Restaurants

[Acantha]

Easy. I hate restaurants that sing humiliating "birthday songs". Dude or dudette just wanted to have a nice lunch/dinner with her friends or family and now they have to stand at or on their table like an idiot while the humiliated wait staff have to sing some inane song that the entire restaurant finds shameful. All for a lousy piece of free dessert.

If only there was some way to get through the whole meal without that annoying "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY" sign going off over your head.

 

Seriously, if you don't want the song, don't tell them it's your birthday. Am I missing something here?

[erynthered]

What a B word thread. YES, you have some complaints. But Gez, some of you of are whinnney little bitches. T-backs to tight?

 

And I say that with the utmost respect.

[CarolinaBill]

If only there was some way to get through the whole meal without that annoying "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY" sign going off over your head.

 

Seriously, if you don't want the song, don't tell them it's your birthday. Am I missing something here?

yeah you are missing something, many times, its other people with you that tell the staff about the b-day, lots of folks like to "surprise" their friends with an embarrassing song, and it sucks equally for the staff.

[a player to be named later]

1. Any Parsley Garnish (especially when it is finely diced into dust)

 

2. The term "Still Pickin"

 

3. When the soup is Campbells (yea Salvatore's I'm talking to you)

 

4. When they take your fork and fail to replace it

 

5. When they take or give the check and don't come back quickly

 

6. When seafood is just straight up bad and they serve it anyways (it has happened to me so many times that I almost refuse to order it)

[Mr_Blizzard]

The top thing that annoys me the most::

 

1. When the waiter comes over with the pepper mill or grated cheese thingy. I usually like a lot of one or the other. He or She gives me a couple turns, and then asks if I want more. Then proceeds to give me another little turn. I'm so tempted to grab the damn thing, and tell him or her to "F" off. So now because I am irritated, I settle for the little amount he gives me.

 

When they bring you soup and spill it all over the place

[The Dean]

2 annoying things: (fast food included)

 

1. annoying picky @ customers. no lettuce. no tomatoes. no meat. no buns. damn what kind of hamburger is this?????

 

How hard is it to make something PLAIN? In some restaurants you'd think it was the biggest hassle ever. I order my sandwiches plain. Meat-cheese-bun. I usually ask them to hold the pickle as well as I don't want it oozing on my food and I won't eat it anyway. The typical response is "all that is on the side, anyway". The point is I won't eat it, so why bring it out and have to throw it away?

 

What's the point? I'm the customer. Getting the order correct isn't a hassle...it's the job you are supposed to be doing.

 

This leads me to another restaurant rule (see #1 and 2 in an earlier post). Ask the customer if he/she wants pickles. If they do, bring them a whole pickle, or a jar with some good pickles. From my experience in the business, most pickles get tossed anyway. The pickle slices they tend to serve usually suck and don't really satiate a real pickle lover. So why not take the pickle money and make it count?

 

Rule #4. If you are known for great burgers/chicken sandwiches or really any sandwich, why not use a quality bun/bread? Putting a great quality burger on a cheap soft bun is a disgrace. At least give the customer a choice.

 

Rule #5, (and this doesn't necessarily apply to fast food places or other joints that don't pretend to serve quality food). Serve fresh cut french fries. Why put crappy frozen fries next to a burger you claim to be special? It doesn't make sense.

[The Dean]

yeah you are missing something, many times, its other people with you that tell the staff about the b-day, lots of folks like to "surprise" their friends with an embarrassing song, and it sucks equally for the staff.

 

Agreed. While some restaurants make a regular thing of it, it is usually the fault of the people with the birthday boy/girl. How else would they even know about the birthday.

[CarolinaBill]

Rule #5, (and this doesn't necessarily apply to fast food places or other joints that don't pretend to serve quality food). Serve fresh cut french fries. Why put crappy frozen fries next to a burger you claim to be special? It doesn't make sense.

if only it were that easy, fresh cut fries is a huge pain in the ass, not as bad as potato chips, but its close

[Chef Jim]

My god, where are you people eating??

