I took a few weeks break from my usual passive aggressive blog, but you know, I needed to get back to some more silly server stories so here’s this week’s memories:
Seriously I have never had someone ask me, even before they ordered their food, the following question: “Do you have free refills on soda?”
Not only have I never been asked that as a priority question, I personally have never even thought about free refills when I go out.
I did tell the woman yes we do, but I have to say, I was wondering if the dumb bread discussion was going to come again since that’s how we started our interaction together. Fortunately, she and her husband had a lovely lunch and everything worked out well.
A table of 6 came into the restaurant, 3 couples. Anybody who has ever been a server knows that when a table this size wants to have separate checks, it’s going to be “oh so fun” to serve them. There was one woman that was particularly well, not demanding, but high maintenance. When I originally approached the table the woman was putting in packets of Crystal lite tea into her water. When she ordered she requested a cup of clam chowder and a Crab Caesar Salad with no dressing. The rest of the table essentially ordered soup and sandwich combinations and some other basic lunch items.
As the self elected spokeswoman for the table, our discussion went something like this:
“Which chowder would you like, Manhattan or New England?”
“Oh, Manhattan of course that New England is fully loaded with so many calories, I mean who can eat that!”
I was thinking to myself wow, nice way to make anyone within ear shot feel guilty about eating their New England clam chowder and insulting our soup, but you know ok, you are entitled to your opinion.
“Now on your salad, you said dressing on the side yes?”
“No. No dressing at all.”
I was thinking wow, it’s going to be a dry salad, but that’s what she wants.
“Should I bring bread for the table?”
“No. She jumps in.”
“No bread right? You don’t want bread it’s so fattening.”
Guess not. I mean if I was at that table, I think even if I wanted it, I wouldn’t eat anything but lettuce and water in front of her. It must have been a super fun day out for the rest of them.
“Ok great. I will be back with your soups.” I said.
I came back with the soups for the table and they began eating. Out of my peripheral vision I see a hand waving me down as if she was calling a cab:
“Excuse me Miss…. Excuse me….. Excuse me Miss?”
“Yes…”
“Does this Manhattan chowder have any wine in it?”
“Yes, it does.” I replied.
“What?” She drops her spoon as if she had been stabbed in the heart….
“Who puts wine in chowder?”
“Well our Chef does Mam.”
“Well, I can’t eat this, I am allergic to wine. You should have told me it had wine in it.” She said.
“I apologize; I will take it away and off your bill Mam. I wasn’t made aware of your allergy to wine.”
So she continued to rant and rave about how we put wine “FOR SOME UNKNOWN AND ACCORDING TO HER, UNCESSARY REASON IN OUR CHOWDER” while everyone else ate their chowder in virtual silence.
The remaining food arrived and here’s the best part of the whole story. She puts another Crystal lite in her water and from her purse on top of her Crab Caesar Salad she busts out a bottle of Ranch dressing. She then proceeded to use the ranch dressing on the salad. I swear I have never seen anything like that. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she put Ranch dressing on the salad or the fact that she had her own personal bottle of salad dressing with her.
Anyway, I was so happy when they left and those 3 separate bills were only a couple of dollars difference. I don’t know why I could have just paid the bill with 3 cards rather than creating 3 separate checks.
People are really odd sometimes. Another woman came in with her husband or boyfriend and another couple. They were from New York. I always get along with New Yorkers because they are so straight forward and to the point. They had a super simple order 3 Crab Louie salads and 1 sandwich. The sandwich part is still a mystery to me, but let me mention the issue with the Louie dressing first.
One of the women says to me, and my supportive readers, I am not making this up: “Do not let me see the Louie dressing anywhere near my plate or next to my place setting. It’s going to make me throw up if I see it. I just want lemon, lots of extra lemon.”
Wow! Ok, are we five years old? I was thinking to myself. Immediately, her table mates said, don’t worry, so n so, we will keep it on our side of the table.
