The Sweet Service Award goes to the Nu Metro cinema in the V&A Waterfront, whose manager on duty (the first time I have ever seen one) allowed me to change a ticket for an alternative movie, when I realised that I had already seen the one that I had booked.  There were no questions asked, and I was shown which seat I could sit in for the alternative movie I chose.  The lady selling the movie ticket was friendly and efficient, a rarity at this movie house.  She also told me which would be the best price option for the ticket.

The Sour Service Award goes to Mill Coffee House in Stellenbosch, and is nominated by Tanja Kruger: “Just thought I should let you know about my shocking experience at Mill House. Went there last week (in September) for a quick breakfast with my mom. I knew the owner had a bad day, because he was talking so loudly to the guest on the table next to us about cars being broken into…..I presume at the guest house area. We ordered coffees and some breakfast. Coffee was fine and waitress was friendly enough, but when the food came…..I was too disgusted to eat anything off the plates……they looked like they weren’t washed, just wiped by a dirty cloth (and I’m not talking about the greasy rims of the plates…..I’m talking about the inside where the food was on) there were even still some old pieces of food stuck to the top and bottom of the plates. The scary part is also that it was not only my plate, but both the plates. We showed the (now uninterested) waitress, who took it back to the kitchen. The barista came to apologize and offered us some coffees on the house to make up. Our second plates came out (cleaner than before, but still visibly greasy) carried by one of the kitchen staff..!?!?! She plonked the plates down on the table and asked if we were the people that complained and what the problem was because she saw no problem and asked sarcastically if this was good enough for us now. So I left the breakfast furious and got up to pay for the coffees…they handed me a bill with everything on it…the breakfasts and the comp coffees. I refused to pay, just paid for the  coffees. He asked if we want to speak to the owner..I said I wouldn’t bother. After we left, the owner ran after us with a plate of food,into the street!!!! He said we have a problem because there is nothing wrong with the food. We walked away, while he screamed after us in the street. It was the worst restaurant experience, and I have never experienced such rudeness in my life!!! No wonder the place is always empty! What happened to the customer is always right!?”

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.