The 'free lunch' at the Parador.

[Meshewszon]

For those lucky enough to get the free ticket to the Parador....
It’s a nice meal but my experience today made me wish I had not made the effort.
Staff there today treated us as though we were hardly worth bothering with.
Oh, it's pilgrims...serve and ignore.
Food was OK but would have been nice to have been treated as a human being.
Spoiled it rather.
Of course it's your decision whether you try for it.

 

[Anniesantiago]

For those lucky enough to get the free ticket to the Parador....
It’s a nice meal but my experience today made me wish I had not made the effort.
Staff there today treated us as though we were hardly worth bothering with.
Oh, it's pilgrims...serve and ignore.
Food was OK but would have been nice to have been treated as a human being.
Spoiled it rather.
Of course it's your decision whether you try for it.

The "free" lunch, I believe, is intended for those pilgrims who may not be able to afford to feed themselves.
If I were one of those, I'd be so happy to get a good meal, and maybe not be so invested in being catered to emotionally.
But that's me.

 

[Icacos]

Oh dear. There are lessons in humility for all of us all the time. I am just grateful that when those lessons come my way that I am among friends. We are all friends here on the forum. Bless us all.

 

[Meshewszon]

The "free" lunch, I believe, is intended for those pilgrims who may not be able to afford to feed themselves.
If I were one of those, I'd be so happy to get a good meal, and maybe not be so invested in being catered to emotionally.
But that's me.

Not a case of 'emotionally catered to' but being served and and ignored.
Perhaps you might be happy with being ignored as a person but I suppose that might suit you. In this day and age such behaviour from staff of a 5* establishment needs to be called out.
In case you are not aware the 'free ticket' is for the first 10 pilgrims at the 'starting gate' and pilgrims start queing more than half an hour before the PO opens.
Are you suggesting this should be ended as I haven't seen any starving pilgrims so far? What do you propose then?
The hungry get up at the crack of dawn? To be first in que? Means testing?
It’s not the concept of the 'free meal' and to whom it might be given I protest but rather the manner in which it was served. Perhaps I should just ignore all further posts? Will that suit you? Being ignored? Go on then. respond if it makes you feel righteous, to call me out. In which case I wish you joy of your opinions.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

staff of a 5* establishment needs to be called out

So you're complaining about service and 'calling out' an organization who gave you a free meal and has generously given free meals for decades/centuries??? You must be really hard on people when you're paying for the food and service... Wow, I'm thinking you might have missed the whole point of going on Pilgrimage but maybe that's just me.

 

[Former member 38395]

There is nothing wrong with OP wanting to be ‘treated as a human being’.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Parador has not existed for 'centuries'. Quit your BS and do something meaning full.

The building (and tradition of giving free meals to Pilgrims) goes back to 1499. The Parador was just kind enough to carry on this tradition. Now, I will take my leave from this conversation. Good day.

 

[Telboyo]

They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, I think the OP has discovered this for him self, he made a comment about his "free" lunch and is now in the grief seat for it.

 

[SabsP]

So you're complaining about service and 'calling out' an organization who gave you a free meal and has generously given free meals for decades/centuries??? You must be really hard on people when you're paying for the food and service... Wow, I'm thinking you might have missed the whole point of going on Pilgrimage but maybe that's just me.

I kow what you mean but the Paradores are hardly a charity organisation.
They make big money.

And friendliness does not cost anything. No reason they should behave in such a snotty way.

 

[ivar]

I have deleted a few posts in this thread that did not really add to the conversation..

 

[Deleted member 67185]

@jozero
Are you hungry tonight? Where's your next meal coming from?
What are you doing to feed the hungry?
I know what I'm doing about it. Step up and make a public pledge then.

I find it difficult to understand your reaction to receiving a complimentary meal as a non-customer. I don't doubt your observations, but your reactions seem out of balance with the essence of what the meal is about. After all, the staff may have been rushed to deal with the paying Parador guests. Didn't the interactions at the table with other pilgrims form the main focus of fellowship?

BTW, since it appears that volunteer service to those in poverty is required for a reply, I have spent the equivalent of 5 years during my life in Africa and SE Asia working on clean water projects and emergency refugee relocation projects and OB care. Having seen the horrid poverty and deprivations, I don't think I'd view the meal in the same manner that you expressed.

 

[TSchulen]

Not a case of 'emotionally catered to' but being served and and ignored.
Perhaps you might be happy with being ignored as a person but I suppose that might suit you. In this day and age such behaviour from staff of a 5* establishment needs to be called out.

Just curious - Would you have felt the same if you were being served in a soup kitchen staffed by volunteers, or was it the fact that it was a five star retaurant? Either way, no reason not to treat patrons with respect

 

[Meshewszon]

Oh, davebugg, I am heartbroken you missed the point of my post.
Please accepted my apologies for any mis understanding. I cared for the sick and injured. Mea culpea.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I kow what you mean but the Paradores are hardly a charity organisation.
They make big money.

And friendliness does not cost anything. No reason they should behave in such a snotty way.

Sabine, they DO make good money, but they ARE doing this as charity, at least that's what I understand to be true. And while I agree that friendliness doesn't cost anything, I have to wonder what was in the mind of the server and if perhaps they were judging the OP's need, whether fairly or not.

I stayed in an albergue once where all we pilgrims were FREEZING. The closet was full of blankets, and yet the PRIEST refused to turn on the heat or hand out blankets, feeling it was necessary for pilgrims to suffer. When I tried using the kitchen he followed me 3 feet behind and acted as though I was going to steal. Some people are just funny that way.

Anyway, I just don't feel one who is getting something for FREE should complain, but rather accept it graciously.

 

[ivar]

Closing this thread since we are getting nowhere here...