Has life come to such a place that when one hears the word “no” it’s considered rude and shocking. It’s almost as if nowadays if we don’t all agree to let everybody do whatever they want then there is going to be a problem. I think part of this is a result of everybody trying to not step on everybody else’s toes or offend them in anyway.
In our society, rules seem to be loosely open for interpretation, a guideline, not an absolute, rather than something that is in place to keep peace and order. For example, a red light should mean “stop” unless you think it is “pink” which means you can make it through the intersection before it is “really red.” Who hasn’t been with a friend that at some point has said, “that wasn’t red it was pink, I didn’t run the light.”
People also like to ignore rules or comments in print. People will say things like “oh, I didn’t see that sign” or “I didn’t read that.” The assumption is that it doesn’t apply therefore. I missed it or didn’t see it so it doesn’t apply to me……
How does this relate to the blog this week, well I’ll share my inspirations for this week’s thoughts:
4 people came to the restaurant sat down and ordered ice teas and beer. After the server gave them their beverages, he asked them if he could get them something else and they said, “no, just the drinks” and then proceeded to open 4 togo boxes.
The server was new, and our Manager asked him why the whole table was essentially picnicking at our restaurant. She said, “Remember no outside food in our restaurant.”
She went over to the table and she said, “I’m sorry no outside food.”
The people said, said they had purchased the drinks.
She said “I’m sorry I can pack your drinks in a togo cup for you, but not the beer.”
The gentleman at the table said “You are rude.”
She said I am sorry it’s stated on the menu “no outside food.”
He repeated “You are rude!”
Why is it so hard to simply say “Oh, ok, didn’t see that and can you tell us where we can go to eat our lunch?” And besides that, who would think it is ok to bust out an entire meal for 4 in a restaurant from another restaurant?
Our Manager was baffled to say the least, and quite frankly so am I, even still. Are we not allowed to have our own rules in our own restaurant? And if you don’t like them, then do you just ignore them? If we call you on it, then we are the bad rude people.
I don’t get it.
Friday, September 11, 2009
I'm going to write a letter to someone!
I'm going to write a letter and tell people about this!
So a few weeks ago there was this guy that said he was going to write a note to "someone" (unclear who that someone was….), because after he ate with friend, we wouldn't let him save another seat at our bar for a friend that was coming at some point to join the two of them in the Ferry Building. In otherwords, they had paid, and were just sitting there for an undetermined amount of time until the friend appeared. They may or may not stay at our restaurant since they didn't know what the friend was in the mood to do.
I just don’t get why folks get so upset when they can’t save a seat. This gentleman additionally crowded in a chair from the opposite side of the bar and then proceeded to crowd the rest of the patrons enjoying their meal.
We didn’t fully understand where Miss Manners was at that moment, but we sure could have used her guidance. In the last few weeks, I have become quite infuriated with the lack of understanding and respect that people show to others. As you know if you've followed my bloggy thoughts over the last few months, I have been on a tirade that people haven't got a clue how to act appropriately in public anymore.
Here are this week's thoughts:
I am sure that saving a seat on a crowded day at the Ferry Building with many people waiting to eat is not ok.
I am sure that intruding upon the space of others while trying to squish in an additional chair for your friend is not ok.
I am pretty sure that pulling chairs away from another area of the bar while paying no attention to the inconvenience caused on that side of the bar with the lack of that chair is not ok.
I am most certain that generally announcing that he would write a letter of complaint because we told him he couldn't save the seat should someone need it prior to the arrival of his friend is not our problem and is rude to other folks that are present and waiting patiently for a seat.
As a side note, shortly after that incident, we did have to post a sign stating that we wouldn't seat a table outside until the whole party is present and ready to sit.
I think I am going to approach another topic, with utmost caution since many people seem to think that the behavior/activity I am about to describe is totally acceptable.
In a crowded space, (let me be specific: A restaurant where a line of patrons are waiting to eat that is appx. 10 to 15 people deep) it is generally pretty rude to pay your bill and then sit for another 30 minutes or more especially in a small restaurant, and most especially if you have a party of 4 or more. I mean really, can't you continue your conversation at a bench outside or sit next to the water or sit at the open tables next to Peets.
Here's another one that happens constantly to many restaurants in the Ferry Building unless you chairs are bolted down. It's not ok to take a restaurant's chairs and make a camping spot for you and your friends to enjoy your picnic of items purchased from all the vendors in the Ferry Building. We need the chairs for our customers and they aren't communal. Why do you people who do that feel that's ok to do?
