Wahlburgers Sydney

 Hi there

above:  the path leading up to the Sydney Opera House.  Restaurants, including Wahlburgers are on the right.

When I was in Sydney a few years back, I went to the USA-born restaurant chain Whalburgers on Circular Quay, and ordered an apple sundae.  My goodness, it was the best sundae ever!  

I did have a fraction of trouble ordering that sundae because it was one of those restaurants where there is a phone bar code on each customer table.  The gentleman behind the bar counter couldn't quite understand that I wanted to order my sundae without ordering it through the bar code, that my older phone couldn't do the action.  Eventually, however, everything was ok and I've raved about that apple sundae ever since.

Before I went to Las Vegas in 2024 I read the online Wahlburgers menu.  No apple sundae on it.  I was devastated.  

When I went to Sydney last year, I rushed to Wahlburgers down on Circular Quay (it is just before the Opera House).  Aha! - apple sundae was on the menu.

By this time my old phone was completely useless.  Australia had already changed to 4G and me, being the most lazy person ever, was waiting until the last moment to buy the new model.

 So, I went inside to verbally order my sundae.

"I'm sorry?".  The guy at the counter looked puzzled.

"I want an apple sundae please," I repeated.

"You have to sit down and order it through the phone code."

"I don't have a phone," I said. "I'll pay with a card."

"You have to sit down - "

"Will the server come to me?" I asked.

"Um... Yes?"

I sat down at an outside table.  There was a beautiful view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

I waited.

And waited.

I called out to a passing server, "May I order please?"

He indicated the phone bar code on the table.  "You have to order through that."

"My phone isn't working," I said. 

"Um....  I'll see what you'll have to do."  And he was gone

I waited for something to happen.

And I waited.  And waited.

I accosted another server.  "You have to order through this."  He pointed to the bar code on the table.

"Yes, I know that, but my phone isn't working."

"What do you want to order?" he asked.

"An apple sundae," I said.  Hooray, everything was going to work out.

"I'll see what I can do."

I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I accosted another server.  "Please, please, please can I have the apple sundae I ordered well over half an hour ago."

"I'll see what I can do."

I waited a long time. I accosted another server.  "Where's my apple sundae?" I said.

I waited some more.

"I want my apple sundae!!!"

It finally arrived.  It wasn't ice cream.  It was completely liquid.  It was like drinking warm milk.

Now, the kitchen to the table would have taken at most 25 seconds for the apple sundae to be delivered to me. All I can surmise is that the poor uneducated staff didn't know how to deal with people who needed to pay with a debit/credit card or ... heavens to Betsy! ... even cash?

So ... did they take it out on me?