Shoutout to the Amazing Customer Service at The Great Lost Bear in Portland, Maine

When it’s time to catch up with an old friend over a beer or cozy up in a comfortable environment for the best food, locals know that The Great Lost Bear is the place to go.

My family has been calling the Greater Portland area home for generations and among all the things we share in common, The Great Lost Bear has been a local watering hole for us all. What used to be my parent’s spot in high school is now the place I go to grab a drink with friends.

The Great Lost Bear in Portland, Maine

The local spot has been open for 40 years and counting and for the right reason. They have an ungodly amount of beers on tap, incredible cocktails, a menu of food that is practically a chapter book, and a warm and inviting environment you can cozy right up in for a good time.

There are so many places to choose from in the Portland area but The Great Lost Bear is a consistent staple where you can go and know you’re going to have a great experience.

Great Customer Service in Portland, Maine

Not only are all their drinks, food, and environment great but their customer service is, too.

The other night, I went to the local joint to reconvene with old friends and share stories over a round of cocktails. As someone who needs something to munch on at all times, I obviously had to order the chips n’ salsa.

If you know me well then you know I am obsessed with sour cream and when I ask for a side of sour cream what I really mean is a bowl. I asked for a side of sour cream with the chips but when they came without it, I wasn’t concerned. The place was absolutely packed with a line out the door and a long wait to be seated. The servers were handling themselves with grace but you could tell it was obviously busy.

More than content with just chips, salsa, and guac, I didn’t remind the server about the side of cream because it really wasn’t a big deal or worth her having to take an extra trip to the kitchen. Plus, I never want a server to feel bad about “forgetting” something so I seldom remind them because I really just don’t mind.

Well, when we were handed the check at the end, our server said she realized she never brought the sour cream and felt so bad that she had already taken the appetizer off of our bill and was only charging us for the drinks.

We didn’t mind the MIA cream but that level of customer service is spectacular. It didn’t need to be taken off the bill but just the fact that she went ahead and did that is unreal. As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years, I know what it means to want to make your guests happy and I’ll say, that small little gesture sure made us real happy!

Such a small little thing but I keep telling everyone about it. It’s one thing to have good food and drinks but it's a whole other to have really great customer service paired with it.