Dining Pet Peeves

[buckytom]

fryboy, i hope you realize that you are a restaurant's nightmare. the constant victim of negligence or circumstance. (notice no smileys).

the next time you sit down and you feel the ac blowing on you, ask for another seat right away. my wife does that all of the time. if it becomes uncomfortable during a meal, ask again. don't just sit there and become bitter about how badly you're being treated. and ask the waiter to get the admin from massachusetts at the next table to put on some clothes.

same goes for all of the other technical improprieties you've mentioned. cold butter can always be nuked. wine temp should be poured to your liking. children can always be duct taped to a chair, and gagged. etcetera, etcetera.

of course, bad food or service is just that. but work with the wait staff, have a little patience (you don't own the place), and then tip generously if they've come close to your needs.

 

[Hades]

My peeves that are not yet mentioned are about menu's.
First thing that's bound to get on my nerves is poetical menus. To give an example, a few weeks ago gf and I are hungry after a day in the city and we go to a nice not overly fancy looking diner. I can't remember what my gf had, but I had devillish fish in it's flavourful buttery sauce accompagnied by a marriage of potato and baby oignon. Devillish fish was a give away. It's a poetic discription of what we call "zeeduivel" (literally translated "seadevil" or monkfish in english). The flavourful buttery sauce turned out to be a beurre blanc and the marriage of potato and baby oignon was a potato and spring oignon mash. Ok, It was realy tasty but not more tasty than monkfish and spring oignon mash with beure blanc.
Closely related to the previous is cryptic descriptions and "surprise" on the menu. I love "trivial pursuit" but that doesn't mean I want a menu to be a quiz (especially not if the correct aswer doesn't yield a price). I also don't like surprises on my plate. If I'm to be surprised by anything in a restaurant, I prefer to be surprised by the quality of the ingredients mentioned on the menu, the skills of the chef who combined them into a dish and the one or two secret ingredients that make you say "wow". So please don't serve me an "asparagus surprise menu"... especially not at 80 Eur per person.
Thirdly, I like classic dishes to have the authentic ingredients without too many creative additions or omissions. For example: there is a clear distinction between a greek salad and a salade niçoise. And the distinction is much bigger than the former being a green salad with oignons and feta and the latter being a green salad with a can of tuna and a hard boiled egg.

 

[GB]

and ask the waiter to get the admin from massachusetts at the next table to put on some clothes.

Buzzkill

 

[TexanFrench]

Worst dining experience to date happened this summer in NYC, west of Central Park.

We (DH and I) were seated outdoors at what seemed an upscale place. We gave our orders for drinks, were served, gave our meal orders. We chatted together, enjoyed the summer evening, etc. A waiter (not the original one) came with our meals, but they were not what what we had ordered. We said so, and he took them to another table.

Then we waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, about 40 minutes after the wrong meals had been sent to us, we were able to catch the eye of our original waiter and ask about our order. He apologized and put our order in again. Another 30 minutes or so later, we had our food.

While we were eating, darkness fell--and no outside lights came on! The place was inky black. A patron coming out from the interior of the restaurant actually tripped and fell in the doorway, where there was an unseen step going down to the pavement.

We finished our meal and asked for the check--and it was not our check! It was obviously for a table of 4, not us. We pointed this out to the waiter, and he eventually came up with the right check.

I did leave a tip, because I know that restaurant staff aren't usually paid enough to live on, especially in a place like NYC, but I would be very surprised if that restaurant is going to be in existence for long.

 

[luvs]

i'd leave, if to say to them meals inadvertantly lack an unspoken etttiquette of proper preparation. sigh. i'll wear a Chef's coat so as to silently say, 'yeah, i'm a Chef, so cook my meal properly.'

 

[FryBoy]

fryboy, i hope you realize that you are a restaurant's nightmare. the constant victim of negligence or circumstance. (notice no smileys).

the next time you sit down and you feel the ac blowing on you, ask for another seat right away. my wife does that all of the time. if it becomes uncomfortable during a meal, ask again. don't just sit there and become bitter about how badly you're being treated. and ask the waiter to get the admin from massachusetts at the next table to put on some clothes.

same goes for all of the other technical improprieties you've mentioned. cold butter can always be nuked. wine temp should be poured to your liking. children can always be duct taped to a chair, and gagged. etcetera, etcetera.

of course, bad food or service is just that. but work with the wait staff, have a little patience (you don't own the place), and then tip generously if they've come close to your needs.

