"difficult diners" - Do you know one?

[sbj405]

I have a friend who is the worst. As someone who has worked in restaurants, I am embarrassed to go out with her. Takes 10 minutes just to order, asking about 40 questions. At a diner or cafe, demands service that one might expect at a 5 star restaurant. Hasn't figured out that the waitress/waiter has no control over the kitchen. And then is a 15% and no more tipper. I usually find myself throwing extra money down, because I'm generally a good tipper and I feel awful for the server.

Anyone have a similar friend or family member? Anyone successfully dealt with this behavior?

[Roon]

1. I had a friend that I hated to go through the drive-thru with

I swear,I am not exaggerating...here is how he would order
I WANT A WHOPPER NO PICKLE NO TOMATO
FRIES, NO SALT
SPRITE, NO ICE

I worked in fast food and I know what a pain it is to make up a batch of fries for one person that doesn't want salt. His reasoning was you always get fresh fries that way. Then he would ask for salt to salt his fries.

The sprite with no ice is because you get more without the ice.

This guy used to drive me nuts. He was one of those people that you are stuck being friends with no matter what you do. He moved to another state so I only see him online now, so that's a relief!!

[sbj405]

7. Her last coffee order

Half caf, half regular
Half whole milk, half skim

Which is about as complicated as it gets without getting an actual espresso drink.

[Roon]

9. Wow!

:crazy: That outdoes my buddy, that's for sure.

[Ediacara]

12. half whole milk, half skim = 2%

or about 2%... whole milk is about 3.4% fat.

[NMDemDist2]

14. ROFL GMTA

:thumbsup:

[Ediacara]

16. NICE!

[sbj405]

17. They didn't have 2%. As if the extra 1.4% would kill her to drink once.

I think it's an attention thing.

[NMDemDist2]

13. ahhhh half skim half whole = 2%

easier to order that was too :rofl:

[July]

30. Sounds like a half-assed move to get attention.

Is she demanding like this in other areas of her life?

[GalleryGod]

33. Sounds like an Alchemist in need of at-ten-SHUN!

:argh:

[IntravenousDemilo]

39. Some of us can't take drinks with ice in them, even plain water.

Hurts our teeth. Man, does it hurt! A straw helps sometimes, but not always.

As for the pickle and tomato, one can always remove them (and give them to me). Also, ordering a Whopper sans pickle and/or tomato (remember, they've pledged to make it "your way" at BK), or a Big Mac minus the special sauce, or unsalted (me, I like soy sauce, so I don't need salt, too) forces the fast-food jockey to make a fresh item rather than give you the pre-made one that's been languishing under the heat lamps.

And if I order a sandwich with mayo (I like mayonnaise), and it arrives with Miracle Whip or something like that, I will send it back, because they don't taste anywhere similar.
Server: "Well, it looks like mayonnaise!"
Me: "So do marshmallow sauce, meringue, and whipped cream, but they don't taste like mayo. The menu said mayonnaise, and this is 'whipped salad dressing'".
Server: "Same thing."
Me: "No, it's not the same at all. Mayonnaise is bland and eggy. 'Whipped salad dressing' is sweet and vinegary. I don't want it. Enjoy your sandwich."

Other than that, I'm pretty easy to get along with in a restaurant. I won't order tea anymore, though, especially in the States, because hardly anyone seems to know how to make it properly (barbarians even give you cream with it, like it's coffee or something).

[Love Bug]

43. "Have it your way" just don't hold up the drive through line!

I don't care how people want to eat their burger or fries, just don't hold up the drive through line during lunch hour with your "special" order! It's not fair to the people stuck behind you who have to wait while the kitchen makes you a whopper without pickle, dammit! (Can you tell this has happened to me? Not that I'm bitter or anything.... :mad: )

[Susang]

45. Are you really that rude to the server?

And then have the nerve to call others barbarians? :P

[IntravenousDemilo]

52. It's hardly rude...

Especially after my sending it back was questioned. It's only happened the once, anyway. Every other time, they took the thing back to the kitchen and I get something else without mayonnaise, and no, it wasn't the same joint every time -- I'm not some sort of masochist. It was different places.

