A Birthday Debacle at Joe's Crab Shack
 

Has anyone else fallen for this?

Well, today was my mom's birthday and Wednesday is my birthday so my family went out to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack today to celebrate a little.

Well, we didn't say anything about a birthday or anything until I screwed up. I ordered a beer and the super perky server asked how old I was. I said I'm 25....or will be 25 on Wednesday. "Oh it's your birthday", he replied. My brother nicely pointed out that it was my mom's as well. Turns out my brother knew all about the debacle to come. The server said that they have something nice in store for us. I knew at that point that something lame was going to happen.

It turns out that after you eat they come to your table with a cow suit and a wig if you're a woman, and a fairy princess (complete with wings) costume if you're a dude. They embarass you sufficiently until you're forced to put the costumes on and prance around the restaurant like fucking idiots. They even gave me a magic wand aka a regular straw to spread pixie dust or whatever on everyone. Unfortunately, my brother has pictorial evidence of this fairy princess experience.

Now, I am a pretty serious person. Still, I have been known to participate in self-deprecation at times. What would you have done in this situation? It was kind of funny, and got a good amount of laughs from other patrons. I was still throughly embarssed by the whole scenario.

I am not a good sport, I would have gotten up and left the place. I don't think that is funny at all.

yeah, to be honest I would have just told them to piss off if they wanted me to dress as a fairy princess.

hell ya'.........i woulda jumped right in and made a complete ass of myself........good times.


so........where's the pix man?

I believe the words "no", "Fuck you!", and "Go away!" would have left my mouth. If they didn't I would have thrown a huge fit, and left without paying the bill. Not only that, but I would be severely pissed at whoever had the bright idea to set that shit up. I refuse to stay in a restaurant when all they want to do is sing to you, much less have you make an ass of yourself.

eh... while I wouldn't wear the outfit... since I'm there with family I'd do it.

Sometimes one does things for family not because they want to but because it's for the family. This is quite harmless and not a fight worth fighting say vs. lifestyle arguments from dating to homosexuality, marriage to kids.

Then there's the future thoughts of the family like, "Damn do you remember that time for so and so's X bday and they just flipped out because the server wanted to dance around the restaurant?" "How uptight... it was just a birthday song."

In my opinion there's much more to be upset about the world than something as petty as someone doing a goofy birthday moment. Maybe it's because I grew up going to Farrell's where for different reasons they'd bang a bass drum, ring a bell, sound the siren, and announce your birthday, because you ate a Pig's Trough (a double banana split), special orders.

Now I can understand someone who doesn't want to be the center of attention as my wife isn't interested in it at all, but sometimes one has to get over themselves to help create lasting memories for the rest of the family. While she's not going to do this at this point, the example I had to use for her is that she would not allow anyone to take her picture, and I said that if anything happened to her that I would have no memories of her to look at. Memories are how you make them, you can make them angry and negative if you like. I prefer that they be without drama and difficulty.

Its not the type of person I am, I don't draw attention to myself, and refuse to act like a dumbass just for others sick amusement. My family and friends had better know me better than to set me up like that. It's unforgiveable to do this kind of thing to someone who wouldn't enjoy it and would be emberassed and uncomfortable because of the attention, especially on their birthday.

It doesn't matter if your with family or friends, I won't be made a fool of by anyone, I can make fun of myself just fine, I don't need others help.

Haha, I've been there and seen that, although never been there on my birthday. I don't think I'd be up for all that if it were my birthday, I really hate things like that. I probably would have told them to get away from me, but who knows? I make an ass out of myself in every day life on my own, why not in public on my birthday?

Hah... one time a few of us went to Hooters for my roommate's birthday.. The server overheard us talking about his birthday, so she cam over and asked whose birthday it was.. She left and then came back with all of the other servers and they made him stand on his bar stool and do the chicken dance while they sang.

It was quite embarassing.. I was embarassed for him.

I don't know what I would have done as far as the costumes go... I would have been annoyed, but I wouldn't want to look like a uptight dildo in front of everyone, so I would have probably done just enough for them to leave..