Perhaps I can illustrate this in a different way: Let's say you are on Valencia St. where there are may places to eat and drink next to each other.....and let's say that you and a couple of friends are short a chair, but you want to sit at Blondie’s for a beer. Do you really go to Luna Park and get a chair from them and bring it back to Blondie’s? Think about it...... The only difference between that scenario and the Ferry Building is that those two places are on Valencia. Where as in the Ferry Building we just don't have a formal doorway entrance and we are all under one roof. Seemingly, this doesn't even phase people who do this.
You know I even saw a guy hanging out at The Gardener the other day, for at least 30 minutes having lunch in their display Adirondack chair and he couldn't have been happier. He didn't think this was inappropriate at all and he had to have been in his middle 30s. Seriously, hello?, your are eating your lunch on someone's display chair!
I don't know, I have talked a lot about how somehow, the Ferry Building is perceived as some kind of giant food court and I feel as though I really need to remind visitors that it's a building that houses individual restaurants, and stores so just pretend you are walking down a street and act the same way you would on a street as you do in the Ferry Building.
Oh I get it now........
That’s why bars have the seats bolted to the floor. Note to self: bolt chairs to floor should we ever get different bar stools.
So a few weeks ago there was this guy that said he was going to write a note to "someone" (unclear who that someone was….), because after he ate with friend, we wouldn't let him save another seat at our bar for a friend that was coming at some point to join the two of them in the Ferry Building. In otherwords, they had paid, and were just sitting there for an undetermined amount of time until the friend appeared. They may or may not stay at our restaurant since they didn't know what the friend was in the mood to do.
I just don’t get why folks get so upset when they can’t save a seat. This gentleman additionally crowded in a chair from the opposite side of the bar and then proceeded to crowd the rest of the patrons enjoying their meal.
We didn’t fully understand where Miss Manners was at that moment, but we sure could have used her guidance. In the last few weeks, I have become quite infuriated with the lack of understanding and respect that people show to others. As you know if you've followed my bloggy thoughts over the last few months, I have been on a tirade that people haven't got a clue how to act appropriately in public anymore.
Here are this week's thoughts:
I am sure that saving a seat on a crowded day at the Ferry Building with many people waiting to eat is not ok.
I am sure that intruding upon the space of others while trying to squish in an additional chair for your friend is not ok.
I am pretty sure that pulling chairs away from another area of the bar while paying no attention to the inconvenience caused on that side of the bar with the lack of that chair is not ok.
I am most certain that generally announcing that he would write a letter of complaint because we told him he couldn't save the seat should someone need it prior to the arrival of his friend is not our problem and is rude to other folks that are present and waiting patiently for a seat.
As a side note, shortly after that incident, we did have to post a sign stating that we wouldn't seat a table outside until the whole party is present and ready to sit.
I think I am going to approach another topic, with utmost caution since many people seem to think that the behavior/activity I am about to describe is totally acceptable.
In a crowded space, (let me be specific: A restaurant where a line of patrons are waiting to eat that is appx. 10 to 15 people deep) it is generally pretty rude to pay your bill and then sit for another 30 minutes or more especially in a small restaurant, and most especially if you have a party of 4 or more. I mean really, can't you continue your conversation at a bench outside or sit next to the water or sit at the open tables next to Peets.
Here's another one that happens constantly to many restaurants in the Ferry Building unless you chairs are bolted down. It's not ok to take a restaurant's chairs and make a camping spot for you and your friends to enjoy your picnic of items purchased from all the vendors in the Ferry Building. We need the chairs for our customers and they aren't communal. Why do you people who do that feel that's ok to do?
Perhaps I can illustrate this in a different way: Let's say you are on Valencia St. where there are may places to eat and drink next to each other.....and let's say that you and a couple of friends are short a chair, but you want to sit at Blondie’s for a beer. Do you really go to Luna Park and get a chair from them and bring it back to Blondie’s? Think about it...... The only difference between that scenario and the Ferry Building is that those two places are on Valencia. Where as in the Ferry Building we just don't have a formal doorway entrance and we are all under one roof. Seemingly, this doesn't even phase people who do this.
You know I even saw a guy hanging out at The Gardener the other day, for at least 30 minutes having lunch in their display Adirondack chair and he couldn't have been happier. He didn't think this was inappropriate at all and he had to have been in his middle 30s. Seriously, hello?, your are eating your lunch on someone's display chair!
I don't know, I have talked a lot about how somehow, the Ferry Building is perceived as some kind of giant food court and I feel as though I really need to remind visitors that it's a building that houses individual restaurants, and stores so just pretend you are walking down a street and act the same way you would on a street as you do in the Ferry Building.
Oh I get it now........
That’s why bars have the seats bolted to the floor. Note to self: bolt chairs to floor should we ever get different bar stools.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The blog you love to hate, or love, or hate, or love?