Bucky, as they say in court, you assume facts not in evidence. Of course I ask for a different table or to have the music turned down or the A/C adjusted if the situation warrants and if it's something that can be corrected. But in well-managed restaurants, the need to complain rarely arises.

Ignorant, inattentive restaurant management and untrained staff are the diner's worst nightmare. Diners may not own the place, as you argue, but the restaurant has no right to our business, either. Those that act like they are entitled to our business rarely last.

 

[Claire]

Luvs, I live in a very small town. It is a tourist town. I recently tried to give a member of our group advice on where to eat here for a family reunion (total stranger), and she said she had a hard time finding a place (even with my help) finding a place that wasn't too noisy. We aren't talking high-end big-city places. We also aren't talking trashy places either. I'm talking small, family owned places who should be smart enough to cater to their audience, so to speak. And yes, we are a small enough town that we DO let the owners know about the problem. My point was that the bartenders and wait staff should NOT be the ones to select the music (or for that matter, the room temperature). Someone should actually pay attention to the customers. Just tonight I asked a local pub owner if he would mind turning down the TV in a local place (a simple local pub), since no one was watching it. He turned the volume OFF,since no one was watching it. This is service. Having an 18 year old decide the music and volume for a crowd of people who are 40-80 .... well, it is time for the owner to actually consider the concept of walking into his restauraunt. And there are a lot of them like that. I'm lucky; it is a small town, and what I do say matters. I did tell restaurant owners that they lost out because ..... well, whatever. I feel for people who spend money and have to put up with it.

 

[buckytom]

Bucky, as they say in court, you assume facts not in evidence. Of course I ask for a different table or to have the music turned down or the A/C adjusted if the situation warrants and if it's something that can be corrected. But in well-managed restaurants, the need to complain rarely arises.

Ignorant, inattentive restaurant management and untrained staff are the diner's worst nightmare. Diners may not own the place, as you argue, but the restaurant has no right to our business, either. Those that act like they are entitled to our business rarely last.

ahh, ok, sorry, mea culpa. i know several people who are perpetually miserable and can only relax after they complain about something.

agreed about well managed joints.

 

[Claire]

I agree that there are a number of diners who live to complain. I know quite a few. They travel to different places for the sole purpose of being able to say that it is better where they live. They go to restaurants simply to be able to complain about them. As a traveller and lover of restaurants, pubs, and yes, even (maybe especially) local dives, I rarely complain and when I do, it usually works, pronto. I have an aunt who I went to a local place with in Florida, and she immediately lit into the waitress. The fries had to be such, the burger so, etc, followed up with "I used to be a waitress and if this isn't the way I want it you won't get a tip!" My sisters, Mom and I were apalled. I'm suprised the poor girl didn't leave on the spot. Another uncle has the $$ to travel, and when he comes home does nothing but complain about the food, hotels, etc. A bathroom down the hall sends people like this into conniption fits. These are New Englanders, and they do nothing but gripe about how the seafood in the south (or anywhere else) doesn't measure up to theirs. D'ya know what? Spiny lobster is delicious, as is Maine lobster. Pink, white, and gray shrimp, large prawns, are all delicious. And rock shrimp really rocks my boat!!! On our last trip to Florida, that was #1 on my list of things to eat. Why some people live to complain really makes me wonder. And when you get them in your restaurant, I feel for you. Here in town, for the most part, when I complain (rarely), the restaurant owners immediately fix the problem. I simply stop frequenting the ones who don't. Given our bar bill, and the number of guests who visit us, it is really THEIR problem, not mine. BTW, the place where I complained about the volume of the rock music in a room where I, at 51, was the youngest paying customer, was recently purchased by a favorite restauranteur of ours. THAT will never happen again. THAT restauranteur knows where the $$ is, and it is with people who continue to come back, and he instinctively knows what his customers want. AND he actually walks through his restaurants many times every night.

