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Old 01-12-2005, 09:17 AM   #1 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
The Continuing Saga of Warrrreagl vs Restaurants

Certainly, no one else has as much trouble eating out as we do, and there must be a dozen threads to which I've already posted in that respect. Therefore, I decided to create a separate post specifically for mine (and others') restaurant disappointments and sagas.

And I accept that a MAJOR part of our problem is that we live in a college town where "Wing Night" is the highlight of the week for a majority of the local population.

But my wife and I aren't demanding perfection; merely competence.

Last night, we went out to a fairly new Italian Grill in our town (a place with tablecloths) and we were anticipating the usually excellent atmosphere and food from this place. Every time we visit, at least one of us orders Italian Pot Roast, and it is so scrumptious and tender that they serve it with a butter knife.

The waitress reminded both of us of Molly Shannon, which is not a good mental picture of your food server. My wife ordered the Italian Pot Roast and I ordered Lemon Rosemary Chicken. One of the runners brought out the entrees within mere minutes of us receiving our salads (which always pisses me off), and Molly Shannon came back by within seconds after that and asked how everything was. Since neither of us had even attempted a bite of the entrees yet, we both said, "Fine."

The trouble started when my wife tried to eat the pot roast. It was so tough that I let her borrow my steak knife and she STILL couldn't cut it. It seemed to be very poor cuts of meat full of fat and gristle and basically drowned in gravy in an attempt to hide it. Clearly, this was way below par for what we'd come to expect. When Molly Shannon came back by several minutes later and asked if the pot roast was as "yummy as I told you it would be," my wife said, "No." "Actually," she said, "it's not as tender and good as it usually is."

Now, in the 19 years I've known my wife, she has NEVER sent anything back to the kitchen, and she wasn't trying to start a new tradition last night. She was simply (and politely) answering that the pot roast was not as good as it usually is. However, Molly Shannon gritted her teeth at my wife and said, "Well, why didn't you say anything sooner so that I could have done something about it?" We were both floored, and I wasn't even sure if I'd heard her correctly. And then, without warning, she grabbed my wife's plate out from under her and took off with it!

So there we were, my wife sitting in front of an empty place setting, and me sitting in front of a plate of chicken, both of us looking stunned and not sure what to say. And into this odd environment stepped my boss and her husband. They stopped at our table as they were on their way out the door, and appropriate pleasantries and sucking ups were exchanged. And they shook our hands!!! My God, if I ever meet any of you TFPers while I'm eating, DON'T TRY TO SHAKE MY GODDAMN HAND, DAMNIT!!! Not while I'm eating, for Christ's sake. All of this was followed by the inevitable question from my boss to my wife, "Aren't you eating?" We both stumbled through a combined reply of "It wasn't very good so she sent it back." To this, my boss replied that her youngest son worked there. Great. And while we were talking to them, Molly Shannon lurked back in behind us and silently handed my wife a menu.

So when my boss and her husband finally walked away, my wife looked at the menu and said, "Is this what I'm supposed to do now?" Since our hands needed re-washing anyway and I was halfway finished with my food, she decided not to order anything else. We simply asked for the check and rehearsed what we might say to the manager who we imagined was rushing to our table right at that very moment.

Nope. No manager, no nothing. Simply a bill from Molly Shannon. She had removed my wife's entrée from the check, but went ahead and charged her for the salad and diet Coke. To me, that seemed to suggest she thought we were up to something. Maybe we were con artists who bilked local eateries out of free salad and Cokes by sending our entrees back to the kitchen, and Molly Shannon was determined that the buck would stop here tonight, by God. The only thing I could think to do to get back at her was to steal all the Sweet 'n' Low out of the container on the table. Yeah, THAT showed her!

So, we left, went home, washed our hands, and then went to IHOP, where my wife ordered pancakes and bacon. And we bitched about Molly Shannon long into the night….
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Old 01-12-2005, 09:38 AM   #2 (permalink)
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I actually had a good experience the other nite. Dave and I had gone to hobby lobby to look at fabric and "wedding" stuff with my maid of honor and one of his ushers. 2 1/2 hours later we all decided to go to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner. Dave and I got our wine and crown and coke and ordered dinner.

I got the salad bar with mine and ate my salad until my chicken dish arrived, it wasnt really good, I ate about half of it and all of the steamed broccoli that came with it (THAT was really really good), and finished my salad.

We sat around and had another drink and the waitress came to get the plates and asked me how I'd liked it....I told her I hadnt really cared for it, it was kinda dry. Well next thing I know she brings the bill and all she has charged me for is one glass of wine (I had 3)...she'd taken off the chicken and salad....I actually felt bad because I really hadnt been bitching, but I thought that was really cool of them. The only time I truly bitch about my food is when I order my steak well done and it comes out to me still mooing.
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Old 01-12-2005, 10:18 AM   #3 (permalink)
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Yep. This is why we take the cautious approach and go with places that have proven themselves in the past. I know it's not very experimentally exciting - but it avoids the failed experiments.

