Restaurant etiquette 101

[Big Momma]

I'm new here and Lords led me here. Thanks Lords!

http://www.tipping.org/discus4/messages/9/2634.html?1127512828

Lest you servers despair, this woman is a lunatic so don't listen to her. She actually thinks people are "uncaring" if she has to wait 10 second for two sides of ranch, BBQ sauce, mayo and mustard.

She's has issues. She's all over the internet telling servers how to do their jobs, and she has no idea what serving is all about. I've diagnosed her as having OCD in the area of waitstaff, with serious issues with mommy. Mommy must have had too many kids and poor Lords got attention out of turn.

 

[sixes]

I like this one. She is talking about serving food. Thats points with me.

 

[Big Momma]

Thanks! I like my food, I'm all about the food. I'm also about treating servers with respect. This Lords person is insane. She's been terrorizing server sites for months. Read the link! I'm a former server and this whacko's ideas of serving are ridiculous.

Tonight I'm serving angel hair pasta with a sauce of home grown tomatoes, basil, olive oil and garlic with a dusting of romano cheese. Wanna come over?

 

[Vortex]

well she apparently left this site.....thank goodness. I could have gone rounds and rounds with her because i live the crap every single day.

perhaps she left because i called her out on her donut shop job. Apparently the tip jar at the cash register is what she felt were tips....


My most recent favorite was i had 2 tables at the same time. Both 4 tops. Both Parents with 2 kids.

Table A) Two VERY young kids. The parents were in a hurry because the kids were restless so i got the kids order in before i even went for their drinks. Took the parents order and rushed it in the kitchen as best as i could. Durning their meal they asked for boxes and the check. (they were there for approx 1/2 hour)....

The Check: 55$ bill and they left me 16 bux and thanked me up and down for beeing speedy and helpful. I was shocked and gratefull!

Table B) Two adults with 2 teenage kids. It was the wifes birthday. I spoke to the husband on the side to get the wifes name or nickname......with that i waited forever for the 2 kids to show up (over an hour) as they just sat there chatting drinking water with lemon. The kids sucked down rootbeer like they never had such a thing before...but they never had to ask i always swooped in and asked before they could make any sucking sounds blah blah blah.... Everything went fine, i had the bakery place a happy birthday note on the large rim of her dessert plate and lit a candle and tried to make her day better....(time spent at my table 2 hours)

The check 83$ the husband slapped a 100$ in the check presenter and asked for change.....so he is getting 16 dollars back (not a good sign)...He left me 10. Hope the rich snooty wife enjoyed her ipod she opend up at the table....cheap ****...

shrug...im gonna be learning to cook on the line because im sick of ungrateful rich bastards thinking this is okay....

 

[Big Momma]

Lords is a ****ing lunatic.

That said, I admire you and all servers for what you do. I only did it for a short time and it's hard work, and rarely respected.

Let me guess. Table A left not because their children were ruining their meal, but the meals of diners around them? Ya think? When my kids were little I'd do that, and not even in fine dining. I'd pull them out of mom and pop places. If dinner was on the table and the kids acted up I'd ask for to-go boxes, box dinner up, leave a good tip and we'd be out of there. I never had a server that wasn't gracious about it either. They were surprised and grateful and helped us get the hell out of Dodge.

Just because your spawn need to eat, you don't need to subject the world around you to their noise. More parents should know this.

I don't know if it's the rich people that do what you're talking about. I know a lot of "rich" people and they would never behave in that manner, nor allow their children to act that way. Those people you're talking about are the people that "think" they're rich because they're able to go out to eat one night, have you to wait on them and don't have to eat hamburger helper that night. Chances are they do eat it the rest of the week.

As for Table B, they're raising their children to be self-entitled pigs just like their parents.

Chin up dude and good luck on the line. In some ways that work is harder.

 

[Vortex]

Let me guess. Table A left not because their children were ruining their meal, but the meals of diners around them? Ya think? When my kids were little I'd do that, and not even in fine dining. I'd pull them out of mom and pop places. If dinner was on the table and the kids acted up I'd ask for to-go boxes, box dinner up, leave a good tip and we'd be out of there. I never had a server that wasn't gracious about it either. They were surprised and grateful and helped us get the hell out of Dodge.

something like that...they said they wanted a beer and a meal before any of the (as they put it) "real diners" got close to their table...

then they wanted to leave.....

they were nice and felt bad for me having to rush...but each table is different and has their own needs...