Dear sweet Paolo, I believe I am in love with you! Whether you hate us or love us your comments about our blog are just what I needed. Thank you!
So this week I have all kinds of things to comment on, some of which are inspired by the comments on sf.eater.com. Many of you seem to think our blog is about posting a list of complaints about our customers. Actually, I started the blog because I really didn’t believe half of the stories I had heard about customers until I lived them myself. You see, I’ve only worked in this one restaurant and yes, as if that wasn’t odd enough, it’s not even my primary profession. What I am is an absolute food lover and honestly, if my pocket book could afford it, I would eat out 5 days a week. I’m the kind of person that sets up whole vacations around food.
Having said all that, I want to address the servers in the world and support you for all that you do. I can’t speak for all jobs, because anyone who has to deal with people on a daily level, has their own set of stories, but I think there’s this thing that happens when one is serving food.
I don’t think I have ever thought of this before, but a restaurant serves food and that’s something personal, something important, something that can change, alter or destroy or improve your mood. People get engaged at restaurants, break up at restaurants, celebrate, birthdays, anniversaries and even deaths at restaurants. So yes, I believe that serving food and working in a restaurant is in fact different than any other profession.
Additionally, whole families can come to a restaurant and trust me, some of those families don’t get on well with each other and guess what, servers often bare the brunt of their discontent.
Our blog is a highlight of the most challenged serving experiences because it is my personal crusade to have people relax and understand that honestly we care a lot that you are having a good time and when you don’t we want to work on it, but some people just need to read about their own messed up patterns of inappropriate behavior to really “get” how offensive they are for all our sakes (regardless of what side of the table you are on).
Love us or hate us, come in to visit us. If your experience was fun and yummy then you will really see how irrational the folks we mention are. Or, you may find out we are totally annoying and our food and our attitude are just what you thought, inappropriate.
If you’ve read the blog before, you may recall my entry where I mention the comment cards we have. This weekend the same server had what I would call a “hate card” and a “love card.” I was just laughing and laughing about this. It’s actually turned into a game I play with myself to see how many good comments I can accumulate in a day.
This day, my co worker got a hideous review and even one that said she ignored them because “they didn’t order any wine, forgot her tomatoes and didn’t bring the bread they wanted.”
By the time I got to them, they seemed to be less frustrated, but I assured them it had nothing to do with whether or not they ordered wine. About 2 hours later however, she got a review that said she was basically “the most kind, thoughtful server the family had ever had and that they had a great time during their meal and didn’t want to leave.”
Oh, but wait a minute, it was a pretty manic Saturday now that I think about it. I remember two other polar opinions about her…..
One table said that she was rude, short and inattentive while yet another table said they come for raw clams to our restaurant and loved them so much that whenever they are in town, they come by as much as possible.
So, thank you again sf.eater.com, Paolo Lucchesi, and all that have read our blog and commented on it. We appreciate you and hopefully you can’t wait to read our next blog since we can’t read to hear your next round of comments.
Oh and remember, EAT FISH!
So this week I have all kinds of things to comment on, some of which are inspired by the comments on sf.eater.com. Many of you seem to think our blog is about posting a list of complaints about our customers. Actually, I started the blog because I really didn’t believe half of the stories I had heard about customers until I lived them myself. You see, I’ve only worked in this one restaurant and yes, as if that wasn’t odd enough, it’s not even my primary profession. What I am is an absolute food lover and honestly, if my pocket book could afford it, I would eat out 5 days a week. I’m the kind of person that sets up whole vacations around food.
Having said all that, I want to address the servers in the world and support you for all that you do. I can’t speak for all jobs, because anyone who has to deal with people on a daily level, has their own set of stories, but I think there’s this thing that happens when one is serving food.
I don’t think I have ever thought of this before, but a restaurant serves food and that’s something personal, something important, something that can change, alter or destroy or improve your mood. People get engaged at restaurants, break up at restaurants, celebrate, birthdays, anniversaries and even deaths at restaurants. So yes, I believe that serving food and working in a restaurant is in fact different than any other profession.
Additionally, whole families can come to a restaurant and trust me, some of those families don’t get on well with each other and guess what, servers often bare the brunt of their discontent.
Our blog is a highlight of the most challenged serving experiences because it is my personal crusade to have people relax and understand that honestly we care a lot that you are having a good time and when you don’t we want to work on it, but some people just need to read about their own messed up patterns of inappropriate behavior to really “get” how offensive they are for all our sakes (regardless of what side of the table you are on).
Love us or hate us, come in to visit us. If your experience was fun and yummy then you will really see how irrational the folks we mention are. Or, you may find out we are totally annoying and our food and our attitude are just what you thought, inappropriate.
