This annoys me

[wdfifteen]

It's been fairly common at chain restaurants for a long time, but it seems to be creeping into better places over the past few years. The wait staff walks up to your table and asks whether everything is OK or if you need anything and it doesn't make any difference to them if you are talking or chewing a mouthful of food, they just blurt it out.
What are you supposed to do? It's impolite and just plain gross to talk with your mouth full, but I feel like an idiot sitting there chewing while some waitress stares at me and waits. If someone is talking they talk right over them. It seems they could take 5 seconds to stand by the table and wait to be acknowledge their presence before they interrupt. Who trains them to do this?

[stomachmonkey]

Don't know who trains them but it is one of my pet peeves as well.

If I get a server that turns out to be annoyingly over attentive I tell them very firmly "we are fine, don't worry, if I need anything I will let you know" in a manner that clearly expresses my displeasure without being an outright dick about it.

The other night I actually pulled a Manager aside and complemented the server for having the proper balance of attention without being over bearing.

[Oh Haha]

It's nice to know I'm not alone.

I get annoyed pretty easily anymore. I know they are just doing their job but I dislike when waitstaff keeps checking on our table.

A person that does a good job but doesn't interfere with our experience will get a nice fat tip. I tip every time but the amount depends on if they bother me or not.

[Baz]

HA!

I'm glad the subject came up about negative experiences while dining out.

The short version is.....dining out is a negative.

Why?

So many unknowns.

Dress, distance, parking, time factor, crowds, seating location, neighboring patrons, food quantity and quality, staff quality, cost, and last but not least.....did anyone in the kitchen use the bathroom and not wash their hands before preparing your meal?

I avoid eating out as much as possible.

Those who love it and consider it a "treat"? Well my theory is they enjoy the concept of having servants who wait on them hand and foot. It's a power trip.

Enjoy!

[slodave]

It's in the employee handbook! It's been there forever! Wait for the customer to have full mouth, then ask how things are. Page 2.1.14.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Baz

HA!

I'm glad the subject came up about negative experiences while dining out.

The short version is.....dining out is a negative.

Why?

So many unknowns.

Dress, distance, parking, time factor, crowds, seating location, neighboring patrons, food quantity and quality, staff quality, cost, and last but not least.....did anyone in the kitchen use the bathroom and not wash their hands before preparing your meal?

I avoid eating out as much as possible.

Those who love it and consider it a "treat"? Well my theory is they enjoy the concept of having servants who wait on them hand and foot. It's a power trip.

Enjoy!

jeez what do you do for a night out?

[Joe Bob]

IMHO they are trained to do that.....pull out a spoon and correct them. No talking needed.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

jeez what do you do for a night out?

You mean eating out or just going out?

I try to prepare food at home mostly. Going out is OK but eat at home first or later when you return.

Occasionally I order take-out and I do eat out once in a while but I just think it is not the big deal some people think it is. If that's how they want to consider it - hey no worries.

There's a local Irish Mexican place that makes these Shrimp Jalapeno poppers...they are unreal. I haven't tried to make them yet. So I get those because I'm forced to. But worth the risk.

[Tobra]

Poor training of the wait staff. I waited tables to pay for college, not in chain restaurants, more fine dining. People in general don't know how to behave in public.

I can count the number of times I have been sick in the last twenty years on one hand. One from a flu shot, 3 from food poisoning gotten while eating out. I still go out to dinner, but not often. I can really cook a good meal myself, and have plenty of good wine here at the house. I would go out for drinks, go see a band or go to a comedy club before I go out to eat. Don't go to movies much either, rarely even, two maybe three in last 15 years or so.

[dafischer]

Originally Posted by Baz

HA!
Those who love it and consider it a "treat"? Well my theory is they enjoy the concept of having servants who wait on them hand and foot. It's a power trip.

Enjoy!

Well, in my opinion your theory is wrong. When we go out to our favorite places, it's to get a great meal in pleasant suroundings, that we don't have to cook or clean up after, as well as to have some fun with friends who also dine there.