Also, most towns still have a few tried and true old-time diners that were in place and operating and gathering clientele way before their current competitors. We find they're a good bet. Add some travel to scout out a new old-time diner and you have added the experimental component back into the routine - albeit with less risk...
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Old 01-12-2005, 02:11 PM   #4 (permalink)
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There are many places here where you can't get the same quality of food, and/or service twice. I have resorted to becoming more vocal to the staff about things. After a really deplorable meal (well, it was the service that sucked) we refused to leave the waitress a tip. Keep in mind that I live in Canada and the waitresses are paid a good wage, and don't rely on soley tips for income. Half of my meal never arrived and the waitress ignored us until we finally called her over.
Another time that comes to mind was a newly renovated place. The service & staff were awesome, but the food was bland and tasteless.
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Old 01-12-2005, 03:35 PM   #5 (permalink)
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I almost always manage to have a good eating experience (maybe my standards are lower ). One thing I've learned though, is when in doubt, go to Earls. Does your town have one? Because they always make absolutely amazing food.
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Old 01-12-2005, 04:03 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Warrrreagl, sorry you had such a crappy evening out! You made it out to be a great story though!! I hate places that are great sometimes and then fail miserably....sucks But ya gotta love IHOP!

I am a waitress. I work in a Coney Island/Burger Joint (pretty much fast food) part time and have done so for over 11 years off and on. I have high standards for myself as waitstaff and I most definatly expect the same from people who are going to serve me food.

I hate seeing fingers in water, I truly hate people who wear thier pens in thier hair and then use the same hands to grab my food, or use the same towel they have been wearing all day and leaning onto every surface with to constitute 'washing thier hands'. I have seen all of this done in one place of business in one night believe it or not! GROSS! I had a coke and left before I bothered to look at the menu. Also depending on where I am, I will make sure to get my drink in a 'to go' cup to avoid finding nasty milk rings and what not left at the bottom of a glass. I'm weird like that I guess...but after so many disasters what else can one do!
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Old 01-12-2005, 04:08 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Earls? Never heard of 'em. What kind of food do they serve?

Anyway, sorry to hear about your crappy eating experience. I rarely go out anymore (strange work schedule not complacent to normal dinner hours), though sometimes lunch is had. I've often found servers and, surprisingly, usually the older ones, curt and annoyed at any response. Of course, there's always the simple dissappearing waiter, which is far more annoying than when they hover (especially if I'm with a large group).


By the way - what's with the hand washing thing? It's not like you're going to pick up your chicken and start gnawing on it. Besides - if your boss just came from dinner, it's most likely that his hands are some semblence of clean, anyway. We need them germs in our system to help us grow stronger!
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Old 01-12-2005, 04:32 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
Quote:
Originally Posted by TM875
By the way - what's with the hand washing thing? It's not like you're going to pick up your chicken and start gnawing on it. Besides - if your boss just came from dinner, it's most likely that his hands are some semblence of clean, anyway. We need them germs in our system to help us grow stronger!
When you're four, then yes, you need germs to help your immunity system grow. But when you're forty-four, you can never know that the person who's hand you just shook hadn't been picking his nose, wiping his mouth, brushing his hair, or returning from the restroom unwashed.

I prefer the Asian practice of bowing at the waist from two feet away. I think they figured this whole thing out.

And we don't have an Earl's, but I'm dying to know more.
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Old 01-12-2005, 04:49 PM   #9 (permalink)
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it's amazing the difference between places on their policies. I've gotten service that surly at 4 star joints, and a manager fawning over me and giving me free beer at an Old Chicago.

like art said...you find a few favorite places you know you trust.
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Old 01-12-2005, 04:53 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Warrrreagl, I think that your waitress sounds like a stupid b. I hate having to endure crap staff when I'm spending money.

Don't you find some places think that the amount of money they're charging can dictate the standard of service? No f**kin way, I say. As soon as I walk into a restaurant I demand a minimum amount of respect, no exceptions. And if I'm displaying the pleasantries, the people I'm giving money to sure as hell should learn to return the favour.

Phew...

I very often have these problems in places, and I'm sure those accompanying me feel that I over-react. To be honest, I couldn't give a sh*t if they do think that, as I find it very difficult to drop my standards for one snotty pr*ck or pr*ckess. Why should I!!?!? (worked up now)

I got loadsa stories about this...
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Old 01-12-2005, 05:05 PM   #11 (permalink)
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You have a point dobster. I kiss up to customers all day, and when I'm on the other side I expect to be treated with respect as well.

