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Restaurant Pet Peeves

P parcivalMember
In the midst of a lot of business travel, I have seen a lot of poor restaurant practice at play. Two that irk me the most:

1) Delivering the entrée very shortly after the appetizer was delivered.
--At dinner recently, my entrée arrived 5 minutes after my appetizer. The server did not acknowledge this at all and merely piled the additional plates on my table and left. I called her over and explained that I had literally just gotten my appetizer at which point she took my entrée and stuck it under a heat lamp, saying nothing to me during the course of this "interaction." I asked if they could re-make my entrée once I was finished my appetizer and was told that my entrée would be "fine" as it cooked and got desiccated under the heat lamp. I left after the appetizer

2) Serving a glass of wine from an "old" bottle (e.g., one opened 2+ days ago)
--At another restaurant last Tuesday (that was closed on both Sunday and Monday), I ordered a glass of Cab. We're not talking a great Cab with massive longevity either . . . probably a bottle that goes for $25 retail (yes, a mediocre list if I'm being nice). I asked the waiter if it was safe to assume the bottle was newly opened that night. He assured me they "dated" the bottles. Once he looked at the bottle, he told me that it was opened the previous Friday and then quite confidently told me that "This will easily hold up for 7-8 days." I politely asked if he would mind opening a new bottle.
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haggishaggisMember
In addition to these service related pet peeves, one mine is how most servers address patrons. Such as "how are you guys tonight?" What happened to something like, "Good evening. Welcome to...insert restaurant name here"

But the one that really irks me is a server, when seeing food still on someone's plate says, "Are you still working on that?" This is "work"? Either leave me alone, or if you have to ask anything, ask me a more civilized question.
K kwbonezMember
Parcival,
You hit two of my big ones. At a nice highly recommended place in San Francisco I have had a my appetizer arrive before our drinks. Needless to say we canceled the rest of our order and found another place.

The peeve that tops my list is children that are not behaved. Nothing ruins a meal faster than free range children or screaming children.

Kwbonez
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by Kwbonez:
Parcival,
You hit two of my big ones. At a nice highly recommended place in San Francisco I have had a my appetizer arrive before our drinks. Needless to say we canceled the rest of our order and found another place.

The peeve that tops my list is children that are not behaved. Nothing ruins a meal faster than free range children or screaming children.

Kwbonez


As a parent with children, I am going to validate that last pet peeve. When my wife bring our kids to a sit-down restaurant (think Rain Forest Café and not Alinea!) . . . if they start acting up and persist at this, one of us packs them up, the other gets our food in a to go box and we leave hoping to protect the sanity of everyone else around us. I very much am of the philosophy that the restaurant staff and other patrons are not out babysitters!
P parcivalMember
One more for the day -- reminded of this just this morning . . .a derivative of billhike's water-glass filling comment

Incessant filling of the coffee cup! Just when I have the sugar / cream proportions just right, the sneak attack server fills my cup up to the brim ensuring that I'll likely spill it and that the proportions will yet again need some tweaking
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by Redhawk:
quote:
Originally posted by billhike:
Water being refilled every few minutes even though the glass is more than half full.


And each time, a few extra ice cubes go in, so pretty soon you have a glass of ice with one little sip of water down in there somewhere.


And the ice inevitably is going to come pouring out over the front of your shirt!
mangiaremangiareMember
quote:
Originally posted by Parcival:
quote:
Originally posted by Kwbonez:
Parcival,
You hit two of my big ones. At a nice highly recommended place in San Francisco I have had a my appetizer arrive before our drinks. Needless to say we canceled the rest of our order and found another place.

The peeve that tops my list is children that are not behaved. Nothing ruins a meal faster than free range children or screaming children.

