TheAnnoyedServer

I went back to work at place I literally was working at last summer, just at a different position.  Like, yeah, I’m going to need a rundown on what my responsibilities are during the shift.  What I DON’T need is someone who thinks I don’t know how to read a beer can label and take inventory in an alphabetical list.  Holy shit.  This person literally kept reading every beer to me.  I don’t get it.  

So I was serving a kind of eccentric old dude who was waiting for someone else for awhile.  

He’s outside on the patio.  I go outside to take his order and notice he has his shoes and socks off.  Gross and annoying, for sure, can’t stand when people do it it but they ARE outside so I pretend not to notice.

Once he was joined by his friend a bit later, I went outside to check on how their food was doing.  I don’t exactly know how the conversation went, but the old man mentioned “my socks make great napkins to get everything!”

This man was legit wiping his mouth with his sock.

I said, “Sir, you know we have extra napkins on the table...?” and showed him.  He says “I know, but my sock does much better.”

To top it off, guess what I find when I go to bus the table when they leave?

I haven’t served since covid started, but this happened to me this year and it annoyed me again.  

I was running food with one of my coworkers, Caroline, and as soon she she set down the lady’s plate, the lady started whining, “Where are the greens?  where are the greens??”

Caroline went to politely tell her that the greens she was expecting were already on the plate.  

Rich white lady didn’t want to believe her.  Started to say how she wanted more greens.  Caroline agrees, and says “Okay, I’ll go get you some more greens.”   It wasn’t actually Caroline’s table, so she went to let Samantha know that the lady at her table was wanting some more greens.

Samantha sighs,  and says “Ugh!  She’s been here a few times in the last month and each time I explain to her it doesn’t come with greens.  It’s just garnished with some.  And every time I have to go get her an extra salad.”  But she gets her her mixed greens salad and comps it off the check.

When it comes time for dessert, Samantha sends them an ice cream sundae on the house just because.  I asked her why she would reward the annoying behavior?  She got her greens and she was happy.  No reason to really give them a dessert.  She said it was because Rich White Lady is always “so apologetic” when this happens and just keeps saying sorry over and over.  (If this keeps happening I don’t think she is actually sorry or is she just so in her own little world that she doesn’t notice what comes with her fish every time.) Also, Samantha says it “looks like Rich White Lady spends 30k a year on a country club membership, and I’m just gonna try and make her happy” Yet another weird reason to reward the lady by giving her a free sundae?  

I hate when a guest asks me for bleu cheese stuffed olives

One, I am definitely not doing that shit

Two, if I asked my bartenders for this they would probably laugh in my face.

So no.

Me: Sir, what can I get you to drink?

Guy: I'll have whatever that is *points in between two cocktails on the menu*

Me: Well would you the old fashioned or Arcadian drink?

Guy: Yes. That one.

Me: Okay so you want the old fashioned right??

Guy: *vaguely nods*

Our sections don’t cover a weird space or anything.

They are 6-7 tables all in one area lol.

Like it’s not hard to look over your section to check to see if you have new tables??

Kinda your responsibility as a server??

And she already had some tables so she was going to be out there anyway.

Table of 4 was finishing up eating and one of the gentlemen gets up to use the restroom.  On his way he hands me his card.  I was feeling pretty good about this table since they had a high tab and we were getting along well.  Usually if someone pays preemptively like that I feel like they tip well too.  

I tried to catch him on his way back from the restroom but he was walking fast in front of me and I couldn’t get his attention.  He sits down and I still attempt to discreetly hand him the bill but his friends totally see and start protesting who will pay the bill, or that they should split it.  “Don’t do that, it’s too expensive!” Blah blah blah. 

I make my way back to the table to just prebus, and he hands me back the checkbook directly.  I get to the back to see he’s left me $15.00 on a $170.00 dollar tab.  I think, “maybe his friends are doing the tip in cash?”  and wonder if I’m actually about to have a moment where I go shame him by asking if there was something I could improve about my service.  Had a talk with my GM and he advises against it, but he says he will wait at the host stand to see if they go to leave cash / or talk about the service or anything.  They leave pretty quickly and my GM doesn’t have a chance to talk to them.  

“My son likes to play with water, can we get two more plastic cups?”

No

No

NO

N-O

1. Why do people go out to eat and then rush the server if they have something to go afterwards?? Like, you could have avoided this. Literally only YOU control what time you get to the restaurant. Your unpreparedness shouldn’t have to make ME rush your shit over anyone else’s.

I don’t usually work the bar at my restaurant, therefore I’m still somewhat new when it comes to dealing with problem customers / issues happening in the bar.  My normal bar shift is brunch so it’s not like people are getting too shitty during brunch anyway.

I picked up an evening shift for one of my coworkers, but it was still early when this happened.  A guy I already don’t like, because all he likes to talk about is doing cocaine and banging hookers, and has also touched / hugged me without my permission before walks in.  I’m not thrilled to be dealing with him because none of the more senior bartenders are in for the day yet.

He asks me for a vodka cranberry and in usual fashion I ask if he has a preference for vodka.  He says, “something that won’t give me a headache” I recommended Titos and he agreed with that.  Not long after I gave him his drink, he starts complaining about how weak it is and that it only tastes like cranberry juice.

I reply, “I gave you the standard pour” but took his drink and gave him a splash more anyway.  He CONTINUES complaining about how weak it is and how it’s never like that here.  He’s like, “whatever, just give me another shot in here, you can put it on my bill” I said okay fine and gave him another shot in his drink, added it to his bill.  

He asks for his check a bit later and as soon as I gave it to him he starts yelling “Oh fuck that, I’m not paying $17 for one drink!  This is bullshit!  Get me your manager!”  

I’ve had enough bullshit this week and probably would have gone to grab somebody but looked him straight in the face and laughed, told him “You told me to put on your bill.  I did.  You had one drink but TWO SHOTS in one drink.”  He continues causing a scene when the other bartender for the night comes in and gets him to fuck off by taking one of the shots off his bill.  I didn’t want to do it but he did it anyway.  

I was told by the other bartenders I did nothing wrong but with coked-out guys like him to fill his glass with a ridiculous amount of ice, and to just give him a splash of mixer so he thinks hes getting more booze, and to just give him rail vodka so we’re not losing as much.  Fuck that, if he wants his drinks to taste stronger then he needs to either ORDER them with a splash, or get a side of juice and do it his damn self.  Or just get a damn double.  

I really wanted to throatpunch the woman who complained “oh we haven’t seen you in awhile” so they asked the hostess for me.

Well, everybody came at once so I was busy. Also I can’t use my right hand due to an injury and my cat just fucking died. I am so very sorry.

A fellow server of mine told me to my face that he doesn’t write orders down and if he can’t remember he just guesses instead of going back to ask them or just writing the orders down. He also said he just stops listening sometimes when tables are talking and he basically said he doesn’t care about how their experiences go.