But this table get’s better. The guy that ordered the sandwich hated Mayonnaise so he said he wanted a crab sandwich with just crab on bread.
“Sir, are you sure you want that, because you’re sandwich is going to be really dry without any condiment on it. Maybe you could have a Crab Louie with vinaigrette or lemon like your friend and have a little bread on the side from Acme.”
He said, “Nope, I just want a dry Crab Sandwich. I hate Mayo, it’s so disgusting.”
I was like, wow, these two must be together they speak the same way.
I don’t get it though who wants to eat dry crab on a dry sandwich. Whatever, I’m just here to serve. In the end they were really happy so that’s all that matters.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Don’t be a Crabby Trout!
A few weeks ago there was an article in sfgate.com talking about restaurants turning to trout. Trout is a wonderful, tasty, less expensive fish to order when you go out to eat. Many restaurants including yours truly are including trout on the menu.
Did you know Salmon costs up to three times as much as Trout and California is banned from fishing salmon for the third year in a row.
Last week we had a really great fish called Corvina. For those of you that aren't familiar with this fish, it's a type of SeaBass like Bluenose or Striped Bass. It’s found on the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean.
We serve our fish baked in olive oil with simple salt and pepper, some seasonal sautéed vegetables, Japanese brown rice and sliced seasonal fruit. Right now we are serving our fish with persimmon.
Other fish we commonly serve based on availability are as follows:
Sole
Black Cod
Ling Cod
Wild Salmon
(We get it from the Columbia River near Seattle Washington)
Halibut
Mahi Mahi
Moving into November always means 2 of my favorite meals. Thanksgiving and our annual family Dungeness crab feed. Every year my family has a crab feed the day before Thanksgiving. We pick up one crab per person, some nice white wine and some beer add some melted butter, a loaf of Acme bread and get cracken!
This meal is perfect for a few reasons: 1.) There’s virtually no prep if you get your crabs cracked and cleaned prior to bringing them home. 2.) There’s hardly any table set up: A few crackers, poking utensils, a small bowl of melted butter per person, a couple of large metal bowls (figure one bowl for every two people) for catching shells, and you are done.
The whole point of this is to spend quality family time so don’t make it fancy just have a great time. I highly suggest a pair of jeans or sweat pants and simple tee shirt you can down and get crabby!
In San Francisco, our Dungeness crab season is from about the middle of November to the beginning of May.
You can always call us to see if we have whole Dungeness crab in house for purchase.
Originally posted in November of 2009.
Did you know Salmon costs up to three times as much as Trout and California is banned from fishing salmon for the third year in a row.
Last week we had a really great fish called Corvina. For those of you that aren't familiar with this fish, it's a type of SeaBass like Bluenose or Striped Bass. It’s found on the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean.
We serve our fish baked in olive oil with simple salt and pepper, some seasonal sautéed vegetables, Japanese brown rice and sliced seasonal fruit. Right now we are serving our fish with persimmon.
Other fish we commonly serve based on availability are as follows:
Sole
Black Cod
Ling Cod
Wild Salmon
(We get it from the Columbia River near Seattle Washington)
Halibut
Mahi Mahi
Moving into November always means 2 of my favorite meals. Thanksgiving and our annual family Dungeness crab feed. Every year my family has a crab feed the day before Thanksgiving. We pick up one crab per person, some nice white wine and some beer add some melted butter, a loaf of Acme bread and get cracken!
This meal is perfect for a few reasons: 1.) There’s virtually no prep if you get your crabs cracked and cleaned prior to bringing them home. 2.) There’s hardly any table set up: A few crackers, poking utensils, a small bowl of melted butter per person, a couple of large metal bowls (figure one bowl for every two people) for catching shells, and you are done.
The whole point of this is to spend quality family time so don’t make it fancy just have a great time. I highly suggest a pair of jeans or sweat pants and simple tee shirt you can down and get crabby!
In San Francisco, our Dungeness crab season is from about the middle of November to the beginning of May.
