Online Ordering FAQs
Online Ordering FAQs
Online orders are a new service The St. James Tearoom started to help provide a teatime respite during the Government mandated business orders to help reduce the spread of CoVid-19. Tearoom CEO Daniel Higbie wanted to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions about online ordering and curbside pickup to help clarify any confusion you may have about this new offering! These frequently asked questions can also be watched on youtube by clicking here.
Why am I getting a “maximum order received for this time” message?
We have set a maximum number of orders for any given pickup time, for a few reasons. First, we have a set number of parking spots, and we want pickups to go very smoothly and not have more cars than can fit in our parking lot. Secondly, since we are still very much a 4-star fine dining establishment where every food item is made by hand, we limit the number of orders so that we can ensure the quality and excellence of our food. And finally, since our food is handmade, we want to make sure for CoVid19 reasons that we do not have too many employees or chefs in our kitchens at one time – if we allowed for an unlimited number of orders, there would be times when we would have so many that we would have to break our internal rules of social distancing in our kitchen with employees, and this puts our employees at greater risk.
I am getting a weird error message that says “The server cannot be reached at this time.” What does this mean?
This is an error that we haven’t been able to pinpoint the cause of – we believe it is because of our online ordering company’s servers, and it could be a firewall issue or a browser issue. At this point we do not know, but it appears that this error is few and far between, because we still are getting as many orders as ever. If you get this error, just call us and we will put in a phone order for you and save you the trouble. And if you call and get a message, it just means our Reservationists are on the phone – leave a message, and they should be able to get back to you within 30 minutes.
Will the menu themes change as usual?
We are trying our best to stay on our normal schedule of changing the menus each month to the new theme. Of course, in these days, nothing is certain, but we are currently planning our May Menu, so that all our guests might have a new menu to surprise and delight their mothers.
Can orders be shipped?
Our Market Attendants do have some limited capacity to ship some items to you.
Are you still closed on Mondays?
We are still closed on Mondays – since our food is still all handmade and 4-star quality, we still need that preparation day to get ready for the week.
Can I still shop at the market?
Our Market is still open during all pickup times, so that guests can come in and pick up in person.
Can I replace the teas with herbal?
You can replace the teas that come with your Full Afternoon Tea with herbal teas, by calling us at (505) 242-3752. Our reservationists will then personally work with our operational leaders each day to make this adjustment.
Can I order tea for someone else to pick up?
You can absolutely send someone else to pick up your teas. We understand that many are not able to get out of the house and need help from others during this time, and so long as those picking up your order have the receipt printout that they can show to us, we are fine giving them your food to take out.
Can we still stamp our passports?
We have the passport stamp in our outside curbside station, and we have been stamping our guests’ passports every day!
How do I indicate curbside or market pickup?
When you drive up and park, you can tell the attendant that you prefer to walk into the Market and pick up your food there, and shop a little. Otherwise, we will just bring your order directly to your car as you wait.
Is the pricing different? What is the cost?
Our prices are the same at this point, as we try to maintain the quality and service that guests are accustomed to, despite guests not being able to dine-in.
I have tried calling/calls go to voicemail/no one has called me back, but I have questions or need to change my order.
We still have a reservationist in house answering calls, so if you have questions or need to change your order, or even if you are struggling with the online system and would like them to take you through making an order, they can certainly do this. If you reach a recording, it just means they are on a call with another guest – make sure you leave a message, because they will respond as soon as they possibly can.
Can I separate orders to deliver to different groups of friends or family?
If you are picking up for different groups of families, or if you are picking up some for yourself, and another for a friend, the easiest and most successful way to keep these separate is to make separate orders for the different groups. This way we will package each group separately, and it will be very easy to distribute.
How long after the pickup time do I have to pick up my order?
Our pickup windows last for one hour – so this means the 11:30 am lasts until 12:30 pm, and the 2 pm lasts until 3 pm. However, the vast majority of our guests pickup right at 11:30 am and 2 pm, and if the rush has been completed and you have not picked up your order, we move the orders to the giftshop for you to pick up. We do close, however, at 3 pm.
Can we buy/use gift certificates? Can they be purchased online?
Our online system is not set up for gift certificates or gift cards at this time.
Can you tell me if I need to park someplace specifically? Do I need to call when I’m there?
All curbside pickups are done in the Tearoom (east side) parking lot, on the southwest corner of Edith and Osuna. If it’s a slower day, you can drive in and park on our south most side of the building, and we will bring your order out. If it’s a busy day, we will have parking lot attendants ready there to direct your car to a parking spot, so you will get your food in the order in which you park.
Can I get gluten free scones or other gluten free food?
We have the best gluten free scones in the state of New Mexico! Since our owner Mary Alice Higbie can only have gluten free food, we have spent the past 12 years developing our gluten free expertise! You can also choose a Gluten Free option for Full Afternoon Tea, or any of our monthly featured breads. Try it, and let us know if our gluten free food isn’t truly the best you have eaten.
Are your employees wearing masks and gloves?
All our employees are wearing masks and gloves, and more importantly, they are changing their gloves often, to minimize any transmission.
Can I place an order by telephone?
We still have a reservationist in house answering calls, so if you have questions or need to change your order, or even if you are struggling with the online system and would like them to take you through making an order or make the order for you, they can certainly do this. If you reach a recording, it just means they are on a call with another guest – make sure you leave a message, because they will respond as soon as they possibly can.
Do you deliver?
We are not set up for delivery at this time.
Are you offering children’s menu options?
To help streamline our carryout service we have simplified options that are available at this time. We hope that guests of all ages will enjoy the afternoon tea, bread, or loose leaf tea options that can be picked. Cream teas or boxes of our featured breads are especially good options for younger guests or those with smaller appetites.
