Bowling – Black Oak Casino (a complaint)
I just sent the following to Black Oak Casino about whoever the security guard was on the entertainment level today (2009-06-10) at noon – or their policies, if they are in fact policies.
I find it truly offensive that I cannot bring four children with me to go bowling at noon on a weekday without being told that the bottled waters we brought with us are “not allowed” within the casino. All FOUR of the children with me (aged from 4 to 12) couldn’t help but spend the entire drive home commenting on the TWO older women that walked into the casino in front of us, one of them went to the entertainment floor RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. BOTH of these older women were carrying very large coffees that were very clearly not from the casino. And we were singled out because…just guessing, but it’s probably because I only intended to spend another $40 down at the bowling alley (like I did last week when, coincidentally, nobody told us to leave when we brought our bottled waters into the bowling alley).
Also coincidentally, nobody told us that we couldn’t have our bottled waters with us when we spent $70 at the Cafe last week, or when we took our bottled waters to The Mill a week and a half ago.
If it is truly your policy to forbid all “outside drinks” from your casino, restaurants and entertainment floor, then you’ve got dozens of guards and staff that don’t care a piddlers damn about your policies – and have rightly accepted the business they were offered even if that “enemy” that is the customer (me!) chose to be so downright disrespectful as to bring bottled water into your casino. I also find it interesting that nowhere does it say that outside food or drinks are forbidden.
Don’t worry, though, you won’t have to worry about us bringing our bottled waters – or our money – back to the casino again. Ever.
I’ve thought about this quite a bit anyway, since you seem to be at odds with anything and everything that was ever good at your restaurants, but frankly, I don’t really see it as a loss. Maybe if your food wasn’t changing every week specifically to eliminate anything remotely appetizing (mozzarella wedges, cheddar pintz, mozzarella sticks, sorbets and well over a dozen different types of sandwiches), or if your staff had an ounce of customer service training, we might reconsider. But frankly, the $2k/year I spend there on food and entertainment is probably better off spent…well gosh, just about anywhere else in Tuolumne county. I hope you eventually realize that in this economy you should not be so pedantic about things like this. Those businesses that will survive are going to be those that actually care for their visitors and encourage them to visit even if it’s only to spend a mere $40 bowling.
Tomorrow we’ll be going to Sonora Family Bowl.
I used to love to eat at Black Oak Casino — all the restaurants were good. I don't know what happened but the last few times I've been there the food isn't very good at all.They used to have the best honey mustard dip but that's changed. I loved their grilled sour dough turkey sandwiches in the restaurant downstairs but they don't make them any more. Ditto for the cheddar pints and motzarella sticks. I hardly bother going any more. There is hardly anything left to enjoy.
I am a former employee of Black Oak Casino, I left the Casino about 3 years ago and it was policy then that there was no outside food or drink allowed inside the casino. A lot of folks tend to walk inside with bottles of water that were either provided by their transportation service, ie tour busses, I would remind those folks that their beverages were not allowed inside the casino. I am sorry that others have laxed on the policy but the security guard was trying to enforce a rule that has been with the Casino since its little days. He may have been a newbie as well. Also I want to tell you that they have a great customer service training program. I know the people in the training dept well and spent the several days in their program. I have been in and have worked in a few casinos since then and have yet to get the same customer service that I got at Black Oak. And before you shoot me down and say I am a spokes person for the Casino. At one time I felt the same way you did, I actually got treated a lot worse than you did. But that is another story.
I adore Black Oak casino … always the highest reguard and respect from the smiling employees …I am sorry you feel this way but it's a known fact theatres ,casino's and such have beverages avail at all times and do not allowed us to bring them in, usually they are free of charge inside the casino for adults. I think you might give them another chance as your missing out on fun for you and the kids due to hurt feelings, …I drive from San Jose that's how much I love Black Oak.