Kwbonez


As a parent with children, I am going to validate that last pet peeve. When my wife bring our kids to a sit-down restaurant (think Rain Forest Café and not Alinea!) . . . if they start acting up and persist at this, one of us packs them up, the other gets our food in a to go box and we leave hoping to protect the sanity of everyone else around us. I very much am of the philosophy that the restaurant staff and other patrons are not out babysitters!


big +1 Parcival and to add, we don't go to restaurants that are out of our children's league. It's disrespectful to the other diners and restaurateur.

I'll never forget being in Florence when our youngest was 15 months and we foolishly tried to have an early dinner at the Antinori Enoteca. Everything was going well until a table at the other end of the restaurant thought she was cute and waived and smiled at her. The decibels rose and we were out of there within minutes. Luckily, the wine was not open and the order was not in the kitchen. There is a time and place for everything.
robsutherlandrobsutherlandMember
quote:
Originally posted by mangiare:
quote:
Originally posted by Parcival:
quote:
Originally posted by Kwbonez:
Parcival,
You hit two of my big ones. At a nice highly recommended place in San Francisco I have had a my appetizer arrive before our drinks. Needless to say we canceled the rest of our order and found another place.

The peeve that tops my list is children that are not behaved. Nothing ruins a meal faster than free range children or screaming children.

Kwbonez


As a parent with children, I am going to validate that last pet peeve. When my wife bring our kids to a sit-down restaurant (think Rain Forest Café and not Alinea!) . . . if they start acting up and persist at this, one of us packs them up, the other gets our food in a to go box and we leave hoping to protect the sanity of everyone else around us. I very much am of the philosophy that the restaurant staff and other patrons are not out babysitters!


big +1 Parcival and to add, we don't go to restaurants that are out of our children's league. It's disrespectful to the other diners and restaurateur.

I'll never forget being in Florence when our youngest was 15 months and we foolishly tried to have an early dinner at the Antinori Enoteca. Everything was going well until a table at the other end of the restaurant thought she was cute and waived and smiled at her. The decibels rose and we were out of there within minutes. Luckily, the wine was not open and the order was not in the kitchen. There is a time and place for everything.


+1 though, that said, there is something really nice about many Mediterranean countries and their ideas around children at a restaurant. I remember being in Spain and having kids of all sorts of families running around, crawling under tables (though not being wild) while everyone ate. It was nice and I guess, free feeling.

My big pet peeve is the taking of plates while others are done. I'm unfortunately a fast eater (comes from my sailing days, though I do my best to pace) and it's wrong and embarrassing when I'm sitting there talking with an empty table in front of me while others are still eating.

That and when you or someone else at the table asks to have the rest of a main put in a take out container which they leave on the table while others are enjoying dessert or coffee. Hold on to it and give it to us when we are leaving.
G g-manMember
sometimes for my own sanity sake, I must admit sneaking my kid into nicer restaurants.

though to be honest at times it's certainly more a hassle for me , but ther'es only so many mediocre burgers i can do.

My 2 year old likes to run, but when we're eating he thankfully will sit there properly and eat, and when he starts acting up, I'll take him out and he runs around outside.

though, i would never dare take him to any place where i know the meal will take longer than an hour.

I do agree, i find the mediterrean spots better with kids where people will actually come by and interact with you in a more jovial manner, along with other kids.

Brooklyn is actually much better with that. Manhattan can get stuffy at times.
T tpewinedrinkerMember
one of the only things that bothers me at restaurants is when they try to upcharge you.
me: "i'll have a margarita."
server: "you want to make that a cadillac with top shelf tequila?"
me: "no thanks."

me: "she will have the filet and i will have the sea bass."
server: "how about some appetizers to start out with?"
me: "no thanks."

seriously, i have ordered more than one time in my life- if i wanted a cadillac with top-shelf margarita or a bunch of appetizers, i would have ordered them.

lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

one of the other things that gets to me is small wine glasses. especially when ordering a nice bottle of wine, and they bring out crappy stemware with a 10 oz. capacity. that is just absurd. if you are not going to invest in nice stemware, then limit your wine list to multi-vintage white zin.
G g-manMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
one of the other things that gets to me is small wine glasses. especially when ordering a nice bottle of wine, and they bring out crappy stemware with a 10 oz. capacity. that is just absurd. if you are not going to invest in nice stemware, then limit your wine list to multi-vintage white zin.


