Humiliation
I have never worked food service… but I can tell you that I have a good deal of respect for those who do. You have to deal with underfed, sometimes cranky patrons with high, and sometimes unreasonable, expectations. You’re bound to have a “challenging day” every so often.
The customer is always a pain in the @$$.
Sign at Mom’s Diner: Today’s Special-Whatever I can scrape off the grill.
Sign at Pop’s Diner: Just add more ketchup.
Sign at Grandma’s Diner: Eat. Drink. We’ll talk.
Sign at Grandpa’s Diner: Don’t they feed you at home?
I think most businesses would fare better if we just outlawed customers altogether. They just spoil everything.
I have several food allergies so I *KNOW* that I am a pain to wait on…but…I’m polite and I leave a good tip if they pay attention to my requests and don’t act like I’m being a pain. 🙂
My first foray into fast food was back in my teen years, when I worked at a family-owned place in Garden Grove, CA called “Red Devil Pizza”. The customers were generally nice, but that’s probably because 99% of the business was pickup. What was kinda funny was the 10:00pm “munchies” rush, when all the potheads would get the munchies and order pizza. Yes, it was real.
For myself as a customer, I’ve long since discovered that being pleasant and cheerful with my server worked a lot better than being a grump. And it reduced to zero any chance of the food arriving with, shall we say, “added ingrediants.” (The three people you’re always nice to are the cook, the barber, and the IT guy.)
Yup, I’ve worked in food service too. Some people…
Oh man–the ones who always “pigify” the place because they don’t have to clean it up themselves got me! And church people were always the worst ones, go figger!? I always clean up my mess, leave a good tip if the service is good, and politeness is a big must. Taught my kids the same or they feel the wrath of mom. My sister is the worst for being a pain in the ass customer, I really hate to eat with her. The only worse job is Walmart or Kmart or one of those. The stories I could tell you would make you have nightmares. Just let me say avoid trying things on if you can and always was stuff before you wear it!
Whaaaaaa??
Comic time movement can truly mistify. I suspected that Rye would be squid clad for at least a month until the Kalamari Kitchen’s owner could call in a debt great enough to justify the job.
Much experience bussing and waiting has tought me that customers that are nice and don’t complain tip best and those with special needs and many complaints tip not at all. Oh, and folks with kids are the worst. They make huge messes and tip horribly. I think I was just reading about San Fran(?) that is looking to ban kids from dining type restaurants…yeah.
Ruth… Of the concerts held at what was once called “Great America” (an amusement park in Santa Clara, CA), the christian concerts consistently had the most trash to clean up afterward.
Curmudgeons in flannel shirts…probably used to be a hippie, too.
@Small Dave: In the British sit-com, Faulty Towers, John Cleese’s character expresses the same sentiment.
Arrrrgh. The grumpy customer appears to be Captain Ahab look’in to harpoon himself a mighty white fishie. And, then drown ’em in a vat of, bleck, tartar sauce.
…Saturday’s comic appearings to be sleeping in.