roadfix
Chef Extraordinaire
I feel the same. I always ask for doggie bags or insist on boxing leftovers myself.
Rude service at a restaurant
- Thread starter larry_stewart
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I feel the same. I always ask for doggie bags or insist on boxing leftovers myself.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
You trust them out od sight with your food before it's served.
Around here, leftovers are sometimes boxed at the table and sometimes not.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
First off, while you definitely should NOT have experienced the level of service you did, I've unfortunately experienced the same thing when dining at restaurants during the "cusp" of lunch morphing into dinner, which 3:30 p.m. definitely is. They normally have very limited staff & service is always awful.
As far as having to box your own leftovers, that's been the norm for YEARS here in Virginia, & I actually prefer it, as the few times the wait person does it they either save too much or too little. I'd much rather do it myself. I don't understand the big deal.
As far as having to box your own leftovers, that's been the norm for YEARS here in Virginia, & I actually prefer it, as the few times the wait person does it they either save too much or too little. I'd much rather do it myself. I don't understand the big deal.
OP
OP
larry_stewart
Master Chef
to be honest, even if she was technically a lousy waitress, but smiled, was friendly and made an effort, I still would have given a nice tip. But there was just no effort at all. And as mentioned, the bagging your own just threw me off, as in new york, it doesnt work that way ( at least where i am from) but i figured that was just the way it was. That didnt affect her ' no tip ' at all. Her attitude did though.
And yeah, I stayed away from the soy chicken!!!
Maybe i should stick to Italian, since my last 2 chinese outings have ended in disaster
And the left overs were great for breakfast the next morning
And yeah, I stayed away from the soy chicken!!!
Maybe i should stick to Italian, since my last 2 chinese outings have ended in disaster
And the left overs were great for breakfast the next morning
Callisto in NC
Washing Up
Well, yeah, before it's served I haven't made demands on my waitress or complained that I've had better or questioned the cook. For the same reason I never accept substitutions for undercooked/over cooked food. I just make them take it back and take it off my check.
Maverick2272
Washing Up
I think in her case not only would I not have left a tip, I would have left a pile of pennies as well. We used to do that growing up to let the person know they were not doing a good job, it was embarrassing at the end of the evening if the other wait staff saw you with a bunch of pennies, incentive to do better. Even worse if the owner saw you get a pile of pennies left to you.
As for leftovers, doesn't bother me either way. They can box it or I can box it, no big deal to me. Since I don't treat anyone rudely during my stay, I don't think I have much to worry about. If I have to send something back, I do so politely and apologetically and they never seem to mind. I don't make excessive demands on the wait staff, but if I need to get their attention I do so politely. Again, what I think of them is voiced in the tip at the end of the night, not loudly while seated at a table.
As for leftovers, doesn't bother me either way. They can box it or I can box it, no big deal to me. Since I don't treat anyone rudely during my stay, I don't think I have much to worry about. If I have to send something back, I do so politely and apologetically and they never seem to mind. I don't make excessive demands on the wait staff, but if I need to get their attention I do so politely. Again, what I think of them is voiced in the tip at the end of the night, not loudly while seated at a table.
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
rude service is rude service. if everyone complained about it at the time it occurs, it would probably stop. ask for a supervisor or the manager and tell them what the problem is.
i would rather box up my own food. my pet peeve is not enough boxes and you have to ask more.
the customer has a duty to be polite as well. to often these days we accept rude behavior as the norm.
i always let them know if i found the service lacking. i really don't care about the state of the wait persons emotions or life. they are there to take care of customers in a positive and polite way. if they don't they are being paid for nothing.
i do not shout, or yell or call anyone names but the managers will know why i am not happy.
babe
i would rather box up my own food. my pet peeve is not enough boxes and you have to ask more.
the customer has a duty to be polite as well. to often these days we accept rude behavior as the norm.
i always let them know if i found the service lacking. i really don't care about the state of the wait persons emotions or life. they are there to take care of customers in a positive and polite way. if they don't they are being paid for nothing.
i do not shout, or yell or call anyone names but the managers will know why i am not happy.
babe
About the plates, I don't know how authentic this place you went to is, but in China that is how they serve food. It's usually put on a lazy susan in the middle of the table and everyone just grabs their chop sticks and digs in. If she was Chinese it probably would never have occurred to her to put plates on the table. Maybe she was new.
