10% kids.
Woo, what a doozey I had tonight.
Now you know, throughout your shift, bad things happen, they seem huge right then, then nearly as soon as the table leaves and a new one is sat, you are over the situation that has just passed almost as if it never happened... Unless it's particulary bad and is the talk of the night. Haha.
My first table of the night, parents and 3 children. The mother orders a steak..
"How would like that cooked, ma'am?"
"Um... well done, but not really. Like, medium, but with pink, but not bloody, but not burnt---(on and on and on)"
"Medium well?"
"Yeah."
I bring the steak.
"Would you like some A1 or 57?"
"Yeah. And some napkins. And ranch."
I lift the stack of napkins that I just placed on the table and set them back down. "There ya go."
"Oh thank you! But I still need the ranch." (I never left the table)
I ignore that, but ask again, "Would you like A1 or 57 or both?" "Oh.. uhhhh... 57."
hahahahah.
Next montrocity.
An old couple, a young couple, and 3 little girls.
I walk up, do my introduction, they ignore me.
The old people: "We're on seperate checks. Me *points to self* and him *points to husband*
Me: "Okay" (I say slowly) "Not a problem, I think I can handle that."
Old Fogies: "And we have a card."
Me: "A card?" (We don't take "cards")
Old Fogies: "Yeah, but we forgot it, but you can see that we're old, right?"
Me: "I'm sorry but we don't really do any senior citizen discounts."
Old Fogies: "You don't???? But they do in Pennsylvania!" .....(We are in North Carolina)
Me: "If you had an Apple Gold card..." (It's like a membership card, not a senior citizen card only for Applebee's in THIS region. If you are from up north, you wouldn't have it. Seriously.)
Old Fogies: "OH we do! That's what we have!"
Me: "Oh well I'm sorry, I'd just need to see it to put it in the computer" .. I lie. I lie a lot.
Finally the young couple intervenes, tells them not to worry about it, and they finally start to order.
Of course all of the kids want Shirley Temples. Kids drinks come free with the meal, but out of habit, I ring in the drinks because they go to the bar to be made. They are such a hassle. These girls were big so I didn't really think they'd order from the kids menu, and when they did I forgot to take off the drinks. Agh. Great.
The old lady orders a Bourbon St. Steak. It comes with mushrooms and onions. She says, "I don't want onion, I only want the mushrooms and green peppers." Now, a lot of people think the B St comes with green peppers. It doesn't. It just seems natural, so I never worry about it when people say "Don't put the green peppers on there" because I KNOW they won't anyway, because IT DOESNT COME ON IT.
Anyway, I *86 the onions, but I didn't worry about the green peppers, because I didn't know she wanted me to ADD THEM. She was speaking as if they already came on the steak. In order to do that I'd have to ring them up as a charge... Our kitchen is very funny on food costs, and never giving us ANYTHING unless we ring it in.
She also didn't want her garlic toast, and wanted a side of plain sour dough bread instead. I didn't charge her for that, since it was just a trade off for the garlic toast.
So it goes out, with only mushrooms, and I didn't run it and naturally, as it always goes, they forgot her bread. I go to fetch it, and bring it out to her. She then fusses that she doesn't have her green peppers. I apologize and say it doesn't come on it, etc etc, but I will get her some. I ask the kitchen for some. They tell me to ring it in, so I say Fine, and ring them in, they're only like 20 cents. The kitchen forgets to drop them. I'm yelling for them to just cook them, it's taking FOREVER, so I take them out near raw, in a huff.
Then she wants Another piece of sour dough. I have to ring it in to get it.
OK, now to one of the daughters. She ordered a Kid Pasta.
"But I don't want the marinara. Well, I don't want it ON IT. Could you like, put it on the side? You know, in a little dish? JUST NOT ON IT."
And for effect her parents repeat all of it. "Don't put the marianara on it. Put it on the side, in a dish."
Then the other daughter orders the Pasta as well, but they make sure to add, "WITH the sauce. Hers is without, hers is with, got it?"
*GRRRRRRRRRRRRRrr... .STRANGLE*
Later, the parents.
"Aren't we supposed to get toast with this? It does come with it, right?"
"Oh yes, I'll be right back with that." So I run to the kitchen, it's only 2 of them, but I throw 3 pieces on a plate.
"We're short one piece of bread." They get smart with me, saying the kids pasta needs bread, too, as if I didn't know. I'm getting angry.
Oh. Right. Both the kids wanted pieces. So me throwing on what I thought was an extra piece, really made it look like I forgot a piece for the other child. Great.
"But it's okay, because she just wants a plain piece of sour dough anyway."
So I go get it. Again. Frustrated.
Bear in mind, they are running me RAGGED. I am back and forth, back and forth, making shirley temples, water with no lemon, Diet Coke with no lemon? I mean, it doesn't COME with lemon you boob!
