Slow service

If you were a waitress you know when you are busy you simply cannot
satisfy everyone. Someone will always be mad for not getting greeted
in time, or for their food taking too long. Everyone has this happen
to them atleast once in their lifetime- my suggestion, get over it.
Seriously, you are the stupid one for going there and expecting speedy
service when it was busy. 7 minutes to be greeted is nothing- really,
and if the food was good then what is there to complain about?!?

ok umm... you said you KNEW you'd have to wait.. so WHY are you
complaining about the times if you knew they were busy?? and as far as
the bill goes.. one of you pay the whole thing and then the other pay
her amount to the other person.. easy as that.

The other night we ate at the old speghetti Factory in Lynnwood, WA.

We waited 35 minutes to get a table, they were not overly busy. The
asian host sat us and said something about specials as he walked away.
We did not hear or understand a word he said.

We sait for a good 10 minutes and our waitress said she would be with
us in a minute. Apparently she must have needed to take a break
considering she was gone 15 minutes. We were able to get the bus boy
to bring us water and bread during our stay. Our waitress returned
and asked if "What do you want to order", we all ordered speghetti
with meatballs. 2 apple juices for the kids, 3 teas and a Soda Pop.
Salad came with our dinners and we ordered ranch dressing for the
men. My self and my daugher ordered honey mustard dressing, We got
our salad after about 10 minutes, we asked for more bread and if we
could get our beverages. 10 more minutes passed and4 of the 6 of us
got drinks. the rest came after our dessert. Our food came after a
50 minute wait warm but not hot, no bread was brought to us after the
first loaf we ate while waiting for the waitress to take our order.
We got our melted ice cream after flagging her down at the next table.
then she remembered our soda's. By the way our waitress only had two
tables. Apparently they had to manager of Monday nights. talked to
the manager the next day and he said he was sorry and he would send a
couple entree coupons, big deal. This dinner took almost 3.5 hours,
next time maybe I should bring a sleeping bag, and food while I wait.

I'm just sayin how dumb of you that you used to be a waitress and you
know how things get when it's superbusy and you are multi tasking...
so why don't you let the waitress know that you wanted separate bills.
Just help her out? I mean I know it's her job to ask but will it kill
you just to help the poor girl out? I'm sure she's superbusy and
forgot to ask you if you wanted separate bills and you said you used
to be a waitress so why not let her know firsthand? Isn't that what
Christians used to do? Help people? Not anymore obviously which is why
I'm not a Christian anymore but don't worry I still believe in God.
Just choose not to socialize with "Christians" because they're all
fake people.

Were there posts deleted in this thread? I didn't notice any of them
to be particularily abuseful.

Actually, I've walked a mile in those shoes, which is why I can say
what I said. I waitressed my way through college and am understanding
of most situations. I used to work Sunday afternoons and know that
they can be hellish. My major concern was keeping the customer
informed, whether this was telling them that the food would be late or
that their drinks were coming. People just like to know what's going
on as opposed to seeing you pass by a million times and say nothing to
them. I don't think my requests were unreasonable. Think of it this
way: You are meeting a friend for coffee. She's late and has not
called. She's an hour late. You find out she just got sidetracked with
something else. No big deal. But it would have been better to inform
you of this, instead of you sitting at the coffee shop waiting on her.
Its just being considerate.
Anyway, that's all I have to say on that. If anyone has any other
comments about my letter, fine. Say what you will. However, about me
-- keep them to yourself. You're not here to talk about me and I think
to do so is really just not nice.

I would like to see Tierra and others who complain about bad
restaurant service walk a mile in the servers shoes. Sometimes these
things are not the servers fault. Sometimes the restaurant itself is
just having a bad day.

If the restaurant is a place that usually gives top-notch service cut
them a little slack. If service is constantly bad after several trips
then it is the fault of management for not running a better place.

Some people go nuts as restaurant patrons. They make unreasonable
demands because they are ordering someone about or believe they are.
But at the end of the day the wait-person is just like anyone else who
makes mistakes or is having a bad day.

If you can't have a little patience and tolerance when eating out;
stay home.

Look at it this way.. Now you know! Next time you can ask right up
front for individual checks. Remember: It's easier to wear slippers
than to try and carpet the whole world (Al Franken aka Stuart).

