Former waitresses: worst dining experience you've provided?

[undeterred]

Well, I think it had to be the time I was walking across a full dining room with 4 chicken dinners on a platter and a man suddenly stood up and backed up his chair into me, causing me to fling the chicken dinners backward onto a tableful of diners. The people who were waiting for their food saw it go flying onto the table of people who already had food-- and I had to stifle myself from laughing until I could get out of view.

[SeattleGirl]

1. ROFL!

Seeing that would have been worth the price of admission!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[undeterred]

3. One of my co-workers

got an order for prime rib and the man asked for "au jus" on the side. She couldn't figure out what he was saying, but she thought it was "olive juice". So after a lengthy discussion with the bartender about what the hell olive juice was, she brought him the liquid from a jar of olives in a fancy glass.

He just stared at her and said "what's this?" "Olive juice", she said. And then it became clear that what he wanted was the juice from the meat. I still can't look at the words "au jus" without thinking of that.

:rofl:

[pink-o]

6. At least she didn't hear it "Old Jews"

...she could've brought my grandfather to the table!!!:hi:

[undeterred]

7. I would like an Old Jew with my steak.

That would have made as much sense as olive juice! :rofl:

This wasn't even someone with an accent or anything...

[hippywife]

2. I can't really recall any

terribly heinous episodes. There was only one that comes to mind right away. It was a 30ish couple that came in all the time and refused to tip, no matter how good the service was, or they would leave a dollar. The last time they sat in my station, he ordered an omelet and the kitchen sent it out without the toast because they were behind. I totally forgot to go back for it because I was so slammed. I only felt bad about it because it reflected poorly on my usually great service...was out of the norm for me.

[Wcross]

5. That is incredible- refused to tip?

I always tip at least 20% even for marginal service. Those people need to limit their dining to places with drive through windows.

[hippywife]

8. There are a whole mess of people

out there who think if they don't tip, the restaurants will eventually be forced to pay a higher wage. It has worked in all these decades, doubt that it ever will.

If service is really bad, I still leave 10%. I reserve 25% for the folks that do a great job.

[undeterred]

9. The Amish don't tip.

They don't go to restaurants much, but when they do, about 15 will come in to Country Kitchen together.

My girlfriend says they owe her a really nice armoire and a handmade quilt for all her untipped service over the years.

[hippywife]

11. Trust me.

These folks were definitely not Amish.

[Wcross]

13. Isn't the "Country Kitchen" a buffet?

I ate there once and didn't notice any wait staff. I wouldn't go back because it was all about the quantity of food rather than the taste.

[undeterred]

15. Maybe I'm thinking of a sit-down restaurant with a similar name.

Its a chain of restaurants in the midwest- I see a lot in small towns. It does have waitstaff.

Yes, I think the Country Kitchen does have some assistants but you serve yourself and aren't necessarily expected to leave a tip because you go up to the buffet and get your food.

[petronius]

14. Nice - stiffing the waitress as a show of solidarity

They can feel good about their righteous social behavior, and save money at the same time. Everybody wins!

:sarcasm:

[pink-o]

4. I first waited tables when I moved to England in the 70s

I worked in a restaurant of a large hotel chain in Bloomsbury, and we served 3-course set meals to parties of 50-120. Unlike Europe today, not many people from the Continent spoke English, and one time this Danish man kept bobbing and weaving as I tried to put his dinner on the table. I kept saying "excuse me" to no avail--and finally, he bumped my arm, and the whole plate spilled down the back of his chair. He was leaning forward, so I cried: "Quickly! Stand up, don't lean back!" Unfortunately, he did just the opposite, proceeding to squish his dinner all onto the back of his harris tweed jacket.

Well, then he did stand up and start screaming at the top of his lungs. Luckily, I'm not versed in Danish curse words, so I wasn't as devastated as I might have been otherwise.

But that was many, many years ago. I'm sure I've done a lot worse since, but nothing comes immediately to mind.

All I can say is that I probably couldn't wait tables today at my advanced age with my sad short-term memory issues. I'd forget everyone's order or even if I'd served them already!

[ironflange]

10. oh so that was you

we have all had a mortal fear of both chicken and dennys ever since then

thanks a lot

[undeterred]

12. Were you at the table that received the flying chicken?

My greatest fear after that was that - when I went into catering - was that I would have a similar incident at someone's wedding reception while crossing the dance floor with a platter of meat and mashed potatoes.

Of course it could make a great story later on, or it could make a greasy angry bride. }(