I am an enthusiastic supporter of restaurant dining. What's not to like? Food, brought to you piping hot by a willing party, prepared by a trained professional. I mean, they do everything but feed me (wait, I feel a restaurant concept coming on...) However, I've spotted some faux pas in my restaurant travels which need to be brought to light:
1. The chip or bread to dip or spread ratio is generally off. Too frequently we find ourselves having to ask for more chip or bread to go with the dip or spread. Why can't they just bring the appropriate amount in the first place? It would save the servers the time and energy of going back and forth to the kitchen.
2. I don't know about you, but I rarely find an odd number of people sitting at a table when I dine out. Usually people dine in pairs, or even numbers. So, why is it that so many appetizers are brought in odd portions? I can't tell you how often Mr. Lindstrom and I order some sort of starter and find three of it on the plate. I am confident that 99% of arguments that occur in restaurants are over that last egg roll.
3. I don't mind when a server asks me if I've been to their establishment before. Especially if the question is followed up with a simple, "well, welcome to ___." What really bugs me, though is when they follow it up with instructions on how to "use" their restaurant. So, I may not have been to your restaurant before, but I have been to a restaurant before. Generally, the concept of ordering food and having it brought to my table is not foreign or complicated to me.
4. The only thing that's worse than that is when a server tries to shove the restaurant's interesting or new "concept" down my throat, I'm not really interested. How about just make some good food? If the food is good, I don't really care about the concept. Actually, if the food is bad, I don't really care about the concept either. I really only want to eat good food. Good food kind of makes a restaurant succeed in my book.
Call me nitpicky, but this is the kind of stuff that occupies my mind. I like to fixate on it when I can't handle the real stuff that is taking up my brain space. If I were running for President, the issue I would support would be a regulation of the chip or bread to dip or spread ratio. Think of how much happier we'd all be. World peace doesn't seem so far off now, does it?
OMG! #2 and #3 are HUGE pet peeves of mine and I never realized it until right now. Ahhhhh!!!!
ReplyDelete#5...it annoys me to no end when the server either crouches or, heaven forbid, sits at the table. Eeek. Why to they do this? Good service will get you a nice tip, not trying to be my date.
ReplyDelete#6...servers who don't write down the order. I am "sorta" high maintenance with my orders. Please right it down. I don't always trust your memory, especially when there is a large group....I really do want my steak well done!
the chip/dip ratio....I so agree with that one....but my problem is that my kids eat all the plain chips and then I don't have any for my dip. Keep yer grubby paws off, I say!