US customer's worst conduct

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by MrDaniels

I am not talking about lingering for a bit as you finish up your coffee, I am talking about hanging out well over an hour as the entire restaurant empties out. It's not just about the waiter, usually the busboy and dishwasher has to wait and then the night cleaning staff that needs to do a complete cleaning cannot get their job started. Paying all of these people's salaries for an unnecessary extra hour costs more that your meal likely cost.

To follow your logic, that means that a person could stay in a men's clothing store for an hour past the posted closing time because a tie was purchased, or you could stay seated in a movie theatre for an hour after the film is done as well.

Obviously there is a certain amount of time after which you are just being rude by lingering. But, for example, if the restaurant closes at 11 pm and they agree to serve me a meal at 10:30 pm, it's not my problem if I stay until 11:30 pm unless they told me beforehand that I would have to leave promptly at 11 pm. You can't have your cake and eat it too and it's really not my problem if they have to pay people to stay later. I can't linger until 1 in the morning, but I should be allowed a reasonable time to finish my meal that I'm paying for without being rushed because the place is closing. Also, it would be prudent for a restaurant (and I'm sure many do this) to build in some extra time at the end of the day. For example, if their stated closing time is 11 they can build in an extra 30 minutes for people that haven't finished their meal.

 

[cuffthis]

Our dress code does not allow shorts and hats.

Originally Posted by tiger02

I'm curious, other than tastefullness, where does the AmJack look rank among diners' attire? Like it or not, it's a step up from cutoffs and a tshirt.

 

[MrDaniels]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

on the one hand, a major part of being a waiter is putting up with people's ****, sorry, but that is life. while I would say to KP that he shouldn't let an asshole ruin his evening, unfortunatly for a waiter it is pretty much a given that they will deal with assholes some time.


The problem in American is that customers do not treat their servers as professionals, so even the best waiters do not stay in the business. In Europe servers are treated as professionals and compensated with an actual salary so you wind up with "career waiters;" whereas in America it is such a lousy job that the only people who do it (except at the top 5% of establishments) are the ones who are on the edge and willing to put up with obnoxious treatment because tip money can come fast and furiously.

 

[MrDaniels]

Originally Posted by odoreater

Obviously there is a certain amount of time after which you are just being rude by lingering. But, for example, if the restaurant closes at 11 pm and they agree to serve me a meal at 10:30 pm, it's not my problem if I stay until 11:30 pm unless they told me beforehand that I would have to leave promptly at 11 pm. You can't have your cake and eat it too and it's really not my problem if they have to pay people to stay later. I can't linger until 1 in the morning, but I should be allowed a reasonable time to finish my meal that I'm paying for without being rushed because the place is closing. Also, it would be prudent for a restaurant (and I'm sure many do this) to build in some extra time at the end of the day. For example, if their stated closing time is 11 they can build in an extra 30 minutes for people that haven't finished their meal.

Oh, absolutely. I am talking about a scenario (which I have seen countless times) when someone is seated at 9:30, served thier main course at 10:15, the restaurant stops seating at 11, it is now 11:30 and they stopped eating forty-five minutes ago yet they still linger, it is now midnite and the people who were seated at 11 have already paid their check and left, it is now 12:30 and they are the only people in the dining room, it is now 12:45 and the music is turned off and the bar is even closed and the busboys are stacking the chairs around them...and yet they linger...

 

[MrDaniels]

Originally Posted by shellshock

what about the people that bring their own bottle of ranch/hot sauce with them hahaha. classy!

Don't forget the people who bringtheir own tea bag and ask for a free cup of hot water.

My all time favorite was a mother pulling out a Kraft Single from her purse for her kid's burger.

 

[N. McKay]

Originally Posted by MrDaniels

The problem in American is that customers do not treat their servers as professionals, so even the best waiters do not stay in the business. In Europe servers are treated as professionals and compensated with an actual salary so you wind up with "career waiters;" whereas in America it is such a lousy job that the only people who do it (except at the top 5% of establishments) are the ones who are on the edge and willing to put up with obnoxious treatment because tip money can come fast and furiously.

Absolutely right! My wife and I (in Canada) encountered a career waiter in a since-closed restaurant in New Brunswick. There is absolutely no comparison between him and any other waiter we've met since.

 

[whoopee]

Rejecting potential friends because they're vegan is as silly as doing so because they love steak and KFC.

 

[Vintage Gent]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

having vegan friends is simply unforgivable.

Damn, globe, why the vegan-hating? A painful memory from childhood, perhaps, involving carrots?

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by Vintage Gent

Damn, globe, why the vegan-hating? A painful memory from childhood, perhaps, involving carrots?


I apologize, this was meant to be humorous..... and I ahd forgotten about the carrots

 

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

having vegan friends is simply unforgivable.

lol, I have about 10 of them. Probably time to re-evaulate and weed out the friends situation.

most of the items listed are things most of us would agree with in some context or another. The one thing I don't agree with is a waiter's judgment over a customer's preference, like 1000 on baby green salad, ketchup for their steak, or Miller Lite. Food servers can be so damned persnickety. They're just serving the food, not creating/cooking it.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

It's such a cynical enterprise, that Learning Annex. It's like Trump and Toni Robinson consipring together to create something ultimately useless.
I had no idea what the Learning Annex was, so I went to the website…OMFG! Shoot me now! Jon.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

having vegan friends is simply unforgivable.

Even if she's a hot model? (which my Vegan friend is)

Jon.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by cuffthis

Our dress code does not allow shorts and hats.

Even fedoras?

Jon.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

I had no idea what the Learning Annex was, so I went to the website…OMFG! Shoot me now! Jon.
So nasty:

 

[acidboy]

Originally Posted by tiger02

I'm curious, other than tastefullness, where does the AmJack look rank among diners' attire? Like it or not, it's a step up from cutoffs and a tshirt.

does that go above or below the quintessential asian tourist look?