My acid test for a new eating establishment is how well they make a club sandwich. You'd think it would be easy, but apparently it isn't. I've had some pretty awful club sandwiches. If a restaurant or diner takes proper care in how it prepares it's humble club, that means the cook cares about the food and I should enjoy anything on the menu. But if the cook doesn't know the difference between mayo and Miracle Whip, I'm pretty sure everything else will suck, too.

[Susang]

53. Mmmmm...club sandwiches!

That's a pretty good standard to judge by. You're right, it should be simple, but for some reason so many restaurants get it terribly wrong. x(

btw, I prefer mayo to Miracle Whip myself. ;-)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. My mom...

runs down the list of sides, and not seeing rice there asks if she can have rice instead of one of the veggies listed, since they offer some dish served with rice pilaf.

And she often asks for a daiquiri made with REAL lime juice; especially when the waitress or bartender looks too young to remember the days before frozen daiquiris.

Bless her heart, but she can be such a pain.

[mdmc]

3. i am picky

and often don't like what i have ordered. my girl will say to me, "just order the veal. you will hate it."

at least i am polite and tip well...

[sbj405]

8. Picky is ok. I'm picky about whether something is vegetarian or not

I will ask about that. It's the debating between menu options as the poor waiter stands there (when he could or should) be attending to another table.

[henslee]

4. Where do i start. My ex is the queen of complex orders and always

asks a zillion questions. When I go out with her now, I thank God, I am not still with her. My Aunt is another one... she must engage every employee in conversation. They usually have no idea what she is talking about. I just shut up and roll my eyes. I have learned not to take certain people to my favorite places. Or I just make sure I go when the place is empty and no one is stressed.

[WCGreen]

5. Say hello to my sister....

Miss send the first dish back no matter what it is.....

[Beaverhausen]

6. My boyfriend sometimes is

and since the wait staff at lots of restaurants around here don't speak english as their first language, I'm usually worried about what he will end up being served. I myself don't take the chance of making a "special order" if the waiter doesn't really seem to completely understand me.

My BF tips very well though.

[flvegan]

10. I'm very difficult.

I want to know ingredients, then I want to know what is cooked with what. The fries cooked with the wings? Ew. No thanks.

Of course, the trade off is that it helps me NOT get sick to my stomach, and I can maintain a physique that's slightly better than average.

If I get a waitstaff individual that knows what "vegan" means and helps me out, he/she gets a huge tip. It's appreciated.

[Left Is Write]

23. I have been known to be difficult myself.

Especially when I was actively in weight-loss mode two years ago. Chicken grilled. No rice or mashed potatoes - can I substitute plain steamed vegetables (no butter, no oil)? Or grilled chicken sandwich with the veggies but minus the mayo or other sauce. No butter.

It's easier now; I still don't order rice or potatoes when I go out to eat, but I take the steamed vegetables without any other special requests. And I'll generally eat (and enjoy) whatever sauce is on the grilled fish.


However, I am always pleasant and I tip well.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LeftyMom]

11. I ask a million questions about what's in stuff

No clue if that's being difficult or not, but I tip well to make up for it.

[sbj405]

18. No. I've learned you have to ask questions as a veggie

I order spinach enchiladas once and didn't ask. First time in my life, I have ever seen enchilada sauce with meat in it. Luckily, the waitress was very nice and replaced them.

[Left Is Write]

24. My mom learned always to ask if the vegetable soup...

was made with vegetable stock or chicken or beef stock.

[NMDemDist2]

15. I am one, years in the Food Service biz

but I tip like a drunken sailor :evilgrin:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

19. My Mother...

She has a nasty disposition anyway, but when she's at a sit down place she's really rude and impatient. And she doesn't tip well at all. A buck. I swear to God. No matter what. A buck.
Duckie

[crispini]

20. OMG one of my coworkers.

KING of picky. Everything on the side. Tons of questions. Always changes his order. And he always gets effed over to. He has HORRIBLE restaurant karma and I completely understand why.

