Restaurant Pet Peeves

So I guess you don't care about your time or tip money, do you? I DO. You also must go not being very hungry or that you waited a long time for a table when you are very hungry to feel this way. For me, once I am seated, a minute to a minute and a half to 2 minutes at the most waiting to get greeted and then I want to order my drinks at least, possibly maybe an appetizer or maybe order our meals even. I skip meals to be hungry, so for me, time matters that they are wasting.

Maybe you don't care if you have enough room for things you order or maybe you don't order a lot, but *I* do, so I care if I get water I don't want on my table.

I'm not sure what my tip money has to do with whether or not I get things I didn't order that are complimentary.

The place we frequent is ALWAYS packed. The bar is "first come first serve" for a table. We let the bartenders know we're there so that if a table opens up and someone comes in behind us they let them know that we were waiting for it. While we wait we will order drinks. If it doesn't look like a table will open up soon and a spot opens up at the bar we'll sit at the bar. And yeah, there are times that I'm really hungry when we're waiting but it doesn't really matter because I know pretty soon something will open up and if need be I'd just ask the bartender for some bread to gnaw on. Again, I'm not sure what my tip money has to do with anything.

Again, when we go out we are in zero hurry. We like to enjoy the experience and each other. We sit, we talk, we drink, we make friends with other people at the bar, we bs with the waitstaff. Heck we've actually been places so long that they're closing up while we're still finishing our drinks. Lots of times we're sitting at the table for ten-fifteen minutes and we haven't even looked at the menu yet because we are just enjoying ourselves. I never have once thought a server was "wasting my time" because they brought me water when I didn't ask for it. Big flipping deal. Seriously.

But then I guess that's the difference between us. I'm not someone who is in a hurry and demands things from other people. And based on all your posts I don't think anyone is buying that you're nice as pie to people.

ANY children in the entire place... they stare at you whilst you eat... and if they're not doing that they're either screaming they're head off or eating with their mouths open... like a cement mixer... its disgusting...

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, there it is. The standard "kids aren't allowed in public" post.

The little butt head child behind you constantly kicking the seat with their feet and their dumb *kitten* parents not doing a damn thing about it.

:mad:

ANY children in the entire place... they stare at you whilst you eat... and if they're not doing that they're either screaming they're head off or eating with their mouths open... like a cement mixer... its disgusting...

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, there it is. The standard "kids aren't allowed in public" post.

they're allowed in public... just no where near me, i was in house of fraser once and this kid has shoes that made a squeaky noise whenever they stepped like a really loud dog toy, it was horrendous they were running around, it gave me a headache...

When you get service, you are paying a tip for "SERVICE", right? Why don't you think about it with some COMMON SENSE? Seriously, I really have to explain that once you get seated your service has started, that means for me and most people the tip-o-meter has started to tick. Time is time. For me, I don't want to wait if I don't have to for anything just as EVERYONE besides you feels. I don't know anyone that would rather wait an extra minute for something if they wanted to order something unless they wanted to wait to order and weren't ready to order it. If they were ready to order it, WHY would they want to wait for it longer?

I don't CARE if the "tip-o-meter" has started once they give me my water. I tip based on the TYPE OF SERVICE I get not whether or not they brought me things I didn't ask for! NO ONE IS SAYING YOU CAN'T ORDER WHEN YOU WANT TO!!

Service you are paying for which if they waste it to give you something you didn't want instead of something you do want, they have wasted your time. You can't see that? If I am greeted ask for a coke, they bring me a water and a coke, I could have had my coke that much SOONER if they wouldn't have wasted my time bringing me a water I DO NOT WANT. That's taking up my THIRST TIME, MY SERVICE TIME. That has to do with the tip, because that's part of the service time they wasted of mine fixing and bringing me as well as having to throw out an unwanted item.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TIP! I am tipping on the TYPE OF SERVICE I get from the server. Were they prompt? Did they pay attention to me? Did I have to flag them down in order to get a refill on my water (which BTW I didn't order :laugh: ). I am not tipping based on what they do or don't bring me or whether or not they 'wasted my time' by bringing me water. They're not earning their tip by the hour! There's not some secret clock that gets set when you sit down that spews out how much your servers tip is based on how long they had your table.

You obviously aren't STARVING HUNGRY AND THIRSTY when you go, are you? You must not skip meals to be hungry like I do. You must not value your tip money, because if someone wastes my tip, I should waste part of their tip on me and not the server.

If I'm "starving hungry" then I will look at the menu while waiting for my table while I drink my drink and order an appetizer as soon as we sit down while the server is pouring my water that I didn't order.

Why would you not think of it as wasting your time if you could have gotten what you wanted SOONER? Do you really LOVE waiting? How do you feel in traffic? You love waiting as well for example someone that blocks you and you have to wait 2 red lights because they were being selfish for example? I hate when that happens to me and I have been behind jerks like that I end up catching the red light because they were selfish instead of making a u-turn or going to a side street to turn around eventually. I don't know a lot of people that like people that CUT in front of them. I mean sure I have left people in front of me that had one item before, but that's not paying for service, that's my own personal time. I am not spending money if I do that. When I spend money, since money has to do with time when you make it such as if you make so much an hour, I feel my money has to do with time BIG TIME.

WTF does traffic have to do with the fact that I like to TAKE MY TIME when I go out to eat because I'M NOT IN A HURRY WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I GO OUT ON THE WEEKENDS?!

