrating as the initial experience. I purchased several $100 gift certificates last year for special client appreciation gifts. I thought I had given them all away but found one as I was purging some files. I called the 877-353-7884 number because I could not verify the balance via the normal balance inquiry phone number 1-800-290-7500. The rep confirmed the $100 balance and said Ruth Chris & Darden had merged and the systems basically didn't talk to each other but no worries the restaurant would take it. I took a dear client to dinner on the 3rd. At the conclusion of a dinner that had already required her to send her medium well steak back, as she had ordered it medium rare, I placed the gift certificate along with my credit card for payment. The server came back and said the gift certificate came back invalid and $181.35 plus tip was due. I tried to explain that I had to call 877-353-7884 to verify. However, to no avail. I asked to speak to the manager. The manager, Alicia, was apologetic and admitted that Ruth Chris was having some problems with some gift cards. That the offices were closed due to holiday and to call this number (407-333-7440) on Monday and customer service would sort it out. It took way too much time to get to customer service. The number I ended up calling was 877-737-7752. When I finally got someone they were totally dismissive, denied the system issue, refused to just redeem this one and issue another gift certificate that DOESN'T have system issues and TOTALLY threw the location I went to under the bus, saying there is nothing wrong with the gift certificate and the don't know what their doing at the Buckhead location. It's there training issue and they were going to deal with the location, blah, blah, blah as they were rushing me off the phone. By now I am up to like the 7th call and finally talk back to Alicia, the manager who can actually call and see that the gift certificate is good, but who said she could not redeem the gift certificate and refund my $100! What she did offer was another gift certificate that is only good in the Atlanta area stores. From the run around, refusal to just take responsibility for this merger system error I still do not end up with my money back OR a certificate that I can use anywhere because that is what I purchased. I am so disappointed that something meant to be just me taking a client out for their birthday ended in this lengthy, unprofessional, rude customer service, ESPECIALLY THEIR GUEST RELATIONS DEPARTMENT experience when what I signed up for was a 5 star experience.