Table 7.
It's Halloween, so we all wore costumes to work. I was a pirate...which drove me to be very silly and say things like, "How arrrgh you doin'?" and the like. Most people giggled politley, a few even shared pirate jokes. (How much do pirates spend on earrings? A buck-an-ear. There's really no such thing as a good pirate joke.) But not Table 7.
I walk up, do my pirate schtick (the aforementioned, how argh you doin' matey thing), and not one person in the party of four smiles. One guy breaks the awkward silence with, "Coffee". I ask if anyone else would like anything else to drink, and the old woman in the back says, "If you're done playing around, I think we'd like to order." "Okay, I can take your drink orders at the same time." They order and the woman (who shall now be referred to as Rude Lady) ask for "a cup of decaf, hot, not cold like it usually is, with my meal".
I'm waiting for their food, and since we are dreadfully slow I'm just standing around talking to our few other customers. And Rude Lady starts waving her napkin. I walk over and ask if they need anything. She replies, "Have you forgotten my decaf?" I tell her I'm sorry, it seems I'd misunderstood, I thought she wanted it *with* her meal. To which she says, "Well, that's what I'd hoped but since our food is taking so long, I'd rather not wait."
I'd like to point out that it hadn't been even 7 minutes and every one of them had "very well-done" hamburgers.
I get her coffee and a minute later their food comes up. When I take it out everyone is pleased, but in need of mustard. I bring it back and Rude Lady is once again unhappy. "The tomato made my bun soggy. Just how long did you leave this sitting in the window?" "I'm sorry, our tomatoes are fresh and have a tendency to be juicy. I'll be more than happy to get you a new bun." She just sits there, holding her bun, staring at me. Then she asks, "Well, are you going to answer my question? How Long Did You Leave My Food Sitting Under Those Heat Lamps?" "Ma'am, I brought your food as soon as it was up, I doubt it was under any heat lamp for more than 30 seconds." She puts the burger on a side plate and tells me. "This time I want my bun crispy and my tomato on the side." I take the burger, give it to the cooks and go back to Table 7 to refill coffees. Everyone else says they're happy and the food is great. Rude Lady hands me her fries and says, "These are cold now. I need new ones. And don't just put these in the microwave I want Fresh Fries." I just take the plate and walk away, I'm done talking to her.
I bring her her brand new burger, bun and fries. With all the garnish on the side and she's happy. Entirely. She smiles and says thank you.
Before they leave I walk over and offer dessert and drop off the check. Rude Lady smiles and says, "You were off to a rocky start. Thank you for making things right. ... I almost had to make you walk the plank!!"
Everyone at Table 7 laughed. I giggled politely and walked away.
I think Tom Cruise is wrong...MORE people need medication.
Tuesday
Sunday
Table 21
Two grubby, young kids and an old lady. Yeah, off to a beautiful start. The kids want coffee and water, the old lady wants wine. I asked what kind and she said, "The strong one". The grand-daughter says, "Just a white zinfandel, will be fine." The old lady was adorable...youngins' not so much. (Oh, and by kids, I mean early twenties. Not like, literally, children.)
The Order:
Boy: Can I get some chips and salsa and a combo burrito, extra green chili?"
Me: Sure, do you want the chips and salsa before the meal?
Boy: No, with the burrito.
Girl: I'll have the Macho Nachos.
Me: Beef or Chicken?
Girl: I said the Macho Nachos, not beef or chicken nachos.
Me: Okay, well, the Nachos come in either beef or chicken but if you'd rather I can do them with beans.
Girl: Well if it comes with it, then just give it to me.
Me: Okay, which would you like beef or chicken?
Girl: I thought you said they came with it?
Me: Yes, the Nachos come with EITHER beef OR chicken.
Girl: *rolls eyes* Beef, then.
Me: Good deal. And for you ma'am?
Old Lady: I'll have...
Girl: She's not hungry. *takes menu away from Old Lady*
Me: Okay...I should have that right out to you guys.
Their food comes up and I take it out. I put the chips and salsa down and the guy says, "Where's my guac?" I finish putting the food down and tell the guy that I hadn't heard him say guac, but I'll be right back with it and ask if anyone else needs anything. The Old Lady asks for another glass of wine. I make my way back to the kitchen to get some guac and the girl comes up and says, "Just bring her juice in a wine glass."
They eat and when they're done, most of the chips, salsa and guac are still left, as is the Old Lady's "wine". The Boy says, "Since you didn't bring out the chips and salsa as an appetizer we didn't get a chance to eat them...I want them taken off the bill, since you didn't bring them in time." That irritates me because he didn't order them as an appetizer, he asked for them with the burrito...Anyway, I ask my manager and he says just take it off. So, I do.
When they get to the register, the Old Lady tells the manager, "She didn't bring me wine, just juice in a wine glass." And he takes the wine off, too. I pointed out to him after they left I'd charged for a juice and explained what had happened. He thought it was all very funny.
Two grubby, young kids and an old lady. Yeah, off to a beautiful start. The kids want coffee and water, the old lady wants wine. I asked what kind and she said, "The strong one". The grand-daughter says, "Just a white zinfandel, will be fine." The old lady was adorable...youngins' not so much. (Oh, and by kids, I mean early twenties. Not like, literally, children.)
The Order:
Boy: Can I get some chips and salsa and a combo burrito, extra green chili?"
Me: Sure, do you want the chips and salsa before the meal?
Boy: No, with the burrito.
Girl: I'll have the Macho Nachos.
Me: Beef or Chicken?
Girl: I said the Macho Nachos, not beef or chicken nachos.
Me: Okay, well, the Nachos come in either beef or chicken but if you'd rather I can do them with beans.
