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  1. #41
    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Two final words:

    We are still dealing with the aftermath of this with my son. He has asked several of his trusted adults as to whether he should tell people he was born in Guatemala anymore. Too bad for him, "Life is crap."

    I do the hiring and firing in our business, which could be considered a high end service business. I give warnings on things like forgetting to relay a message, neglecting to sterilize a cot, etc. But in the case of such egregious behavior with patrons, an employee would be out the door immediately. A warning would merely expose us to the possibility of it happening again. Too bad for her, "Life is crap".
    "Nolo esse salus sine vobis ...” —St. Augustine

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  3. #42
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    Default Re: service?

    I'm sorry the lad is having to go through that VO. It's one thing to expect an adult to be able to deal with self-opinionated arseholes, but another to expect a child to have to deal with having his identity attacked by a so-called grown up.

    I would agree with your management decisions too.

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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by VertOlive View Post
    Two final words:

    We are still dealing with the aftermath of this with my son. He has asked several of his trusted adults as to whether he should tell people he was born in Guatemala anymore. Too bad for him, "Life is crap."

    I do the hiring and firing in our business, which could be considered a high end service business. I give warnings on things like forgetting to relay a message, neglecting to sterilize a cot, etc. But in the case of such egregious behavior with patrons, an employee would be out the door immediately. A warning would merely expose us to the possibility of it happening again. Too bad for her, "Life is crap".
    Keeping my fingers crossed he doesn’t find out mommy celebrates people that kill kids his age for money as heroes!

  5. #44
    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by adhoc View Post
    Keeping my fingers crossed he doesn’t find out mommy celebrates people that kill kids his age for money as heroes!
    "Nolo esse salus sine vobis ...” —St. Augustine

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    Default Re: service?

    “Sometimes, mommy cheers when kids from a region the size of half of USA are afraid to look at the sky.”

    “And sometimes, mommy has a hysterical hissy fit when words are directed to you, even though she was right there to stop them, but in this fantastical tale of victimhood didn’t”.”

  7. #46
    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    I dislike restaurants where you sort of go through a cattle chute, order (if you can hear them over the music and the talking in a room certainly not acoustically treated), and sit down, and all the service you get is someone yelling your order number, or possibly bringing a soda and forgetting you. Sometimes it's what you have time for.

    I like restaurants where I can sit down and write a letter, and the waitstaff take your order, bring your order, and if you are a repeat customer and they aren't busy they sit and talk to you for a minute, and you learn each other's names, and go from perfunctory greetings to heartfelt ones. Failing that, though, just being professional and doing the job is good too.

    Sometimes, maybe many times, waitstaff or kitchen staff are having a bad day. It would be exhausting on top of that to try to be artificially pleasant, so I am not put off by the lack of a big smile and loud bonhomie, but when I receive it I try to return it in kind.

    I always tip 20% and never punish poor service with a poor tip. I will however elect to never return or wait a while until the poor service has rotated out.

    I usually am a return customer to places I like and that are nearby. One visit where my drink isn't refilled or no one brings my check, or the food comes out ridiculously late or wrong won't usually dissuade me from returning. If it's a systemic problem with the place, though, I'm out.

    If I like a restaurant's tables (for writing letters), staff, and convenience enough I'll go there even if I think the food is boring.

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  9. #47
    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    What did you expected?
    Not saying that you had no reason to complain.

    That somebody will be fired because 1 guest complains about somebody about a talk?
    That one opinion about a talk between guest and staff has influence on an employment status?
    That a manager fires an employee because he got a call (even a day later) from a guest he do not know, about a talk he did not heard by himself?
    It's puzzling she was not fired, as it's likely she'll repeat this scenario and destroy the reputation of the restaurant. In today's world of Yelp reviews this can be deadly to a restaurant's business. Then it's not just one person losing a job when the place closes.

    I don't think VertOlive was expecting anything except that the manager had the good sense to realize he employs someone who is sabotaging his restaurant's reputation, forgive me if I am wrong.

  10. #48
    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by adhoc View Post

    “And sometimes, mommy has a hysterical hissy fit when words are directed to you, even though she was right there to stop them, but in this fantastical tale of victimhood didn’t”.”
    Reading the original post for content, one finds "By the time we drove her away from the table..." Admittedly, it took longer than it should have because we (and our waiter) were somewhat stunned, but we did indeed ask her to desist.

