Planet Hollywood in NYC - BAD Choice for a Large Group
Written: Jun 04 '01
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Pros: One waiter tried to be helpful, Location
Cons: Expensive, no flexibility, food less than appetizing
The Bottom Line: With a large group in NYC you'd be happier in line at one of the hotdog and pretzel carts. The food would be much better, too.
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| KateTPZ's Full Review: Planet Hollywood |
My son's theatre group and assorted teachers and family members recently ventured to New York City to experience Broadway theatre, take some classes, and see the sights. It was an adventure and a good experience for many of these young people who, like my ten-year old, have dreams of performing on Broadway. But the trip was not without mishaps and bad experiences, and dinner our first night in New York at Planet Hollywood in Times Square (45th and Broadway) was among the worst.
There were forty-four in our group, mostly kids between the ages of eight and seventeen, and the staff decided before we even left North Carolina that a group dinner our first night would be a good way to make sure everyone was acclimated, everyone knew what to expect, and that everyone would get a good meal and make it to the theatre on time. Planet Hollywood, which was just across the street from our hotel, was able to accommodate our group, but there were some restrictions.
The menu selections for our group were limited to four choices - a chicken caesar salad, pasta, a grilled chicken sandwich, and a bacon-cheddar burger. All meals would include appetizers (chicken crunchies and mozzarella sticks) and desert (a small brownie with whipped cream) and soft-drinks, and the cost would be $25 per person. Although the cost and the selections made some in our group unhappy, an agreement had been signed, menu pages had been faxed, and everyone went along.
About Those Choices
We filled out our menu choices on the bus from the airport to the hotel so that Planet Hollywood would be able to serve us quickly. We noted special requests on the menus and the forms were turned over to the restaurant upon our arrival at the hotel. It's probably not surprising that some of the children had trouble with the limited menu. One child, for example, doesn't eat cheese. The only selection that interested him was the burger, but he would not eat it with cheese. Another child simply wanted a plain burger - no cheese, no bacon, no veggies.
Special requests, we were told when we were seated at Planet Hollywood, could not be honored because of the size of the group. Tears flowed (did I mention that some of these kids are young?), tempers flared, and frustration overcame the group. One waiter took pity upon one table of us and provided a plain burger and one without cheese, although it was obvious that his supervisor did not approve.
About The Food
The Bacon-cheddar burger was overcooked, almost to the texture of shoe leather. When one group member complained, the kindly waiter brought another, less cooked, burger for him. Folks at the other tables were not so fortunate, however.
The pasta was a small dish of cold "pencil-points" with a marinara sauce that was devoid of flavor. Those who had ordered that were among the most disappointed in the group.
The Chicken Caesar Salad provided the entertainment for the meal. A solitary strip of grilled chicken was almost lost in a large bowl of lettuce. There were other vegetables in the salad, if one looked closely enough, but overall it was the most expensive bowl of lettuce most of us have ever seen.
No one in the group ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, so I have no idea if it was as disappointing as the other choices.
The appetizers were good, and hot, although the quantity was lacking. All tables received the same size plate of appetizers, whether it held six people or twelve, and additional appetizers were not available as part of the large group arrangement. Soft-drinks at a few of the tables were kept filled, while at most tables they were not.
About The Experience
The wait staff was hurried and rude, with the exception of one waiter who really tried to make his table happy. Although we had a reservation and arrangements had been made in advance for our party, we waited 30 minutes before being taken to our tables. The walk to our tables was up four flights of stairs, which the hostess had not told us and which caused one group member to have an asthma attack. Fortunately there is an elevator so the return to the ground floor was easier for him.
Planet Hollywood is loud! Television monitors were located throughout the dinning room while tenny-bopper tunes were played loudly. Most of the kids enjoyed the atmosphere, but most of the adults did not. After a long day of travel, complete with flight changes and delays, Planet Hollywood did not provide the relief from chaos that had been hoped for.
Kate's Recommendation
I will avoid Planet Hollywood, regardless of location. And I would advise any large group visiting New York City to completely avoid Planet Hollywood or at the very least avoid the "group special" that is offered. It's a waste of money and both the food and the service are poor. We would have been much happier with a slice of pizza from one of the area pizza shops or a hotdog from any of the vendors.
Recommended:
No
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Don't agree to a "group special" - there's NO flexibility and the food will be neither hot nor good. They've got the space to handle a large crowd but fall far short in both food quality and service.
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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Epinions.com ID:
KateTPZ
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Kate
Location: North Carolina
Reviews written: 126
Trusted by: 80 members
About Me:
40-something Mom of two great kids and aspiring author in my "spare" time.
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