Bad service, UK

This post has nothing to do with academia, except to the extent that I was engaged in academic matters in each situation described. It's just a post where I want to get something off my chest, but I'll try not to do this too often... maybe a separate website is needed (unless I find that someone has already created a relevant site).

Why is the service culture in the UK still so poor? There's no doubt it's improved beyond measure over the past decade or two, and is better than in many of our EU neighbours, but compared to many parts of the US - my benchmark - we still just don't get it. Here are my gripes from this week alone. I'm writing this in the hope, probably vain, that other Brits (or visitors) will either feel inspired to complain or act with their feet about these and other annoyances visited upon consumers in this country.

Saturday 27th June. Starbucks, Stratford, East London. In most coffee houses, including this particular place normally, when you order hot food they bring it to your table. Indeed, many places give you a little flag to take to your table, so that the waiter/waitress can identify where food needs to be delivered. Last Saturday, no chance - my food was left at the counter to go cold. Why create an expectation through your usual practice (table service) and then fail to see it through on one specific occasion?

Wednesday 1st July. Penderel's Oak pub in High Holborn, London - a branch of the Wetherspoons chain. Myself and others arrived early to see the scientist/journalist Ben Goldacre speak at a public event downstairs. Being early, we decided to order food (burgers). We waited 50 minutes before complaining and demanding our money back. By then, the downstairs area was full and so we left without seeing what we had come for.

Thursday 2nd July. 5th floor bar, Waterstones bookshop, Piccadilly, London. An otherwise pleasant visit was spoiled when a waitress came up just after I'd finished eating, and informed me that my window seat - to which I had been ushered - had been reserved for other people who had just arrived early. I pointed out that there had been no reservation notice at the table, and the waitress apologised, telling me that her colleague had neglected to do this. She then told me that I could stay at the table if I wanted to, so I told her I did want to - and stayed, but feeling less happy than I had been previously. Why not either offer me a free drink if I move, or apologise to the other party and offer them free drinks, but without bothering me? Useless, clueless service, that I thought London in particular had moved beyond.

London Underground - tonight, 3rd/4th July. I was late travelling back from Clerkenwell, and getting close to last Tube time. I hopped off at Liverpool Street, expecting that I would be able to catch a mainline train, although I noticed that the tubes were delayed on the line I was leaving, and there was still another train to come. At Liverpool Street there were no mainline trains, so I dashed back to the underground, only to have a functionary tell me there were no more tube trains. I told him I'd just come from the platform and so knew there was one more train. He asked me "You mean the Hammersmith train?" and I said "yes", upon which he let me through -- the fact that he referred to a specific trainline meant that his previous statement was a lie. I was in too much of a rush to challenge him.

I got off the tube at West Ham, where normally you can change for the Stratford tube train. However, all the entrances to the platform had been cordoned off, indicating that the last tube had gone. As I stepped out into the street, however, the Stratford train appeared at the platform that I would have gone to, and then departed. I then spent £10 on a taxi. Another case of the underground staff acting in their own interests rather than those of the customer.

This persistent strain of customer neglect/abuse in the UK makes me sick. We should all complain more. Visitors beware.