that's better than having nice white chard stemware and the server filling it up to the brim and saying "that's what management says we should do"
S snipesMember
quote:
Originally posted by g-man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
one of the other things that gets to me is small wine glasses. especially when ordering a nice bottle of wine, and they bring out crappy stemware with a 10 oz. capacity. that is just absurd. if you are not going to invest in nice stemware, then limit your wine list to multi-vintage white zin.


that's better than having nice white chard stemware and the server filling it up to the brim and saying "that's what management says we should do"



Even if you ordered it by the glass?
G g-manMember
quote:
Originally posted by snipes:
quote:
Originally posted by g-man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
one of the other things that gets to me is small wine glasses. especially when ordering a nice bottle of wine, and they bring out crappy stemware with a 10 oz. capacity. that is just absurd. if you are not going to invest in nice stemware, then limit your wine list to multi-vintage white zin.


that's better than having nice white chard stemware and the server filling it up to the brim and saying "that's what management says we should do"



Even if you ordered it by the glass?


I usually ask for a second empty glass in that case.
mangiaremangiareMember
quote:
Originally posted by g-man:

but ther'es only so many mediocre burgers i can do.


I feel your pain bro

TPE - agree with the upsell. Totally annoying and unnecessary.
How about the special that is 1.5-2 times the price of anything else on the menu??? Took a prospective client to lunch last week to Via Allegro. Both of us ordered the fish special for lunch - $44 each on the bill??? trust me, it's no Le Bernardin.
I have no problem paying but I felt totally taken and will never return.
E eb56Member
quote:
Originally posted by Parcival:
In the midst of a lot of business travel, I have seen a lot of poor restaurant practice at play. Two that irk me the most:

1) Delivering the entrée very shortly after the appetizer was delivered.
--At dinner recently, my entrée arrived 5 minutes after my appetizer. The server did not acknowledge this at all and merely piled the additional plates on my table and left. I called her over and explained that I had literally just gotten my appetizer at which point she took my entrée and stuck it under a heat lamp, saying nothing to me during the course of this "interaction." I asked if they could re-make my entrée once I was finished my appetizer and was told that my entrée would be "fine" as it cooked and got desiccated under the heat lamp. I left after the appetizer

2) Serving a glass of wine from an "old" bottle (e.g., one opened 2+ days ago)
--At another restaurant last Tuesday (that was closed on both Sunday and Monday), I ordered a glass of Cab. We're not talking a great Cab with massive longevity either . . . probably a bottle that goes for $25 retail (yes, a mediocre list if I'm being nice). I asked the waiter if it was safe to assume the bottle was newly opened that night. He assured me they "dated" the bottles. Once he looked at the bottle, he told me that it was opened the previous Friday and then quite confidently told me that "This will easily hold up for 7-8 days." I politely asked if he would mind opening a new bottle.


Where was #1? A heat lamp, seriously? I hope this wasn't anywhere that was trying to be upscale?

#2- 7-8 days is absurd. Now overnight is another thing. I've had a few QPR bottles the next day and found them to be quite nice.
R RothkoMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:

But the one that really irks me is a server, when seeing food still on someone's plate says, "Are you still working on that?" This is "work"? Either leave me alone, or if you have to ask anything, ask me a more civilized question.