It's a big deal to me, because I don't want my time/money wasted on things I don't want. I don't like someone controlling how I want to spend my money. They are controlling it by doing the things "THEY" want in my service and not letting me do the things *I* want, making me wait TWICE A LONG for something I *DID* want. For example, I wanted to switch from dr. pepper to coke and once a waiter at Red Lobster just brought another dr. pepper. I had asked "Can I get a coke instead?" Instead of the waiter saying he was sorry as he should have for ORDERING for me(see that water that's ORDERING for you, because it's common sense *WE* as customers get to ORDER, NOT our servers), he looked pissed I sent him back. I was thinking "F him" in my head, because he was mean to not say he was sorry for getting my order wrong by ASSUMING I wanted the same thing next. I have EVERY RIGHT to get what *I* want for *MY* tip money without CONTROL. Without someone trying to spend MY TIP MONEY. They are on my "dime"(not literally 10 cents), but you get what I am saying, so *WE* have the control, NOT THEM. They cater to ********OUR WHIMS**********, NOT to what "THEY" want to give us.

They "ASSUMED" you wanted another Dr. Pepper probably because THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE DRINKING! I've had servers bring me another glass of wine when I wanted to switch to a martini because THAT'S WHAT I HAD BEEN DRINKING but you know what? I took the wine and ordered my martini and drank both!

Bringing you water *IS* ORDERING for you. Since when does a stranger get a RIGHT to "ORDER" for you? I have NEVER HEARD of that being morally right to do that. Customers order, not servers.

For the love of all that is good if you're panties are in that much of a bunch over them giving you water then next time say "I don't want water I want xyz and please give me this for my order because my TIME is precious and GOD FORBID you WASTE IT!"

I am, because I still say "thank you" even though we don't get a sorry. I don't have to be nice like that. I could just not say anything. THAT would not be nice. I am nicer than they are to us. I am not mean when I tell them something was wrong. I am nice.

:laugh: Keep convincing yourself of that. Why does every story that you tell have something to do with a server being pissed off at you? Because obviously you're NOT nice. I can't ever think of ONE TIME a server gave me attitude.

ANY children in the entire place... they stare at you whilst you eat... and if they're not doing that they're either screaming they're head off or eating with their mouths open... like a cement mixer... its disgusting...

My kids don't do any of this. Maybe you should stay home.

You are very mean and love control apparently. Why would anyone spit in my food? I am not mean to anyone. As far as that goes, what does it really do if the server isn't sick, huh?

I was being very civilized until you asked if I was dumb and then went on a rant about having to explain things to me. And I am not the one with control issues here, I don't care what they put on my table, you seem to need to be in control of everything though.

Some servers *ASK* if we want some of the complimentary things. I don't feel any server should be giving that without asking, because it's not up to the restaurant manager if I want some food that is free or not, because that manager is not paying the tip, *WE* are though, so it's up to *US* ONLY!

I don't really care if they give me free water or bread. If I don't want it I won't eat it. I will tip the same regardless.

NO, I am not mean like you are. I also wouldn't force someone to have something they don't want.

Nobody is forcing anything on you, they are simply setting a harmless glass of water on your table.

That's at fine dining. I am not talking about those type of restaurants. I am talking about non-fine dining restaurants like Applebee's, Chili's, Outback, Red Lobster, etc.

I won't step foot in any of those places, and I'd hardly call the places I do go fine dining. Lol

WHY the hell would you *******EVER*********** ***EXPECT*** something you NEVER ONCE ORDERED, HUH? I don't expect that, WHY should anyone?

I have no problem with free things. Why should anyone have a problem with free things?

Regarding servers that ask how things are, while I have my mouth full? I answer them, anyway. I figure that if you're gonna pull that trick, you're gonna get that response.

ANY children in the entire place... they stare at you whilst you eat... and if they're not doing that they're either screaming they're head off or eating with their mouths open... like a cement mixer... its disgusting...

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, there it is. The standard "kids aren't allowed in public" post.

they're allowed in public... just no where near me, i was in house of fraser once and this kid has shoes that made a squeaky noise whenever they stepped like a really loud dog toy, it was horrendous they were running around, it gave me a headache...

Do you need to apply for that? Is that some sort of restraining order you can get?

If so, can I also get one for people that believe kids are 2nd rate citizens?

wow some people really are rude, my comments are merely light hearted, but i don't see why anyone wouldn't find that annoying? maybe i worded it badly but if i offended it wasn't my intention and i apologise to anyone who thought it i was being completely serious in my comments...

I know....some people are rude, and if you can't take my comments as light hearted, then you should probably look at yours as well.

"ANY children in the entire place..."

"They're allowed in public......just not near me."

Just typ'n.

The little butt head child behind you constantly kicking the seat with their feet and their dumb *kitten* parents not doing a damn thing about it.

:mad:

I had one of those little trolls on a plane behind me once, on a long flight when I was already in a great deal of pain. The mother, even after my asking politely, glared at me and did nothing to control her whelp. I wanted to turn around, grab that f'ing brat and throw it across the cabin.

NO, I am not mean like you are. I also wouldn't force someone to have something they don't want.

Nobody is forcing anything on you, they are simply setting a harmless glass of water on your table.

You mean at the restaurants you go to they don't hold your head back and pour the water down your throat??? Man, I go to the wrong places.

The little butt head child behind you constantly kicking the seat with their feet and their dumb *kitten* parents not doing a damn thing about it.

:mad:

I had one of those little trolls on a plane behind me once, on a long flight when I was already in a great deal of pain. The mother, even after my asking politely, glared at me and did nothing to control her whelp. I wanted to turn around, grab that f'ing brat and throw it across the cabin.

I love kids but it's so sad when you encounter ones like that and the parents act as if it's your fault. It's come to the point to where if we encounter a child that behaves or at least a parent that tries, we tell them how much we appreciate that.