If you’ve read the blog before, you may recall my entry where I mention the comment cards we have. This weekend the same server had what I would call a “hate card” and a “love card.” I was just laughing and laughing about this. It’s actually turned into a game I play with myself to see how many good comments I can accumulate in a day.
This day, my co worker got a hideous review and even one that said she ignored them because “they didn’t order any wine, forgot her tomatoes and didn’t bring the bread they wanted.”
By the time I got to them, they seemed to be less frustrated, but I assured them it had nothing to do with whether or not they ordered wine. About 2 hours later however, she got a review that said she was basically “the most kind, thoughtful server the family had ever had and that they had a great time during their meal and didn’t want to leave.”
Oh, but wait a minute, it was a pretty manic Saturday now that I think about it. I remember two other polar opinions about her…..
One table said that she was rude, short and inattentive while yet another table said they come for raw clams to our restaurant and loved them so much that whenever they are in town, they come by as much as possible.
So, thank you again sf.eater.com, Paolo Lucchesi, and all that have read our blog and commented on it. We appreciate you and hopefully you can’t wait to read our next blog since we can’t read to hear your next round of comments.
Oh and remember, EAT FISH!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
You Know there are Rules to Eating Out
This weekend started off a bit bumpy, but ended up sorting itself out as it usually does.
This story strikes me because it calls to question so many different things about people.
Some people move through the world trying to get something for free. They can’t help it, It’s in their fundamental character. Here are a couple of examples of what I am talking about:
We have all seen people comb the aisles of Costco who bring their friends and family and hit all the tasting stands to get a free meal. It never really matters what it is as long as it’s free. So they will have some kind of yogurt drink and a chicken sausage, a dried blueberry, a cracker and a hot chocolate.
How about friends who have a closet full of odd clothes because they got it “for free” or someone gave it to them and instead of turning it down graciously since it’s not their style or they don’t like it, they accept it and then never wear it.
Or there are people who will buy something just to get the rebate or the coupon. These are the folks that don’t care what it is it’s just a sport or a game to them.
I myself am all about the 2 for one or buy one get one free, but this is when I am at Safeway which is something we all are used to seeing. I am not looking for it at Whole Foods, because it’s not one of their marketing strategies. It’s kind of like there’s a time and a place to be price savvy and driven and then there’s the time to relax and just shop for what you need or like.
Having said all of this here’s the latest:
A woman came in with friends and ordered a series of oysters and clams on the half shell, some wine, some chowder and a crab cake. All of these items are cold and the soup is ready in a hot pot all day long to go out immediately. The crab cake on the other hand needs to cook, so it takes a bit longer. The table got all of their food with the exception of the crab cake which came 10 minutes later. The woman got very upset and said it took too long. So as a gesture, we didn’t charge her for the crab cake. Without the crab cake the bill came to appx. $68.00. She looked at the bill and wanted more taken off because she repeated that the crab cake took too long! We said we felt that 10 minutes was reasonable to cook it, we already took it off the bill and truly this was asking too much. Please, take care and have a good day.
Here’s the oddest part, remember when I said to some people getting something for free is just a game. One would think that after she appeared so upset, she wouldn’t tip……. well, she did, she actually even tipped.
I don’t understand why, if you were so upset, why you would tip at all. If I was at the table, I would be embarrassed and I can say, I don’t think I would go out to eat for a while with that individual. Oh my gosh, here’s my other pet peeve when I go out to eat with people or if I am the server who has to split this all up.
New story……………….
When folks go out to eat, why can’t people do their own math and simply divide a check into 6 and pay for the bill. Quite frequently we get people saying “we want separate checks” so each time you come to the table, you need to add the next item on the proper person’s bill. Trust me, it’s always on a table of like 5 or 6 people or more. What is that?
Why can’t people get the bill and just divide it by the number of people and pay it. Why do people have to nit pick over which person had the Mimosa vs. the glass of Vin Gris? 99% of the time, if we don’t split it up individually into separate checks the price difference is typically 1 or 2 dollars tops. Can’t people just get that when you are in a large group of people, it’s not the time to work your server over or work over your guests to try and divide everything up exactly down to yes, you’ve guessed it, who had 3 pieces of bread not 5 pieces of bread. Who had a 5.00 dessert vs. a 7.00 dessert. It’s just so tacky! I am pretty sure when they developed the saying “we are going Dutch treat” the term referred to 2 people not 5 or 6 or more. Good Lord! To top it off you don’t necessarily know if you are sitting at a table with these kind of people or not until the end of the meal when some says….. Um, excuse me, “Sorry, can we please have separate checks?” That’s when I’m like wait, I wasn’t keeping track of how many bites of so and so and so’s dessert I took or how many glasses of wine I had.
