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Reader Participation Day: Where Was Your Worst Dining Experience in the National Parks?

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So many superlatives swirl around the national parks that at times we forget that things aren't always so rosy. So, tell us where you encountered your worst dining experience in the parks this year.

And tell us why. Was the food cold? Tasteless? Over- or under-cooked? Was service atrocious? Wine glasses or silverware dirty? Menus unimaginative or unhealthy?

If you ate several times at the same dining room, or in a series of dining rooms operated by the same concessionaire, was there consistency in your experience? If so, where? If not, where?

For sure, it can't be easy to cater to thousands of diners a day, a number you can easily multiply by three. And everyone has an off day. But a little constructive criticism can go a long way, especially with the off-season approaching and managers looking back over the summer season business to see where they might improve things.

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Over the past three years I have visited and/or dined in the grand old lodges of Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon South Rim, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon, (alas, no lodges), and Zion. I would not expect such landmarks which represent all that is historically romantic about the parks (and wonderfully stoked by the recent Ken Burns series), to passionately provide anything less than world-class food and service. But in some cases they are operated by ARAMark (think college cafeteria) and XTerra who are desiged to cater to the masses. But the great dining rooms of these lodges are not for the masses. They are no larger in most cases than top restaurants in renowned food cities like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco. Therefore their daily quota is not on par with the masses who indeed flow through the cafeterias, grills, and stands in the rest of the park areas. The lodge dining areas should seriously consider entering the level of pride which sets them apart and makes them an experience equal to the view out the window. (Though I must admit the Ahwahnee's current "back to nature" and blasting lawn sprinklers view is hardly mentionable.) I say raise the standard. Judging by the record crowds this year, folks are willing to pay. And this customer is willing to pay for the privelage to enjoy an ethereal atmosphere combined with excellent food and flawless service.


I hate to admit it, each time I've been to Crater Lake I have tried the new Annie Creek restaurant for their breakfast buffet (a total of about five visits). The service was minimal, but not horrible. But every single time, the food was completely tasteless and incredibly slow. Most the restaurant was in a state of waiting most of the time... waiting for food to come to the buffet. And when it arrived... I mean, how can you screw up bacon? It's friggin' bacon! And yet the bacon, sausage, french toast... all were completely bland, often overcooked and without appeal. I've tried. Honestly. But I'm not going there anymore.

I did have a great experience with their pizza in the evening, however - it was hot and delicious and generous... so...


Nelson, we had a very similar experience at Canyon Lodge in YNP in June. We were willing to go with the flow when a manager came and told us (after 40 minute of waiting for our food) that our waiter had just realized he had never entered our order into the computer. The manager then offered us an additional glass of wine, which we assumed was complementary. Our food finally arrived half an hour later (and was quite satisfactory), but the waiter never came back to check on us and did not bring the bill. We waited for another half-hour, told two busboys to ask our waiter for our check, and finally requested it from a manager. It arrived and the extra wine was not on the bill. Imagine our surprise, then, when the processed credit card receipt that was returned for our signature was $15 higher than the bill with which we had been presented! We summoned a manager, and it took three people 15 minutes to figure out what had happened. In the end, they removed the wine from the bill, but by then we had been in the dining room for nearly 3 hours.

Wait, this gets worse. We stayed in a cabin at Canyon that night, and the roof leaked, the two lamps over the beds had both shorted out, and in the morning the entire area had no hot water. We were supposed to stay in this cabin for two nights, but we checked out early at 11 when it was clear that no attempt had been made to deal with the water situation. Normally I cut the parks a lot of slack, but this was all just beyond our ability to accept. I was vociferous at the checkout, and we got our room rate refunded.


Randi, I should have had you argue for me with the front desk clerk at St. Mary Lodge...;-)

For curious Travelers, the Better Business Bureau in Montana was of no help, nor did resort officials acknowledge a certified letter I sent them. If we had a "warning list," we'd definitely list this property.


Kurt, I just read your St. Mary Lodge story. Yikes! It's interesting: We also booked late, about two weeks before our trip, because the trip itself came up fairly unexpectedly. I theorize that these organizations hold the rooms in need of repair to book last, perhaps knowing that they should not be booked at all. No one should have stayed in the room you received or in the cabin with which we found ourselves. Word to the wise: When booking late, we need to ask a lot of questions—many of which the booking agent may not be able to answer. Caveat emptor!


Pkranger,
Thanks for the info. I wish I had talked to you that day! I will try to remember it the next time we come down from Mt. Scott at the "wrong" time of day.
In any event, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we did not worry about a few bad calories after a few miles on those steep trails.


Cafeteria at Yosemite Lodge at the falls...Biscuits and gravey...had ice crystals in the middle of the biscuits, luke warm gravey, they were to busy at 7am to heat or replace. I was hungary and ate the breakfast. Two hours later I was SICK, SICK.
Spent the next two days in hotel room never venturing too far from the head. Delaware North was the concessionaire. Over four years the food and rooms get more expensive and quality goes down. I highly recommend OAKHURST, CA. for your food needs.


The worst experience was at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The menu said fresh garden peas along with my "homemade meatloaf". The peas came straight from a can. Plus the "manager" said we do not serve canned peas. I said sonny I've been eating canned peas long before you were born. He just walked away.

However the BEST food at a National Park IS at the Mesa Verde resturant. Fantastic is not good enough to describe it. Eating here got me loving the dishes so much . That was before we moved on to the North Rim and disaster.


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