Restaurant Stories - What's Yours?

Respond with your restaurant horror story!

Today's GMM reminded me of a story about my worst restaurant experience ever.

It was New Year's Day and I was with my aunt, my grandma, and my two young cousins (ages 10 and 6). We had enjoyed a day together visiting fun sites of activity and decided to go out to lunch. This restaurant we chose, and I'm not going to name names but it was Applebees, was one I had previously never been to, and I was excited because of all the good things I had heard. When we arrived, we asked not to be seated in the drinking section. We were not seated in the drinking section, but at the table right on the border of the drinking section. Shortly after we were seated, two men were seated at the neighboring table. They come in later.

When our orders were taken, I ordered the chicken broccoli alfredo dish. My cousins and my grandma ordered their meals, and my aunt asked for some tea with her meal. We sat and waited for our dishes to come. When the orders arrived, there were obvious problems. Now, I understand on New Year's Eve the employees might have stayed up late and weren't feeling their best, but that is no excuse for how we were served. My chicken broccoli alfredo had not one broccoli sprout in it. I think my grandma's food was cold. And the best part (*sarcasm*) was when my aunt asked for more water for her tea, since there was hardly any provided. In response to her simple and nicely-asked request, the waiter said in an annoyed tone, "Fine," and slugged away.

While we were eating, the two men next to us began talking in great detail about what they like in a woman. Not character-wise, but concerning her, um, physique. They were not afraid to toss around coarse language, either, apparently unaware of the young children in close proximity to their "discussion". So during the course of the meal, we ended up talking loudly and asking my cousins questions to keep them talking and distracted. Needless to say, I'm a little wary about going to Applebees since then.

And I don't remember what my aunt did, but I would not have given that waiter a cent in tips.

RESPOND: What is one or even what are a couple of your restaurant horror stories? Did you bother tipping?

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Permalink Reply by Karrie (The Original Bookworm) on September 4, 2012 at 5:04pm

Hmmmm, this is definitely a good question. And I'm sorry about your Applebees experience, that sucks.

I can't really say I've had any experience quite as bad as that, but I have a story anyways. :)

So I went to Knott's(theme park in CA) with some friends as part of our church youth group. Anyways we split up into groups leaving the boring grown ups behind :) and we agreed to meet up with the junior high girl group after lunch. (I'm in high school btw) Anyways, we go on some rides, eat our lunch at this restaurant inside the park, where some really nice British lady served us; she was like the ideal grandmotherly figure.

So then we meet up with the junior high girls, and they are all sad looking, so we're like what's wrong, and they go, "Well we spent all our money on tips."

And we're all like, "What, why how much did you give them?"

Well it turns out that this waitress ,seeing that they didn't really get the whole tipping thing was optional, told them that they had to give her a tip. So they gave her a $20 TIP ON A $50 TOTAL BILL!

They paid a 40% tip to some jerk waitress who, obviously, had no integrity whatsoever.

So in answer to your question, yes they bothered with tipping. :/

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Permalink Reply by Emily Urban on September 4, 2012 at 5:06pm

Poor girls! That's so sad! I hope things worked out that they still had a good time. :)

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Permalink Reply by Nikki Reed (Chickcharnie) on September 6, 2012 at 9:21pm

Applebee's is no bueno. Unfortunately, it's the nicest restaurant we have where I live. So, usually when we go eat with people, that's where they want to go. And, I think it is awful when people talk like that around children. I have a six year old, and it happens a lot. People have no filter.

Anyway, my story is brief. Went to Hardee's. Got a cheeseburger. It had one big, curly hair of...questionable origin...sticking out of the side. They asked if I wanted a replacement burger. I passed.

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Permalink Reply by Emily Urban on September 6, 2012 at 9:50pm

Oh, my. Not even just saying this, I've always seen Hardees as shifty and kinda... off, we'll say. *Shudder. I'm assuming you left after you passed? Haha :)