We dine in a small group of places, and in every one they're genuinely happy to see us since we're good customers who don't whine and complain about the smallest perceived slight, and we tip our servers appropriately. I.E., start at 20% and work down from there.

Power trip, my ass. Sounds like you're a difficult customer who has had some bad experiences because of it.

[speeder]

It is a matter of bad training. Anyone of average intelligence can be a decent waiter if they are willing to learn. The same server who walks up when you have a mouthful of food or are in the middle of a conversation is the one that you can't find for 10 minutes when you want the check.

I just give them a thumbs-up and otherwise ignore their intrusion. They get the message. Or not.

[Bill Douglas]

Your lucky having them come over to the table. The other week the waiteress was busy talking with the other waiteress so too busy to go around the tables. I managed to catch her eye and gave her a smile and looked at my table. She gave me a small smile back thinking I was flirting with her. Gawd were were in a resturant and wanted food.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

It's been fairly common at chain restaurants for a long time, but it seems to be creeping into better places over the past few years. The wait staff walks up to your table and asks whether everything is OK or if you need anything and it doesn't make any difference to them if you are talking or chewing a mouthful of food, they just blurt it out.
What are you supposed to do? It's impolite and just plain gross to talk with your mouth full, but I feel like an idiot sitting there chewing while some waitress stares at me and waits. If someone is talking they talk right over them. It seems they could take 5 seconds to stand by the table and wait to be acknowledge their presence before they interrupt. Who trains them to do this?

Yeah! And when you really need them for another napkin or to refill your water, etc. they are nowhere to be found!!!

[slakjaw]

Learn sign man. Like point to your beer, or motion to your junk if she is hot.

[sammyg2]

About a year ago my wife got mad at me for embarrassing her at a restaurant.

I had just taken a bite of salad and the waiter dude walked and and asked if everything is alright.
I held up an index finger (meaning wait a minute) as I finished chewing, then said : "everything was fine until I was interrupted in the middle of eating by a stupid question".

He apologized as if it had never occurred to him that he was doing anything wrong.
I explained he doesn't need to be sorry, he just needs to take a look to see if a customer is eating before asking them a question because they really don't like that.
If the customer is eating, don't ask them anything. Just tell them how they can let you know if they need anything and then walk away. I said it without sarcasm or attitude, more of a fatherly way as if I cared and wanted to teach him something that would be helpful.
He was cool with it and I left him a very decent tip afterward.
Oh I'm sure he thought I was an A-hole, big deal.
He learned and if that was what it took to get the message across, who cares?

See here's the deal:
if there are enough people like me out there that are willing to deal with an uncomfortable situation, the rest of you won't have to.
Oh sure, we could remain quiet and just stiff them on the tip, but that would be kind of cowardly IMO.

We'll speak up so they'll learn and provide better service. Not only are we helping you, we're helping the waiters.
Same goes with the cable guy, the door to door solicitor, the pushy guy at the car dealer, etc.

You're welcome

[Ozzydog]

You are standing at the cashiers counter with something in one hand.

The cashier starts to give you the change, lays the bills across your hand, and then dumps a handful of change on top of the bills.

Whoever started this needs to stand on the other side of the counter just once.

[speeder]

Or young idiots who call you "boss". I tell them, "I'm not your boss. I'm the customer. If I was your boss, I'd tell you not to call the customers 'boss'. Call them 'sir' or 'ma'am' or nothing at all. You moron."

[theFONZ]

You are standing at the cashiers counter with something in one hand.



The cashier starts to give you the change, lays the bills across your hand, and then dumps a handful of change on top of the bills.



Whoever started this needs to stand on the other side of the counter just once.

Yep! I hate that. So what the hell am I supposed to do with a wallet in my other hand? Wait the 5 seconds for me to put the bills away, I will be standing there just as long, maybe less because I don't have to fumble with anything.

[peppy]

I don't know where, or when this started but it is a pain. That and I have and them take a way a plate I was still working on.

There really is no need to ask if everything is ok, If the wait staff would spend a bit of time observing they would know how to tell if someone needed something or was unhappy.

[RWebb]

why are you eating at a chain restaurant in the first place??


not that the service at the local places here is any better... but they do serve real food