BTW, Earls is awesome here too. Main fare food, from burgers, to steak & seafood. Superb service. Service always somes from the top. If a place is consistently lacking, the manager isn't up to snuff.
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Old 01-12-2005, 05:49 PM   #12 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by martinguerre
like art said...you find a few favorite places you know you trust.
The problem with this is that places change. I had a favourite moroccan restaurant - not particularly close to home, but the food and atmosphere were fantastic. On a saturday night you had to have a booking to get in. I had seen walk up customers turned away when the restaurant was half full because every table was already booked...

The had a special room out the back where you sat on cushions on the floor at a low table.

Anyway, I dragged a bunch of my friends there one saturday night (after booking a couple of weeks in advance to get the special room), and was a little suspicious when we were the only patrons in the place. The menu looked familiar so I order stuff that I love off the menu. The food was awful (by my expectations). It was edible but nothing like I was expecting. My friends had a great time and I went home disappointed and have never been back.
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Old 01-12-2005, 05:52 PM   #13 (permalink)
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Man, the idea of recommending somewhere can be so risky. Why would a restaurant lack that sort of pride?
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Old 01-14-2005, 05:39 AM   #14 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
Just so I don't seem like a total wacko, allow me to relate a POSITIVE restaurant experience.

There is a local Mexican restaurant (not a chain by any means) that serves Tex-Mex, and we eat there at least twice a week. It is our regular Friday afternoon lunch, plus we'll get desperate and eat there at least one other time during the week.

We know most of the waiters by name. We tip the little girl who brings the chips and salsa to the table because she's sweet and nobody else ever seems to tip her. We even comment to her when it looks like she has a new hairdo, and she really appreciates it. When we sit down, they bring our Diet Cokes to us without our having to order them, and they NEVER let them run out (a seriously big plus in my book). We typically split whatever meal we order because they bring out so damned much food, and our total bill comes to about $10. The food is always consistently good and we know exactly what to expect from nearly everything on the menu. The waiters seem like a family to each other, and they genuinely look like they're enjoying themselves at their jobs. And most importantly, everything is spotlessly CLEAN; we've never encountered a single smudgy fork or glass (and believe me, my wife checks it out). We then usually tack on a $3 tip (30% if you're keeping score). The owner's wife even allowed my wife to get one of their "exclusive" waiter shirts once, and it remains a cherished possession.

In all the time we've eaten there, I've never seen one single patron with a complaint. Since today is Friday, I'm already salivating about lunch....
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Old 01-14-2005, 09:17 AM   #15 (permalink)
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I have had experiences like warrrreagl far too many times to count. My solution which, has been ongoing for many years now is too simply cook at home. I am by no means a cordon bleu chef but I can cook alot of excellent meals, sometimes as good if not better than moderately priced restaurants and up,and have a community of friends who literally start drooling when I ask any one of them over for dinner. My restaurant days are over unless I have to go to one.

The secret is to keep it simply, use fresh ingredients, know what takes how long to prepare and cook, and PLAN ahead. My sister always said she didn't have time because she was too busy. I have been training her over the last 6 months how easy it is to cook. She has saved tons of money from not going to restaurants and now enjoys food that isn't frozen in a box.

Besides nothing beats the setting of a home with good friends and good food or just home with ones partner. When I want social interaction I just go to a bar then home to eat. Unfortunately though, I have a function I must attend next week at a real chi chi stuffy restaurant I've been to before. Yup, $30 for 4 ounces beef tenderloin and two spriggs of asparagus. The food last time? Mediocre. But I'm not paying and I have to attend.

I feel for you warrrreagl but there is more than one way to nip that bad restaurant thing in the bud. I'm sure you like eating out and there is nothing wrong with that. But like I said, too many bad experiences drove me away. Although I do have one favourite chinese place that is always excellent which I frequent about 4 times a year. That's it.
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Old 01-15-2005, 08:05 PM   #16 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
This has been the wierdest damned week for us in terms of restaurants.

Tuesday night was the infamous Italian Grill episode and was a definable low point in dining.
Wednesday night, we used coupons for two free meals at another local eatery that we don't frequent as often because of their growing college student atmosphere. However, on this particular night, the food and service were unbelievably great, and we walked out of there impressed.
Friday for lunch we ate at the Tex-Mex place I mentioned, and it was rock-solid as usual.

