Well, that could have gone better.

First real shift today, and while I didn't go down in flames, I didn't exactly hit the ground running either. I had the section farthest from the kitchen, plus a couple of tables on the patio, and that stressed me out right away - I assumed since I was "new" I'd have three tables right by the kitchen. The extra time to get to that station, plus the extra time it took me to ring in a few orders due to the slightly different computer system ... it put me behind and I felt that all day. Most of my customers were totally cool and tipped me well. And despite my stress, I was still glad to be there. But there was one table where I done screwed up. It could have been fixed, had they not been passive-aggressive ijits.

First of all, the woman wanted nachos, which aren't on the menu anymore, but there's still a button in the computer. So no problem, I thought. But when they went out, it turns out that we don't have the ground beef for it anymore and apparently we just send it out now without it which makes no sense to me because a) it's the same damn price as it used be and b) we have damn hamburgers so why not use one.

Mmmmmmmmm.

Anyway, the woman insisted, insisted, that it was fine, she didn't want beef or chicken, she just wanted some salsa. Okeydokey. The little girl didn't look thrilled with her macaroni and cheese, I assume because it's not Kraft kind, but instead our version on cavatappi noodles. But her mom helpfully told her it was
yummy and I thought all was well.

Mistress J was on expo, so I let her know all of this - she still has managerial powers, and I didn't feel like talking to Lapdog (oh, yes, Lapdog is still there. He comes with the building lease at this point.) about it. She said if we needed to we'd take something off the bill, just to let her know.

I made a point of checking back early and a little more often than usual - first checkback, everything was fine. Second, they had gotten very quiet but said it was good - I asked specifically about the nachos and the macaroni and was told they were fine. Third, they wouldn't even answer me other than to ask for the bill. In retrospect, I should have sent Lapdog to check on them. But I figured Mommy and Daddy had argued or something, because the kids were suddenly quiet and subdued too, and also because they had told me their food was fine.

Imagine my surprise when I picked up the ticket after they left and had a two dollar tip on $55 - okay, that didn't surprise me after the nacho problem, and I wasn't upset or anything. What did surprise me was that they'd left passive aggressive notes on the check: "8.99 for chips and salsa??!" with the nachos circled (yeah, sure, there was nothing else on them ...) and then "NO CHX!!!!!" with the little girl's macaroni circled. I don't know if that meant there was no chicken in the mac and cheese or the little girl didn't want chicken - neither of which was communicated to me. Neither was their displeasure with the cost of anything.

I felt bad after they left, because I didn't handle it well. But I also felt like they should have spoken the hell up at a point where something could be done.