Resto Pet Peeves

[siliconghost]

77
JWS/siliconghost,

At risk of monopolizing this thread, a quick reply (oh let's no kid ourselves, people are loving this banter !).

I'm thrilled to read that there is at least one server out there that treats their "job" as a profession.  I spent many years in the biz doing everything from dishwashing, bartending, waiting tables, and managing upscale restaurants.  I FULLY agree that there is too much nonsense taking place.  My list may seem "nit picking" but I somehow think you agree with much of it.  I'm simply put off by restaurants that have a staff that couldn't care less, serve a subpar product, and have a cavalier attitude that I should feel "privleged" to dine in their establishment.  Yes, there are exceptions (we all know where they are so I won't be redundant in listing them here).  I agree, our paths probably have crossed and I will do my best to make sure they do again (I have eaten at Kong Chow actually and the lady that waited on us was extremely pleasant and had great frantic energy, kind of like an Asian Lucille Ball!). 



Hope to see you soon !

Yeah, that's Linda, (my boss), and you really couldn't have made a better comparison. She's great, and laughs at everything, and I love her for it!

I totally agree with everything you just wrote, and that's all I can really say.

Maybe she will laugh when I tell her that your coworkers serve vegetarians meat and that you do not like waiting on them.

Probably. Sorry you feel the need to be so militant. Glad that humorous banter gets you so riled up, that you threaten the well-being of those who are lower than you.

I'm sorry for my past posts.

[mailgirl]

77
JWS/siliconghost,

At risk of monopolizing this thread, a quick reply (oh let's no kid ourselves, people are loving this banter !).

I'm thrilled to read that there is at least one server out there that treats their "job" as a profession.  I spent many years in the biz doing everything from dishwashing, bartending, waiting tables, and managing upscale restaurants.  I FULLY agree that there is too much nonsense taking place.  My list may seem "nit picking" but I somehow think you agree with much of it.  I'm simply put off by restaurants that have a staff that couldn't care less, serve a subpar product, and have a cavalier attitude that I should feel "privleged" to dine in their establishment.  Yes, there are exceptions (we all know where they are so I won't be redundant in listing them here).  I agree, our paths probably have crossed and I will do my best to make sure they do again (I have eaten at Kong Chow actually and the lady that waited on us was extremely pleasant and had great frantic energy, kind of like an Asian Lucille Ball!). 



Hope to see you soon !

Yeah, that's Linda, (my boss), and you really couldn't have made a better comparison. She's great, and laughs at everything, and I love her for it!

I totally agree with everything you just wrote, and that's all I can really say.

Maybe she will laugh when I tell her that your coworkers serve vegetarians meat and that you do not like waiting on them.

Probably. Sorry you feel the need to be so militant. Glad that humorous banter gets you so riled up, that you threaten the well-being of those who are lower than you.

I'm sorry for my past posts.

Ha ha.  Your post in the the vegetarian section sounded mean and not like humorous banter.  Sorry YOU don't like humorous banter! 

[Suzanne Podhaizer]

Okay folks, let's turn this thread back to restaurant pet peeves!

Some of mine:

1) When I ask a server a question he/she didn't know the answer to, and instead of checking with a manager or someone in the kitchen, he/she makes up an answer. In one case, I was told that all of the salad dressings at a given eatery were homemade and they turned out to be Ken's. I wouldn't have asked if she'd been in the weeds, but she wasn't. And I was in the process of reviewing the restaurant, and thus was particularly interested in trying a homemade concoction.

In another — at one of the most expensive restaurants in the state, I might add — the head waiter dropped off a cheese plate and didn't tell us what cheeses were on it. When I asked him what they were, he made stuff up. (He told us that we had a Taylor Farm Tarentaise for one thing. Taylor Farm doesn't make Tarentaise).

2) The same gentleman, if I may use the term loosely, walked through the dining room muttering audibly that another server was a f****** idiot.

2a) Later that evening, the co-owner/hostess asked us how the meal was. She walked away before I could get a single sentence out — and I was saying something nice. It was the week of Valentine's Day and the dinner cost more than $200. I'll never go back.

3) When major substitutions are made without advance notice.

4) When I hear other customers treating any member of the restaurant staff rudely.

I'm sure I have more, but that's all I can think of right now.

[mailgirl]

I do not like it when an item arrives and is not as it is described on the menu.  There may be something missing or a substitution made and you do not find out until the dish is presented to you!

When employees carry on personal conversations while they work.  This happens more at quick service counter places such as certain bagel bakeries that are not part of a large chain and is kind of annoying.  A little bit of talk is ok but some of the stuff, sheesh!