You can always call us to see if we have whole Dungeness crab in house for purchase.
Originally posted in November of 2009.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Try something new. It's fun!
I love the nights when a group of people sit down and you ask them what they would like and they say “Whatever you think it good.”
What happens then is a dialogue about food that turns an otherwise ordinary meal into something extra ordinary and special. Last Friday, a really nice group of 4 came in and they started off with our oysters and some wine and sparkling wine selections.
From there they had our Crab Cake, Crab Tower, sautéed Calamari, and a few different types of fish as I recall. I find in general that if I describe something the way that I would describe it if I was talking to a friend, it becomes less esoteric. For example, I could say our Crab Cake is a combination of Dungeness crab, whipped egg blended with mayonnaise, mustard, herbs, celery, and 2 types of Acme bread. It’s then baked in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper served over mixed greens.
Ultimately folks just want to know, is it yummy? Or not? I just tell them “It’s not a gooey little hockey puck, like so many can be.” And that it’s “High and light, served on a simple bed of mixed greens.”
I often get asked “What should we get here?” I always say our Calamari, or fresh Albacore sashimi, or any of our fresh fish. I always try to get folks to try something that not every seafood restaurant has. Every seafood restaurant has a Louis salad for example or a Crab sandwich of some kind, but I try to steer folks to something they may have never had fresh or something interesting. That’s part of the fun of eating out and part of the joy I experience when I am serving someone something they never had, but really loved.
Anyway, back to my table of 4: The evening was so fun and they tried lots of things all based on what I thought they should have next. They ended with some snuggly fleece blankets, a little port and a yummy sweet treat selection of Pot du Crème and Panna Cotta with huckleberry and elderflower sauce over top. My favorite part of the evening was what the table said, “Everything you chose for us was great!” I was glad that they trusted me and I had a great time serving them.
This week, I wanted to thank all you folks out there that trust your server to steer you in the right direction and challenge you to think outside the box!
What happens then is a dialogue about food that turns an otherwise ordinary meal into something extra ordinary and special. Last Friday, a really nice group of 4 came in and they started off with our oysters and some wine and sparkling wine selections.
From there they had our Crab Cake, Crab Tower, sautéed Calamari, and a few different types of fish as I recall. I find in general that if I describe something the way that I would describe it if I was talking to a friend, it becomes less esoteric. For example, I could say our Crab Cake is a combination of Dungeness crab, whipped egg blended with mayonnaise, mustard, herbs, celery, and 2 types of Acme bread. It’s then baked in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper served over mixed greens.
Ultimately folks just want to know, is it yummy? Or not? I just tell them “It’s not a gooey little hockey puck, like so many can be.” And that it’s “High and light, served on a simple bed of mixed greens.”
I often get asked “What should we get here?” I always say our Calamari, or fresh Albacore sashimi, or any of our fresh fish. I always try to get folks to try something that not every seafood restaurant has. Every seafood restaurant has a Louis salad for example or a Crab sandwich of some kind, but I try to steer folks to something they may have never had fresh or something interesting. That’s part of the fun of eating out and part of the joy I experience when I am serving someone something they never had, but really loved.
Anyway, back to my table of 4: The evening was so fun and they tried lots of things all based on what I thought they should have next. They ended with some snuggly fleece blankets, a little port and a yummy sweet treat selection of Pot du Crème and Panna Cotta with huckleberry and elderflower sauce over top. My favorite part of the evening was what the table said, “Everything you chose for us was great!” I was glad that they trusted me and I had a great time serving them.
This week, I wanted to thank all you folks out there that trust your server to steer you in the right direction and challenge you to think outside the box!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Random thoughts of food and people or things that make you say wait what?
Why is it that no one can accept change?…. Some folks just complain for the sake of complaining. Yesterday we changed our Louie Salad by adding a few things to it. The day before a woman came in and had the Louie Salad and really liked it. The next day, she came in and she ordered it and then said that it’s not the same and she wasn’t happy. We of course said it’s the same salad, it just is on a bigger plate with added carrots, hard boiled egg, cucumber and additional tomatoes. She asked us to put all the new items on a separate plate.