However, today (Saturday) was the topper. Our local Outback offered a rare lunch buffet to benefit the Red Cross for tsunami victims. It was $20 apiece all you can eat, and most of you know that Outback doesn't serve lunch. This was "increible!" They started us off with a blooming onion. My first time through the line, I got ceaser salad, chicken fingers, top sirloin steak strips, grilled chicken strips, and grilled vegetables. My second time through, I got more top sirloin strips, more grilled chicken, more grilled vegetables, and a separate plate of Aussie chips (fries). My THIRD time through, I repeated my second plate minus the fries. Then I passed out.

I've never eaten food at Outback that was so scrumptious. In addition to the usual Outback waiters, there were dozens of Red Cross volunteers refreshing our drinks and taking away our empty plates. The Outback employees served the food at the buffet so that no one took more than they could eat, and everybody really had their hearts into it because of the good cause we were supporting.

This may have been the best meal I've ever eaten. And what a way to end a week of dining that started out so horribly.
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Old 01-15-2005, 08:38 PM   #17 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dobster
Man, the idea of recommending somewhere can be so risky. Why would a restaurant lack that sort of pride?
I am 100% certain it had changed hands - different owner, different chef. May as well have been a different restaurant. All that was left was the name
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Old 01-15-2005, 09:07 PM   #18 (permalink)
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Once a year, my spouse and I go out to dinner with his ex co-workers-8 of us in all.Longhorn Steakhouse was chosen this time around. We were seated in the middle, between rows of booths and right next to the waitstaff's station. Spouse and I were the last to arrive and the waiter came and asked for our drink order. Spouse asks what's on tap and after hearing the list, goes with Coor Light; I order a Strawberry daiquari. He gets a bottle of Coors, my drink comes in a beer mug and with no straw.
On to the dinner orders. I say no salad.
Did I mention there were 8 of us? Apparently the waiter forgot, because only 4 salads came out. Then runners came with dinner. Hello? One of us, Dennis, tells them that 3 other salads did not come, no one else was done with their salads and by the way, aren't we supposed to get bread? Out comes 2 boards of bread, both put in front of Dennis! Then the other 3 salads come. Dennis calls the manager over, he smiles, nods, leaves. Here comes dinner again. Spouse's baked potato is wrong, someone else didn't even get theirs. We finally finish, get the bill, include a minimum tip and leave.
I go home and write an email to Longhorn detailing this less than stellar dinner experience, thinking nothing will come of it, but what the hell. Two days later, my cell phone rings. A VP from Longhorn! He asks me what happened and again I relate the story. He apologizes profusely and asks if we were comped in any way. When I said no, he got a tad excited in a bad way and apologized again. He then said that, as an apology for the rotten way we were treated, he is mailing us $150 worth of gift certificates!!!! He said Longhorn does NOT do business that way, he will check into this franchise and to please, go to any other Longhorn and let him know how we were treated! Sometimes, it does pay to bitch.
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Old 01-15-2005, 09:24 PM   #19 (permalink)
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I think the one uniform thing I've noticed about Steak N Shakes across the US is the terrible service. I apologize if anyone works there, but I've never ever had good service at one. There've been times when it's late and it's our only option, and generally at 2-3 am we get better service then we do during the normal dinner hour.

I think the worst time was about 6 PM I was there with two friends, the waitress seated us at a dirty table, saying it would be cleaned immediatly, when she came back and took our drink orders, no cleaning was done. She brought them out, still no cleaning, and then asked for our food orders. We ordered giving her the benefit of the doubt that it would be cleaned soon. Time wore on and she never came back, our drinks were empty and the table was still dirty. We didn't even have silverware. She finally came out with our food and a rag, gave the table a quick wipe and set all the food on the edge, not making any effort to give it to each of us. It's not even like it was a large party, there was only 3 of us! So we passed out the food ourselves and she was gone before we could ask for a refill or SILVERWARE. We tried to get her attention but were ignored. So I spotted a bin of freshly wrapped silverware over by the waitress station, and I said what the heck, got up, walked over there, said "hi" to another waitress and took out three silverware settings. For the rest of the meal we never saw our waitress again (she'd left the bill when she dropped off the food) but she was in plain view in the smoking section puffing away. We were all pretty mad.

That was the first, and still only time I've never left at least some tip.
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Old 01-15-2005, 09:28 PM   #20 (permalink)
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If the staff or their management have any clue, bitching does everyone a favor. It salvages your favorite place to eat, it improves or gets rid of staff that shouldn't be in the service business, and gets you out of the "i got screwed" mode.

Spindles, I hear you about places changing hands. Those are the real heartbreakers. Had an old favorite down near the San Jose airport. Coleman Still for those in the area. They had wonderful home-cooked dishes. Their pepper-steak was one of my favorites. Their potatoes were to die for. I'd regularly haul business associates there for a meal & drink & it was always great. Then I got out of my business in the area and didn't return for a year or so. Went there for a date and noticed something was wrong. The pepper steak wasn't on the menu, I didn't recognize any of the waitresses, and the crowd was somehow different. When we got the food it was that stereotypical chain stuff that's been microwaved out of the freezer. The old owners had sold out and it was literally just the shell of what it had been. Sad when the old favorites go away like that. Haven't been back in 5yrs.