[NightNurse]

34. Nurses on Night shift have a name for the likes of him...

:boring: "Dick" :hurts:

[Flaxbee]

21. a friend - from whom I've distanced myself (not b/c of food)

was such a freaking prima donna in restaurants... always special orders, and even though she herself worked in a service industry, she always acted like she was sooooo superior to the wait staff and was rude and snapped her fingers and did all kinds of horrible stuff. It's like she thought the wait staff were her servants. And then was a stingy tipper. Odd, b/c she was otherwise a very generous person.

[beyurslf]

22. A good friend of mine practically takes apart the menu and special orders

every part of her meal. I always tell her she is welcome to go back and make it herself. Don't get me wrong, I request certain things as well. But she goes beyond any normal order. And, she will change her order 4 or 5 times while ordering. Then wonders why her order is not "right." As if she could remember exactly what she ordered.

[Nailzberg]

25. A friend and his brother, total brats in a restaurant.

It starts with the order.

Both these twerps will ask for al these substitutions. And I find nothing wrong with asking to sub something, but be friggin polite about it, you are after all asking for a favor. "I want this, and I want that, and I want that." It's like listening to SPalding form Caddyshack.

THen the food comes, they just start digging in like barbarians, and if there's something missing from the table, when the waitress comes by to check up on us it goes something like this. Waiter: "How is everything?" Douchebag friend: "Ketchup." Not "Could I have some ketchup, please." Or hell, even say it without the please - but not even making a sentence, giving some one one word orders? That's really fucking insulting.

And tip time comes, I'm the one kicking it all in. Both these guys usually go one dollar over whatever rounded up amount they owe toward the bill. So if they're meal would have been 12.50, they put in 14. Cheap bastards. And rude. I worked as a server during college, so after a couple times going out to eat with these guys, I couldn't do it anymore. Eventually I started to notice that they treat everyone in a similar fashion. I quit that entire friendship because I couldn't stand the way they those two treated other people.

I always got shitty service when I was out with them. Servers could tell from the initial encounter that the table is going to be bad, so why put the effort into it?


Wow, thanks for letting me vent. Good topic.

[Jean Louise Finch]

26. Indeed I do

I am a quasi vegetarian (used to be vegan, but am now a vegaquarian, aka "fish and chippocrite"), and am completely forgiving of people making double/triple/quadruple checks of ingredient lists to make sure they're getting something that meets their dietary needs. What I'm much less forgiving of is rude behavior in the process. My absolutely rude errm..friend (?) is absolutely appalling when it comes to ordering. She is condescending, she yells her order in English (I live in Bangkok), and then, when it comes and, inevitably, has fish sauce in it, she throws up the biggest most inappropriate stink you ever saw. I can understand being frustrated, surely. But if you don't even take the time to learn how to say your dietary restrictions in the language of the country you're living in, you've got no business getting angry when they get it wrong. It KILLS me. I refuse to go out with her any more. I had to apologize profusely on her behalf about six times too many.

[sbj405]

27. Everytime I travel, one of the first things I learn in the language

is "I am vegetarian" or "No meat."

[Magrittes Pipe]

51. In many places, you will be asked "why?"

As vegetarianism is not socially understood at all. In some parts of China, for instance, it is appropriate to say "I am a Buddhist." This makes sense socially, but "I don't want any meat" is not.

[KitchenWitch]

28. And what, in Thailand does not have fish sauce in it!

I love Thai food by the way, but I know that many dishes contain fish sauce.

[blondeatlast]

47. "...fish and chippocrite..."

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

My hubby, raised a Hindu, never touched a smidge of animal flesh until 2 years ago.

He was in Seattle on bidness and his company flew my son and I up to vist him for the weekend. Naturally, being from the landlock I'm in, I wanted some seriously fresh seafood. No dice--he couldn't stand the smell.

I can certainly understand that...

Wednesday of the week we returned, and hubby calls. He will be returning home that weekend, and could I go out and get some nice--wait for it--you've probably guessed...