I guess in reality, if it happened to me, I wouldnt make a scene about it, I'd just say firmly and politely that I didnt want to do it. Unless I was really drunk, then I guess I might go along with it.

Whatever happened to the wait staff assembling around your table to sing "Happy Birthday", before presenting you with a teeny little stale, but free, birthday cake? At what point did it get twisted into the birthday celebrant making an ass of themselves?
No, I have little patience for stupidity, and I make a big enough ass out of myself without the help from the wait staff of some restaraunt.

If you have never been to Joe's Crab Shack, they work hard at making a scene and act like they are throwing a big party. What was described fits perfectly with how they act.

However, celebrations like this are the reason my family has a standing rule that no restaurant is told when our birthdays are. None of us like the presentations so we avoid it all together. When we go out to celebrate a birthday, we want to celebrate as a family, not with the entire restaurant staff.

I utterly detest any kind of attention at all, I think I would have crawled under the table and died of embarassment because people were looking at me. However, I'm very hypocritical, I'd laugh my butt off, and make sure that it was known if a person with me was having a birthday. Though the costume and crap is a little too rowdy for me.

There's a restuarant in Nashua, NH - -Texas roadhouse I think, that has the wait staff constantly breaking into song and dance and trying to draw the customers into their antics. My colleagues and I cancelled out dinner order and left the restuarant because it was so obnoxious, and will not go back. Places really should warn you about what goes on in the place before a customer spends good money.

Most chain restaurants now do something stupid to their patrons if they are told a birthday is being celebrated. I go out to eat for the good meal and relaxation, not to be bombarded with antics from over-zealous college kids.
I happen to love Joe's Crab Shack-food is good and doesn't break the bank. The couple of times I've gone I haven't seen this ridiculousness and I feel sorry for anyone who had to endure it. I would hope that they have sense enough to back off if told 'no, thanks'-if not, I would do one of two things-get up and leave or leave a penny for a tip.

I love Joe's Crab Shack.

Being embarrassed is not the end of the world. Especially if it's all done in good fun. Everyone is so uptight!

And I love their shirts that say, "Got crabs? We Do. Joe's Crab Shack."

Good fun for who? The person being embarassed or everyone else? Why should someone else's embarassement be entertainment for others?

And Yes, I am very uptight

My family knows that if they tell the server it's my birthday I will up and leave before any idiocy occurs. I've only allowed it to be known it was my birthday once--when we sat at a table that had a "Happy Birthday" sign on it and balloons left from the last patrons. When the server went to take it all out of the way (this was a pretty fancy restaurant, so we were kind of surprised that it had been left behind) I said it was okay because it was my birthday too. Since it was such a fancy place all they did was give me free dessert, so that was nice. No hoopla, no embarassing antics, nothing of the sort.

I'm not uptight nor easily embarassed. I just don't want any part of that kind of stupidity.

My reaction would probably go a little something like this...


http://www.boomspeed.com/xoberonx/doughboy_threat.gif

:icare:

heh... took my dad there a while back for his birthday, told them it was his birthday (it really was), but didn't know they were going to try and make an ass out of him. So come time for them to sing "Happy Birthday," they pull him up, hand him a hula-hoop, and tell him to keep trying until the song was done and that, if he stopped, they'd start over. Damned if I know how they got this big, uptight guy up there, but it took 3 tries before they let him sit down, the reddest I've ever seen him...

I wouldn't've taken him back for his birthday if I'd known... It's one of those things some people do and some don't... He was wholly embarassed and ashamed, really. I wouldn't've minded it so much, but some people just aren't built like for quick embarassment like that.

But you should've seen the look on his face when they told him what they were going to do... and the way he muttered, "you gotta be fuckin' kidding me..." as he stood was the best part of the night.

I'm working on the pics. My brother took them with his cell phone so hopefully they are really grainy :)

I'd likely jump right up, strap on those wings and frilly dress, and have a wonderful time.

But that's probably because I manage to embarass myself every day anyway, so this isn't all that much worse.

I don't liek the idea of forcing people to do it though. I know a number of people that would violently protest to such a thing.

Also, I think I'd prefer the cow costume. Cow costumes are amazing.