On the subject of favorites, does anyone know Gardens of Taxco in Santa Monica CA? (around 5000 Sunset?) Amazing mexican restaurant. No menus, order what you know or let them guide. Service & deserts that kill. Valet parking. Just wondering. It's been about 8yrs since I was in that area and I'm hoping they're still there.
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Old 01-16-2005, 12:45 AM   #21 (permalink)
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Tonight I walked into a diner. I was told I could take a big booth all by myself. The waiter already had my order in the kitchen before I sat down. He knew what I wanted. I had my food a little while later and was not bugged the entire time I was there. Perfect.

Why try your patience at places where there is a lot to screw up? If you're so picky (which I personally think you are, based on your description) why do you put yourself in situations to get upset? I've always said that if you want something done right, do it yourself.
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Old 01-16-2005, 03:00 AM   #22 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Suave
I almost always manage to have a good eating experience (maybe my standards are lower ). One thing I've learned though, is when in doubt, go to Earls. Does your town have one? Because they always make absolutely amazing food.
Ahh, i'm a line cook over at Earls in my city. It is definately a great place, good food too. I pretty much live there when i'm not working.
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Old 01-16-2005, 04:49 AM   #23 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
Quote:
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Why try your patience at places where there is a lot to screw up? If you're so picky (which I personally think you are, based on your description) why do you put yourself in situations to get upset?
Because that's a small part of what makes life so damned interesting.
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Old 01-16-2005, 06:50 AM   #24 (permalink)
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Your outback doesnt do lunch? hmmmm we go for lunch around here all the time, I know of at least 3 different ones in the area that serve lunch
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Old 01-16-2005, 07:45 AM   #25 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
Quote:
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Your outback doesnt do lunch? hmmmm we go for lunch around here all the time, I know of at least 3 different ones in the area that serve lunch
No, I've never encountered one that does lunch, so I am humbly corrected on that point. Thanks, SF.
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Old 01-16-2005, 07:51 AM   #26 (permalink)
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well I wasnt trying to "correct you"

I just didnt know there were outbacks that didnt do lunch
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Old 01-18-2005, 07:30 AM   #27 (permalink)
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I think the one thing I can remember that irked me is that one day I went into IHOP all by myself for a salad (which I make all these weird specifications for, like 'diced tomatoes and avocados' and no chicken or dressing, but with blue cheese instead). The waitress was especially busy today, and was doing very well for having to balance all those customers. Before I left, I wanted to thank her, but she had disappeared into the kitchen.

When I went up to the front desk to pay, the cashier droned "Did you enjoy your meal?" To which I replied, "Yes, thank you. Do you think you could tell [waitress's name here] thank you for me? She was really nice."

And my mood was completely ruined when this lady actually ROLLED HER EYES at me, and snorted a 'yeah' at me while shoving change towards me on the counter. Jeez.

---

Anyway, I must say, everyone has their definition of good service. That's why some people could probably love Miss Molly Shannon; whereas, others, like you two, thought she was rude and thoughtless. You have to remember that to Miss Shannon, you are just two more customers -and whiny customers, at that- and she just wants to go home. Yes, it was rude of her not to give more service since that IS her job, but no one is perfect, and she could have just been having a bad night. Also, about the check- she probably didn't know not to charge. I know that when I was new to Starbucks, I charged our regulars for the extra stuff in their drinks. Later, a shift told me just not to charge them because they are regulars. Miss Shannon was just doing her job by charging you for the drink and salad you drank and ate.

Last edited by la petite moi; 01-18-2005 at 07:36 AM..
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Old 01-18-2005, 02:54 PM   #28 (permalink)
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Location: Buffalo, New York
We went to the Hooters in Buffalo one night, my wife, my mother and father, and I. It was after a baseketball game at the University at Buffalo. We weren't looking for fine dining, just some decent wings, some beer, and assorted other finger foods.

It started bad enough where we should have just left...the hostess sat people behind us before us! But, being hungry and thirsty, we persevered. Mayb, we said, they were meeting someone already here (they weren't, it turns out).

Anyhow, we get the the table, which still has chicken wing remnants, spilled beer and other detritus strewn about. And there we sat, in someone elses mess, for a full 10 minutes before it was cleaned off. Luckily, a waitress had stopped by and taken our beer order. Pretty simple - just bring us a pitcher of Bud Light.