 

[Andy M.]

My sister has a lifelong girlfriend. They and their husbands go out to eat together often. S.O. and I was unlucky enough to be invited along one Saturday night. The girlfriend complained all night long.

"Is the coffee fresh? If it's fresh I'll have a cup. I hate coffee that's not fresh..."

She was intent on getting her husband to say something negative about his meal and he didn't want to. She kept harping at him and he finally agreed with her that the steak was tough so she wouldl shut up.

That ruined my whole meal. We won't be joining them for dinner again.

 

[licia]

I have a sister who changes everything about her order. She also complains. I have stopped going anywhere to eat with her and if I ever have to do it again I will tell her if she changes one thing or complains about anything I will ask for another table for myself. She has done enough of that to last the rest of her life, so now she should choose something she likes and shut up!!!

 

[Harborwitch]

Dining at home: guests who show up, like clockwork, at dinner time. Of course they've already had a bag of Doritos for dinner - but gee that glass of wine looks good and they're really thirsty (swig that wine as fast as you can), well now that you insist they'll have some dinner too. Sheesh.

Out to dinner: Most everything's been covered. I hate going to eat when the waitress ignores me and only make eye contact with my DH. It happened at a new Chilis that opened nearby. The waitress kept her back to me unless she really had to make contact with me, "what would you like (thinking "fat old lady doesn't need food" I'm sure). Paid no attention to what I said, I guess she figured I was only going to eat the mashed potatoes so wouldn't care if my bloody rare steak was cooked so well done that it formed a dried up cup on my plate. By God, though my husband was going to get his fajitas cooked to order. Of course once the 4 prime pieces of beefcake were seated at a nearby table we couldn't get waited on for love nor money. We haven't been back since and it's been over a year.

 

[Marishka_20]

Agree!

I agree with Fryboy, all of his complaints are exactly what I am thinking most of the time. So many resturants just don't have it togrther and I have had servers that looked like they hated their job and were rude. I hate service like that, it just ruins the experience and can make me angry to the point where I lose my appetite. I usually don't say anything and try to enjoy me dinning experience but sometimes you just can't. Like for instance what Licia was saying about nosiy people, I hate that. People go out to eat to relax, have a nice meal, not hear what the person sitting next to you or several tables away from you did yesterday. I remember going to a resturant and there was this man talking so loud that everyone in the resturant was looking at him. His obnoxious behavior was getting to me, and I was sitting 4 tables away. So I waited till he said something again and then answered his question, LOUDLY, and one of the ladies at his table laughed because she knew he was being to loud. After that he was definatly A LOT quieter. I have worked in many resturants, in all positions, from the dishwashser to the sever. I know how it can be back in the kitchen, it's hard work, so I try and show some patience but sometimes there is just no excuse. Like one person was talking about, where you order your drinks and then wait 30 minutes for those. Then you order your appetizer and that takes another 30-40 minutes. When they come with your appetizer you order your main dishes and you wait...30 minutes...40 minutes...an hour. So you pull your waitress aside and ask her what is taking so long and she hasn't even put your order in yet and there are only 3 tables in the resturant that have people at them. Then when you are finished and are waiting for the check the waitress doesn't come back for another hour or so. One time I just went to the front desk, got the manager, got my ticket, paid(maybe tipped), and left. I am sure that I have mentioned things that have already been mentioned before but it is just so dang aggravating that I could just keep going and end up with just as many, if not more, as Fryboy.

 

[Ellen]

Yes Marishka, I think a nice touch after too long a wait, is to rise and leave when you see your meal coming out the swing door.

My daughter and I went to a Pizza Hutt in Whangarei once, we didn't know the teachers were on strike. The place was a bomb site, every table littered with dining debris, and the only occupants were two utterley exhausted young women sitting in the resto with their feet up. It was about 3pm. The two of them looked stunned. Lizzy and I helped ourselves to a glass of wine each as they watched. We sat down with them. Then the four of us got stuck in to cleaning, I cleared, Lizzy vacumned, they washed, it only took us about half an hour and the place was pristine. Including the loos. Then they gave us our usual crispy pepperoni, mushroom and olive pizza. It was the best one we have ever had. Quite fun really.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

1. Chain restaurants that have become "standardized". I avoid these like the plague. Chili's, Applebee's, TGI Fridays, Crackerbarrel, Olive Garden, etc. To me they're no different than McDonalds, except they serve steak.