I do have a personal story about this. One night many years ago, I went for a lovely holiday dinner with two alcoholics one of which had a double addiction to food and all of us knew each other because we were all working on our addiction to spending money. We went to Zuni as a celebratory special dinner. I love! Zuni. So when I go, I always have a lot of cocktails and a lot of food because it’s so yummy. So the conversation went something like this to my best recollection:
“Isn’t this nice to finally have time to visit and during the Holidays? What a lovely idea.”
“What are you going to have to drink? Oh, I’ll just have water, I don’t drink.”
“Yeah, I um I’ll just have water as well. I don’t drink either.”
“Ok, well, I’m going to have a Bloody Mary.”
The drink comes………
“So, what looks good to eat to you two?”
“Um, well I can’t have anything with gluten.”
“I can’t have anything with sugar.”
“I can’t have anything with carbs.”
“I don’t eat meat.”
“I don’t eat chicken.”
“Actually, I am really trying to focus on being vegan.”
I’m thinking to myself, oh God, this is going to be some night! I want the anchovies appetizer, then the Caesar salad, then the roasted chicken, then the flourless chocolate cake and by the way if anyone will share, I’d love to have some oysters as well to start. Then, with each of those, I think I will have a glass of Riesling with my anchovies, a nice buttery Chardonnay with my Chicken and glorious Sauterne with my chocolate cake.
They looked at me like I had four heads and 6 arms….. I swear it.
Let’s just say that I don’t know what the heck they ate. I am sure that it was like a Caesar salad with no dressing, croutons or cheese and 6 oysters. ……By the end of the meal, when “the separate checks were requested,” I want to get out of there so fast! I might as well of dined alone with a fantastic book it would have been way more fun! Oh and by the way, our conversation was all about how maybe I have some issues with drinking and over eating. I’ll tell you more about that another time……..I’m telling you, I have never had a bad time at Zuni, but this one, Lord I barely escaped with my left over chicken alive!
So here are my rules when eating out with friends:
Go out with people who can afford to go out to the restaurant you choose. Don’t bring your friends to Quince if they can only afford McDonalds it’s going to be uncomfortable.
Go to places where there will be something to eat for everyone: Don’t go to House of Prime Rib with some vegans or vegetarians, they are going to flip out and the salmon is going to suck!
Narrow down what your friends like to do, if your friends don’t drink, then Absinthe is probably not a great choice of restaurant.
If you eat everything, let the friends with the most special needs choose the restaurant so that you don’t get the blame should they not be able to find something to eat.
Lastly, don’t try to convince your non foodie friends of your foodie ways, they just won’t get it. If every time you want to visit a friend and they suggest a hike and you would rather have a lovely dinner, maybe go on a walk and through a power bar in your back pack, because trust me, dinner will not be fun!
This story strikes me because it calls to question so many different things about people.
Some people move through the world trying to get something for free. They can’t help it, It’s in their fundamental character. Here are a couple of examples of what I am talking about:
We have all seen people comb the aisles of Costco who bring their friends and family and hit all the tasting stands to get a free meal. It never really matters what it is as long as it’s free. So they will have some kind of yogurt drink and a chicken sausage, a dried blueberry, a cracker and a hot chocolate.
How about friends who have a closet full of odd clothes because they got it “for free” or someone gave it to them and instead of turning it down graciously since it’s not their style or they don’t like it, they accept it and then never wear it.
Or there are people who will buy something just to get the rebate or the coupon. These are the folks that don’t care what it is it’s just a sport or a game to them.
I myself am all about the 2 for one or buy one get one free, but this is when I am at Safeway which is something we all are used to seeing. I am not looking for it at Whole Foods, because it’s not one of their marketing strategies. It’s kind of like there’s a time and a place to be price savvy and driven and then there’s the time to relax and just shop for what you need or like.
Having said all of this here’s the latest:
A woman came in with friends and ordered a series of oysters and clams on the half shell, some wine, some chowder and a crab cake. All of these items are cold and the soup is ready in a hot pot all day long to go out immediately. The crab cake on the other hand needs to cook, so it takes a bit longer. The table got all of their food with the exception of the crab cake which came 10 minutes later. The woman got very upset and said it took too long. So as a gesture, we didn’t charge her for the crab cake. Without the crab cake the bill came to appx. $68.00. She looked at the bill and wanted more taken off because she repeated that the crab cake took too long! We said we felt that 10 minutes was reasonable to cook it, we already took it off the bill and truly this was asking too much. Please, take care and have a good day.
Here’s the oddest part, remember when I said to some people getting something for free is just a game. One would think that after she appeared so upset, she wouldn’t tip……. well, she did, she actually even tipped.