Sorry, it just didn't sound like that horrible experience to me, aside from the waiting.
Sorry, it just didn't sound like that horrible experience to me, aside from the waiting.
OP
OP
larry_stewart
Master Chef
horrible, maybe not, rude and unprofessional, in my opinion, yes. I shouldnt have to ask to be seated, find the waitress to ask to order,find the waitress again to ask for plates, ask for more plates, leave my seat to find the waitress to ask for the bill, ask for something to take home my left overs in , especially if i was literally the only one in the restaurant. If they were being professional, they would have been keeping an eye on us, asking if we were ready to order, asking if everything was ok, or if we needed anything. asking if we were done or wanted desert, asking if we were ready for the bill, and asking if we wanted to take home the left overs ( whether they did it or we did it doesnt make a difference) . But as mentioned earlier, i just felt totally ignored. Trust me, I didnt let it affect me at all, because the food was good and i was hungry, and i also knew id never be back again, since this was a one time thing. I just figure that in any job, where u deal with the public, just good business practice is to be friendly and accomodating. Was it horrible, no, not at all. But was it rude, unpleasant and unprofessional, well, in my opinion, absolutely
But, I have since forgotten about it, since i went out for lunch today, at my favorite Indian food restaurant. Which was an all you can eat buffet, with plenty of plates, plenty of food ( all at once), friendly waiters and bus boys ( who noticed every time the water glass was empty, asked several times if everything was ok, with a smile I might add), didnt have to ask for the bill, no leftovers to box ( since not allowed at a buffet to do that) and graciously asked as we were leaving how we liked our meal by the Greeter ( with a smile I might ***). A generous tip was left , since they made me feel welcome, and I was treated as I , and anyone else should be treated by someone providing a service for you.
But, I have since forgotten about it, since i went out for lunch today, at my favorite Indian food restaurant. Which was an all you can eat buffet, with plenty of plates, plenty of food ( all at once), friendly waiters and bus boys ( who noticed every time the water glass was empty, asked several times if everything was ok, with a smile I might add), didnt have to ask for the bill, no leftovers to box ( since not allowed at a buffet to do that) and graciously asked as we were leaving how we liked our meal by the Greeter ( with a smile I might ***). A generous tip was left , since they made me feel welcome, and I was treated as I , and anyone else should be treated by someone providing a service for you.
Indian food is sooooooooooooo good!
Yes, it was ridiculously unprofessional. I guess I just wanted to mention the no-plate thing because at least that part of it could really have just been a culture thing. I had to laugh (because it wasn't me experiencing it) that she only brought two after you asked for plates though. What would you do with just two plates?
Yes, it was ridiculously unprofessional. I guess I just wanted to mention the no-plate thing because at least that part of it could really have just been a culture thing. I had to laugh (because it wasn't me experiencing it) that she only brought two after you asked for plates though. What would you do with just two plates?
Callisto in NC
Washing Up
Not sure I like the implication that how I ask for things is rude. I can be as nice as possible but I won't accept food twice. I just won't. I worked in a restaurant and if anyone ever sent anything back, you really don't want to know what we did to it, didn't matter why but if it had to do with how it was cooked, you wouldn't want what the guys sent you back. I've held that image in my mind for 25 years and it's why I don't accept substitutes unless a plate shows up with something I'm allergic to or just can't stand the sight of, like cold slaw. I'm just too used to the mentality where even a simple request is an annoyance no matter how it's asked. Unless you are adding to your bill, i.e. another beer, I know many waitresses that think you're making "demands" and that includes asking for extra or different sauce for your calamari. Asking them to box your food? No way. Just never going to happen no matter how polite I am or how much I tip.
