Hey I need some help in DC - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 02-21-2006, 08:26 PM

I have a family member not enjoying a stay at Walter Reed due to being wounded in Iraq. The only thing he is complaining about is the food, despite many beliefs he is a well rounded well educated person that is in the military. I have contacted Ruth's and to be honest the manager is a friggin a-hole and won't even help me line up a taxi to get the food there.

Can anyone line me up with a good steak house that will deliver some food? Of course I will pay a premium..

PC Dave · #2 02-21-2006, 08:44 PM

Try these services:

http://www.alacart.com/cgi-bin/index.pl

http://www.takeouttaxi.com/States/DC.html

I've also eaten at the Smith & Wollensky in D.C., excellent food. Doubt they deliver, but the manager might work with you when he hears the story:

http://www.smithandwollensky.com/LOC-WashingtonDC-Hours.asp

#3 02-21-2006, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PC Dave

Try these services:

http://www.alacart.com/cgi-bin/index.pl

http://www.takeouttaxi.com/States/DC.html

I've also eaten at the Smith & Wollensky in D.C., excellent food. Doubt they deliver, but the manager might work with you when he hears the story:

http://www.smithandwollensky.com/LOC-WashingtonDC-Hours.asp

Thanks, the manager of Ruth's was a non english speaking type that is going to meet me in a week and it ain't going to be pretty. I will try the links you provided when I am less pissed.

#4 02-21-2006, 09:48 PM

If I were a manager with a request like mine I would be delivering it myself. I guess it is a sad state of the times. The high end joints that benefit the most from other people efforts are the biggest pricks.

I am pricing an empty leg to DC so I can take an assload of prime steaks and lobsters to feed the troops. I'd rather be poor and feel like I'm doing something than a piss ant Ruth's manager.

iwrock · #5 02-21-2006, 10:50 PM

Aren't some people here in or around DC??? If they are, they could come out of the woodwork, and help deliver some food.

#6 02-22-2006, 08:49 AM

I got it covered, Ruth's is going to get a well deserved black eye though.

iwrock · #7 02-22-2006, 10:28 AM

Awesome. Glad you could find someone to help you out in your predicament.

Now, to make things right with Ruth's...

Carleton Hughes · #8 02-22-2006, 10:49 AM

***** such as this really pisses me off no end.

My wife works at the V.A.hospital nearby and many of the local merchants offer discounts to not only the patients but the staff as well.

I sometimes volunteer my time and services to help these guys out since,apart from the free medical care,and some other services they essentially get ugatz from the govt.

If I were down to Washington I would gladly straighten the Ruth's guy out for ya myself

#9 02-22-2006, 11:37 AM

It's really ironic that there is a ad for ruth's on the bottom of the page.

Poor customer service has become the norm, what the manager doesn't expect is that you are really going to come through the phone and meet with him. It would have been easier to comply with your simple request. All the guy had to do was call a taxi and make it happen. Five minutes of his precious time was all that would have been needed.

Vote with your wallet.

JMela · #10 02-22-2006, 11:41 AM

You might give a call to Ruth's corporate offices. PR flacks hate to see stories where they can be perceived as being 'anti-troop' like this blossom over the cybercrapper and subsequently leaked to the papers. Don't be furious, but profess to being 'concerned about how this might be interpreted'.

I predict prompt results -and gift certificates for all forum members!

GottaDiesel · #11 02-22-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Holmes III

It's really ironic that there is a ad for ruth's on the bottom of the page.

Poor customer service has become the norm, what the manager doesn't expect is that you are really going to come through the phone and meet with him. It would have been easier to comply with your simple request. All the guy had to do was call a taxi and make it happen. Five minutes of his precious time was all that would have been needed.

Vote with your wallet.

Vote with your wallet is the key. Until this Pella issue is resolved (see my sig.) I will not spend a penny in Lowe's -- it may not be their fault that Pella is junk, but they have the power to make it right for real. NOT the crap I'm being handed.

MTI · #12 02-22-2006, 01:35 PM

Had some nice dinners at Ray's the Steak in Arlington. (703) 841-7297 1725 Wilson Boulevard in a strip center. Maybe they have a delivery service provider.

MikeTangas · #13 02-22-2006, 05:27 PM

We might need to try to coordinate a bit. As it stands right now, I am still slated to be there for a day or two. Should be staying in Springfield, VA though, unkown how far that is from where you'll be, but I wouldn't mind going out and meeting your brother (if they have evening visiting hours). We'll see what we can work out this weekend, or at least study the feasibility.

#14 02-22-2006, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTangas

We might need to try to coordinate a bit. As it stands right now, I am still slated to be there for a day or two. Should be staying in Springfield, VA though, unkown how far that is from where you'll be, but I wouldn't mind going out and meeting your brother (if they have evening visiting hours). We'll see what we can work out this weekend, or at least study the feasibility.

hey that would be awesome, I'll give you a call.

MikeTangas · #15 03-02-2006, 09:32 PM

Mission accomplished!

The hardest part of the mission was convincing a restuarant that does not offer carryout to cook me a steak to go. Having never been to DC I had no idea of where the closest decent steak was in relation to Walter Reed Army Hospital. Fortunately for me I had eaten the night before in the Rosslyn area and looking at the map found that to be about 1/2 way via the gerbil tubes (the map lies).

The Orleans came through. I called to preorder, so the food would be ready to roll but was instantly shut down by the person who answered. We danced around a minute or two and I asked to speak with the manager. Explained the situation to him and we were good to go. I aksed him to start cooking in 15 minutes to time it close to my arrival. When I arrived I asked for the manager, he came to the front desk with the meal in hand. Due to his going out of his way to help me I was going to tip him well but to my surprise he refused to accept the tip.

Back into the gerbil tubes. As the crow flies, we were probably at the 1/2 point but via gerbil tubes it was a 45 minute trip, then a 1/2 mile hump to the Medical Center. Every minute of the trek was worth it. Even getting "talked to" by the Metro station manager because you aren't allowed to eat food on the trains and having a freshly grilled steak in a pie pan made it look like I was going to eat. Another explaination and all was good. The 1/2 mile hump was another story, thought I was gonna get jumped for the steak by a panhandler at one point. But the steak and I arrived intact, with the steak still palatably warm.

When I walked into this soldier's hospital room at first he was a little suspicious of me (I would be), but soon as I told him I'd heard he was hungry for some real food his eye's lit up and he broke into a big ass grin. I let him know I was a friend of his brother and and all was good. We talked a bit and eventually the talk turned to his injuries. Long story short, he'll be there for at least another month with a couple more surgeries then the real recovery begins. Due to the nature of the injury he was without a conventional cast, to promote healing and drainage, but his leg is contained in an erector set. His wound makes my gunshot wound look like a pinprick. When it was time to leave, he thanked me for the meal, I told him there was no thanks necessary as it was my honor to thank him for his service.

When I entered the hospital I had no idea what to expect. I had visions of hospital scenes from old WWII movies, plus my Dad's descriptions of the WWII field hospitals he was treated in, so I had that mental picture. Once inside I was awed by the care the wounded troops receive. Nowadays the wounded warriors get private rooms and a nursing staff that dote on them.

Don't believe everything your hear on the news, the volunteer army does have the drive. This young troop, although wounded and in obvious pain, told me he couldn't wait until he was healed enough to lace up his boots and get back to the fight.

I'm hoping for an extended TDY to DC. If he is out of the hospital and still Stateside when I get there I know a nice little Irish pub where they serve a 23 ounce Kilkenny Red. I'll be honored to buy him a beer.