 

[Lords]

She actually thinks people are "uncaring" if she has to wait 10 second for two sides of ranch, BBQ sauce, mayo and mustard.

I don't just wait 10 seconds, it's like 2 minutes. Secondly, if I've ordered it WITH MY MEAL, I should get it WITH MY MEAL. If the same person takes my order, this person that brings it out is the SAME PERSON, so they SHOULD REREAD the order, BEFORE taking it to me, plain and simple. It takes about 10 seconds just to walk to the kitchen, by the time you either get the condiments yourself or the cook gets it for you, it's been at least a good minute or longer by the time it arrives to my table. If the server writes it down, it's PATHETIC they can't get the order RIGHT the first time. At least say your sorry if you do forget something. That is the nice thing to do.

 

[sixes]

I don't just wait 10 seconds, it's like 2 minutes. Secondly, if I've ordered it WITH MY MEAL, I should get it WITH MY MEAL. If the same person takes my order, this person that brings it out is the SAME PERSON, so they SHOULD REREAD the order, BEFORE taking it to me, plain and simple. It takes about 10 seconds just to walk to the kitchen, by the time you either get the condiments yourself or the cook gets it for you, it's been at least a good minute or longer by the time it arrives to my table. If the server writes it down, it's PATHETIC they can't get the order RIGHT the first time. At least say your sorry if you do forget something. That is the nice thing to do.

Well this forum rocks Lords. You should check out the paid membership area. There is alot more to GF than you can see as a regular member. Hense all the crazy shite going on all the time. LOL I love it!

 

[Vortex]

I don't just wait 10 seconds, it's like 2 minutes. Secondly, if I've ordered it WITH MY MEAL, I should get it WITH MY MEAL. If the same person takes my order, this person that brings it out is the SAME PERSON, so they SHOULD REREAD the order, BEFORE taking it to me, plain and simple. It takes about 10 seconds just to walk to the kitchen, by the time you either get the condiments yourself or the cook gets it for you, it's been at least a good minute or longer by the time it arrives to my table. If the server writes it down, it's PATHETIC they can't get the order RIGHT the first time. At least say your sorry if you do forget something. That is the nice thing to do.

judging by your posts on this subject........
Im going to theorize that you probably either

A) weigh over 200 pounds and need to eat every second of the day

B) Work/worked at a donut shop/diner where a table for four the check equals about 25 bux (at the most) so a 4 dollar tip isnt really out of the guests pocket.........and since places like this (hell ill even throw out the name perkins or villiage inn) dont exactly SCREAM service....it is okay that 4 dollars is twenty percent...because your clientelle is crap...

C) Worked as a server for (about a month or so) untill getting a kinda well to do man to take care of you and your watching his finances by undertipping to make your own frivolous spending seem "justified"

D) all of the above...

Darlin...what server on this earth wouldnt apologize to you if they messed something up? What Half way decent server wouldnt apologize if they did everything correctly and someone else brought it to your table wrong....

What decent server wouldnt correct these things for you?!?!?!

You have some big issues...and frankly i would LOOOOVE to have you at my table to show you the service you deserve...i would welcome you to complain to my manager...stiff me and act like the big dumb yeti you are.......

Moron!

 

[Big Momma]

Lords, honestly, in the grand scheme of life what is 2 minutes? The difference between life and death? It's FOOD for cripes sake! You seem to have a very unhealthy obsession with food and attention. Things that would be minor to most everyone in the world are a serious affront to you.

Do you understand that people aren't perfect? You don't even consider "sorry" enough, you want the servers to be SO SORRY!!! Do you really think that because you're sitting at a table at Applebees you're royalty? Servers should bow down and kiss your ass?

Those two minutes you spend frothing at the mouth waiting for your disgusting condiments could be better spent enjoying your husband's company. Spend those two minutes feeling sorry for the server, because he/she's so busy they made the cardinal mistake of forgetting you're royalty while you occupy that boof. Spend those two minutes in quiet contemplation thanking your lucky stars that you're alive to eat, and can afford to eat, unlike so many in NOLA and now Galveston.

Get a grip and realize the true priorities in life. Isn't life just way too short to spend hundreds of hours typing the same things over and over, complaining about servers?

And here's a clue. If you want exemplary service try eating at fine dining establishments. At Chili's and Applebees the customers are cattle.

Just don't forget to tip 20%.