The funny thing is, this customer comes in every so often and apparently always complains about something each time she comes in. I think it’s odd that she keeps coming back, but true that you just can’t please everybody.
One of the things I ask myself all the time is would I say something or ask someone to do something like that for me?
I mean just the other day, I went to dinner with my folks and we had some left overs we brought home. We had a nice dinner and I went to this restaurant cautiously because some years ago I ate there and while I liked the space itself,the food was just not yummy. I was surprised and happy because we all thought it was good.
I brought our leftovers home and my partner said that the short ribs were burnt and we should have sent them back. She said she couldn't eat them. We noticed they were a little "over carmelized" is what my Dad said, but honestly we didn't think much more about it since aside from that, they were good. So I guess it's just not my nature to send food back or be "difficult." When I do send something back though it's got to be horrible.
The other day I was browsing our endless critics on YELP and couldn’t believe that the bread charge is still (my goodness aren’t we over this boring topic yet?) a hot talk topic. Seriously, I thought I had been boring my own readers with it by this point, but people still continue to bring it up.
They likened our bread charge to charging for water and asked if that was next thing we would charge for. This particular critic wanted us to “just add the .50 cent healthcare charge to our overhead somehow.” These are of course the very same people that complain that all our food is too expensive and that they can’t eat in our restaurant for less than $20.00 which I know is in fact not true. Additionally, people are just crazed that we don’t have crackers (Oh Lord!)and they get this desperate look in their eye when I say, "No, we just have bread." I know what they are thinking, "Yea, bread you...... charge for....."
By the way, I thought about crackers for a minute, and I think people who are really into crackers at a restaurant are either a.) cheap and looking for something free or b.) Genuinely into crackers in their soup. It has never occured to me to put crackers in my soup in my life. I think I just don't get it and well, I'm ok with that.
Anyway, lest I digress.... It's so odd to me that you take an item like bread which you can take or leave and charge for it and that offends people somehow. But....some people would rather not know and simply pay more overall for their meal just so they don't have to know about it. Wait what?
Oh, this was exciting in my little world of waitressing at the restaurant. This woman came in and sat at the bar. There was a gentleman on her left and then 2 women on her right separated by 2 seats as I recall. She asked for a Stella and I said we don’t have Stella, the closest we have is Sapporo so she said ok. I walked back to pour the beer and I just felt that something wasn’t quite right about her, but whatever, that feeling happens a lot in the City and I’m used to it.
So I served her the beer, and realized she had a bunch of bloody scratch marks all over her arms and then I was thinking to myself, oh, she’s probably a drug addict, but whatever that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have the right to eat or drink out. While she sat next to the people at the bar, she began singing to herself, but it wasn’t really to herself, because even I could hear her from a good 15 feet away. I decided after a while that all the folks in the bar next to her were definitely uncomfortable and that I should probably have her quietly removed from our restaurant. She was removed about 20 minutes later and the people around her were relieved.
Ironically, the gentleman sitting next to her was a Psychiatrist and I felt badly because he was trying to wait her out, but he just said he needed to leave since she kept singing and touching him with her creepy looking arms and glassy vacant eyes. He said I handled it well given that she was definitely high on something. He said to not to let things escalate is the best move in that scenario. Anyway, it was interesting to have that little scenario happen as one of my first hours back from a holiday away for a week and a half.
After the woman was escorted out about 20 minutes later, a tourist and his wife sat down and ordered a seafood platter, but he wanted to know the size of the prawns on the platter.
I took my pen out and illustrated the size of the prawn and he said:
"Can't you just show me one on a plate?"
I was thinking to myself once again, I so wouldn't ask to see prawn if I was on his side of the counter.
I said, "Ok."
