Bud Light, a National Obsession?

They must put something in Bud light…………

Because seriously people that drink Bud light take no substitutes. They are hardcore brand loyalists. I can’t think of any other beer that people literally can’t comprehend our restaurant doesn’t serve other than Bud light.
I mean no one looks down and says, “What do you mean you don’t have Pilsner?”

I wish people would think before they speak. I had a customer tell us that “we shouldn’t prepare our clams the way we do because that’s not how they have ever had them.” And my all time favorite, “Can’t you just do them like everybody else and not with ginger and soy? That’s ‘weird’.” I mean if we were talking about a clothing store for example, this is the person that would say, blue t-shirts are correct and black t-shirts are wrong and “weird.” So everyone should wear blue t-shirts. I just don’t think they get how ignorant they sound, but perhaps using the retail analogy, I could get them to understand.

I don’t think anyone means to be rude. Sometimes, they are starving and are short because they haven’t eaten in a while. Some people just move through the world in a direct, short and sweet way. In other words, “Why exchange pleasantries? I need to get back to work.” However, others still just act like they were raised in the wild by wolves and usually this customer carries with them an attitude and can’t possibly understand why anyone would do anything differently than the way they do it at home.

I shall now go into my case study of these types of customers:

The Bud Light Devotee

“Do you have Bud light?”

“No Sir, but we have Amstel light in a bottle or Sapporo. Sapporo is my favorite though; light beer with flavor.”

“Is that the only beer you have then on tap?”
“No Bud light then huh?”
“Do you know where I can get a Bud light?”

“In the Ferry Building? No Sir, I don’t. But good luck to you and enjoy the game.” (Giants were playing that night.)
I don’t think that any other beer drinker on the planet is that devoted. Now personally, I don’t indulge in Bud light, but seriously, these people will not drink beer unless it’s a Bud light. Nice job Budweiser!

The “I Only Eat What I Eat at Home” Customer

A group of 4 ladies came in on a Saturday a few weeks ago. I don’t know where they were from, but the first thing that they said after they scored in my opinion, the best table outside, was do we have fried prawns?

I said “No we don’t have anything fried in our restaurant actually.” I always say this with pride, because we try to be really tasty and super healthy; thanks to our owner.

“But we do have a crab cake that you would think was fried unless I told you it wasn’t.”

“The only seafood I like is fried prawns,” the woman said.

“Really? Wow, there is so much great seafood out there that’s unfortunate. Why don’t I get you some drinks while you ponder the menu?”

Another woman who was clearly just trying to get through the day said, “Yes, let’s get some drinks….. I’ll have a Sapporo, make that 2 said the other woman.”

It was clear at this point that it had been a trying day and that it was going to be a trying lunch, to say the least.

I brought back the drinks and the table ordered the following items:
The I-Only-Eat-Prawns Lady decided, with a whole discussion of multiple choices between the two of us, to go with a Prawn Caesar Salad. The Matriarch of the family ordered 6 oysters on the half shell and the other two women order sandwiches, as I recall.

I delivered all the food and to my surprise, everyone was happy except The Matriarch. She turned to me and said, “Aren’t you going to cook these oysters? They’re raw.”

I said, “No Ma’am, we don’t cook our oysters. That’s what ‘on the half shell’ means; raw.”

“Well, I’m not going to eat these” she said and quickly moved them into the air above the table wherein the two beer drinking women grabbed them quickly and said “Oh, um… We will.”

I said, “Something else for you then, Ma’am?”

From there we went into a 3 minute discussion about everything on the menu, and I think she finally settled on a crab sandwich.

At the end of the meal, the Prawn Caesar Eater said, “That was a really good salad” and she really enjoyed it. I was so elated that I changed her mind and now, she had 2 whole items in her repertoire of seafood, Fried Prawns and our very own Roasted Prawn Caesar.

But wait… Just when I thought we were best friends, she asked me for a “To Go Box.” I always tell folks, don’t go wandering about for hours because it’s seafood and therefore very perishable.”
She said, “What do you mean seafood? I ate all the roasted prawns already.”

I said “Well, there’s Anchovies in the dressing so I don’t want you wandering about too long.”

She turned to me and said, “You know I really liked that salad and now you’ve ruined it for me. I wish you hadn’t told me that.”

I said, “What? Told you what?”

“That there are Anchovies in the dressing. I don’t eat Anchovies and I’ll never touch the leftovers now so forget the box. We’ll just take our check.”

I was… well, stunned to say the least. I don’t have to tell you how alarming it is that, based on the principle that she doesn’t like any other seafood; and apparently especially not Anchovies, she won’t eat the rest of her salad because she knows there are Anchovies in the dressing. It’s like talking to a 5 year old, really.

My final case study is the I Don’t Need a Menu Because I Know Exactly What I Want Customer

This is the customer that sits down and says this to you before you can get even a greeting out to them or ask them if they want something to drink.

I made the unfortunate mistake thinking that this woman, who was from Colorado, knew what Smoked Salmon was. I mean, common, there is water in Colorado, which means there is fish in the state and I’m sure that smoked salmon gets imported there right? I don’t know, maybe I am the clueless one.

So she orders a cup of white Clam Chowder and a half of a Smoked Salmon sandwich and water.

The salmon sandwich arrives and literally, her life’s blood drains from her face and her inner 5 year old comes out and she carefully, peels back the rye bread only to look at the smoked lox style salmon and say, “What is that?”

I said, “It’s your smoked salmon sandwich Ma’am.”

“I thought it was going to be grilled, can you cook it for me?”

“Um… Cook your Smoked Salmon, Ma’am?’

“Yes, cook it.”

“Unfortunately, no Ma’am, I can’t. That would be… Unusual and it would probably stick to the pan, Ma’am.”

“Have you ever had Smoked Salmon before?”

“No, not like this.” (She still didn’t get it).

“Well, you should try it. It’s very popular and though it’s technically raw, it is still smoked; so it is not like Sushi, if that’s what you are concerned about. Why don’t you try it? After all, that’s what the whole Ferry Building is about, trying new things.”

“Alright”, she said with grave hesitation.

I checked back with her and she had eaten it. Once again, I thought, “Wow, another new experience and she actually liked it.” Nope… She hated it and left me the payment and whispered in my ear, “I don’t like raw… salmon.”

“Alrighty then”, I thought as I added on her tip into the computer and waited desperately for the day to be over.

I just wish so desperately that people would be more open minded, patient and, ultimately, have a sense of humor about new food, experiences and ideas. Unfortunately, these days I feel as though we could be in danger of sliding backward in our development. ‘Til next time.