Bates House of Turkey Review

Since I was a small child, it has been tradition to stop at the Bates House of Turkey on the way to the beach. It makes a nice midway point to stop and stretch your feet. And if you are of a carnivorous type, as my family members are, it is the place to get a meal to tie you over. The meats are always fresh and tender and there are always a good variety to vegetables that even my children will eat. My kids are especially fond of their butter beans.

Last Friday's trip to the gulf was no different, the kids and I made the stop at Bates (at their insistance). Twinkle Toes got the HOME-STYLE ROAST TURKEY SANDWICH Roast Turkey on Sesame Seed Bun, Pickles and 2 sides (he chose double butter beans) for $7.95. Both JSmooth and Sister Sledge got the kids finger plate for $3.95 that comes with a large portion of shaved turkey meat, chips, a stick of cheese and pickles. Usually there isn't anything at Bates for me to eat. I am usually content to an side order of pickles (yes, you heard me right). Sometimes I will get lucky and they will have augratin potatoes, which are good but they were not on the menu today. However, today I was delighted to see on the menu vegetable soup. Imagine my disappointment though, when I looked in my bowl and saw turkey in it. I went back to the counter and told the girl that I had ordered vegetable soup to which she replied, "It is vegetable-- turkey vegetable". I explained my dilemma with meat and then pointed to the board by the counter that read the soups...turkey gumbo, turkey vegetable and some other turkey soup, then below those said "*vegetable*". I even stressed to her I had ordered the bowl with asterisk, just as the board had it. "We just put those there to draw attention to it", she said and then she turned her back. I was quite displeased. I would've hoped for her to have said she would give my money back on the soup, or at the very least an apology, but nothing. I have to admit, my family LOVES this place and I am sure the food is good (or we wouldn't have come here for the past 30 years, literally) , but it seems EVERY TIME I go there I get lousy service. The girls at the front taking orders seem more interested in having a conversation than taking an order. The seem bothered and are honestly never friendly. This has happened for years. It is not an isolated incident. Tell me it isn't "Greenville, Alabama folks". I am sure it isn't. I think next trip down I will pull through the Krystal's drive through and keep trucking on my way.

*To avoid the lousy service and just get good tender turkey, visit their web site. They do have online ordering and I do think you will find you like it (time tested good). http://www.batesturkey.com/restaurant.aspx