 

[persephone]

lords, lords, lords baby...

we're both from the greater new orleans area. YOU, however, are from kenner, a place i hope has been washed away from the earth after katrina.

you make me sick. two weeks after the biggest natural disaster to hit our home and you're bitching about SERVICE IN A ****ING RESTAURANT?! why don't you whip up some home-cooked meals instead of blowing much needed money in restaurants? what is your weight? why do you need ranch with everything? do you realize you perpetuate the dumb asshole attitude of new orleanians?

have you ever EATEN at commander's palace? galatoires? windsor court? you lived in one of the culinary havens of the nation and you chose APPLEBEES? damn girl, you must be a loser.

 

[Big Momma]

She's an animal. I can just picture her frothing at the mouth with a hot burger in front of her without mayo. I NEED MY MAYO, BRING ME MY MAYO!!! I NEEDS ME SOME CONDIMENTS to suck down this disgusting food (that I consider delicious) while I evaluate your every move.

 

[Lords]

Big Momma

You don't even consider "sorry" enough, you want the servers to be SO SORRY!!!

That is ONLY for HUGE mistakes, NOT just forgetting some condiments. I will except just a "Sorry" for small mistakes, such as forgetting a condiment or the wrong soft drink.

Spend those two minutes feeling sorry for the server

HELL NO. One time I had a waiter at Dennys tell me "You might want to remind me" when I ordered 2 sides of butter and 3 sides of syrup. I told him "WHY wouldn't you remember?" He did write down my order, so I don't get WHY he was writing it down then? It's the SERVER'S job to remember EVERYTHING I ordered. That server won't be getting 20% for forgetting something, that AIN'T happening. I am PAYING, in my tip, for someone to remember my COMPLETE order, BY GOSH, REMEMBER IT. If they don't, they should at least say their sorry. They will get more tip if they do, unless they take like 10 minutes to get it to me, then those are just words. Actions speak louder than words. That server at Dennys got around 15% for him WASTING MY TIME TELLING THE CUSTOMER(which was me) THAT I NEEDED TO REMIND HIM. The NERVE of that waiter, when it was HIS job to remember my order, NOT MINE to have to remind him. There was NO WAY I was going to give 20% for that LAZY ASS ATTITUDE, because he didn't want to take TIME TO REREAD THE ORDER HE WROTE DOWN. If the server can't take less than 30 seconds to make sure the plate of food matches the order that was written down, then that server doesn't deserve a good tip if they are going to be that LAZY, unless by pure luck it comes out correct, then I'll never know if they were too lazy to reread the order.

It isn't MY responsibility to have to RESTATE my order over and over. It's one thing, if while he's taking my order the first time around ask me to repeat something, but, he wrote down that I wanted 2 butters and 3 syrups, so since he did get the order written down, there should NEVER be a reason to have to repeat something later, after he left from taking our order. If the server isn't sure, that server should ask as the first time around, when the order is being placed. I shouldn't have an interruption with who I am with about my order again later. ANY doubts or questions about the order should be dealt with at the time of order, unless, the restaurant is OUT of a product, that's COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. One time we ordered a brownie ice cream dessert at Bennigans. The waitress came back a couple of minutes later telling us they were out. That's a REASONABLE interruption. It isn't reasonable to interrupt customers for an order that has been taken already. For example: The waiter at Chilis that asked me a few minutes AFTER I ordered "Did I want lettuce and tomatoes?" He was wrong, because he didn't write the order down. I had ordered lettuce and onions ONLY. That's an unnecessary interruption, because he should have gotten it right the FIRST time around when I placed my order. It is unreasonable to have to customer remind the server of something that was ordered, when the order was placed. Remembering the complete order is NEVER the customer's job, it's the wait staff's job.

She's an animal.

I don't see ANYTHING wrong with enjoying foods with condiments, NOTHING. Lots of people like ketchup, that's a condiment. Lots of people like ranch, just like me. So stop with this name calling, are you 2 yrs old? We are all animals anyway on this earth technically.

persephone

why don't you whip up some home-cooked meals instead of blowing much needed money in restaurants?

Actually, we haven't been to a sit-down restaurant since Katrina. We have eaten home stuff. I have been eating more frozen foods such as hot pockets or frozen pizzas. We don't have the money right now to eat out spending almost $50 at Chilis, because the future is uncertain about jobs. For instance, I have been laid off, so my future is uncertain, but we have to go back to Houston for a few weeks or a month for my husband's job. We evacuated to Kenner for Rita for now.

