~the stage deli~

While on the bus a guy recommended a deli he frequents so we thought we’d give it a try. Horrible choice. The Stage Delicatessen had the worst service I have ever experienced. Correction, that any of us have ever experienced. First off the prices were ridiculous. I get we were in NYC and things tend to cost a bit more but this was crazy. We figured since we heard it was the best and we were there that we’d try it out.

After joking with the waitress about Fanta (she wasn’t aware there isn’t just one flavor) Lance ordered a Coke. The waitress never brought it. We were dumbfounded how she could have forgotten it after all the talk of soda! #2 asked for a pitcher of water since the cups were tiny and he needed to hydrate. She said they didn’t have any. How is that possible? Then she barely ever refilled our tiny water glasses.

She watched us as she ate her lunch at the table behind ours. Odd. Why are you on a break when you have customers? Lance and I split, Dacey and #1 split, and #2 didn’t eat. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich. 10 minutes later the waitress came back and asked if I’d like a pastrami sandwich instead because she put in the wrong order. How about NO! Out comes Dacey and #1’s roast beef sandwich. Just a huge hunk of cold roast beef on bread. Nothing on it. They were disappointed and didn’t even eat it all.

Our sandwich was quite large and was filling for the both of us. It was in fact pretty tasty as well. However, I found two chicken bones in my food. I called the waitress over. I explained I found bones in my chicken salad. She first said it must be bacon. I told her I know what bones look like and I didn’t have any bacon. Then she said…wait for it…”It must be from the chicken.” NO DUH! I agreed that obviously it was from the chicken but it shouldn’t be in my food. Then she made up some excuse that it is normal when the chicken is being ground up to have bones get mixed in and walked away. No it isn’t. WOW! No apologies. No “I’ll make you another.” No “Your meal is complimentary.” Nothing. (I always order chicken when I go out. I’ve had bones in my meals several times. I get it, it happens. Chickens have bones! The restaurants ALWAYS make it up to me and apologize though.)


My large half of the sandwich.

Out comes our bill. Lance’s Coke he never received was on it. He called her over and asked for it to be removed since she never brought it. She rolled her eyes and walked away. Didn’t apologize for that either. Our total for 1 bone filled sandwich was $21!! The nasty roast beef was just a little cheaper. We asked if she could split the bill but she said she couldn’t. I hate it when places don’t split. She was hovering while we were dividing up the bill and asked a couple times if we were ready to pay. Back off! Why be so attentive now? Do you think we were going to bail? Because we didn’t have smaller bills and weren’t waiting around for change once she snatched up our cash, she ended up with less than a 30 cent tip between the 5 of us. We wished she wouldn’t have gotten anything.

We did spot an actor eating there though. Robert Klein. I recognized him as he walked in. He played Sandra Bullock’s dad in the movie, “Two Weeks Notice”.