    Hugs!
    "Nolo esse salus sine vobis ...” —St. Augustine

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    Default Re: service?

    Well I was grossly exagerating to drive home a point. I was actually threatened with physical violence once by a waiter for really no reason, which was a bizzare experience, so I imagine this could have happened to you. And if you really were the victim of this, obviously as a guest you should feel welcome and not assaulted. But still, I think there are better ways to solve such things.

  12. #50
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by gbryal View Post
    It's puzzling she was not fired, as it's likely she'll repeat this scenario and destroy the reputation of the restaurant.
    Indeed. Perhaps the management agrees with the server's point of view.

    Horrifying as that possibility is to me, I am sad to say that it would no longer surprise me If revealed to be true.

    Employment and associated pay for it is earned not given in this country.

    Egregious violations of common decency in which the server unloads a racist rant directed at the customer (let alone their child) is undeserving of continued employment in the extreme.

    It makes me sad and sickened to know this child has now been exposed to hate like this. So sorry, @VO.

  13. #51
    Senior Member SIR's Avatar
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    Cool Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    Perhaps the management agrees with the server's point of view.
    Perhaps there is another side to this story - that some of us now have the luxury of living in societies where tolerating another's opinion and right to freedom of speech is expected, and having a classist attitude towards those who you are paying for a service is not likely to endear you to them or their management?

    Just nod and smile in future, perhaps?

  14. #52
    Senior Member oldstoat's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by SIR View Post
    Perhaps there is another side to this story - that some of us now have the luxury of living in societies where tolerating another's opinion and right to freedom of speech is expected, and having a classist attitude towards those who you are paying for a service is not likely to endear you to them or their management?

    Just nod and smile in future, perhaps?
    Just nod and smile? I really don't think so, especially if an 11 year old is left anxious about whether he can reveal his origins. That's disgusting racist behaviour

    . The waitress can have her opinions- but she shouldn't voice them to her customers. Some of my staff have views I dislike. They're entitled to them- but if they were to voice them to a patient it would be a matter of sacking for gross misconduct.
    Some days, it's hardly worth chewing through the leather straps....

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  16. #53
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post

    A couple things, first off TIPS as an acronym is not only false, but nonsense. If you wanted to insure prompt service, wouldn't you tip first?
    As paid-up pedant, I'd just like to say that in the Twinings Tea Museum in The Strand, in London, there is the original TIPS box. On the outside, in large letters, it reads "To Insure Prompt Service". Customers put their money in before being served, rather than after. Your logic was impeccable even in the 1780s!
    Last edited by oldstoat; May 18th, 2018 at 05:32 AM.
    Some days, it's hardly worth chewing through the leather straps....

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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by oldstoat View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post

    A couple things, first off TIPS as an acronym is not only false, but nonsense. If you wanted to insure prompt service, wouldn't you tip first?


    As paid-up pedant, I'd just like to say that in the Twinings Tea Museum in The Strand, in London, there is the original TIPS box. On the outside, in large letters, it reads "To Insure Prompt Service". Customers put their money in before being served, rather than after. Your logic was impeccable even in the 1780s!

    Been there and loved it, learned a lot, it was an educashun.

  18. #55
    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by oldstoat View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post

    A couple things, first off TIPS as an acronym is not only false, but nonsense. If you wanted to insure prompt service, wouldn't you tip first?
    As paid-up pedant, I'd just like to say that in the Twinings Tea Museum in The Strand, in London, there is the original TIPS box. On the outside, in large letters, it reads "To Insure Prompt Service". Customers put their money in before being served, rather than after. Your logic was impeccable even in the 1780s!
    I don't remember seeing that there! Dang it!

    It was about 10 years ago when I was living in London. I made my way down the Strand to Twinings to see their tea museum. We had Twinings in my house as a kid and I've been drinking it since I was about 12, so naturally, I had to get to the source. First day I walk up, the museum was closed due to meetings, but I was told I could come back the next day. No problem, I wasn't staying *that* far away, so I decide to come back.

