OUTBREAK MISSION / OUTBREAK MANILA

Outbreak Mission/ Outbreak Manila
Event Organizer - Fun Run / Marathon
Date: 11-16-2013
Filinvest Area

ACCOMODATION: ☆☆☆☆☆
• The organizers were able to contain the crowd- though it took us some time to pass thru the first gate due to the long queue, still they manage to come up with a solution for the first wave to start.
• There is a bit of a delay during the initial wave but I believe anyone can understand - it was our first time and we are not even expecting that huge crowd.
• Medical staff are available throughout the course and they acted swiftly when one of our wavemates met an unfortunate accident (which is really inevitable, this is not your typical family fun run).
• The actors/actresses we met throughout the course were able to portray their characters very well (even better than your usual soap opera teen stars). The way the characters portrayed their role really made us use our brain (good thing we partnered up with intellectual individuals whom we just met there)
• The zombies did not spare anyone- and this made the event really fun and exciting.

LOCATION: ☆☆☆☆☆
• Whoever came up with this idea really did an excellent work. The event was one of a kind and the location itself really suits the program- very "zombiecalyptic"

VALUE FOR MONEY: ☆☆☆☆☆
• The fun that we had exceeded the amount that we paid for. You don't just get to make your muscles work but it really made us use our dura mater. Meeting amazing people on the way even made it more special- take that social media!

OVERALL RATING: ☆☆☆☆☆
• The fact that they were able to pull this off even before and continually doing this earned them a five stars. The uniqueness of the program itself made it stand out.

MCDONALD'S ATC

McDonalds ATC
Alabang Town Center, Alabang Muntinlupa
Date of Visit: Twice to thrice a week


ACCOMODATION: ☆☆☆☆☆
• To be honest, I'm amaze at how McCrew treats their customers. For me, they set the bar high for customer service for fast food chains. With my previous entry, I haven't encountered a McDonald's crew that didn't treat their customers right.
• The moment you're up on the counter- you'll be greeted with a warm smile, a generous warm smile that really comes from within.
• There are usually two crews at the counter to work on your order. I'm not sure if they just do this during peak hours.
• And what I love the most is that they take time to PROFILE their customers. This is what sets them apart, you don't have to ask the crew to help you out with your tons of orders. The moment that they see you needed help, they will not hesitate to offer a helping hand.
• They offer amazing customer service to senior citizens. They completely understand where you are coming from. This placed is packed with students and senior babies in the morning, you can ask yourself what keeps them coming back to this place.

LOCATION: ☆☆☆☆☆
• Situated right along Alabang-Zapote road, this place is a one accessible treat for anyone in a hurry. Bonus part is -its open 24/7.

FOOD: ☆☆☆☆☆
• Five stars for this category because they have McCafe.

OVERALL RATING: ☆☆☆☆☆
• Five stars for customer profiling and understanding the customer's needs

VIKINGS MOA

VIKINGS MOA
SM Mall of Asia - Pasay City
Date of visit: April 2014


ACCOMODATION: 🌟🌟
• I strongly suggest to call in for a reservation instead of you waiting in line to be seated - most especially if you are dining in with kids in tow.
• Having this said-ensure you come in at least 15 minutes prior to the time youbset with them - there is still a queue for those who already have their reservations.
• Staffs are usually at their food stations , you'd seldom see them interact with diners. They would usually pop-up to clean up used plates or to refill buffet trays.
• As how the other buffet restaurant goes - if one of youbis celebrating his/her birthday, you eat for free! 😊 you would only qualify if you come on the exact date of your birthday (Bring valid ID for proof) .
• And of course expect to have the staff perform at your table if you're celebrating your birthday- this I was able to experience first hand. There were 5 staff who sang for my friend, and not all of them mean what they sing- it seems like they are doing it just for the sake of doing it.

