You go to a restaurant, and your server reeks. What do you do?

vanityy99
vanityy99 Posts: 2,583 Member
edited November 2019 in Chit-Chat
What would you do in a situation where you go to a restaurant for dinner and you immediately smell STRONG odour coming from your servers armpits? So bad to the point where feel nauseous and ruins your mood. Do you...

Continue to order and eat your food?
Get up and leave?
Order but ask for takeout and leave?
Let the manager know?
Let him know?

Replies

  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I’ve been in a similar situation but the server reeked of cigarettes. I immediately spoke with the manager and was assigned a different server.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    Never had that issue but I've definitely been served by an overly-perfumed person, to the point where it either lodged in the food or lodged in the nose and you tasted their cologne for the entire meal.
  • Reckoner68
    Reckoner68 Posts: 2,139 Member
    I'd continue to order and eat my food.
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    edited November 2019
    I would tell the server, apologize if my comment embarasses them, comment that if this is an ongoing problem then they should talk to their doc & make sure that if it is a treatable health problem that they get treatment for it. If it's just lack of timely access to a laundromat then I'd give them a $5 tip 'for laundry' right then and there (because servers are dirt-wage jobs). Then order my meal and ask the server to avoid me while I'm eating.

    If it's cancer stick smell I'd tell him I need a different server because I have asthma sensitive to tobacco residue and continuing to use him as a server could put me in the hospital.

    It's not like the dude wants to be stinky. You can tell them but still be 'on their side' rather than being mean about it.
  • Reckoner68
    Reckoner68 Posts: 2,139 Member
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I’d call the Police.

    Or the FBI
  • laprimaJenny
    laprimaJenny Posts: 1,495 Member
    Reckoner68 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I’d call the Police.

    Or the FBI

    I’d call the CSIS
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    If it was really nausea inducing I would tell the manager discreetly (for the sake of the other guests, not to keep the server from being embarrassed - one way or another the server is going to end up embarrassed) and ask for another server. Who are these people who would just gag and keep eating? I pay to eat at a restaurant because I want to have a pleasant experience.

    It’s part of a manager’s job to check dress and hygiene of servers. If a server has a health issue which makes them stink, that’s unfortunate, but it disqualifies them from a customer-facing job.
  • Reckoner68
    Reckoner68 Posts: 2,139 Member
    laprimaJenny wrote: »
    Reckoner68 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I’d call the Police.

    Or the FBI

    I’d call the CSIS

    ...and I'd order you a BLT, ASAP

    lol
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    What kind of stinky restaurants are you folks visiting anyway ???
  • s131951
    s131951 Posts: 3,776 Member
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    What kind of stinky restaurants are you folks visiting anyway ???

    Smell ya later
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
    Reckoner68 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I’d call the Police.

    Or the FBI

    The Federal Body-Odor Investigators
  • mtndewme
    mtndewme Posts: 724 Member
    Knowing me I'd probably just ignore it even though it's making me uncomfortable. Almost unrelated story but there was a vendor that continuously showed up to my job spelling completely unbearable. I spoke with my manager about it but I don't think anyone said anything. The vendor did eventually stop stinking so I'm sure someone must have pointed it out.
  • Okillhavecake
    Okillhavecake Posts: 4,855 Member
    I’d wait till he comes back a second time and spray him from head to toe with the deodorant I got when I popped out to the shop after he left our table the first time
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 697 Member
    Armpit odor is natural.
  • Viking_Dad
    Viking_Dad Posts: 185 Member
    tirowow12385 wrote: »
    Armpit odor is natural.

    Ikr.
  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
    I'd get take out and go some where else to eat
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    s131951 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    What kind of stinky restaurants are you folks visiting anyway ???

    Smell ya later

    That must be a local chain restaurant...
  • vanityy99
    vanityy99 Posts: 2,583 Member
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    What kind of stinky restaurants are you folks visiting anyway ???

    The Keg.

    Not sure if it’s just a Canadian restaurant.

  • kam26001
    kam26001 Posts: 2,794 Member
    I would complain but I get a little musty myself as the day goes on so I really can't say *kitten*. 😅
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    At those prices I would expect better. Talk to the manager. Quietly.
  • vanityy99
    vanityy99 Posts: 2,583 Member
    kam26001 wrote: »
    I would complain but I get a little musty myself as the day goes on so I really can't say *kitten*. 😅

    Musky is understandable it happens. But there’s musky then there’s odour that smells like someone has been marinating in it.

    I could smell this server every time he passed by. Not just when he was up in front of me.
  • Pandemonium_
    Pandemonium_ Posts: 945 Member
    Not seeing a problem here

    keartfwc5oao.jpg
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    vanityy99 wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    What kind of stinky restaurants are you folks visiting anyway ???

    The Keg.

    Not sure if it’s just a Canadian restaurant.

    Canadian???

    Why didn’t you say so upfront?

    Demand an apology.

    It’s right in their wheelhouse.
  • ArmyVeteranM1A1C
    ArmyVeteranM1A1C Posts: 1,045 Member
    Order alcohol, drink, keep ordering, he/she will smell just fine before long
    Enjoy your meal ;)
  • s131951
    s131951 Posts: 3,776 Member
    Play this for them:

    Please listen to this simple De La style I'm gonna sing
    It's strongly directed to all the misery you're bringing
    Now I'm not all about dissing someone else personnel
    But there's no quota on your odor
    That's right, you smell
    Now you might feel a little embarassed, don't take it too hard
    And don't make it worse by covering it up with some Right Guard
    Before you even put on your silk shirt and fat gold rope
    Please take your big *kitten* to the bathroom
    And please use
    (A little bit of soap....)
  • Analog_Kid
    Analog_Kid Posts: 976 Member
    Shoot 'em with some Febreze
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I would talk to the manager. But really, the manager should have already identified this. When I was a server, we had dress code and hygiene requirements and the restaurant manager would look to ensure everything was being followed. I was sent home once because I had a shift right after one of my classes let out and was in a hurry so didn't shave. All i had was a little bit of a 5 o'clock shadow and they sent me home.

Categories