    The next day I came back and meetings were still underway, but they would be taking a quick break shortly. So I wait around a few minutes, the museum cleared out, and I got to check it out. It's a very neat museum, by the way. Anyhow, while I'm checking out the museum, an older gentlemen at the back greets me and asks me how I like the displays. He makes a comment on my being an American, I mention that I was there yesterday, that had been drinking Twinings all my life and that I was stoked to be at THE Twinings shop, and we just chatted for a bit. He mentions that the meetings needed to resume and apologized for having to rush me along. He walks me to the door, shakes my hand, and and introduces himself as Stephen Twining, 10th generation owner. Probably a weird ting to be starstruck by, but I was speechless. He told me to pick out some boxes of tea on the house and thanked me for life-long patronage.

    Still one of my favorite moments ever. I still have the receipt and one bag of tea left from that gift.

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  20. #56
    Senior Member SIR's Avatar
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    Cool Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by oldstoat View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by VertOlive View Post
    A waitress who was not our server came to the table to compliment him on his suit and began asking him questions about school and such. He revealed he'd been born in Guatemala. She then launched into a monologue about when she worked for the Sheriff's Dept all the Guatemalans were the worst prisoners and in general were of such low quality they should never be allowed in the country since they were all murderers, thieves, etc. She was livid as she showered this on us. This from a young woman who was herself from a Spanish speaking country.
    Just nod and smile? I really don't think so, especially if an 11 year old is left anxious about whether he can reveal his origins. That's disgusting racist behaviour

    . The waitress can have her opinions- but she shouldn't voice them to her customers. Some of my staff have views I dislike. They're entitled to them- but if they were to voice them to a patient it would be a matter of sacking for gross misconduct.
    You know, though the concept of race is hugely outdated and even when it wasn't the definitions were much debated, i think most people would agree Guatemalan isn't race.

    Further since you're in England, i'd strongly advise caution against reactionary dismissal of staff - Employment Tribunals cost the employee nothing but can be very costly to the employer.

    Also, there is a thing known as context, there is also background and detail, and then of course there is common sense and maturity i.e. not being a pathetic reactionary.

  21. #57
    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    What I am starting to think is that I wouldn't like restaurants where SIR lives. I am starting to get this picture in my mind that when you order food there they insult you, kick you in the crotch, spit in your food, yell at your kids, and everyone at the restaurant smiles and shrugs like "Well, what can you do?"

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    Senior Member SIR's Avatar
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    Cool Re: service?

    Actually, my biggest criticism of the majority of the quality eateries round my way is the lack of imagination in the menus; good food but exactly the same as you'd get from any other quality eatery within a 50 or 100 mile radius.

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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by gbryal View Post
    What I am starting to think is that I wouldn't like restaurants where SIR lives. I am starting to get this picture in my mind that when you order food there they insult you, kick you in the crotch, spit in your food, yell at your kids, and everyone at the restaurant smiles and shrugs like "Well, what can you do?"
    Classic quote of someone who objected to the quality of their meal, they complained to the waiter.

    Diner - This food is terrible, it is not fit for pigs.

    Waiter - One moment sir, I will bring you something that is.

    Diner - Thank you.

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  26. #60
    Senior Member Dragonmaster Lou's Avatar
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    Default Re: service?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fermata View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonmaster Lou View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by SIR View Post
    'Don't talk to me while i am eating' isn't a thing round your parts?

    That poor waitress was honestly just trying to do what she can to please Fermata as her customer and get to know was needed/wanted in order to try to earn her tip.

    You are making me feel guilty now.

    I had a bowl of pasta from the buffet, it wasnt that hot to start with, the waitress came over, I stopped eating whilst she tried to sell me extras like wine and dessert, I said no, just the pasta thanks and I need to leave soon. She kept on talking, I stopped eating so that I could reply. She asked if the food was ok, I said it was cold because I hadnt eaten it yet, that was when she left and said I am only trying to do my job.

    Not so sure I would call her a poor waitress, at least not in the sense that you mean.
    Eh, I probably was a bit too harsh with my words. My apologies.

    Hmm, it sounds like she was pushing things on you despite you asking her to go, so that is certainly a bit much on her part.

    Then again, maybe all the upsells was how management trained her to do her job and she may be disciplined if she didn't try to do them. It's always hard to tell what's going on in these situations.

    Well, she was certainly "poor" in multiple senses, I think: "poor" in not doing a particularly good job serving the customer and "poor" in being unfortunate, whether that's due to being clueless about how to properly do her job in that situation or being force by management to always try to upsell stuff to customers (or both).

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