SALMON?!

I kid not.

Turns out he had to host soem bidness acquaintences at one of Seattle's best and they had nothing vegetarian on the menu. So he ordered salmon--and loved it.

I was not... a... happy... wife... :mad:

Although now I find it quite funny.

"Fish and chippocrite"--that's Mr. BAL to a tee!

[riona]

29. that tip thing happens to us all the time

and it's usually the "well-healed" person that demands the most service and leaves the worst tip.

[northzax]

31. i eat what's put in front of me

hey, if I'm paying for someone to cook for me, I trust they know what they are doing. I don't go to the dentist and tell him how to do his job, I don't tell my accountant how to do her job, I don't tell chefs how to do theirs. outside of a diner or a bar, substitutions are insulting to the chef, you're paying for expertise, go with that.

if you don't like what they serve, I suggest ordering something else, or going elsewhere.

[GalleryGod]

32. Well,put, Northax Here's a flip-side.

Once a year we go to Georges Perrier's "Le Bec Fin" here,in Philly. It's a 5 star. Rarely does one overhear ANY sub requests. Of course, 20 seconds after you have a complaint, Georges is standing next to your chair.

[northzax]

36. I really love the people doing subs at really good places

why are you paying a top flight chef such a large premium, if you think you can design a better meal? makes no sense.

I haven't made it to le bec fin yet, is it really worth a trip up from DC? I've heard pretty good things about it.

[Kathleen04]

35. We went to..

Outback steakhouse one day and I'm vegetarian so I had to order the salad without the meat on it, which was basically the "steakhouse salad without the steak". Then my friend goes to order and says "I'd like my steak medium-rare..but true medium rare..it's always so different here, sometimes it's TOO RARE and other times it's TOO WELL DONE...and I'd like this on the side" bla bla bla..as the waitress walked away, I said to him, "well, that makes ME feel less silly". I think he told me to eff off or something. :rofl:

[bif]

37. My brother's the worst

Asks a million questions like "What dish has more food, I'm really hungry?" then he'll ask for lots of blue cheese on the salad and "Can I have a bowl of blue cheese on the side too?" He used to be a lousy tipper to boot. Now that he's rich, he at least tips quite well.

[NV Whino]

38. I had a friend like that

Emphasis on "had."

[enigmatic]

40. Oh God

29 years in Food Service; the stories I could tell....

[distantearlywarning]

41. I used to have a friend like that.

Picky restaurant behavior was only a symptom of a larger, overall irritating personality problem. I dumped her a while back because I couldn't take the drama anymore.

[laheina]

42. My sister is one.

She's the worst. Once she send her cheeseburger back at Burger King, because the cheese wasn't melted all the way.

We were at an expensive place one night, with a really large party. She ordered something that wasn't on the menu, sent it back at least twice, and then said that she still didn't like it--and wanted a refund!

I'd be really surprised if the kitchen staff didn't do something nasty to her food. :puke:

[XemaSab]

46. I used to be really anal about my food restrictions

But now I just suck it up.

If I order something without tomatoes and it shows up at the table with tomatoes, I'll pick them out.

It makes life a lot easier to assume they're going to screw up your order and develop a contingency plan that doesn't involve bothering the server again.

[blondeatlast]

48. Sisters seem to be a common theme in this thread--my oldest sis is one.

Never even picks up the menu until the server is ready to take our order (other sis and I are always ready), then hems, haws, and asks if this, that, or the other thing she's "allergic" to--pretty much anything short of oxygen on bad days, is in the dish.

She does this in great detail. Diners to 5 stars, she'll do it.

Never tips, even though she worked her way through college as a server.

Other sis and I no longer accompany her to restaurants...

[ScreamingMeemie]

49. Nope, I only know difficult people.

:hi:

[Magrittes Pipe]

50. Yup.

No arguments here.

[oustemnow]

54. I tend not to send anything back, unless I can see the prep area

I don't need any "special sauce" on my food, unless I order it.

/Have worked in kitchens, and knows what happens there sometimes.