Donna's Place

Perfectly good burger, fast service and the tots and coke were just fine.  Simple good American food.
We went for a hike and even came back for ice cream after seeing the prices across the street were twice as much and the ice cream here is just as cold and the kids cone is insanely huge!

On 6/24/2012, I wrote a glowing review of Donna's Place with all 5 stars, but now I'm updating that review. I first visited Donna's on June 23rd & 24th and paid cash for my food. I have no record of how much I spent on those two occassions. However, I started making credit card purchases on 6/25/2012 and by July 6th those credit card purchases totaled $143.46. That's 13 days of purchases for only one person each visit. I used Donna's for the food and the WiFi since I'm taking online summer courses and the USFS staff housing does NOT allow for internet access. I liked the friendly, comfortable atmosphere of Donna's along with the convenience of accessible food.

On the night of July 6th, I packed up my things as the last tabled paid out. I'd been there 1.5 hours and I was only one of 3 tables that had patronized the restaurant during those 1.5 hours.  This was the very first time I'd ever used their WiFi without making a purchase. I guess that was a mistake.

As I packed my stuff, a large man with a handle bar mustache & piercing blue eyes came my way. Apparently, he was going to dog me out for 5 minutes about how I patronized the Donna's. I looked up at him and said, "You're closing, right?" He responded, and I quote, "Yes, I was coming over here to tell you that. Also, I told Donna I was going to tell you this...I've been wanting to tell you, 'Girl, you got to go,' but I wanted to be nice about it...You sat here one day all day long in our preferred seating are over here by the windows...Why don't you sit at the Visitor's Center." Since he looked like he was going to have a brain aneurism, at every break, I just stated, "I understand." I left Donna's in shock.

1. When I first went to Donna's Place, Donna told me herself that I should sit by the windows since that's where the electrical outlets were. I didn't realize that's where their preferred seating was and that it had a time limit.
2. I have worked in the restaurant/hospitality, caring, and outdoor recreation industries for 17 years, so I have a bias--like all managers & wait staff do--against patrons who like to "camp out" for hours on end without making purchases. I also know what CUSTOMER SERVICE and INTER PERSONAL RELATIONS are. That's why I made a purchase every single time I went to Donna's. $143.46+ doesn't sound like a lot of money but when here snacks and combos are priced really cheap that is a lot of purchases. In addition, I always left at least a 20% tip even though this was counter service. Most of my tips were 30% to 50% of the purchase price.
3. One of their employees told me a few days prior, "We don't mind when you come in. You don't have to make a purchase every time you visit." Yet, I still made purchases.
4. This man with the handle bar mustache never introduced himself. He never asked me who I was or what I was doing there. He never sat down to talk to me. He simply towered above me and dogged me out for 5 whole minutes. I still have no idea who he is or what position he holds. I'm assuming he is a manager or Donna's husband.
5. Yes, indeed, I sat at Donna's last Saturday 6/30/2012 for 6 hours. However, I ordered both my lunch, supper, and ice cream during that time. I think I more than paid for the table space. Plus when I order combos, which include the price of a drink, all I really drink is water with no ice because I don't like soda.
6. The way that I was treated at Donna's on 7/6/2012 goes against their mission statement, stating that Donna wants to take care of Idaho City like members of her own family. If she treats me like that, I can't imagine how she'd treat her enemies! Yikes!
7. I'm never spending another penny at her place or never recommending her place to anyone, which I've done for tourists & coworker's since I moved here.

I would give it half a star if I could. I can't rate the food because I never got to taste it. We waited an hour before our drinks were served and even then they were out of Coke, Rootbeer, and Sprite. This was on the 4th of July!! Nothing like being prepared. After an hour and watching people with as many or more people in their parties as ours being served, and finishing their meals, my husband went up to ask about our order. He was ignored the "waitress" that took our order walked by him three times. My head was pounding from hunger and we thought we had waited long enough, so we left. I'm sorry but if a restaurant can't handle the fourth of July, then they aren't very good. We will not be back. We will continue to eat at Trudy's where service and food is top notch.