What is your weight?

91lbs. I am 5'0".

Why do you need ranch with everything?

I don't eat ranch with everything. I like it with fries, cheese sticks, and salad. It taste SO good to dip them in the ranch. I think even dipping a piece of bread in ranch is good.

Have you ever EATEN at commander's palace? galatoires? windsor court? you lived in one of the culinary havens of the nation and you chose APPLEBEES? damn girl, you must be a loser.

I don't like fancy restaurant food. I am NOT a loser, just because I don't like fancy food. That doesn't make me a bad person, just different. They end up giving you a small portion and it is very expensive, way more than Chilis. I got way more food for my $25 appetizer(at the fancy restaurant) at Chilis, than at the fancy restaurant I ate at. Chain restaurants have MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, BETTER tasting food than that fancy crap. I HATE that type of food. I am not much into steaks. I will eat one once in a while, but it's really not my thing. My husband loves steaks, I think they are ok. I MUCH rather hamburgers, ribs, cheese sticks, ranch, salads(covered in ranch), chicken sandwiches, and fries than that fancy stuff in fancy restaurants. I just don't like that type of food and for the price you pay at those restaurants, you can eat at a chain restaurant 2 or 3 times or more even for the price you pay for that 1 time you eat at a fancy place. I'd rather have MORE times to eat and enjoy good food, than have the crumbs wipped off my table and have the fancy service. I don't need service that fancy. I remember when my husband and I went to a fancy place, the wait staff went with a knife to wipe off the crumbs. I think that's a bit extreme and in a way an interruption just for little things like crumbs. If I don't enjoy the food, what's it worth then, even if the service is great, if the food isn't, it's not going to be very enjoyable?

For instance, my husband and I HATE Chevy's Fresh Mex. Neither one of us liked the food there or the drinks. We went once in 2001 and never stepped foot in the place again. We had great service, just the food was disguisting to us. So, the FOOD is the MOST important reason we go to restaurants, usually that is what makes people go to the restaurant. The bad service may keep away customers that do like the food. If the food isn't good, then WHY go?

Do you realize you perpetuate the dumb asshole attitude of new orleanians?

I don't get WHY are you so mean? You keep being mean to me and I haven't done ANYTHING to you. From your very first posts, you said you'd spit in my food. HOW mean is that, you know? I wouldn't do that to ANYONE, because I am a nice person? I wish eveyone in this world could be nice, you don't seem to be one of those people that are nice.

YOU, however, are from kenner, a place i hope has been washed away from the earth after katrina.

How MEAN of you to say that about INNOCENT people. I don't hope that Harahan has been washed away, even if that is where you live. You are a really mean person to say that. What if it was you that had a home that got washed away? I don't wish that on ANYONE, not even you.

 

[persephone]

lords.

by home cooked i meant home cooked, not frozen foods. hey, how about this: when i get back to NOLA i'll cook you something from scratch. and you'll see how inexpensive and delicious it is, and how much of an accomplishment it is to have something delicious come from your own hands.

i'm not a MEAN person just because i hate a certain place. i hate kenner. i hate all the restaurants there, too. i ate at mama rosa's on williams and it was terrible. i ate at brick oven cafe at the intersection of veterans and williams and that was even worse. so, maybe me joking that i wish it were washed away is supposed to be taken with some tongue in cheek attitude? or are you capable of that?

me saying i'll spit in your ranch was half true, half not true. i'm professional. as much as people piss me off i would never do anything to someone's food. i averaged $150+ a night at the place i worked at before the hurricane (and this was a CHEAP place, family style at that). that was because of the service i bestowed upon customers, customers who weren't as nitpicky as you (seriously, i have NEVER heard of someone getting pissed off about the intricate semantics of refills), and just providing a good dining experience. if you hate these restaurants, why go back? especially when in new orleans, there are so many other choices. maybe you just have a lot of free time.

i don't see how working at a donut shop makes you the god of service. did you work at tastee donuts? trust me, i've been there, and it isn't exactly table service, or counter service even, at that. come work where i work, or any restaurant at that, and i will show you come hard work, busting your ass. and then see how you feel about how serving should be.

all your complaints about servers are null and void until you actually do it for yourself.

 

[Big Momma]

First of all Lords, you don't "except" an apology, you accept it. Your spelling is atrocious and tells a lot about you.