LOCATION: 🌟🌟
•Located at the far side of the mall; if you're using public transportation, I strongly suggest to bring an umbrella and wear sneakers. From the main entrance of the mall (drop off point for multi-cab and PUVs) prepare for the walk of your life. Don't worry the food is totally worth it.
•How the buffet tables are arranged is not that friendly for those who have trouble with directions. A map for the buffet tables is given as a place mat. I suggest to take note of a specific markings and use it as a point to go back to your table (I totally don't have any sense of direction and this helped me alot)

FOOD: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
• Two words: TOTALLY AWESOME!!!
• Few buffet establishments offers unlimited drinks. Vikinga totally nailed it. From the traditional Pinoy Gulaman to draft beer to red wines, they have it. Fruit shakes are undeniably sumptuous!!!
• The fact that they offer wide choices of treats and delights is the main reason they earned their five star award for this category. And when I say wide- I'm talking about east to west options 😆

OVERALL RATING: 🌟🌟🌟
•The establishment may not have the star factor on customer service but they did great when it comes to their servings ☺

Isdaan

Isdaan Restaurant

Type of Establishment: Food Services

Address: Bae, Laguna Philippines

Date of Visit: May 2014

Accommodation:

Ratings: -2

·         Please note that you have to call in for reservations for you not to wait in the scorching heat most especially during summer and by waiting I mean you can already finish 4 levels in candy crush and harvested your crops in Hay Day.

·         We are traveling with a PWD and this I have to warn you – THIS IS NOT A PWD FRIENDLY ESTABLISHMENT.  They do not have ramps or a special place for person with PWD. They have a place that doesn’t need a ramp for wheelchairs but then the spot is already taken so we either have to wait or look for some place to eat or lift the wheelchair on to the stairs.

·         Left with no choice and lapse of judgment due to the scorching heat of the sun – we then decided to stick with the place and maybe things will get better with the food and services of the staff (much to my dismay which will then be discussed in the succeeding topics). Unfortunately for us, wheelchairs cannot be pushed onto the bamboo bridges and pathway (there was a sign that toys with wheels are not allowed and this includes wheelchairs) Now I am starting to think what the hell they are thinking. 

·         At a first glance one would thought that the restaurant theme is “pinoy” but then you would see a Buddha with a body of a mermaid, then statues of different Disney cartoons and whole lot more that made me wonder if they are throwing all themes in one place.

t    The Pond itself is a growing dismay - I'm not a vet but I don't think that too much green in the pond is healthy for the fishes - correct me if I'm wrong.

·         There are performers in costumes and plain clothes which would go table to table (or cottage to cottage) that will perform for those who are dining in. PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT YOU CAN SAY NO TO them otherwise they will start performing and you are semi-required to hand in a PhP20 as a tip. Note that this amount is actually printed on their table that’s why I mentioned it is semi-required. 

·         The only good thing that happened during our visit is that they give away free balloons and loot bags for kids

·         THE PLACE DOES NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS (see picture as a reference- zoom in on the menu) luckily for us we have enough cash to pay for the lunch of 14 heads. 

STAFF:

Ratings: -2

·         Sadly enough that the place is not PWD friendly and they don’t have ramps, the least the staff could do is to help us carry the wheelchair since it is not allowed to be pushed on to the bamboo path. Needless to say – the staff just looked at us and did nothing. \

·         What made things worse is that one of the receptionist suggested they have a spot with just a few plight of stairs – I did asked how many and she sheepishly said 7 steps. It made me wonder what the definition of few for her is.

·         It took us a long time to find our table and a few more minutes before our order was taken – ok I would understand if it’s rush hour or they have tons of guest but we came in past lunch time and doesn’t have much of a guest that time. 

·         None of the staff even bothered to neither check on us for the food nor if we are all set for the orders, not even check on us from time to time if we needed something. Lucky for us we sat near the reception area and we always call their attention once we need something. 

·         There was a signage that says once the bill arrives; a calculator and a copy of the bill will be provided to ensure correct billing (see picture for reference), NONE OF THIS HAPPENED. We were not even able to see the exact bill for the waitress was just reading off what we ordered. 