When the wait person touches the top of the glasses.

Dirty restrooms!

Wait people that are not friendly at all.

[siliconghost]

Here are mine:

Asking a question and getting a made up answer.

Hesitating when splitting checks. I actually have never asked to split a check, personally, but as a waiter, I never hesitate. And, anyone who hesistates is shitty at their job.

Working at a nice restaurant and not knowing anything about wine service.

Being a pretentious asshole to other co-workers. Unless they are stealing from you, or being rude in your face, let it go and don't EVER repeat that kind of behavior in front of customers.

Being standoffish when asked to send an item back to the kitchen.

Autogratting a table with less than 6 people, or with less than 3 split checks.

Not prebussing. If you can't handle it when you are in the weeds, get another job.

Not making eye contact, and not asking to get me a second drink.

Waiting tables is almost a performance art. If you can't do it right, stay at the host stand or the dish machine where you belong.

[ryanunser]

SG what do you mean by prebussing?

[tonyo]

Prebussing is a step of service that involves clearing dishes as they are emptied rather than at the end of the meal when the guest has left.  It is annoying to be served an entree with salad/app plates still on the table.  This practice seems to have went the way of the crumb brush (remember the first time you seen one of those and thought, is this guy going to shave someone )

[Undead Molly]

I know this must be challenging for some servers and possibly annoying, but several members of my family have food allergies, some very severe. We do everything we can to choose appropriate restaurants and dishes to accommodate the special needs, but we do have to ask questions like, "is this cooked in butter?" or "is it a corn or flour tortilla?". We're up front and clear about the special needs: no dairy or gluten for her, no peanuts for him. Sometimes the servers seem to get very annoyed... but the worst is when the entrees come and one includes an item we specifically requested be absent. Then the whole table has to wait while that dish gets sent back and a new one prepared. We're not doing it because we're picky! We have no choice, except to spend our money at a different restaurant in the future.

[Morganna]

I know what you mean, though to a lesser extent.  My husband and I are mildly lactose intolerant (thankfully it's really restricted to milk and cream, cheese is FINE, phew, dodged that bullet. ).  It can be a challenge when perusing the menus.

[dancinggirl]

I hate it when people don't tip, or expect you to cover the whole tip when they ate WAY more than you did.

I don't like it when people are rude to waitstaff.

The other side?
Menu items that show up with major ingredients added. I was dining with a friend who does not eat pork for spiritual reasons. She ordered a cheeseburger and it showed up with bacon. Not listed on the menu as including bacon. She requested another burger and the server said "Well, you can take the bacon off".   I explained the situation to the server. It was corrected, but it was uncomfortable for my friend and we all had to wait to eat. The bottom line is, that if you don't get what you ordered, you have a right to get it replaced.

I've seen diabetic friends order sugar free drinks and have the waitstaff bring them regular, which caused them a problem.

I've worked in the business. I know it's hard to work under pressure in the rush, but if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!

[dancinggirl]

Oh, and one more thing.
Nectars fries always used to be served with home made turkey gravy. You could ask for other choices, but that was the default.
I stopped going there for fries because shortly after the "new owners" took over, they tried to tell me it was "always" chicken gravy. And trust me guys, even with the chicken gravy, you aren't using the same recipe. If you're making it at all.

[siliconghost]

I hate it when people don't tip, or expect you to cover the whole tip when they ate WAY more than you did.

I don't like it when people are rude to waitstaff.

The other side?
Menu items that show up with major ingredients added. I was dining with a friend who does not eat pork for spiritual reasons. She ordered a cheeseburger and it showed up with bacon. Not listed on the menu as including bacon. She requested another burger and the server said "Well, you can take the bacon off".   I explained the situation to the server. It was corrected, but it was uncomfortable for my friend and we all had to wait to eat. The bottom line is, that if you don't get what you ordered, you have a right to get it replaced.

I've seen diabetic friends order sugar free drinks and have the waitstaff bring them regular, which caused them a problem.

I've worked in the business. I know it's hard to work under pressure in the rush, but if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!

Wow, if I worked with someone like that, I'd quit immediately. Being jewish kinda makes me sympathetic to that situation, however.

Also, if a waiter doesn't accomodate allergies, even after realizing a mistake, then they are a shitty waiter/waitress and putting customers lives at risk is just a retarded thing to do. *sigh*

[dtp123]

Napkins stuffed inside your waterglass when you arrive at the table, servers taking your dirty silverware off your appetizer plate when they clear and leaving it at the table, not being preset with the appropriate silverware, and being poured non-chilled water.