I got a prawn and showed it to him and he said:
"Well it's really a large shrimp, but ok, let's get the platter."
Why do people, complain, and then order the dish when going into it, they aren't happy? Plus I was really thinking what, were you born in a barn, who acts like this in a restaurant(Thank goodness our customers aren't mind readers)?
Anyway, so after that, he said,"you seriously charge for bread?"
I said yes sir "it's for healthcare."
"That's ridiculous" he said.
I said "would you like some bread then?"
He said "No." I was thinking what a shmuck (I was using more explitives in my head though to be honest).
He and his actually ate the platter had some steamed clams and were really happy in the end. I mean I guess so because they bought some of our Hot Lime Sauce and left a nice tip. I don't know like I said, I think some folks just like to complain or perhaps they like to be heard.
This is classic: Now you know I've talked about this concept of outside food, but this story I think is really a self absorbed tale of nonsense and disreguard for any social edicate.There were 4 people inside at 2 two person tables. 2 of the patrons were children about 10 or 11 upon quick evaluation and 2 were older adults. The children had food from another restaurant, I mean burgers, fries, sodas etc. spralled all out and were quietly eating their food. So I came to the two adults and I said "Hi there, tell me are you joining us for dinner?"
The gentleman said "Yes."
I said "Are these two children part of your party?"
He said "Yes."
I said "Well we don't allow outside food and most especially not at a table for two where none of the food is food that we have made in our restaurant."
I went on to say my usual.... "Sir this isn't a food court, this is a restaurant, and we want you to eat our food together."
He said "Well what do you suggest we do?"
"If you would like to sit together, we can do a to go meal for you from our restaurant and you can join the children at the communal tables outside of Peets. It has the same view and then you can all sit together eat whatever you want. Or, we can set up a table for 4 and you can enjoy our food all together."
Can I just tell you that the man looked at me as if I was the most rude person ever and gathered up his family and stormed off. We of course put away the linens the silverware, the water etc. that we had put down for the 4 of them and sat our next patrons. What are people thinking?
Anyway, another day, another dollar.......
The funny thing is, this customer comes in every so often and apparently always complains about something each time she comes in. I think it’s odd that she keeps coming back, but true that you just can’t please everybody.
One of the things I ask myself all the time is would I say something or ask someone to do something like that for me?
I mean just the other day, I went to dinner with my folks and we had some left overs we brought home. We had a nice dinner and I went to this restaurant cautiously because some years ago I ate there and while I liked the space itself,the food was just not yummy. I was surprised and happy because we all thought it was good.
I brought our leftovers home and my partner said that the short ribs were burnt and we should have sent them back. She said she couldn't eat them. We noticed they were a little "over carmelized" is what my Dad said, but honestly we didn't think much more about it since aside from that, they were good. So I guess it's just not my nature to send food back or be "difficult." When I do send something back though it's got to be horrible.
The other day I was browsing our endless critics on YELP and couldn’t believe that the bread charge is still (my goodness aren’t we over this boring topic yet?) a hot talk topic. Seriously, I thought I had been boring my own readers with it by this point, but people still continue to bring it up.
They likened our bread charge to charging for water and asked if that was next thing we would charge for. This particular critic wanted us to “just add the .50 cent healthcare charge to our overhead somehow.” These are of course the very same people that complain that all our food is too expensive and that they can’t eat in our restaurant for less than $20.00 which I know is in fact not true. Additionally, people are just crazed that we don’t have crackers (Oh Lord!)and they get this desperate look in their eye when I say, "No, we just have bread." I know what they are thinking, "Yea, bread you...... charge for....."
By the way, I thought about crackers for a minute, and I think people who are really into crackers at a restaurant are either a.) cheap and looking for something free or b.) Genuinely into crackers in their soup. It has never occured to me to put crackers in my soup in my life. I think I just don't get it and well, I'm ok with that.