2. People that complain about everything, especially at a $5-$10/plate restaurant. I love a restaurant that is casual and where people are allowed to be people. Kids squealing, laughter, cell phones, music I might not like, etcetera doesn't bug me whatsoever. It's the guy complaining non-stop next to me that he had a spot on the side of his glass, or that he isn't leaving no stinkin' tip as he devours $35 worth of food at a $5 buffet.

3. Dirty bath/washrooms, or finding that there is no toilet paper after committing... I don't mind a few crumpled paper-towels on the floor, but if I can't see myself in the mirror as I wash my hands I raise an eyebrow.

I think many people have unrealistic expectations for the average grub-hall - especially those who are fairly educated about food (most people here I assume). When you order spaghetti and meatballs they're not going to resurrect your dead grandmother to start chopping garlic, send an A-List celebrity out with your food, and then wash/wax your vehicle as you eat (although that would be a great business idea!). If I can see the people are trying thats good enough for me for that particular meal. If I don't like it, there are many other places to visit next time. If I want something cooked perfectly the way I want it, I eat at home!

I'm also not too hard on waitstaff. If they are making an effort and paying attention I tip 20%. It's a crime what many of those people are getting paid per hour. You can be sure that if it was me getting yelled at for something stupid that I'd tell the guy to get the **** out and don't come back. I guess thats why I'm not a waiter... It's amazing what those people deal with hour after hour for what they get paid.

I've walked out after waiting an extraordinary amount of time, and I've sent food back that was absolutely beyond any creative interpretation (such as the famous "cupped" steak), but those experiences are few and far between (maybe once every 50 outtings - especially when you avoid the chain restaurants like I do). Usually it only takes one quiet comment to solve the problem, or looking at your watch when the waitstaff makes eye-contact. Any restaurant that is serious about lasting doesn't all-out abandon the customer on every front. But every restaurant makes a butt-load of mistakes.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Katie H]

One of the things that bugs me is when the server comes to take my order, when I'm with my husband, is that he/she addresses us as "you guys." My husband is a guy and a quick glance at me and "the twins" will tell anyone that I'm definitely NOT a guy. This may sound insignificant, but it would be a nice change of pace if servers would practice some gentle manners in this area.

 

[Alix]

3. Dirty bath/washrooms, or finding that there is no toilet paper after committing... I don't mind a few crumpled paper-towels on the floor, but if I can't see myself in the mirror as I wash my hands I raise an eyebrow.

OK, that one got me. Holy yikes.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

HAHA!

 

[buckytom]

that is gross!

one good thing about how bad men's bathrooms get is that i don't have to change diapers when we're out. i've shown dw that men are just happy to hit something when they go, so she doesn't aske me to do the diaper changing/baby juggling routine anymore.

it's tough to keep his clothes, the diaper, and himself in the air all at the same time so nothing touches.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

Haha!

That reminds me of a story. I was eating out once at this small non-climate controlled pizza joint. It was about 100ºF, and with the giant pizza ovens it was probably 110ºF in the restaurant. We decided to sit next to their rear-screen door which they had propped open, and commenced in devouring the pie (I go for for plain cheese/sauce on a thin New York style crust). The cook came over - apologized for the heat - and set up a fan in the doorway. About 10ft away from the door around back was the dumpster. Nothing like ripe muggy trash breeze to finish off a gut-full of pie on a hot day...

We all got up at once and sprinted for the trash can. A couple people lost it. We ended up laughing about it after. He tried to give us the pizza for free, but we still paid/tipped.

I'll tell you what, one thing there is no comparison for is a glass-bottled coca-cola pulled from a bucket of ice on a hot day. I'm not big on processed foods - but I grew up with glass-bottled coke from a local package store that the owner kept in those plastic barrels filled with crushed ice. Almost as good as an iced pilsner.