In days past, this problem was avoided because both the server and the patron knew how silverware was to be placed on a plate to indicate that the patron had finished. Alas, fewer people these days will place their silverware in the 10-4 position (or the less common 12-6 position) to indicate that they are finished. And fewer servers, I suspect, are aware of this convention.
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by Eb56:
quote:
Originally posted by Parcival:
In the midst of a lot of business travel, I have seen a lot of poor restaurant practice at play. Two that irk me the most:

1) Delivering the entrée very shortly after the appetizer was delivered.
--At dinner recently, my entrée arrived 5 minutes after my appetizer. The server did not acknowledge this at all and merely piled the additional plates on my table and left. I called her over and explained that I had literally just gotten my appetizer at which point she took my entrée and stuck it under a heat lamp, saying nothing to me during the course of this "interaction." I asked if they could re-make my entrée once I was finished my appetizer and was told that my entrée would be "fine" as it cooked and got desiccated under the heat lamp. I left after the appetizer

2) Serving a glass of wine from an "old" bottle (e.g., one opened 2+ days ago)
--At another restaurant last Tuesday (that was closed on both Sunday and Monday), I ordered a glass of Cab. We're not talking a great Cab with massive longevity either . . . probably a bottle that goes for $25 retail (yes, a mediocre list if I'm being nice). I asked the waiter if it was safe to assume the bottle was newly opened that night. He assured me they "dated" the bottles. Once he looked at the bottle, he told me that it was opened the previous Friday and then quite confidently told me that "This will easily hold up for 7-8 days." I politely asked if he would mind opening a new bottle.


Where was #1? A heat lamp, seriously? I hope this wasn't anywhere that was trying to be upscale?

#2- 7-8 days is absurd. Now overnight is another thing. I've had a few QPR bottles the next day and found them to be quite nice.


Eric . . . re: #2 (old wine), the restaurant was very cool about this. The manager opened a new bottle and asked me if I would mind tasting a small glass from the old bottle as well. He noted that they have an argon gas system that preserves the wine for an extended period of time. I thought he meant the Coravin but instead he brought out one of those aerosol cans of Argon with a little straw that you squirt into the wine bottle and then quickly recap with the cork (these of course don't work). He agreed that the old wine was well past its prime. All in all, good customer service around this issue, but was surprised that they thought a bottle of anything (non dessert) wine would last that long.

G-man - would one of your Ports even last 7-8 days after being opened with no preservation?
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by Rothko:
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:

But the one that really irks me is a server, when seeing food still on someone's plate says, "Are you still working on that?" This is "work"? Either leave me alone, or if you have to ask anything, ask me a more civilized question.


In days past, this problem was avoided because both the server and the patron knew how silverware was to be placed on a plate to indicate that the patron had finished. Alas, fewer people these days will place their silverware in the 10-4 position (or the less common 12-6 position) to indicate that they are finished. And fewer servers, I suspect, are aware of this convention.


Rothko, I think you are correct. I rarely see silverware placed back on plates to signify a diner is finished with their meal. And, I suspect few wait staff would appreciate the meaning of this gesture these days.

As Haggis suggested earlier, seems like some of the civility of dining is going the way of the dodo bird even at some of the nicer restaurants . . . which is a shame
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
one of the only things that bothers me at restaurants is when they try to upcharge you.
me: "i'll have a margarita."
server: "you want to make that a cadillac with top shelf tequila?"
me: "no thanks."

me: "she will have the filet and i will have the sea bass."
server: "how about some appetizers to start out with?"
me: "no thanks."

seriously, i have ordered more than one time in my life- if i wanted a cadillac with top-shelf margarita or a bunch of appetizers, i would have ordered them.

lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

one of the other things that gets to me is small wine glasses. especially when ordering a nice bottle of wine, and they bring out crappy stemware with a 10 oz. capacity. that is just absurd. if you are not going to invest in nice stemware, then limit your wine list to multi-vintage white zin.


Paul . . . so similar story. This morning I ordered corned beef hash with a poached egg and an English muffin. talk about a filling breakfast. The waiter asked . . . you want a side of potatoes or some grits with that? Huh?!
P parcivalMember
quote:
Originally posted by E A Bowers [FlWino]:
Smokers at the bar, or not.

When you leave your seats at the bar with your glass, there is no reason that you have a right to come back to the same seat. You leave, .. you left!!!

They go outside to a smoking area and take a seat there with their drink. No reason to possess TWO seats.