Anyway, lest I digress.... It's so odd to me that you take an item like bread which you can take or leave and charge for it and that offends people somehow. But....some people would rather not know and simply pay more overall for their meal just so they don't have to know about it. Wait what?
Oh, this was exciting in my little world of waitressing at the restaurant. This woman came in and sat at the bar. There was a gentleman on her left and then 2 women on her right separated by 2 seats as I recall. She asked for a Stella and I said we don’t have Stella, the closest we have is Sapporo so she said ok. I walked back to pour the beer and I just felt that something wasn’t quite right about her, but whatever, that feeling happens a lot in the City and I’m used to it.
So I served her the beer, and realized she had a bunch of bloody scratch marks all over her arms and then I was thinking to myself, oh, she’s probably a drug addict, but whatever that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have the right to eat or drink out. While she sat next to the people at the bar, she began singing to herself, but it wasn’t really to herself, because even I could hear her from a good 15 feet away. I decided after a while that all the folks in the bar next to her were definitely uncomfortable and that I should probably have her quietly removed from our restaurant. She was removed about 20 minutes later and the people around her were relieved.
Ironically, the gentleman sitting next to her was a Psychiatrist and I felt badly because he was trying to wait her out, but he just said he needed to leave since she kept singing and touching him with her creepy looking arms and glassy vacant eyes. He said I handled it well given that she was definitely high on something. He said to not to let things escalate is the best move in that scenario. Anyway, it was interesting to have that little scenario happen as one of my first hours back from a holiday away for a week and a half.
After the woman was escorted out about 20 minutes later, a tourist and his wife sat down and ordered a seafood platter, but he wanted to know the size of the prawns on the platter.
I took my pen out and illustrated the size of the prawn and he said:
"Can't you just show me one on a plate?"
I was thinking to myself once again, I so wouldn't ask to see prawn if I was on his side of the counter.
I said, "Ok."
I got a prawn and showed it to him and he said:
"Well it's really a large shrimp, but ok, let's get the platter."
Why do people, complain, and then order the dish when going into it, they aren't happy? Plus I was really thinking what, were you born in a barn, who acts like this in a restaurant(Thank goodness our customers aren't mind readers)?
Anyway, so after that, he said,"you seriously charge for bread?"
I said yes sir "it's for healthcare."
"That's ridiculous" he said.
I said "would you like some bread then?"
He said "No." I was thinking what a shmuck (I was using more explitives in my head though to be honest).
He and his actually ate the platter had some steamed clams and were really happy in the end. I mean I guess so because they bought some of our Hot Lime Sauce and left a nice tip. I don't know like I said, I think some folks just like to complain or perhaps they like to be heard.
This is classic: Now you know I've talked about this concept of outside food, but this story I think is really a self absorbed tale of nonsense and disreguard for any social edicate.There were 4 people inside at 2 two person tables. 2 of the patrons were children about 10 or 11 upon quick evaluation and 2 were older adults. The children had food from another restaurant, I mean burgers, fries, sodas etc. spralled all out and were quietly eating their food. So I came to the two adults and I said "Hi there, tell me are you joining us for dinner?"
The gentleman said "Yes."
I said "Are these two children part of your party?"
He said "Yes."
I said "Well we don't allow outside food and most especially not at a table for two where none of the food is food that we have made in our restaurant."
I went on to say my usual.... "Sir this isn't a food court, this is a restaurant, and we want you to eat our food together."
He said "Well what do you suggest we do?"
"If you would like to sit together, we can do a to go meal for you from our restaurant and you can join the children at the communal tables outside of Peets. It has the same view and then you can all sit together eat whatever you want. Or, we can set up a table for 4 and you can enjoy our food all together."
Can I just tell you that the man looked at me as if I was the most rude person ever and gathered up his family and stormed off. We of course put away the linens the silverware, the water etc. that we had put down for the 4 of them and sat our next patrons. What are people thinking?
Anyway, another day, another dollar.......
Friday, September 11, 2009
“No” is not a four letter word
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.
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.
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!
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