Maybe the entire wait staff was so busy out of their minds on a Sunday
afternoon that they couldn't meet your standards. Wondering what you
really expected under those cirucumstances. I wasn't there, so I can't
have a firm opinion on why they were not inclined to apologize or try
harder.

On the question of splitting the bill, and who should be asking the
question, I think you're really off base. Savvy servers - having been
burned just this way once too often - ask the "separate checks"
question proactively over what appear to be business lunches, but for
a Sunday social afternoon, particularly if you already knew you were
not asked up front, it was absolutely YOUR responsibility to advise
the server, the same way it is YOUR responsibility to advise the
server of promotional coupons, special requirements, etc.

If you're inclined, I'd give these folks one more chance under more
normal circumstances before I decided they've lost their customer
service ethic.

How many friends were with you?

I met my boyfriend for lunch one day with several others (perhaps 8 in
total, I know it was more than 5).

When our waitress showed up, she asked us how we wanted our check. We
weren't "put off" as someone stated, we were actually pleased that she
asked.

now, she never stated how many 'friends' were with her.

Tierra, since the waitress didn't ask you before she took your drinks
how you wanted your check, you should have

SPOKEN UP and asked the bills to be seperated!!!!!

WOW, imagine that. Not having a waitress with ESP!

There were a few ways to handle that:

1. let them know before you ordered!!!! you should know this if you
were a waitress how hard it is to seperate checks if it wasn't stated
before ordering!!!!

2. Have ONE person pay by credit card and have everyone else pay them
later (either by paying their way or paying cash or whatnot). Being
as they are 'friends' then you would know they would pay you back.

Ok. Wow. None of you know me. This isn't about personal attacks on me!
That's so rude. I was mentioning the wait times because when I
waitressed, we had a 90 second greet time or else we got yelled at.
I'm not an impatient person, ok? Also, I was a very good waitress, and
I know better than to just not acknowledge someone's presence. There
have been plenty of times when someone had to sit there for over that
90 seconds, but I made sure I went by the table and said something to
them so they knew they were not being ignored.
How dare you all throw personal insults at me? Who do you think you
are? If I have an issue, I can come here to discuss it. And yes, I did
speak with a manager and he made it seem as if it really didn't
matter. He was indifferent.

Also, what does my religion have to do with this? I find it offensive
you even mentioned this! No one was rude to the waitress and she got
her 20% b/c I don't tip less than that unless the server basically
just blows me off. You all have some nerve insinuating ANYTHING about
me. You don't even know me!

I think you should've helped the waitress out by letting her know in
advance about separate bills, because sometimes it's hard to keep
track on things when the restaurant is superbusy. Next time, maybe you
should go to a less crowded restaurant. I know the whole thing about
the super righteous christians lol

As a former waitress (as I am myself) I can't believe you would even
think to ask for separate checks! Don't you realize that is a HUGE
pain the the a$$?? Especially when the place is busy. You also (as you
found out) run a much higher risk of inaccurate bills if you ask to
have them split.

You can split one bill between two credit cards - just tell your
server how much you want on each card. Simple.

I at least hope you left a good tip, because as far as I can see you
received fine service. But somehow I doubt it.

Why is it that church people are the biggest complainers?

I'm a Christian myself...but I've seen it time and again. People tend
to get a bit self-righteous right after church. I used to work at
KFC, which in this town is across from a Catholic church, and I saw
that same behavior.

Maybe a refresher course in patience and charity is needed!

Oh boy...where to start?!?

You are at a Red Lobster, this is not Joe's Coney Island. How often
do you think they split bills there???? If I waited tables there, I
would not not think to ask typically.

Also, did you actually time that it took 7 minutes for this? And 6
minutes for that?!

I would imagine you did have to wait awhile, and that is not fun, but
you did admit that it was right after church and was very busy.

When you said, "The whole dining experience (except the food) was
bad," didn't you really mean "The whole dining experience (except the
food) was RUINED?"

I have to agree with the majority here. If you were a waitress before,
and you know how busy things are, then why did you not help out the
server and ask for seperate checks from the beginning? Sometimes we
have to wait for things. I could see if you were made to wait 20-20
minutes to be greeted, but it sounds as though you are just
complaining to complain.