·         From the time we arrived up until we left the place – none of the employees helped us with our Grandma who’s in a wheelchair.

FOOD:

Ratings: 1

·         There is nothing usual about the food that was served. Due to financial constraints (since they don’t accept credit card we have to ensure that what we order is just enough for the money we have on hand) 

·         We ordered the usual Filipino food and there was no impact or “wow” factor into it. If asked to compare with home cooking – I would still get excited over my mom’s pork ribs.  I can’t find the taste that will make me go back and that will make me recommend the place to my friends or any balikbayan for that matter

VALUE FOR MONEY

Ratings: 1

·         Having said those – I don’t think we got the value we paid for. For 14 heads, we ordered sinigang na hipon, sinigang na baboy, two rice, two whole roasted chicken, buko juice, melon juice and iced tea – it all summed up to more than PHP4,000 (roughly more than $100) and this my friend is totally not worth it. I felt that I paid for the place itself more than the service and the food itself

·         There was a Mickey Mouse mascot that came over to our table, my three year old nephew is with us and of course our nephew took fancy of him, four pictures taken with him then we handed off his tip. His character looks like Mickey Mouse went around the world in two days and currently having a jetlag – see pictures for reference.

·         I have included a picture of the menu as well as the food prices for you to judge if you will get any value for your money

OVERALL RATING:  1 

Majika Island Resort

Majika Island Resort
Coron, Palawan Philippines

Date of Visit: June 2013

A 20-30 minute boat ride from the main Island of Coron - Majika offers you a breath taking view of a paradise and joys of simple island living.


Accommodation:
Ratings: ★★★★★  

 - The moment we were picked up at the airport, we are politely welcomed by the driver and their chauffeur. On the way to the jetty port which took us like an hour land trip - we are being educated of how the tourism goes in the area. Their boatmen was also nice and courteous to help us with our luggage and warned us of bugs that strive in the mangrove that will keep us itchy for days.

- When we arrived at the island we are welcomed by their lead receptionist and two lovely native dogs (ok I might be a little biased here since I really love dogs). There's a welcome sign for our group and a snack on the table. We were ushered in to our room and to be honest it is really spacious and big enough for a group of four. We were given ample time to settle our things before the introductory of the activities for the rest of our stay.

- The place is what you really need to get out of a busy city life. The cottage we are in is so simple yet spacious. The beach front is underdeveloped hence the more appreciation we had for mother nature, it was not designed to be commercialized thus it really gives you nature as it is. The electric supply comes from a generator thus explaining the rotating electricity usage - this is a separate island thus we are already expecting it right from the start. We keep on loosing mobile phone signal on the island - but who cares, we are there to enjoy the beauty of nature as it is.

Staff: 
Ratings: ★★★★★

- From the boatmen up until the owner they are downright friendly. The owner herself even sat with us on the table during dinner to ensure we are doing fine and enjoying our stay. There was a tour that would lead us back to the main city for us to buy tokens and souvenirs but apparently we left our all of our money back in the resort island - the owner graciously allowed us to pick items from her souvenir store and pay her once we are back in the island, this is what we call customer service with understanding.

- The tour guide not only ensured our safety but he is really accommodating and knowledgeable of the places we went to. One diving spot that is part of the tour is swarmed with jelly fish and he immediately came up with an alternative place so as not to spoil our day. He is a local resident that is not just concerned with the environment but knows well how to take good care of those who wishes to enjoy their beautiful home.


Food:
Ratings: ★★★★★

-  The food was greatly sumptuous and mouth watering, needless to say the servings are even fully loaded. And when I say fully loaded - I'm talking about four hungry corporate fellows who can eat in a buffet all day and not get full. We never got hungry nor asked for more because there is really more than enough for everyone. Their cook even made a dish out of the jellyfish we brought from one of the tours. There is also an unlimited supply of coffee and native tea available 24/7 in the dining area.


OVERALL RATING FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE:  ★★★★★