Carrabba's Willow Grove

I decided to take my girlfriend to Carrabba’s for a birthday dinner. Now I have beenI went to the Carrabba’s on Maryland Rd. in Willow Grove. We walk in and the hostess seats us and all. Then the hostess comes over and takes drink orders. I figured the waitress was busy and the hostess covered for her, which is understandable. Then our waitress finally comes and gives us settings and tells us our bread will be out shortly. Two other families get seated at our waitress' tables. They all get bread and settings before she even takes our order. So we're waiting and waiting and she finally comes and take our orders. I order the Sirloin Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes and Pasta Fagiolo soup as a side. My girlfriend ordered the chicken parm. with spaghetti on the side. A few minutes pass by and another waitress brings out my soup, still no bread. That's when I said, "No bread?, no tip." I was craving baked italian bread with olive oil. My soup began to taste like it. I'm eating my soup and my poor girlfriend watched and starved. I offered her some but she doesn't like beans. She said, "It would be nice if we had some bread." All the other tables with large families got served bread (I guess they would tip better). I finish my soup and our meals come out. The food was delicious and very warm. My girlfriend finished her drink and I started the clock, (yes, that's how shitty this waitress was). I strategically placed the empty glass where the waitress would trip over it. I gave my soda to my girlfriend, that's how bad it got. The waitress was too busy singing happy birthday and serving dessert to the other tables that would bring in more tip revenue, rather than worrying about out drinks. It took her 8 minutes to finally acknowledge we needed drinks. She noticed the empty glass before she tripped over it and said "Oh, did you guys wants refills." Of course I want a refill dingbat, my mouths on friggin' fire. The entire time we ate she didn't even ask how the food was. The check came and the bill was like $45. I pulled out my sharpie and wrote on a dollar bill, "Bread." I gave her four dollars. I still think I overtipped. My girlfriend, of all people, asked why I gave so much. I was a victim of pre-judgement and I knew it. She saw a young couple and thought she wouldn't get any tip. I usually tip 20+ percent at any restaurant, but when I get service like that, I don't tip at all. I was about to give the hostess the tip, he served me better than the waitress did.

Other than the service, the food was excellent as always. The sirloin marsala was to die for. The garlic mashed potatoes were excellent, as well as the soup. I love Carrabba’s food, but now I fear going back and getting the same service and having my food contaminated with mucus because of the tip I left. The service is usually outstanding. Just because she thought she was getting a bad tip, is no excuse for bad service. You treat every customer with the same level of respect. My money isn't purple. She'll learn.