How did you handle bad restaurant service? - Page 3

siberian khatru · 10-19-2005, 09:03 AM

I came across this anecdote on a blog:

My senior year we had dinner at Ambrosia, a Very High End 4 star resturant on Balboa, near the bridge to Lido. Dressed to the 9's. The service was AWFUL. We were put right next to the kitchen door, which actually banged into my date's chair each time it opened. We didn't buy any wine (drinking age in CA was 21) but were charged $20 for it ANYWAY, because it was "policy."

After I paid the check I asked the waiter to bring over the captain and matre'de. I told them that for a meal like that (nearly $100 in pre-inflation money) I'd expect to leave a $20 tip. The service had been horrid and I would not leave a tip, but I didn't want them to believe it was because I was a cheap teenage that they could treat like crap. So I folded a $20 and put it in the ashtray and set it on fire.

I thought the matre'de was going to have a stroke. 6 months later they were closed.

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/...ves/005618.php

I thought that was terrific.

Anybody else have a good story like that? (I don't.)

Frosty · 10-19-2005, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seek

He ended up throwing such a fit he just looked at us in front of the manager, and said lets go. I am not paying them a damn thing. So we all walked out without even paying for our food.

An ex-girlfriend's father was that way. Every single trip to a restaurant ended with a screaming fit. Turns out he was just trying to get the meals for free.

I very quickly learned to turn down dinner invites.

bkkcoh · 10-19-2005, 11:48 AM

What I really like it to get bad service and mention something about it to the manager and they say 'We couldn't help it, we had a couple of people call off and we are understaffed'

It is like it is our fault for making them understaffed.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 10-19-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

The dad took the cake, though. He literally could not stop talking, ever. If you wanted peace and quiet, you just had to leave. I remember going to their house for Thanksgiving once, and there was a time when it was just me and the dad standing around outside. I kid you not, I stood there for probably close to an hour and never said a single word. The guy didn't stop talking the entire time, and never even tried to ask a question or have any kind of two-way conversation.

Sounds very familiar... my FIL is the same way. And REALLY friggin' opinionated. I hate going over there.

siberian khatru · 10-19-2005, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Off topic, but back when I was a young buck I made a very bad girlfriend decision. When I met her family, it was like meeting a dysfunctional Addams family on drugs. From top to bottom, there wasn't a single person in that family that wasn't seriously screwed up in one way or the other.

The dad took the cake, though. He literally could not stop talking, ever. If you wanted peace and quiet, you just had to leave. I remember going to their house for Thanksgiving once, and there was a time when it was just me and the dad standing around outside. I kid you not, I stood there for probably close to an hour and never said a single word. The guy didn't stop talking the entire time, and never even tried to ask a question or have any kind of two-way conversation.

I briefly dated a girl whose mother was like that. I seriously think she (the mom) was mentally ill.

PastorMikH · 10-19-2005, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Sounds very familiar... my FIL is the same way. And REALLY friggin' opinionated. I hate going over there.

Saaaayyyy, you didn't by chance marry Rainman's Ex girlfriend did you?

**luv** · 10-19-2005, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkkcoh

What I really like it to get bad service and mention something about it to the manager and they say 'We couldn't help it, we had a couple of people call off and we are understaffed'

It is like it is our fault for making them understaffed.

That's when you say, "So you're excuse for poor service is your inability to hire employees who will be here?"

I work in a smaller town outside of Springfield. There's a pizza place who our employees always order from. They are constantly late or forget an order. Some employees ha stopped ordering , but not me. Whenever that happens, they usually give your your order for free. Being a supervisor, I don't have a set time when I take lunch. So if my order is late, I can wait until they get there with my then free food before going to lunch.

**BigRedChief** · 10-19-2005, 12:53 PM

If you leave no tip they just think you are cheap.

The easiest and simplist message to send to a bad waiter/waitress for bad service is to leave a single penny.

Sully · 10-19-2005, 01:07 PM

I agree with the single penny method.
Oh, and not returning, but that goes without saying.

Anyone know the etiquette on getting fatty steaks/ Prime Ribs?
I seem to be getting a lot of these lately, and I remember when I used to be a server we politely told people to get over it when they complained about that, but it seems that if I order 8oz of meat, and get 3-4 oz of fat, that I should complain... any thoughts?

Pitt Gorilla · 10-19-2005, 01:07 PM

For poor service, I leave 8-10%. Of course, the message probably gets lost as some people leave that normally. Oh well...

**luv** · 10-19-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sully

I agree with the single penny method.
Oh, and not returning, but that goes without saying.

Anyone know the etiquette on getting fatty steaks/ Prime Ribs?
I seem to be getting a lot of these lately, and I remember when I used to be a server we politely told people to get over it when they complained about that, but it seems that if I order 8oz of meat, and get 3-4 oz of fat, that I should complain... any thoughts?

I have a friend who sends back her plate when her steak isn't cooked well enough. I could just hear her saying, "Excuse me, but I ordered steak, not fat."

Sully · 10-19-2005, 01:11 PM

Yeah.
I used to work at a steak place, and we basically just told people that fat comes with the deal, until they pitched a real fit. But I don't want to be aa d*ck, so I was curious if anyone else really thought it was just "part of the deal" or not.

|Zach| · 10-19-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

For poor service, I leave 8-10%. Of course, the message probably gets lost as some people leave that normally. Oh well...