I don’t understand why, if you were so upset, why you would tip at all. If I was at the table, I would be embarrassed and I can say, I don’t think I would go out to eat for a while with that individual. Oh my gosh, here’s my other pet peeve when I go out to eat with people or if I am the server who has to split this all up.
New story……………….
When folks go out to eat, why can’t people do their own math and simply divide a check into 6 and pay for the bill. Quite frequently we get people saying “we want separate checks” so each time you come to the table, you need to add the next item on the proper person’s bill. Trust me, it’s always on a table of like 5 or 6 people or more. What is that?
Why can’t people get the bill and just divide it by the number of people and pay it. Why do people have to nit pick over which person had the Mimosa vs. the glass of Vin Gris? 99% of the time, if we don’t split it up individually into separate checks the price difference is typically 1 or 2 dollars tops. Can’t people just get that when you are in a large group of people, it’s not the time to work your server over or work over your guests to try and divide everything up exactly down to yes, you’ve guessed it, who had 3 pieces of bread not 5 pieces of bread. Who had a 5.00 dessert vs. a 7.00 dessert. It’s just so tacky! I am pretty sure when they developed the saying “we are going Dutch treat” the term referred to 2 people not 5 or 6 or more. Good Lord! To top it off you don’t necessarily know if you are sitting at a table with these kind of people or not until the end of the meal when some says….. Um, excuse me, “Sorry, can we please have separate checks?” That’s when I’m like wait, I wasn’t keeping track of how many bites of so and so and so’s dessert I took or how many glasses of wine I had.
I do have a personal story about this. One night many years ago, I went for a lovely holiday dinner with two alcoholics one of which had a double addiction to food and all of us knew each other because we were all working on our addiction to spending money. We went to Zuni as a celebratory special dinner. I love! Zuni. So when I go, I always have a lot of cocktails and a lot of food because it’s so yummy. So the conversation went something like this to my best recollection:
“Isn’t this nice to finally have time to visit and during the Holidays? What a lovely idea.”
“What are you going to have to drink? Oh, I’ll just have water, I don’t drink.”
“Yeah, I um I’ll just have water as well. I don’t drink either.”
“Ok, well, I’m going to have a Bloody Mary.”
The drink comes………
“So, what looks good to eat to you two?”
“Um, well I can’t have anything with gluten.”
“I can’t have anything with sugar.”
“I can’t have anything with carbs.”
“I don’t eat meat.”
“I don’t eat chicken.”
“Actually, I am really trying to focus on being vegan.”
I’m thinking to myself, oh God, this is going to be some night! I want the anchovies appetizer, then the Caesar salad, then the roasted chicken, then the flourless chocolate cake and by the way if anyone will share, I’d love to have some oysters as well to start. Then, with each of those, I think I will have a glass of Riesling with my anchovies, a nice buttery Chardonnay with my Chicken and glorious Sauterne with my chocolate cake.
They looked at me like I had four heads and 6 arms….. I swear it.
Let’s just say that I don’t know what the heck they ate. I am sure that it was like a Caesar salad with no dressing, croutons or cheese and 6 oysters. ……By the end of the meal, when “the separate checks were requested,” I want to get out of there so fast! I might as well of dined alone with a fantastic book it would have been way more fun! Oh and by the way, our conversation was all about how maybe I have some issues with drinking and over eating. I’ll tell you more about that another time……..I’m telling you, I have never had a bad time at Zuni, but this one, Lord I barely escaped with my left over chicken alive!
So here are my rules when eating out with friends:
Go out with people who can afford to go out to the restaurant you choose. Don’t bring your friends to Quince if they can only afford McDonalds it’s going to be uncomfortable.
Go to places where there will be something to eat for everyone: Don’t go to House of Prime Rib with some vegans or vegetarians, they are going to flip out and the salmon is going to suck!
Narrow down what your friends like to do, if your friends don’t drink, then Absinthe is probably not a great choice of restaurant.
If you eat everything, let the friends with the most special needs choose the restaurant so that you don’t get the blame should they not be able to find something to eat.
Lastly, don’t try to convince your non foodie friends of your foodie ways, they just won’t get it. If every time you want to visit a friend and they suggest a hike and you would rather have a lovely dinner, maybe go on a walk and through a power bar in your back pack, because trust me, dinner will not be fun!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Watch out Low Flying Ducks!
Some days, we end up being some kind of wharped dumping ground for people who have had a bad day or simply woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I have to say, that until I worked here, I never knew how many odd ducks are wondering the streets of San Francisco.
I have to believe this is not exclusive to our town, I’m sure even in well, Omaha, yea, yea Omaha, they even have their fare share of odd ducks….