Well, we waited through the 10 minutes for table cleaning. Then another 10 minutes went by as we waited for beer. Another 10 minutes rolled by as we looked for the waitress to ask where our beer was. I even got up, having spotted here away down the restaurant shooting the shit with another table, only to have her swish off into the back. Oh, so close to determing where our beer was.

It HAD also dawned on us that maybe someone would have wanted to take our food order by this time...but of course, our waitress hadn't come to that realization yet!

At 30 minutes and counting, our waitress returned to inform us that the Bud Light keg was kicked, and that she had been waiting for someone to change it. We told her to not bother, and just bring us a pitcher of Coors Light instead. "OK", she chirped, and off she went. We tried to let her know that we wanted to order, but she was too damn slippery!

Our beer only took 10 more minutes to arrive...sigh. We then placed our orders, only to discover that the oysters were gone for the evening. OK, we'll have chicken wings exclusively, along with some fries. At least they can't mess that one up...or CAN they?

45 minutes later, our wings arrive. At least they were timed well with the fries. Everyone's wings were great, including mine...until I got to the bottom ones. That's when I started biting into wings that were pink, bloody, and - in some instances - downright cold!

The waitress came back only once with the meal, and we decided to not spend another hour trying to deal with her and a manager to do something, so we asked for the bill. Believe it or not, that took another 15 minutes...and I had to ask a different waitress to find ours so we could pay and leave!

Needless to say, we paid a $100 food + bar bill, and left $1...yep, one WHOLE dollar...as her tip.

I hope she got the message.


That is not my worst restaurant story, but it is a close second!
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Old 02-06-2005, 05:48 AM   #29 (permalink)
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All right! A website with more restaurant horror stories as told by the servers.

http://www.bitterwaitress.com/

And just so you'd know I hadn't gone soft and tolerant, we had to sit next to a family yesterday who ENCOURAGED their two children to see who could HOOT the loudest. Oh yeah, it was a by-God contest right there at the next table. Also at one point, my wife noticed a three-year-old sitting on the floor in the middle of the dining room all by himself. His parents were sitting at a booth in the corner, watching him and SMILING at him. They thought it was cute.

Who says mandatory sterilization is a bad idea?
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Old 02-06-2005, 06:46 AM   #30 (permalink)
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Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town
Warrreagl, I live in a college town, too, and I feel your pain. But I will say this: bad service comes from inexperienced people who are insufficiently trained, insufficiently motivated, and insufficiently supervised. Ultimately, the fault lies with management.

In our town, we have three places we go that always satisfy. Why? The owners and managers are out on the floor several times an hour, supervising and filling in where necessary. The help are either experienced or well-trained, and they are drawn there and kept there by good pay and tips, benefits, and management that has high standards but is also humane. One of the restaurants painted a mural of its 30 employees on the side of the building five years ago; most of them are still there.

You pay an extra couple of dollars in a place like this, but the service is always great, the food is always worth it, and any little mix-up is always dealt with quickly and with apologies.

I just don't go to chain restaurants, because I don't expect that level of commitment from management in most cases; it's more of a crap shoot. And when I go out to eat, I want to eat, not gamble. Eat at places that treat their employees well, and you will be rewarded.
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Old 02-06-2005, 08:52 AM   #31 (permalink)
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Hey Moon Dog:

I gotta tell you, I think Hooters just has pretty shitty service. I've been to 'em in Flordia (Pensacola), St. Louis (the one in the train station turned mall), Kalamazoo MI, and now the one on Broad St. in Columbus, OH.

In general, they suck.

Really. Suck.

The one in Kazoo was not bad, but it was still hit and miss.

Florida: VERY not busy, but the two chicks working were far too busy talking to this trio of guys at the bar to actually remember they're working. The 4 college guys got no service, and left no tips. F-that. I paid for my food, I didn't get any service to tip for.

St. Louis, VERY BUSY, and there weren't enough girls, or they just sucked. But everything took forerver. 5 mintues to get drink order in...looking good... but 15 minutes to get beer. Not looking so good. She has to brb to take our order, okay, they're busy, we get it. 20 goddamn minutes later, we're out of beer and have not ordered. New chick comes by, okay, our old chick had a big party taking all her time, and she's asked new chick to take care of us so we don't get screwed over too bad. Okay, she's trying...we'll play along.

We order food, we get another pitcher. Lookign better! Pitcher drains...no food......no chick.......pitcher gone.......no chick......no food......FOOD...CHICK!!
The food is right. The beer comes back.
And we never see her again until the bill. Then we can't get her to come back and TAKE THE DAMN PLASTIC so we can go.

Dinner at Hooters should not take damn near two hours for 4 guys. If you want it to, yes, but if you're just spending a lot of time waiting....come on!

