Some people just have no clue, ruined my valentine lunch

[look 171]

Decided to take wife to this pace at the beach. Simple place, more than half the restaurant has the view of the ocean with a floor to ceiling glass wall keeping the element out. Its isn't a huge place so they packed in a few more tables to get more customers, cool. We had a small table one roll from the glass wall and the passage for the waiting staff had narrow down to about 3 to no more than 4.

This party of 6 people that's up against the glass wall were very lucky to have this table. Just as they sat down, the guy and his tallish wife was constantly standing in the passage or isle talking to his party. It felt like the waiter was standing there taking our orders except it was their backs. OK, no big, they will eventually sit and go on. Nope, The two of them would just stand there to have a conversation with their friends with no care in the world that their asses is literally in our faces. Sometime they would do this for 5-10 mins until the waiting staff has to ask to be allowed by and they go back to standing again testing each other's food. Blocking our view irked us too.

I asked our waiter to get them to sit, but a 4 year old ADHA boy would be better at following that instruction. I had to finally ask them nicely to sit down so we can enjoy the view too, after 30 min of this siht. This middle age dude said something to me in some type of a middle eastern or eastern european language that sounded like a hard no. He turns and continues to sit there talking to his table. The manager already asked him a few times with no result. Some people are just fooking dense and selfish. We finished our meal and got our of there under an hour. So much for reserving a nice ocean view table.

what can I or the staff do? You?

Tips? I only tipped 10 % because my waitress was more afraid to ask then they are of her kicking their ass. She apologized but didn't really do anything. What can she really do? Plus, we were there in such short time that she only came back to fill my coffee one time.

You win some, you lose some.

[Jeff Higgins]

I just would have asked to be moved. Even if the place was full. Actually, I would have simply told, not asked, the waitress to move us to the next table that becomes available. Had she balked, I would have demanded the manager. Had none of that worked out, I would have gotten up and left, even if our food was already on the table, and found another restaurant.

[Cajundaddy]

Yep. We have not spent Valentine's Day at a restaurant for maybe 20 years because of this. The wait staff doesn't really want to be there, the rats come out of the woodwork and make those around them miserable, the chef is rushed and sometimes serves halibut still flopping around on the plate, or serves asparagus completely raw, and the whole thing seems like a swing and a miss.

Often I will put on my chef's hat and prepare a nice meal at home, or prepare a picnic basket with Italian cheese, fresh bread, deli meat, fresh fruit and veggis, wine, and take this up to Mt Wilson or Arrowhead to catch the sunset view with no one else around. Tonight we stayed in, I broiled salmon, Calrose rice, steamed broccoli, and asian salad with a little wine. It was great and probably cost $20 instead of $200.

[Cdnone1]

No real advise but we had an interesting dinner last night. Nice restaurant but not spectacular.
Group of eight comes in with four kids. Five minutes later a group of six comes in with four kids. It looked like two of their kids and two friends of the kids. The table of eight was celebrating something. Lots of conversation and laughter. Got a little loud at time but they where having fun. The table of six the four kids sat there and watched their phones, the whole time. No conversations, nothing. The father starts talking to the wife about the noise from the other group. Finally gets up and goes to confront the other table. I didn't hear all of it but the group celebrating did not stop.
I told my wife I would much rather have the kids engaging, talking and laughing than a group of four zombies that couldn't get off their phones and acknowledge they were at dinner.

[look 171]

The place was blown up. No other table. Not much we can do about dumb people.

We normally don't go out on days like it because we dislike fighting crowd. For sure this isn't about the quality of the food, but something to do since we don't really celebrate anything and I decided to do it this year just for laughs. We haven't done anything like it since we were much younger before the kids came along.

With these inconsiderate behaviors, I often wonder if they are culturally accepted norms for them? I really don't think so?

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

No real advise but we had an interesting dinner last night. Nice restaurant but not spectacular.
Group of eight comes in with four kids. Five minutes later a group of six comes in with four kids. It looked like two of their kids and two friends of the kids. The table of eight was celebrating something. Lots of conversation and laughter. Got a little loud at time but they where having fun. The table of six the four kids sat there and watched their phones, the whole time. No conversations, nothing. The father starts talking to the wife about the noise from the other group. Finally gets up and goes to confront the other table. I didn't hear all of it but the group celebrating did not stop.
I told my wife I would much rather have the kids engaging, talking and laughing than a group of four zombies that couldn't get off their phones and acknowledge they were at dinner.

I have no issues with people talking loud celebrating or just hanging out. Just people having fun.

[Baz]

There are alternatives.......

[Scott Douglas]

Which beach and which restaurant?

[look 171]

Strand House in Manhattan Beach. We go there once or twice a year just for the hell of it. Get lunch, take a walk to blow off some steam

[Scott Douglas]

If his butt is right next to my table with my lunch on a plate, I would have accidentally spilled a glass of water on him.

[wdfifteen]

I’m sorry your lunch was ruined. Some people are just A-holes. I don’t have much more to say about it. I know it doesn’t pertain to your situation, but I guess it’s a good sign that boorish behavior is rare enough that people remark on it.

[sc_rufctr]

What Jeff said in post 2.

---

I had Fish & Chips at home with my Girl Friend.

Originally Posted by Baz

There are alternatives.......

...

[Alan A]

A fork to the ass would have got the message across.

[vash]

My Mexican bass fishing trip had me sitting next to a similar family for a week. I finally asked for my friend and I to be moved outside with the mosquitoes.

Family was racist d-bags. They would loudly say grace which was fine. But as soon as that ended, d-bag city. They made fun of the waiter’s accent! Any we were in their country.

I feel your pain.

[Magyar Kiwi]

Hi
I think some people simply like to show arrogance / no consideration for others.
The easiest way around these problems is to have your Valentines Day etc. celebration a week or day(s) earlier, with the hope of no crowds and better service.
Cheers

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Alan A

A fork to the ass would have got the message across.

6 hyped-up douche bags versus 2 trying to have a good meal. That would bump it up to a different level. Oh yeah. I don't think Look was ready to go to jail that night.
But that was one of my first thoughts too

Or stand up, yell out "Let's take a vote. Who's dinner is being ruined by these people?" lol

[KFC911]

VD - mebbe just avoid it next year ... or do what John said !

[gregpark]

Hey, you politely asked the guy to sit then asked the waitress to remedy the situation. When she failed to make you happy by moving you or whatever, that would be the point where I walk. I don't need to see the manager or make a scene, I would just walk out without paying for anything. If someone chased after me for walking, that's when i would return to the table and then describe loudly for all to hear why I was walking out, pointing out the rude a-hole and the inept waitress. The other patrons would applaud, the jackass would be embarrassed and it would be the greatest valentines day ever! Well.... that's my fantasy anyway. 😃

[Gogar]

People are the worst and they are all around us

[herr_oberst]

One thing I've noticed about me; if I would have made a scene in that situation, I would carry it with me the rest of my life. Probably wouldn't have gotten laid on Valentine's Day, either.

I think Look handled it well. And it's fun to have a sounding board like PPOT!