So, with that, here’s an odd duck story. By the way, I swear, I don’t make this stuff up:
A patron ordered a Crab Sandwich. The Sandwich arrived and she said that’s not what I ordered….. The server said you said you wanted a Crab Sandwich….
I do, but I want a Crab Sandwich with cheese.
Oh… So you want a Crabmelt (She shows her the menu).
Yes she says.
The Crabmelt arrives. I want it open face…..
The Server says, Ok…. you want it open face.
Yes, I want it open face.
So our Manager overheard the conversation:
Would you like me to remove the top for you?
She said no…. I don’t want it anymore.
Our Manager said, Alrightly then.
So she just gave her the bill.
Seriously, how can a sandwich get soooooo complicated!
I have to believe this is not exclusive to our town, I’m sure even in well, Omaha, yea, yea Omaha, they even have their fare share of odd ducks….
So, with that, here’s an odd duck story. By the way, I swear, I don’t make this stuff up:
A patron ordered a Crab Sandwich. The Sandwich arrived and she said that’s not what I ordered….. The server said you said you wanted a Crab Sandwich….
I do, but I want a Crab Sandwich with cheese.
Oh… So you want a Crabmelt (She shows her the menu).
Yes she says.
The Crabmelt arrives. I want it open face…..
The Server says, Ok…. you want it open face.
Yes, I want it open face.
So our Manager overheard the conversation:
Would you like me to remove the top for you?
She said no…. I don’t want it anymore.
Our Manager said, Alrightly then.
So she just gave her the bill.
Seriously, how can a sandwich get soooooo complicated!
That’s it, I’m moving!
I think I may have to move out of California since people’s senses of humor have just gone and left!
We wanted to get more feedback from folks who have visited the restaurant after they ate. So we came up with a short and sweet comment card. Now who doesn’t hate a comment card, but honestly it’s been really helpful, and important for us to review.
When we developed the comment card, we wanted to at least make it sort of cute and funny to encourage people to fill it out.
Here are the multiple answer questions we asked.
Was your server pleasant and helpful in describing the menu?
Very Helpful Sort of Helpful Not Helpful at All
Was your server pleasant and helpful in describing the wine list?
Very Helpful Sort of Helpful Not Helpful at All
Was the service timely?
Very Fast Ok I was starving by the time it came
How did you enjoy the food?
Super Yummy It was alright definitely not my favorite
Did the fact that we have heated outdoor seating play a part in
why you chose to dine with us? (circle one of the options below)
Very Important Somewhat important Unimportant
How likely are you to return to our restaurant?
Very Likely Possibly Unlikely
A few weeks ago we got a comment card back that said the patron was totally offended by the language we used when we said “I was starving by the time it came.” He said he
doesn’t believe this generation has faced starvation in their lives. He went on to say I have been there..... and starvation is not a funny subject and I am offended by statement.
My Manager came to me and mentioned the comment and we both were quite taken back to say the least. I just don’t know what has happened to everyone’s sense of humor. Are we really truly becoming a society of people that can’t take a light hearted approach to life. Life is serious as it is, but when a comment card becomes offensive I think we need to take a deep breath and relax. RELAX……………RELAX…………..RELAX……..
We wanted to get more feedback from folks who have visited the restaurant after they ate. So we came up with a short and sweet comment card. Now who doesn’t hate a comment card, but honestly it’s been really helpful, and important for us to review.
When we developed the comment card, we wanted to at least make it sort of cute and funny to encourage people to fill it out.
Here are the multiple answer questions we asked.
Was your server pleasant and helpful in describing the menu?
Very Helpful Sort of Helpful Not Helpful at All
Was your server pleasant and helpful in describing the wine list?
Very Helpful Sort of Helpful Not Helpful at All
Was the service timely?
Very Fast Ok I was starving by the time it came
How did you enjoy the food?
Super Yummy It was alright definitely not my favorite
Did the fact that we have heated outdoor seating play a part in
why you chose to dine with us? (circle one of the options below)
Very Important Somewhat important Unimportant
How likely are you to return to our restaurant?
Very Likely Possibly Unlikely
A few weeks ago we got a comment card back that said the patron was totally offended by the language we used when we said “I was starving by the time it came.” He said he
doesn’t believe this generation has faced starvation in their lives. He went on to say I have been there..... and starvation is not a funny subject and I am offended by statement.
My Manager came to me and mentioned the comment and we both were quite taken back to say the least. I just don’t know what has happened to everyone’s sense of humor. Are we really truly becoming a society of people that can’t take a light hearted approach to life. Life is serious as it is, but when a comment card becomes offensive I think we need to take a deep breath and relax. RELAX……………RELAX…………..RELAX……..