Yup

KCChiefsMan · 10-19-2005, 02:38 PM

so when I used to wait tables through college (it feels good saying that now), we had about 10 families at least that would never tip and they kept coming back every week or 2, so the first time or 2 I'd give them good service just like I would anyone else, well then the next time I had to serve them if I remembered them correctly they definately left unhappy because I would give them the worst service I could, then I would be extra extra extra nice to the tables sitting near them just to rub it in. I even said to a guy one time while he was eating his cold food while I let it sit there for 10 minutes, "boy, ya sure look thursty, huh?"

I kinda got a kick out of messing with those people, and I would only give that treatment to people if I remembered correctly that they didn't tip last time.....

but if ya had a few tables like that all night it really got stressful, so I try to be a very pleasant customer when I eat out and if I get great service I usually tip 30%, bad service 15% depending on how bad it is.

**Bowser** · 10-19-2005, 02:38 PM

I dare anyone here to go see the movie Waiting, then bitch about their food the next time they eat out.

And the worst service I have EVER had at a restaurant came at the LoneStar Steakhouse. Service sucked, got the wrong drinks, daughter got the wrong food, and the food was nearly cold. This happened twice. Never again.

Sully · 10-19-2005, 02:40 PM

"Waiting"was hilarious, and as off a it seemed, every character was someone I knew once in the food business.

10-19-2005, 09:03 AM
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $-1215050	How did you handle bad restaurant service? I came across this anecdote on a blog: My senior year we had dinner at Ambrosia, a Very High End 4 star resturant on Balboa, near the bridge to Lido. Dressed to the 9's. The service was AWFUL. We were put right next to the kitchen door, which actually banged into my date's chair each time it opened. We didn't buy any wine (drinking age in CA was 21) but were charged $20 for it ANYWAY, because it was "policy." After I paid the check I asked the waiter to bring over the captain and matre'de. I told them that for a meal like that (nearly $100 in pre-inflation money) I'd expect to leave a $20 tip. The service had been horrid and I would not leave a tip, but I didn't want them to believe it was because I was a cheap teenage that they could treat like crap. So I folded a $20 and put it in the ashtray and set it on fire. I thought the matre'de was going to have a stroke. 6 months later they were closed. http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/...ves/005618.php I thought that was terrific. Anybody else have a good story like that? (I don't.)
Posts: 71,880

10-19-2005, 11:48 AM	#32
bkkcoh MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lewis Center, Ohio USA Casino cash: $9805595	What I really like it to get bad service and mention something about it to the manager and they say 'We couldn't help it, we had a couple of people call off and we are understaffed' It is like it is our fault for making them understaffed. __________________ Brian K. Aspire to Inspire before you Expire
Posts: 5,506

10-19-2005, 12:53 PM	#37
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $-641038 VARSITY	If you leave no tip they just think you are cheap. The easiest and simplist message to send to a bad waiter/waitress for bad service is to leave a single penny. __________________ Mahomes is not a game manager. Release the Kraken.
Posts: 81,276

10-19-2005, 01:07 PM	#38
Sully It Goes On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $10026331	I agree with the single penny method. Oh, and not returning, but that goes without saying. Anyone know the etiquette on getting fatty steaks/ Prime Ribs? I seem to be getting a lot of these lately, and I remember when I used to be a server we politely told people to get over it when they complained about that, but it seems that if I order 8oz of meat, and get 3-4 oz of fat, that I should complain... any thoughts? __________________ "And I don't wish that girl any bad luck," he said, "but I hope she gets hit with a car." - Tommy Lasorda
Posts: 18,295

10-19-2005, 01:07 PM	#39
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $-19806	For poor service, I leave 8-10%. Of course, the message probably gets lost as some people leave that normally. Oh well... __________________ Your son is a bench warmer because of your weak genetics not because of the coach Norlin Mommsen is disgusting.
Posts: 47,360

10-19-2005, 01:11 PM	#41
Sully It Goes On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $10026331	Yeah. I used to work at a steak place, and we basically just told people that fat comes with the deal, until they pitched a real fit. But I don't want to be aa d*ck, so I was curious if anyone else really thought it was just "part of the deal" or not. __________________ "And I don't wish that girl any bad luck," he said, "but I hope she gets hit with a car." - Tommy Lasorda
Posts: 18,295

10-19-2005, 02:38 PM	#43
KCChiefsMan AIC Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Roxbury, MA Casino cash: $10004900	so when I used to wait tables through college (it feels good saying that now), we had about 10 families at least that would never tip and they kept coming back every week or 2, so the first time or 2 I'd give them good service just like I would anyone else, well then the next time I had to serve them if I remembered them correctly they definately left unhappy because I would give them the worst service I could, then I would be extra extra extra nice to the tables sitting near them just to rub it in. I even said to a guy one time while he was eating his cold food while I let it sit there for 10 minutes, "boy, ya sure look thursty, huh?" I kinda got a kick out of messing with those people, and I would only give that treatment to people if I remembered correctly that they didn't tip last time..... but if ya had a few tables like that all night it really got stressful, so I try to be a very pleasant customer when I eat out and if I get great service I usually tip 30%, bad service 15% depending on how bad it is.
Posts: 11,478

10-19-2005, 02:38 PM	#44
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $-98384	I dare anyone here to go see the movie Waiting, then bitch about their food the next time they eat out. And the worst service I have EVER had at a restaurant came at the LoneStar Steakhouse. Service sucked, got the wrong drinks, daughter got the wrong food, and the food was nearly cold. This happened twice. Never again.
Posts: 106,692

10-19-2005, 02:40 PM	#45
Sully It Goes On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $10026331	"Waiting"was hilarious, and as off a it seemed, every character was someone I knew once in the food business. __________________ "And I don't wish that girl any bad luck," he said, "but I hope she gets hit with a car." - Tommy Lasorda
Posts: 18,295