So, you try to be understanding. You try to tell yourself, “Anyone can make a mistake,be nice!” But,seriously sometimes you just wonder about people.
See, it all started out as a nice little adventure. I received a text message on Saturday morning from my oldest and dearest friend saying, “Hey, I finally have some time to meet up,do you?” I was like “Sure.” And her timing could not have been more perfect. Saturday evening my husband was gonna watch some football game. Turned out his team lost, oh well. Anyway, we made plans for dinner at 7:30 pm!!
We got there and the place was packed. Thank goodness she had made reservations. I felt sorry for people walking in. They were telling them an hour to an hour and half wait. The bar was stuffed and loaded with people. Even with our reservation we had to wait about 10 minutes for our table. I was a little surprised by the crowd!
Once sat, we did get a booth, which I like. Booths are so much more comfy! The booth was located right at the hubbub of the kitchen but we didn’t care. The young couple behind us? Well, let us just say the young lady HATED the location of their booth. I mean, I think the manager should discuss with the kitchen about their loudness and language since tables are right there but seriously it didn’t bother us. We haven’t seen each other in a while so we were busy catching up. Too busy to notice the kitchen and all their shenanigans!!
Our Waiter. Well, unfortunately,he was NOTICEABLE and NOT GETTING IT,poor guy. The restaurant was busy,busy. The kitchen was crazy. You could hear the frantic,clashing and banging in the background. You could see all the employees buzzing around like busy little bees! Our waiter was not calm and cool. He was overwhelmed by his bustling evening and he wasn’t catching on that we were going to be his easy table. Keep the drinks coming and leave us alone for awhile. Nope,he kept bugging the shit out of us to order. At one point he intruded on us saying, “I want you to know our kitchen is running about 18 minutes (what an odd time to pick) and so if you order it will take time, just want to let you know.” And he was saying it fast, and wringing his hands and then he would add, “But, I am not rushing you, enjoy your evening and take your time, just want to inform you, now don’t feel rushed.” My friend finally said, “We should let you know,we are very old friends and we don’t see each other often so we are in no hurry, we will be here awhile, we will let you know when we are ready.” He said, “Oh, ok” Now, you would think that satisfied him. HELL NO!! He kept asking us to order our dinner.
Of course, we knew we were taking the waiter’s table all evening and we are not stupid. WE GET IT. I use to be a waitress. I had no intention of stiffing the waiter. In addition, we were drinking, having an appetizer and each ordering full meal. Trust me, this guy was not gonna get ripped off by us.
Oh, and Our drinks were watered down,good, but watered down. We had the most delicious shrimp appetizer. I wish I knew more about food. The best I can tell you is it melted in your mouth BUT it had a little zip to it. Not overly spiced, not too much sauce, just enough BANG FOR YOUR mouth.
So, the evening is going on. We drink, we gab and gab. His night is slowing down. We gab. We laugh. We talk about our lives and of course go down memory lane. We gossip about old buddies. You know, you do it with old friends all the time too! We talked about the young couple behind us. Oh, I try to get my friend to get on Facebook. Everyone loved her, she would get a ton of friends and well, like a good friend I could piggy back of off her, I always did!!
We had a blast. And then we ordered our food!!
Here comes our fabulous waiter (you did envision an eye roll,right?) So, we order our meals and he asks, “Would you like to add a salad or soup?” My friend asks about the soup and he describes Lobster Bisque. Oh, it sounded yummy. We order it!!!
We go back to yacking away!
And BAM, our full meal pops in front of our face!
The young lady goes to sit the food down and I say, “Where is our soup?”
Poor thing stands there dumbfounded and then finds her voice, “You ordered soup?”
Our Waiter pops in and says, “Is there a problem?”
I say, “We never got our soup? ( and he can see the young lady is standing there with our dinners)
He begins twisting his hands and shifting his feet. “Well, we could bring you your soup?”
The poor girl is still holding our meals.
I answer, “Just forget mine.” I look at my friend and she nods in agreement.
The girl quickly places our food down and scoots away. Our waiter takes off with her.
Then, he comes back and says, “So, have you decided? Would you like that soup?”
I answered again, “Um, no, I already have my meal, I wanted my soup first.”
My friend agreed.
He offered no explanation and no sorry. He just kind of blew it off. Like, you know, we can get you the damn soup, so what if it comes a little late or with the meal. He just had this attitude, like, ‘sorry but I am trying to rectify it by telling you I can bring you the soup right out.’
I don’t know about you but I don’t like to eat my soup warm or my steak warm. One or the other was going to sit. In addition, the waiter hounded us all night to order and then he screws it up? Worse, when we ordered he was no longer busy. I would have liked to given the guy a break. Be understanding when someone is busy and running around going in every direction and trying to juggle a zillion things and mistakes happen! BUT after hounding us all night then we order when the place is empty he has the audacity to screw our order up!! We were practically the last ones to leave the restaurant. C’mon?
Don’t worry, I still tipped him more than I should have, we did stay at his table all night but I am telling you, I am craving Lobster Bisque!
Sometimes do you have trouble being understanding with service people?
{ 4 comments }
My hubby would have been furious and though I would have tipped the waiter regardless hubby would have had words with the manager. Glad you had a good time with your friend even if the waiter was a nut.
Sometimes have very cheek chewing trouble with them. I want to say bitter things, but they serve my food. I smile, eat, tip and wont eat there again.
Glad you got to have a good chat with your friend though. Maybe meet for dessert next time in the cheesecake factory?
YUM!
And yes that bisque does sound so good!
I would have loved to have you two at my table when I was a waitress. Just keep the drinks coming and leave you alone? no problem – especially if that busy. And I have BEEN BUSY as a waitress because the restaurant was located right to a movie theatre!! can you imagine? for about 4 hours we (meaning me AND THE 1 OTHER WAITIRESS!!!) hopped like frenzied frogs in a French bistro, let me tell you.
And if I screwed up your order? we always had coupons for the concession stand at the movie theatre that would be the very least we would offer you.
Sometimes, I wouldn’t even care about the tips: I just wanted to survive! LOL
And I would have still taken the soup on principle. but that’s just my stubborn streak; I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it warm like you say.
The second time I went to this casual restaurant was the last time. I ordered a hotdog with some kind of chili on top plus sweet potato fries. When the food FINALLY arrives the chili is cold and stiff, the hot dog is cool and the fries are definitely not warm.
When we finally get the waitress to come back to the table, it’s not a big place, she insists in taking the hot dog to warm it up and tells me, repeatedly to eat the fries. No way. Serve it all at one time, hot, or not at all. My husband doesn’t want to go ahead and eat his meal, but I don’t want his to get cold. What’re you gonna do- change restaurants!
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