Girl: Well if it comes with it, then just give it to me.
Me: Okay, which would you like beef or chicken?
Girl: I thought you said they came with it?
Me: Yes, the Nachos come with EITHER beef OR chicken.
Girl: *rolls eyes* Beef, then.
Me: Good deal. And for you ma'am?
Old Lady: I'll have...
Girl: She's not hungry. *takes menu away from Old Lady*
Me: Okay...I should have that right out to you guys.
Their food comes up and I take it out. I put the chips and salsa down and the guy says, "Where's my guac?" I finish putting the food down and tell the guy that I hadn't heard him say guac, but I'll be right back with it and ask if anyone else needs anything. The Old Lady asks for another glass of wine. I make my way back to the kitchen to get some guac and the girl comes up and says, "Just bring her juice in a wine glass."
They eat and when they're done, most of the chips, salsa and guac are still left, as is the Old Lady's "wine". The Boy says, "Since you didn't bring out the chips and salsa as an appetizer we didn't get a chance to eat them...I want them taken off the bill, since you didn't bring them in time." That irritates me because he didn't order them as an appetizer, he asked for them with the burrito...Anyway, I ask my manager and he says just take it off. So, I do.
When they get to the register, the Old Lady tells the manager, "She didn't bring me wine, just juice in a wine glass." And he takes the wine off, too. I pointed out to him after they left I'd charged for a juice and explained what had happened. He thought it was all very funny.
Friday
Alright. It's been almost a week since my last update...That in no way means that I've had no asshole customers, I've just been busy...watching TV and drinking coffee.
From Friday 10/21
Table 41
Two people who chose to sit in smoking, rather than wait five minutes for a table in non. When they were sat, the WHOLE restaurant was full, including 2/3rds of the smoking section and the whole bar. They were told it would take a minute for their server to get to them. Three minutes later when I did get to them, they complained about the wait...and the smoke. The host informed me a table was being cleaned off and if they wanted they could move. They declined. I took their order, along with four others, put them all in and ran to make drinks. Busy, busy, blah, blah. Their food came up while I happened to be standing next to the window. I took it to them right away and asked if they needed anything else. At the moment, they were okay, so I left them to their food. The other four orders came up in quick succession, taking another 10 minutes of so to get out in their entirety. I then checked back on Table 41. I gave them refills and confirmed that everything was okay and they needed nothing else. Drinks were made, more food was taken out and another ten minutes passes before I checked back in on 41.
And now the story changes. The woman is VERY upset. "I'm a regular here and never have I had such bad service." I'm taken a bit aback, as they've not seemed upset at all up to this point, "I'm sorry ma'am. What was wrong, and is there anything I can do for you now?" "I've just never had such bad service." "Okay...well, would you rather speak to my manager about this?" I thought maybe she hadn't answered because she didn't want to upset me, or maybe she was too cowardly to say something to my face. "Now, why do I got to talk to your manager. Can't you talk to me about you not being a good waitress?" "I'm sorry you found your service to be lacking. Let me go get my manager." I had to walk away. I couldn't figure out how to respond to her. I told Anthony (my manager) about the table and asked him to go talk to her. Instead, he watched some college football on TV. Finally she came up to the register and talked to Anthony. She told him, "She's had nothing but a bad attitude since the minute we sat down. Trying to get us to go sit somewhere else and rolling her eyes at us every chance she gets. Then I try to talk to her about it and she gets all uppity and rude. She's rude and stuck-up."
Now, in my life I've been called a LOT of things, but this is the first time I've ever been called "stuck-up".
For her talk of being a 'regular', I've worked five nights a week for the past eight months straight, and I've never seen her in that restaurant before.
From Friday 10/21
Table 41
Two people who chose to sit in smoking, rather than wait five minutes for a table in non. When they were sat, the WHOLE restaurant was full, including 2/3rds of the smoking section and the whole bar. They were told it would take a minute for their server to get to them. Three minutes later when I did get to them, they complained about the wait...and the smoke. The host informed me a table was being cleaned off and if they wanted they could move. They declined. I took their order, along with four others, put them all in and ran to make drinks. Busy, busy, blah, blah. Their food came up while I happened to be standing next to the window. I took it to them right away and asked if they needed anything else. At the moment, they were okay, so I left them to their food. The other four orders came up in quick succession, taking another 10 minutes of so to get out in their entirety. I then checked back on Table 41. I gave them refills and confirmed that everything was okay and they needed nothing else. Drinks were made, more food was taken out and another ten minutes passes before I checked back in on 41.
And now the story changes. The woman is VERY upset. "I'm a regular here and never have I had such bad service." I'm taken a bit aback, as they've not seemed upset at all up to this point, "I'm sorry ma'am. What was wrong, and is there anything I can do for you now?" "I've just never had such bad service." "Okay...well, would you rather speak to my manager about this?" I thought maybe she hadn't answered because she didn't want to upset me, or maybe she was too cowardly to say something to my face. "Now, why do I got to talk to your manager. Can't you talk to me about you not being a good waitress?" "I'm sorry you found your service to be lacking. Let me go get my manager." I had to walk away. I couldn't figure out how to respond to her. I told Anthony (my manager) about the table and asked him to go talk to her. Instead, he watched some college football on TV. Finally she came up to the register and talked to Anthony. She told him, "She's had nothing but a bad attitude since the minute we sat down. Trying to get us to go sit somewhere else and rolling her eyes at us every chance she gets. Then I try to talk to her about it and she gets all uppity and rude. She's rude and stuck-up."
Now, in my life I've been called a LOT of things, but this is the first time I've ever been called "stuck-up".
For her talk of being a 'regular', I've worked five nights a week for the past eight months straight, and I've never seen her in that restaurant before.
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