My dad's friends tell the local mexican restaurant it's his birthday every time they go

No, no thanks... Really. I hate having any attention brought to myself, and I was at Joes once when they did something similar to the above to another guy. I was embarrassed for him! That shit is for the birds... My wife told a waiter once it was my b-day after I explicatly told her not to. So when they sang, I was furious, but she wasn't looking at me... I took a spoonful of whipped cream, and as she turned to look at me, it went on her nose! I didn't get any that night though.

I'd do it completely sober, if they had a fairy outfit I could fit into.

edit: I would prance around like a proud jackass. If I can make someone laugh, it's good. If I end up hearing that my picture is on godhatesfags.com, it's even better

I would have communicated to the perky server that my tip was going to be based on how well he understood me when I said no thank you.

I would've definitely done it. I only wait for moments to do stuff like this. I love making a fool of myself. hehe

the whole birthday get up.. just not a fan of that stuff. Then again I like to use my birthday as a reason to sick back, relax and do nothing.

I was a the crab shack the weekend it opened here. The waitress asked me to help.. and being the sap I am I agreed. The next thing I knew I was in a tango line that had probably only ... 14 of us? by the end 1/4 to 1/2 of the people were in it. Sure at first I felt like an idiot, what with my entire family there... but then well.. I'm already looking like an idiot, I might as well have fun doing it..... and did so.

The first minute when you're suckered in sucks.. after that you accept it and smile a bit.

DAMN NO! I don't think I0d even go to a place where they do that. And fuck whoever sets that up on me. They'd know I'd hate it. In the situation...no I wouldn't do it, and if they tried to force me I'm sure I'd have been appropriately rude. It's MY birthday for chrissakes. I'll do what I want. Fuck that.

That's what I'm talkin' about. Free dessert...mmmmm.

I hate that kind of crap. To put up with that you have to be awfully drunk. I always feel embarassed for the people that get stuck in those situations. I prefer my humiliation in the privacy of my own bedroom.

Yeah I was forced to run around the restaurant in the fairy wings for my 18th birthday.

On another subject, it looks like your new avatar was inspired by Ms. Grancey...

I hate it but depending on who I Was there with I would go through with it... I am on the "Lets make an ass of yourself" bandwagon!

I fell for this on my 16th birthday, but instead I forced the server to make me a HUGE balloon animal hat, and the got up on a nearby table, and started singing "Happy Birthday" to myself at the top of my lungs through a megaphone, while a ceiling fan bapped my balloon hat, and then I marched around the restaurant singing until the servers took the megaphone away, and told me to sit back down. I'd still occassionally randomly yell "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" in the middle of eating. I think a few other people left, and the people who took me to the CrabShack were blushing on the way out.

Lesson to be learned - Don't give someone with no shame a megaphone and an excuse to make an ass out of himself.

I love that. Good way to settle that one.

Personally, and anyone may feel free to call me uptight, I don't like that kind of thing. Loathe it.

I would have not enjoyed it, not cooperated, and would have been mad at my family for putting me in a situation they know would make me very uncomfortable. However, since they know I don't handle things like that very well, they don't do that to me. I guess they respect my feelings too much. Thanks to my family for that.

Who? Last I checked it was from a Russian TV commercial.

I would have communicated to the perky server that my tip was going to be based on how well he understood me when I said no thank you.

Sometimes, thats the only thing that matters.

Is there a thread titled "TFP What would you do for some free shit?"

Princess costume? Cow suit? Free cake? Sign me up.

I really don't want to divulge what I will do for free beer.

P.S.: There is a 'Beer Tasting' event in a month that is 20 bucks cover. I am renting my own stomach pump.

I am not one to make a scene, be it prancing around the restaurant, or yelling at the employees. I would probably ignor them and order another beer. I really hate these sort of things. Even singing--It just seems tacky. It is not that I do not want the attention so much as I know it bothers me to see such nonsense when I am trying to enjoy my meal.

Wow I'm honestly suprised reading half the post on here. I would do it in a heart beat.

One has 364 days to be normal, I could live with a 99.7980990342098% normal life.