E A . . . that almost should go without saying!
purplehazepurplehazeMember
Servers or wine "professionals" who question me when I tell them a wine is off.

Servers who tell me that they're going to be my server.

Warm bread and rock hard butter.

Dirty glassware/silverware.

I don't mind a "gentle" upsell. It's all in the delivery, for me. I've had servers suggest a side dish or something else that ultimately proved to be a good idea.

PH
flwinoflwinoMember
quote:
Rothko, I think you are correct. I rarely see silverware placed back on plates to signify a diner is finished with their meal. And, I suspect few wait staff would appreciate the meaning of this gesture these days.


I learned this in the 70's on my 1st trip to Europe. At least European waiters are trained. Us school kids have no training, care less about diner, and only want tips.
flwinoflwinoMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Servers or wine "professionals" who question me when I tell them a wine is off.

Servers who tell me that they're going to be my server.

Warm bread and rock hard butter.

Dirty glassware/silverware.

I don't mind a "gentle" upsell. It's all in the delivery, for me. I've had servers suggest a side dish or something else that ultimately proved to be a good idea.

PH


All of the above. I SELDOM order the special. Ever note they list the special, but you HAVE TO ask for the price!
flwinoflwinoMember
quote:
Originally posted by Parcival:
quote:
Originally posted by E A Bowers [FlWino]:
Smokers at the bar, or not.

When you leave your seats at the bar with your glass, there is no reason that you have a right to come back to the same seat. You leave, .. you left!!!

They go outside to a smoking area and take a seat there with their drink. No reason to possess TWO seats.


E A . . . that almost should go without saying!


Quite a few places here, the bar tenders get quite offended when you point that out. Then they slam a water glass to hold the place. I then walk out!!
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

FO is not a good example. Their specialty is telling you how to eat a hamburger. It's like Apple telling you what hardware you need and what you don't in their computers.
T tpewinedrinkerMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

FO is not a good example. Their specialty is telling you how to eat a hamburger. It's like Apple telling you what hardware you need and what you don't in their computers.

No substitutions is telling you how to eat a burger... Confused. Confused
G g-manMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

FO is not a good example. Their specialty is telling you how to eat a hamburger. It's like Apple telling you what hardware you need and what you don't in their computers.

No substitutions is telling you how to eat a burger... Confused. Confused


you could just take the caramelized onions and put it on the check. cuz you know, you're gonna tell them how you pay the check Wink
The Old ManThe Old ManMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

FO is not a good example. Their specialty is telling you how to eat a hamburger. It's like Apple telling you what hardware you need and what you don't in their computers.

No substitutions is telling you how to eat a burger... Confused. Confused

Most people like to choose what goes on their hamburger. Restricting your choice to the restaurant's choice is telling you how to eat a hamburger. I really don't understand your confusion.
T tpewinedrinkerMember
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
quote:
Originally posted by The Old Man:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
lastly- no substitutions. i can go to in-n-out and have a burger 40 different ways for $3, but i go to father's office, spend $14 for a burger, and you can't even ask for no caramelized onions. sorry, but i am the one paying for the burger; if i want ketchup or no onions, am i really offending the chef? get over yourself.

FO is not a good example. Their specialty is telling you how to eat a hamburger. It's like Apple telling you what hardware you need and what you don't in their computers.

No substitutions is telling you how to eat a burger... Confused. Confused

Most people like to choose what goes on their hamburger. Restricting your choice to the restaurant's choice is telling you how to eat a hamburger. I really don't understand your confusion.

Seriously, wtf are you talking about? There is the father's office burger. If you want no bleu cheese on it you are out of luck. If you want no caramelized onions you are out of luck. If you want ketchup you are out of luck. The F.O. on their shirts doesn't mean father's office. It means f**k off should you ask for any sort of customization on your burger. No substitutions is telling you how to eat a burger; i.e., our burger is perfect as is and you will eat it exactly as we make it or not at all.
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