[The Dean]

if only it were that easy, fresh cut fries is a huge pain in the ass, not as bad as potato chips, but its close

 

Typically, making quality food is a bit more work than taking stuff out of the freezer. But there are ways to cut down on the hassle of fresh cut fries, if you have the right tools, take a little prep time and use the right methods. Fresh cut fries are better when they are fried twice, IMO, so you can cut down on the hassle at the time of order if you have the fries par-cooked before the rush hours.

 

Hell, even chains like Five Guys and In-n-Out manage to put out a ton of fresh fries every day.

[CarolinaBill]

Typically, making quality food is a bit more work than taking stuff out of the freezer. But there are ways to cut down on the hassle of fresh cut fries, if you have the right tools, take a little prep time and use the right methods. Fresh cut fries are better when they are fried twice, IMO, so you can cut down on the hassle at the time of order if you have the fries par-cooked before the rush hours.

 

Hell, even chains like Five Guys and In-n-Out manage to put out a ton of fresh fries every day.

yup and when you run out mid rush you have to speed prep, that makes the food quality inconsistent. It's a larger problem for full service places, like a Cheeseburger in Paradise, or a wild wing or something like that.

[BuffOrange]

I hate it when they ask if you need change when paying. I like it when they say I will be right back with your change.

 

This is basically the only reasonable complaint itt.

 

The rest of you seem like horrible customers. Stop being so nitty.

[Chef Jim]

Typically, making quality food is a bit more work than taking stuff out of the freezer. But there are ways to cut down on the hassle of fresh cut fries, if you have the right tools, take a little prep time and use the right methods. Fresh cut fries are better when they are fried twice, IMO, so you can cut down on the hassle at the time of order if you have the fries par-cooked before the rush hours.

 

Hell, even chains like Five Guys and In-n-Out manage to put out a ton of fresh fries every day.

 

You ever work in a kitchen?

[plenzmd1]

You ever work in a kitchen?

Gotta agree though, double fried are the best!!! When i do fries at home, thats how I do them.

[Acantha]

yeah you are missing something, many times, its other people with you that tell the staff about the b-day, lots of folks like to "surprise" their friends with an embarrassing song, and it sucks equally for the staff.

So no, I'm not missing something. It's still not a complaint against a restauarant, it's a complaint against friends.

[Chef Jim]

Gotta agree though, double fried are the best!!! When i do fries at home, thats how I do them.

 

Sure it's the best but it's not typically practical in a professional kitchen. Frozen fries in the proper temp fry with clean oil in my mind is sufficient.

[shrader]

I hate how servers have that uncanny ability to ask how everything is the second you take a bite out of your food. You're then left doing the awkward head nod because you obviously can't talk. Yeah, I know it's an intentional move, but man, their timing never fails.

[stuckincincy]

I hate how servers have that uncanny ability to ask how everything is the second you take a bite out of your food. You're then left doing the awkward head nod because you obviously can't talk. Yeah, I know it's an intentional move, but man, their timing never fails.

 

That's right - the first bite might be ok, but the rest could be crap.

 

I dislike this practice of having waiters or waitresses that say "Hi! I'm xxxx and I'll be your server!" Goody...

 

And also, when you ask something, a fairly common response is "No problem!" When I hear that, I reply "Did you expect a problem? Is there something wrong with this food?" They are stunned into silence.

[CarolinaBill]

That's right - the first bite might be ok, but the rest could be crap.

its called a 2min/2 bite checkback, utilized in many restaurants

I dislike this practice of having waiters or waitresses that say "Hi! I'm xxxx and I'll be your server!" Goody...

its part of the job, dont be such a jerk

And also, when you ask something, a fairly common response is "No problem!" When I hear that, I reply "Did you expect a problem? Is there something wrong with this food?" They are stunned into silence.

wow, you sound like such a joy to wait on, i'm sure everyone does backflips when they see your smiling face stroll thru the door

what a dick!!!^^^^^

[shrader]

its called a 2min/2 bite checkback, utilized in many restaurants

 

And you do it right as the person is in mid-bite so they can't actually respond, right? It's ok, you can admit it. I think it's actually a brilliant idea. It's one less second of dealing with the stupidity of people.