by Richard Centrella
(Crystal River, Florida)
Best Customer Service . . .
My wife's mother had died two weeks earlier, and I wanted to take my wife somewhere special to lift her spirits a little.
One of the best restaurants in our area is the Izaac Walton restaurant and hotel. This was my first time going to this restaurant, and I didn't know if a reservation was needed.
I called the Friday before Mother's Day, and asked for a dinner reservation, and a room for Saturday night.
Unfortunately, I was told the restaurant was all booked, and all the rooms were taken, except one room on the upper floor, that was being renovated.
I explained the situation about my mother-in-law, and asked if they could do anything to help me.
The person I spoke to, Gloria, asked me to hold for a minute. When she came back to the phone, she told me that the restaurant opened at 6:00 p.m., and if I showed up just before 6:00 p.m., we would be seated at a table.
Also, renovations were not started yet on the room, and the manager agreed to wait until Monday before renovations, so I could have the room for Saturday night.
The room had a magnificent view overlooking the river.
When we got to the restaurant, we received a table overlooking the gardens with the river in the foreground. Because we were the first people to be seated, we received outstanding service.
The food was some of the best we have ever eaten, and my wife left feeling better than she had since her mother's death.