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Are we really talking about the 50 cent bread charge again? Seriously?
From 07/13/09
Just when you thought it was safe to poke your head out and see what Yelpers are saying, BLAM, another odd comment I’ve got to address.
Here’s what the Yelper said:
Get ready for shockingly small $16 portions.
$5 for a cup of chowda. $0.50 for a piece of bread?
I don't get it.A little too gimmicky.
I know the rent there must be outrageous, so I understand.
In these hard times, it's tough sell.
Here are my thoughts: $5.00 for a cup of chowder is pretty reasonable for a daily soup with fresh clams in it. Have you been to a movie lately sir, you can barely get a soda for $5.00 which comes out of soda machine, no one made it!
Ah yes, fish is expensive and I have honestly not heard anyone ever complain about our portion size. I was trying to figure out what this gentleman had for $16.00, but alas, I can’t. I feel as though our portion sizes are appropriate for the average eater, but maybe he should have had a crab melt or something heavier. His comments seem to be driven primarily by portion and price. Anyone who has been to the Ferry Building knows, that’s not the scene at the Ferry Building.You have to pay $10.00 for two fish tacos and a drink at Mejita. That’s not a mission price, it’s a quality price.
Who lives in San Francisco and hasn’t heard of the City’s healthcare initiative? Even my beloved Zuni finally started charging 4% of the overall bill to cover healthcare. Our restaurant charges for bread which I am sooooo tired of talking about, which is the least expensive approach to assist the restaurant in covering this overhead. Plus…… it’s a choice to eat bread not a flat rate like most restaurants attached to your bill. My kind Sir, healthcare is not a gimmick and neither is our 50 cent charge for it.
Having said all that I shall move on from my rant with the following closing thoughts, before you write a review of a restaurant, identify what you look for in a great dining experience before you take cheap shots like complaining about bread being 50 cents. Just say, when I ate at “blank” I went in looking for a cheap quick meal…… Or, when I ate at “blank” I went in looking for some really great clean fish with good flavors…..
No one owns a restaurant and doesn’t care about the product they put out and yet, we are a business and we need to tow the line between the product and the price every day.
Think before you write a review, think about the surroundings, the kind of people, that go there, the type of food you are looking and the staff that serves you. From there, take time to write an accurate, thoughtful review.
Thank you Yelpers. As usual, whether I am either pleased, or frustrated I am provoked to respond and think about what you all have to say.
Just when you thought it was safe to poke your head out and see what Yelpers are saying, BLAM, another odd comment I’ve got to address.
Here’s what the Yelper said:
Get ready for shockingly small $16 portions.
$5 for a cup of chowda. $0.50 for a piece of bread?
I don't get it.A little too gimmicky.
I know the rent there must be outrageous, so I understand.
In these hard times, it's tough sell.
Here are my thoughts: $5.00 for a cup of chowder is pretty reasonable for a daily soup with fresh clams in it. Have you been to a movie lately sir, you can barely get a soda for $5.00 which comes out of soda machine, no one made it!
Ah yes, fish is expensive and I have honestly not heard anyone ever complain about our portion size. I was trying to figure out what this gentleman had for $16.00, but alas, I can’t. I feel as though our portion sizes are appropriate for the average eater, but maybe he should have had a crab melt or something heavier. His comments seem to be driven primarily by portion and price. Anyone who has been to the Ferry Building knows, that’s not the scene at the Ferry Building.You have to pay $10.00 for two fish tacos and a drink at Mejita. That’s not a mission price, it’s a quality price.
Who lives in San Francisco and hasn’t heard of the City’s healthcare initiative? Even my beloved Zuni finally started charging 4% of the overall bill to cover healthcare. Our restaurant charges for bread which I am sooooo tired of talking about, which is the least expensive approach to assist the restaurant in covering this overhead. Plus…… it’s a choice to eat bread not a flat rate like most restaurants attached to your bill. My kind Sir, healthcare is not a gimmick and neither is our 50 cent charge for it.
Having said all that I shall move on from my rant with the following closing thoughts, before you write a review of a restaurant, identify what you look for in a great dining experience before you take cheap shots like complaining about bread being 50 cents. Just say, when I ate at “blank” I went in looking for a cheap quick meal…… Or, when I ate at “blank” I went in looking for some really great clean fish with good flavors…..
No one owns a restaurant and doesn’t care about the product they put out and yet, we are a business and we need to tow the line between the product and the price every day.
Think before you write a review, think about the surroundings, the kind of people, that go there, the type of food you are looking and the staff that serves you. From there, take time to write an accurate, thoughtful review.
Thank you Yelpers. As usual, whether I am either pleased, or frustrated I am provoked to respond and think about what you all have to say.
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