Saturday, August 6, 2011

Over and over, people disappoint me.

Every once in a while, I get it in my head that I should try harder. I should try to really connect with my guests. I should do everything I can to make their dining experience better. Tonight was one of those nights.

My first table was a young family, dad, five year old daughter, and pregnant mom. They threw out one of those random comments about her pregnancy that let me know they're attention whores – you know, instead of just saying she'd have a plain cheeseburger it had to be she'd have a plain cheeseburger because “the spicy one” would upset the baby. And because I was in the mood I was in, I took the bait. I asked when she was due, clucked my tongue sympathetically when she complained of her morning sickness, and was smiley and friendly with the five-year-old. My coworkers who witnessed this were shocked, especially when I went about my business in the kitchen with nary a mention of annoying crotchspawn.

While family #1 was eating, family #2 sat down. Mom, dad, and a kid. After I fetched their drinks, the mother asked me if we had a half-sized portion of one of our pastas. I hate that question. If we had a half-sized portion of anything, it'd be printed on the fucking menu. So I said no. Then I retracted that, because I remembered that I was trying to go above and beyond – “You know what, I can make it happen.” She just sort of looked at me. “I know computer tricks.” I said with a smile.

And I do. I order it for dinner all the time. So away to the computer I went and got the uppity bitch her half-sized, half-priced meal. I also chatted with their kid; I continued to talk to Pregnant Lady.

I got a whopping 10% …. combined.

4 comments:

watergirl said...

People suck. Asshat-ery at its' finest.

If they want a half-size portion, then order it normally and split it with the freakin' kid. Or eat at home.

Preferably, the latter. ;)
:huggles:
~watergirl~

JoeinVegas said...

Not 20% from one and 0% from the other?

purplegirl said...

Go fuck yourself. We get paid $4/hour in this state. You are completely ignorant as to how the restaurant industry works and how much costs would increase for customers, LIKE YOU, if servers were paid the kind of wage we'd have to to be to keep doing this shitty job. Don't talk about things you don't know anything about.

Anonymous said...

if you expect people to not be assholes, grown the fuck up!

they are!