If my culinary tastes (or brain) ever took a dive and I actually ate at a Denny's, I would certainly not be offended if the server asked me to remind him of something. These poor people are serving the masses of trashy people that actually consider what they serve up to be food, probably making less than $50 per shift.

You can certainly cook for yourself. Get a head of iceberg lettuce and drench it in ranch dressing. Get some Mrs. Paul's fish sticks and marinate them in tartar sauce. Voila! White trash dinner is served.

Spare yourself the few pennies that you call a tip and spare humanity the spectacle of condiments dripping from your chin.

You hate fine dining because there's not enough food and they want to get the crumbs off the table? The food tastes funny? You loser, the food tastes funny because it's fresh and cooked well, eating in a civilized fashion means not having crumbs on the table if you have somebody to clean them up, and that's service. And the serving sizes at fine dining establishments aren't meant for a ravenous animal drooling for more food.

Get out to a real dining establishment and get some class.

 

[angie]

If you live in NO, why eat at Chili's? Garbage. Eat some real food. If I lived down there, I would definitely be eating something other than chain food garbage. If you consider their food good, you have a pretty pathetic palate. Their food is disgusting.

 

[Lords]

persephone

If you hate these restaurants, why go back?

Because I LOVE the food and drinks. Like at Chilis, I LOVE the margaritas, ribs, and hamburgers a LOT. The service IS sometimes very good. The service is sometimes NOT good. If I take it home, it will get cold, because closest one is on Veterans, which is a bigger drive than let's say the Applebee's on West Esplanade for me. The Applebee's is like 2 minutes away, but I find the food not as good. I like Applebee's, but I MUCH rather Chilis. I will go to Applebees once in a while. Applebees got rid of a dish I loved, that had NO condiments to deal with, "Blackened chicken fettucine." I miss it.

Did you work at tastee donuts?

No, I worked at a donut shop in Covington, which WASN'T Tastee. I worked there off and on between 1998-2002. Jan 21, 1998 - Aug 1998 -worked at the donut shop. I went to Nursing school for a semster and a half. I had to withdraw or I'd fail. So, I sat out from March-Aug 1999, which I worked at the donut shop. Aug 1999- Nov 1999 withdrew again, this time it was harder because I was at a different school and I didn't have a choice. The reason is because the associate degree program for RN's was going to be the last year that LSU medical center had this program(it's called LSU sciences center I think now). I had transferred to Delgado where they accepted 120 students instead of 27 at LSU medical center. Anyway, I did worse, it was harder at Delgado than a regular college. So, then I worked from Nov. 1999-Nov. 2000 and went back to school at the vo-tech school for computers. I only worked during the holidays. They'd ALWAYS take me back, EVERYTIME, because I was dependable and I did my job. Even the owner, said to another worker during my lasts times working there "She's the best", as he was talking about ME.

I don't see how working at a donut shop makes you the god of service.

I NEVER said I was perfect. I NEVER said that everyone feels the way I feel, because they don't. I do, feel, most people don't like to wait for things or don't like when their order gets messed up. I feel that is a TRUE statement. Some people don't care if they wait, which I know that. I am just saying, I DO care if I have a long wait or if something is missing that I have ordered. I NEVER said my service would be good to everyone. For instance, I read on a site this weekend that some people were waiting 45 minutes for their food. They stated the tip went down a notch for that, but went up a notch for not asking for a water refill. I would, personally, go down a notch for just pouring without asking. I NEVER said my thoughts on service is perfect, but I do feel it sucks when you get your complete order wrong and you don't even get 1 "I'm sorry". Also, if you get overcharged, that the server doubts you AUTOMATICALLY and feels THEY are perfect that they didn't make a mistake. Like the server that charged me for a house salad without an entree, instead of with an entree, which was $1.51 overcharge. She doubted me RIGHT AWAY instead of being nice. She stated when I asked her "Why is the house salad $3.50?", that "It's whatever is in the computer." The appropriate and nice way to do it, would have been to INVESTIGATE it, BEFORE jumping to conclusions that it's the customer's mistake. I KNEW what I read on the menu, so I knew the bill amount was wrong. I feel she could have just said "Let me see", instead of a NON-CARING response as she did.

Big Momma

I would certainly not be offended if the server asked me to remind him of something.