The Columbus Hooters on Broad. Hm. The chick had tits. Bit un's. Apparently, she thought that was enough she didn't have to DO anything.
Dinner took forever. 1.5 hours for the 3 of us. Bullshizznit.
The food was wrong, didn't get fixed the first time. No drinks got refilled until I got up, walked over to her punk ass, and told her, "hey, we're waiting for you to come back. Have been for 10 minutes." Stupid blonde, "OMG I'm sooooo sorry I was busy" enused. Followed by refills and her never coming back until the bill.

I really think they just suck. I like thier food, but it's not supposed to be that much hassel.
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Old 02-07-2005, 09:11 PM   #32 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warrrreagl
My God, if I ever meet any of you TFPers while I'm eating, DON'T TRY TO SHAKE MY GODDAMN HAND, DAMNIT!!! Not while I'm eating, for Christ's sake.

Do you use a knife and fork? Do your hands EVEN touch food and if not, why does it matter that he shook your godamn hand? Or is it some sort of OCD thing?
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Old 02-09-2005, 06:49 AM   #33 (permalink)
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It's a common courtesy, raised with common sense thing.

And now, one of my favorite strips -
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE by Stephen Pastis
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Old 02-09-2005, 09:54 PM   #34 (permalink)
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Location: South Carolina
i have noticed that some people LOVE certain types of servers adn some people HATE the same type of server. Like, i work with this guy that is probably the slowest person i have ever seen...even slower than me and i'm pretty laid back (it's the atmosphere)..but like, some people will literally walk out before he gets around to getting a drink for them...he also has the highest request rate for regulars and he has th highest compliment AND complaint record for non regulars...

on the other hand, a loudmouthed southern hick accented (i say that bc we were born in the same hospital and raised within 2 miles of each other) server has the highest compliment ratio from people who are from intown/instate and lowest tip ratio from anyone out of town.

it just seems odd at how much of a discrepancy there is from one person's idea of good service to another...

like..the owner...believes everything should be rushed, get the app order, put it in, rush back to table, take dinner order, put it in, then rush app out...but in a nice atmosphere, that generally makes people feel like they are being rushed out in a hurry, totally contrary to what everyone wants when they come in.

screwey stuff
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Old 02-10-2005, 01:43 AM   #35 (permalink)
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Location: Florida
Quote:
Originally Posted by warrrreagl
One of the runners brought out the entrees within mere minutes of us receiving our salads (which always pisses me off), and Molly Shannon came back by within seconds after that and asked how everything was. Since neither of us had even attempted a bite of the entrees yet, we both said, "Fine."

...

So, we left, went home, washed our hands, and then went to IHOP, where my wife ordered pancakes and bacon. And we bitched about Molly Shannon long into the night….
No offense but I've had the misfortune of going out to dinner with people like you. It fucking sucks.

"OH MY GAWD where is our waiter? Can't he see there are only two dinner rolls left and they're cold? I'd really like to have a warm roll with my dinner. This food is spicy and I'd REALLY like some bread to go with it. That's NOT too much to ask."

"They CHANGED this SALAD. It used to have less olives in it. I don't like too many olives. Don't you think there are too many? They shouldn't have messed with it. Don't you agree? How can I eat this?"

"Is that a...fingerprint on my plate?"

The incessant whining and bitching from those types is generally far worse than any transgressions the restaurant staff commits.

Personally if I want a perfect meal I'll cook the thing myself. At a restaurant, I don't have extremely high expectations--I just expect to get good food in a timely manner and I want my drink refilled regularly. And the vast majority of the ones I go to handle that just fine.
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Old 02-10-2005, 03:26 AM   #36 (permalink)
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Location: Louisiana
My hubby and I are both veterans of food service. He's a retired chef (Four and five star restaurants... and he retired as Sous Chef at a private club, with nearly 20 years on the line under his belt) who currently manages a local chain of bar/restaurants. And I've got about 10 years of experience myself as a waitress, both food and bar, and bartender.

We eat out a lot. Between the hours and what we do/did for a living, neither of us feel much like cooking, much less cleaning up the mess after cooking. We don't have "high expectations".... we have an expectation that the staff will serve us with a modicum of reasonably trained expertise. We expect the staff to be at least pleasant... I don't mean fawning or ass kissing... I simply mean pleasant.... acknowledging our presence with a smile is nice, they don't have to grin like an idiot to accomodate us. We expect the staff to know the menu, we expect the staff to be experienced enough to take cues from us. There is no such thing as a "type" of waiter/waitress..... The amount of attention a server should pay the patron should be decided by the patron. We like unobtrusive service, ask if we want our glasses filled, keep an eye on us, but don't bother us otherwise.

