An absolute disgrace and completely contradicts your own published policy
An absolute disgrace and completely contradicts your own published policy
I am absolutely appalled by our experience at 20 Stories Manchester yesterday.
My son had a confirmed 7pm restaurant reservation for two people, booked in advance with a credit card provided. This was for a birthday celebration, and we had travelled over an hour to get there.
When I dropped him off, the doorman refused to let him enter and told him he needed ID. I contacted Paolo from the restaurant and explained that this was a restaurant reservation NOT a bar reservation. I was told the ID requirement was for the bar.
I have since checked 20 Stories’ own official website, and this is where the situation becomes even more unacceptable.
Your FAQ clearly states:
“Children are allowed in the main dining area at any time but will have to leave the bar area by 6pm.” (20 Stories)
So please explain how a customer with a 7pm restaurant reservation could be refused entry because of an alleged age restriction?
The published policy actually says the complete opposite. It specifically distinguishes between the main dining area and the bar area, and states that children are permitted in the restaurant at any time.
My son was there to eat in the restaurant, not drink in the bar.
There was then an absolutely ridiculous amount of back-and-forth between myself, my son and the doorman. The attitude was rude, dismissive and completely unhelpful. Nobody seemed interested in resolving the issue or acknowledging that we had a legitimate restaurant reservation.
We had travelled over an hour for this booking. It was a birthday celebration. Instead of enjoying the evening, my son was left standing outside with nowhere to go, after being refused entry to a restaurant that, according to your own website, allows children in the main dining area at any time.
This wasn’t simply poor customer service. It was completely unacceptable and entirely avoidable.
If your own website says children are allowed in the main dining area at any time, then your door staff should know and follow that policy.
If there is some additional age restriction that overrides your published FAQ, then why isn’t it clearly communicated when making a restaurant booking?
You accepted the booking. You took the card details. You knew the booking was for the restaurant. Your own website says children are permitted in the main dining area at any time.
So why was my son refused entry?
The whole birthday evening was ruined because of what appears to be a complete failure of communication between your reservations team and your door staff.
For a restaurant that presents itself as a high-end venue, this level of customer service is frankly embarrassing.
I would strongly suggest that management urgently reviews its door policy, trains its staff properly and ensures that customers are not treated in this way again.
Absolutely unacceptable. We will never return.