You have a right to your opinion. I just don't understand why you'd want to be bothered with repeating your order and think that, that is good service? That's average service, not 20% in my opinion. I just feel NO ONE should have to repeat their order 2 or 3 times. I remember one time at Wendy's when I was a teenager or so, my mom and I got 2 hamburgers a certain way, it took the people 3 times to get it right. It was SO, SO, irritating to have to repeat your order 3 times. I feel if a customer has to remind the staff after placing the order, that just makes the server look stupid. The server did write my order down, so WHY BOTHER writing it down, if it's NEVER going to be REREAD, it did NO GOOD? By me stating "Why wouldn't you remember?", it made him remember, because he did remember everything. A customer shouldn't have to remind the server if the order has been placed. If you feel that way that you don't care if you have to remind the sever, more power to you. I just think MOST people would be irritated with REPEATING part of their order again. This is just the way I see it. I feel it's the SERVER'S job to take down the order, so there shouldn't be a need to remind the server. MOST people eat syrup and butter with pancakes. So, it shouldn't have been too hard to remember at least a couple of the syrups. I actually didn't use the third one, but I wanted to make sure I had enough. My husband ended up using part of the third one. I love my pancakes, eggs, and bacon drowned in syrup. It's SO good to me. This doesn't make me a loser, just DIFFERENT. You have your opinion about food and I have my opinion. You're not a loser, because you don't have the same taste in food as me. We just have DIFFERENT opinons. I happen to NOT like fancy foods, obviously you do. That doesn't make someone a loser, just DIFFERENT.

angie

If you consider their food good, you have a pretty pathetic palate.

See, you are doing it too. Just because someone doesn't like the same foods you do, doesn't mean that is a BAD thing. It is just DIFFERENT. I LOVE Chilis.

 

[angie]

No. The quality of their food SUCKS. Period. Not what I consider "good food". I go to places like that if there's nothing else open. Not because it'll be a good meal.

 

[skategreen]

Ooooooh...a restaurant thread!

I don't go out to eat often simply because I'm the most finicky person on the planet, and I can't stand to go out and pay 5X for a meal I can make more to my liking, at home.

However, there are things I love to go out for, and I'm one of those who find a place I like and order the exact same thing every time I go there cuz that's what I'm going there for!

I've met some lovely lovely wait staff who simply seat me, smile, and bring me my order. These are the gems.

I'm appalled at the manners used by others to place orders. I am unfailingly polite, "may I please have..." "yes, could you please bring me.." "and I would like to order...." "Thank you, this is quite nice, could you also bring me..." This is ingrained and I could no more change it than turn bright orange.

I've had my share of disappointments, and I wanted to tell y'all a fun way to handle things.......

In Western Canada our burgers are "all dressed" and here in the states I have to order mayo, relish, and mustard or the burger is just naked....these are often late or forgotten. There I am, with my open faced charbroiled burger cooling as I wait forever...whilst my American dinner companions nearly complete their meal... I have a solution for this...

Also, At times I've had an order forgotten, taking forever, or served half complete. Wait wait wait...look around, "I wonder where my server is?"

I go look for my food, or my waiter. I go straight to the kitchen, through the doors, and start looking around. The consternation is wonderful. When someone flies over aghast, I start explaining the problem - "oh, I just ordered my meal about 30 minutes ago and I wanted to see if maybe it was in here somewhere"... "Hello, I'm just looking to rustle up the condiments I ordered because my burger has been waiting for such a long time..."

"Have you seen my waiter anywhere? I really need to get ...."

I don't sit on my arse and wonder. I go hunting. It gets the job done!

 

[Big Momma]

Lords, I'm sorry but you're still pathetic. To most people a few minutes here or there aren't a big deal. They are human beings, those people waiting on you. They're not only waiting on you, but several tables at the same time. They aren't perfect and they certainly don't have to kiss your ass if they forget something as stupid as 3 containers of syrup or ranch dressing. Who the hell eats that way anyway? Is your time so precious that speaking a few extra words is a bad thing? Do you have someplace pressing to go after these trashy meals?

And what is 20% of a meal at Applebees or Chili's, $8-10? You seem to sit there and count pennies, taking off a percentage of a cheap food bill. Isn't your time worth more? Don't you have anything else to do during a meal outside of the home than to count your server's steps?

Just sit back, relax, enjoy your "meal" out and chill out. You're wasting your life worrying about stupid ****, and you're terrorizing the poor servers that have to deal with you. Throw a burger on the grill and spare the world your idiocy.