As for the pennies. With the advent of the Coin Star Machines, pennies wouldn't bother my friends. They'll take what they get and move on to the next person.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
I did not read Mavs post as implying your were being rude. I read it as since you are not rude then you have nothing to worry about. I guess it is just a different way to look at it.
quicksilver
Washing Up
Always, a large part of my vacations are based on good dining experiences, as I don't eat out much at home.
So I would have been disappointed too, Larry.
Although I have more options, not being a vegan.
Eating "off-hours", can sometimes be a bummer, but I like to chat with locals, if the place is slow and quiet.
Becoming more familiar with your server sometimes helps.
As far as them or me putting leftovers in containers, no matter to me, and have had both happen.
So I would have been disappointed too, Larry.
Although I have more options, not being a vegan.
Eating "off-hours", can sometimes be a bummer, but I like to chat with locals, if the place is slow and quiet.
Becoming more familiar with your server sometimes helps.
As far as them or me putting leftovers in containers, no matter to me, and have had both happen.
I like quicksilver and Mav's responses. In any dining experience, I believe you need to be polite, calm, and professional when it comes to dealing with bad service/food. No need to get all bent out of shape and make a scene. If it is not a total disaster, we will wait till the end of the meal and have a chat with the manager. Sometimes we chat with the manager to let them know what a great job they did.
Quicksilver... we do alot of off-hours eating and do frequent the same resturants. We know the managers and wait staff and have rarely gotten bad service or food. And if something was amiss... I felt comfortable enough to mention it.
Larry.. sorry about the experience that you had, sounds like you did the best you could with it.
Quicksilver... we do alot of off-hours eating and do frequent the same resturants. We know the managers and wait staff and have rarely gotten bad service or food. And if something was amiss... I felt comfortable enough to mention it.
Larry.. sorry about the experience that you had, sounds like you did the best you could with it.
Callisto in NC
Washing Up
I guess since he emphasized the I in his post, it implied to me that he wasn't rude and I was, or he assumed I was. My experience is with having friends that are wait staff and having been a bartender. I can be as polite as possible, but I just don't accept replacements or demand above and beyond general service at the locations that serve food I enjoy. Let's just say Outback is as fancy aka expensive as I enjoy and that's because I like the Bloomin' Onion. I'm cheap and prefer wings at the bar over a 4 star restaurant. The food's just as good at the bar as it is at any froo froo restaurant I've ever been to. If I want great food, I'll cook it myself. I grew up on take out, the corner Chinese food place, and hole in the wall Mexican restaurants. I'll take that over 4 stars any day.
OP
OP
larry_stewart
Master Chef
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/nyregion/04pennies.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
About the pennies thing, last year a chinese restaurant refused a mans payment because he paid with 10 pennies instead of a dime. It was a bizarre scene. The interviewed the restaurant woman who refused the pennies on the news and she was crying and demanding she didnt do this. It was a crazy scene. read the article, and ill see if i can find it on youtube. Actually, she kinda looks a lot like the woman we had the other day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2QLHacPyH0
Different video, but actually kinda funny and clever
About the pennies thing, last year a chinese restaurant refused a mans payment because he paid with 10 pennies instead of a dime. It was a bizarre scene. The interviewed the restaurant woman who refused the pennies on the news and she was crying and demanding she didnt do this. It was a crazy scene. read the article, and ill see if i can find it on youtube. Actually, she kinda looks a lot like the woman we had the other day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2QLHacPyH0
Different video, but actually kinda funny and clever
Barbara L
Traveling Welcome Wagon
I've heard of places not taking pennies, but I have also heard that that is illegal. I'm not sure, and it would be a pain taking pennies to pay for a car or something, but 10 pennies instead of a dime? That's ridiculous!
Barbara
Barbara