I think you need to go back to church, because obviously you weren't
paying attention to the lessons they teach there!

First off, you knew it was busy from the time you walked in the door
and you said you were fine with this, but then every complaint you had
centers on the fact that your service was not faster/better/more
efficient.

And then you can't understand why the waitress would be irked that at
the END of your meal when you ask to have the bill split WHEN YOU
ALREADY KNEW THEY ARE BUSY? Geez!

Last I checked in my standard, King James Version Bible, I could not
find even one passage to teh effect of: "Thou art entitled to
immpeccable, expeditious service at all times even in the busiest of
restaurants!" Sorry!

Maybe a refresher course in "Do unto others as you'd have done unto
you" is a little MORE in order!

That would be a humourous cartoon... hrm.. *looks at her pencils and
sketchbook nearby*

When you were a waitress before you served your customers you would
ask them how they wanted their bill? Somehow I don't believe that...

If I went to a restaurant and someone asked me right off the bat how I
wanted my bill rung up I would totally be turned off.

Well sounds to me like you had a good experience not a bad one. The
only wrong thing the waitress did was messing up the ticket's. You
are right when she gave seperate bill she should have asked what each
of you ate and made the bill's seperately. However you should have
mentioned at the begining that you would be paying seperate. How is
she to know. When me and my brother's family go out we always ask for
seperate bills.


Waiting six and seven minutes for your food is not that long. You
came to have a good time with your friend's so use that time to talk
about stuff. I certainly hope that your friends did not feel the same
way as you and I certainly hope you did not embarass your friends by
being impatient. If you can't wait that long talk to your friend's to
help pass the time. Or ask them for crayon's and a placemat with
activities to keep you busy so the wait does not seem that long.

You know what's funny Tiara...oh, I mean, Tierra, when I first started
reading your letter, I actually thought it was a compliment since you
only had to wait seven minutes to be greeted and six minutes for
drinks on a busy Sunday afternoon at Red Lobster. I bet not more than
another two minutes went by before you flagged someone down for
biscuits. And now let me guess, your definition of "super-late" is
what...three minutes?

I can't believe that on a busy Sunday afternoon, you actually expected
the waitress to go back over your individual orders and figure out who
owed what. And even worse, you were all going to pay with different
credit cards!!! Was there a red carpet rolled outside the door that
day?

You said the server didn't "bother" to come by and tell you she'd be
with you momemtarily. Since you used the word "busy" in your letter,
I assume you know what it means. You make it sound like she was
deliberately ignoring you.

Being a waitress yourself, one would think you'd have a better
understanding of how demanding the job can be. Guess not.

And, even if you were using credit cards, can U tell the waitress to
put this amount on this card and that amount on that one ?

You complained for waiting 7 minutes to be greeted and 6 for the
drinks on a busy Sunday afternoon ?? Thanks God you don't live in
Italy... ;)

Since you seem to be so upset over this ordeal, I have to
ask.......did you discuss it with the manager, or just post it on this
site? Considering you've waitressed before, I'm sure you realize you
have a far better chance of solving these situations at the
restaurant, when they occur, and when you confront the manager
maturely.

http://www.planetfeedback.com/index.php?level2=blog_viewpost&topic_id=
284237

Tierra is unhappy with KFC too.

I'm sorry but maybe a refresher course in being patient is needed. 7
minutes to be greeted? 6 Minutes to get drinks? Did you have a
stopwatch going? Reguardless, it didnt take you long to get service,
especially on a Sunday afternoon.

As far as the bill goes the waitress isnt a mind reader and if you
were a server then you should know to LET HER KNOW BEFORE HAND. I find
it doubtful that the waitress was really "rude" to you when explaining
she needed a manager. Seems like you were not going to be pleased no
matter what.

This whole letter just sounds like you are complaining over nothing.
To say you'll never go back because of a slight wait and having to
have your check split at the end is ridiculous. If you are as
demanding as the letter makes you seem maybe you would be better off
eating at home.

You said you used to be a waitress so why didn't you ask for the bill
to be split at the time of ordering?

Because we were all using credit cards.

It sounds like aside from having to wait 7 minutes to be greeted and 6
minutes to get drinks, your major complaint is that it was a hassle to
get separate checks. Call me simple minded, but why couldn't you just
have each person pay their portion of the total bill?