90% of my disappointment in restaurants comes not from the actual service we receive, but with the lack of periphery service by the staff.... Parents of children causing a scene should be asked to control their children or leave. Period. Large groups of unruly people should be asked to control themselves or leave. I've asked my fair share of people to chill out, and I have asked parents to control their children. Yes, it has affected my tip. But I'll tell you right now that the other people in the restaurant who appreciate the atmosphere tip better than the parents or obnoxious groups any day.

We literally have dozens and dozens of horror stories about eating out. And I'll tell you, if I get service that makes me angry enough to consider not leaving a tip, I am always angry enough to complain to the manager. They can't fix the problems unless they know about them. No one should ever have to pay for a meal they can't eat, nor should they have to suffer bad service. For the record, never expect a manager to just show up with the bill if there's been a problem.... if the server is that bad, chances are very good they haven't told the manager there is a problem in the first place. Never be afraid to ask for the manager... that's their job. And comment cards are WONDERFUL.... if you don't get satisfaction from a manager, fill out a comment card and send it in. I guarantee you'll hear from the home office.

Service industry minimum wage is $2.13 an hour (in Louisiana, anyway). Their income depends on their service. As far as I'm concerned, they can't afford to be surly and incompetent. Every single restaurant that we patronize regularly knows us, knows what we expect, and for the most part consistently meet and exceed our expectations. If they don't, they'll hear from us.
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Old 02-10-2005, 09:24 AM   #37 (permalink)
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Location: Buffalo, New York
Billege-

Yea, I've come to the conclusion that Hooters is not there for the service. Probably not the food either, although I like it just fine. I'm taking my dad to the Buffalo one in March when we see the UB Bulls basketball team take on the Ball State team.

Hopefully the uniforms at Hooters will ease any sting from the service that I have come to expect.
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Old 02-10-2005, 09:37 AM   #38 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ARTelevision
Also, most towns still have a few tried and true old-time diners that were in place and operating and gathering clientele way before their current competitors. We find they're a good bet. Add some travel to scout out a new old-time diner and you have added the experimental component back into the routine - albeit with less risk...
It may not be exprimentally exciting, but there's something special about walking into a diner in the morning and seeing the staff waving and asking how we're doing. The waitresses (no waiters on the morning shift) will jump up to be the one to serve us since they all know us.

This particular diner, now separated from our school by a huge Target store, was the victim of multiple attempts at eminent domain because the mayor wanted to build a parking lot or strip mall. They finally won, and they'll be building something around it instead of buldozing it.
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Old 02-10-2005, 05:56 PM   #39 (permalink)
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
Is it not polite/common courtesy/ to shake someone's hand when you run into them out of a normal context?

If you're at a party and having a drink, do you not shake hands with individuals because you're or they're having a drink or eating finger food?
I don't know where you learnt your etiquette, but if you don't shake hands in such situation, you come across as being quite rude.


Quote:
Originally Posted by warrrreagl
It's a common courtesy, raised with common sense thing.

And now, one of my favorite strips -
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE by Stephen Pastis
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Old 02-13-2005, 07:13 AM   #40 (permalink)
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Location: backwater, Third World, land of cotton
Bling, we'll just have to disagree on this one. You like for people to touch you, and I wasn't raised that way.

And now, a funny story that my wife will kill me for telling when she reads it.

You see, we have this male cat who's pretty damned cute. And we also have a new Hooters in town. One day, while talking back and forth to each other in our little cat voices, the male cat accused our female cat of not having any hooters. She didn't have a snappy comeback for him, and so it became a running joke between our two cats; the male preferred hooters and the female cat didn't have them.

Then, when we'd ride by our new Hooters restaurant, one of us would suddenly spot our male cat sitting at one of the tables outside partying it up with the Hooters girls. From there, it progressed that he had fallen in love with one of the waitresses (let's call her Sophia) and they had a hot fling going on. And everytime we'd leave the house, we were pretty sure he had scooted over to Hooters to live it up with Sophia.

Needless to say, all good things must come to an end, and our little guy and Sophia broke up. We heard all over town that it was a nasty break-up; he was really devastated and caused such an ugly scene at Hooters that he had to be thrown out. And Sophia lost her job over it. They stopped seeing each other completely, and unfortunately my wife and I can never eat at Hooters because of the humiliation we'd face over our little boy's nasty scene. We always wondered what happened to Sophia, though (even though we were forbidden from speaking her name in his presence).

Last night, we went out to dinner again at the little Italian grill that started this whole thread in the first place (which is located right across the street from the infamous Hooters). We were in a great mood and looking forward to good food.

Our waitress stepped up and said, "Good evening, my name is Sophia, and I'll be taking care of you this evening......."

?? !! ?? !! ?? !! ?? !! ??
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