Finally, it's time for them to leave. I have a gut instinct feeling that this is going to be bad, simply from experience. I am scared to drop their checks, because I know she will be mad I had to charge her for green peppers and her extra toast. Agh.
So. I drop the checks. The parents see that I accidentally charged them for the kids drinks.
"Don't the kids drink come free with the meal?"
I didn't realize I had done this, so I was like "Oh yeah, they do, I'm sorry--"
Parents, Real Snarky: "Um, yeah, why don't you go get that taken off."
I am blinded with fury. I can feel the cold head rush to my frontal lobe. I get them taken off, bring them their receit.
The old man pays, and I bring them their change. The old woman is looking over the reciet. Oh lord.
Then the old couple: "How much were those beers??" So I look at the ticket, which is IN THEIR HANDS, and read the price to them. They mumble under the breath, I ask, "Is the price of the beer.. um.. okay?"
J, my manager, happens to be behind me, pre-bussing a table or something, and he hears the lady say, "Why did you charge me for the green peppers? I replaced them for the onions! WHY WHY WHY"
And I'm a little taken aback, even though I expected this, and I calmly say, "I'm sorry, the kitchen wouldn't serve them to me until I had rung them in---"
Old Fogies: "YOU PEOPLE ARE SO CHEAP!"
In my head, I'm thinking.... We're cheap? You're the ones that won't pay for what you ordered.... Hmmm...
"AND THE BREAD! YOU CHARGED ME FOR THE BREAD!"
Me: "uhh, the extra piece."
Them: "I can't believe this!"
Of course by this time, Jason is walking by and grabs the check out of their hands and is just trying to get them out of there. He takes off 10% for them bring OLD AND HORNORY, and I give them a freaking REFUND for $3.26.
She told my manager J that I was scared of him. Scared of him? I guess because I was just doing my job, I guess. He thought this was hilarious, knowing full well it wasn't true. And she said, "You guys have a serious problem! You're a chain, and you should all do things the same way!"
He corrects her quickly. We are NOT a chain, we are a franchise. We ALL do things differently. Very differently, might I add. Every store is owned by someone different, and we do what we want. We even have different menu's if we want.
Agh. I was just so angry. I was losing my cool over this lady.
Loud enough for her to hear, I was saying things like "Maybe I should go work for a soup kitchen if I'm gonna start giving things away for free" and "This isn't UNICEF or the Salvation Army, you PAY for food here, I'm sorry that this is a RESTAURANT, it isn't FREE"
Agh. I was furious. I can't even begin to explain. But I guess I just did.
Haha.. that felt good, you guys.
Hm. They still tipped me.
P.S.
I'm going to be a manager soon. *cheers*
Now you know, throughout your shift, bad things happen, they seem huge right then, then nearly as soon as the table leaves and a new one is sat, you are over the situation that has just passed almost as if it never happened... Unless it's particulary bad and is the talk of the night. Haha.
My first table of the night, parents and 3 children. The mother orders a steak..
"How would like that cooked, ma'am?"
"Um... well done, but not really. Like, medium, but with pink, but not bloody, but not burnt---(on and on and on)"
"Medium well?"
"Yeah."
I bring the steak.
"Would you like some A1 or 57?"
"Yeah. And some napkins. And ranch."
I lift the stack of napkins that I just placed on the table and set them back down. "There ya go."
"Oh thank you! But I still need the ranch." (I never left the table)
I ignore that, but ask again, "Would you like A1 or 57 or both?" "Oh.. uhhhh... 57."
hahahahah.
Next montrocity.
An old couple, a young couple, and 3 little girls.
I walk up, do my introduction, they ignore me.
The old people: "We're on seperate checks. Me *points to self* and him *points to husband*
Me: "Okay" (I say slowly) "Not a problem, I think I can handle that."
Old Fogies: "And we have a card."
Me: "A card?" (We don't take "cards")
Old Fogies: "Yeah, but we forgot it, but you can see that we're old, right?"
Me: "I'm sorry but we don't really do any senior citizen discounts."
Old Fogies: "You don't???? But they do in Pennsylvania!" .....(We are in North Carolina)
Me: "If you had an Apple Gold card..." (It's like a membership card, not a senior citizen card only for Applebee's in THIS region. If you are from up north, you wouldn't have it. Seriously.)
Old Fogies: "OH we do! That's what we have!"
Me: "Oh well I'm sorry, I'd just need to see it to put it in the computer" .. I lie. I lie a lot.
Finally the young couple intervenes, tells them not to worry about it, and they finally start to order.
Of course all of the kids want Shirley Temples. Kids drinks come free with the meal, but out of habit, I ring in the drinks because they go to the bar to be made. They are such a hassle. These girls were big so I didn't really think they'd order from the kids menu, and when they did I forgot to take off the drinks. Agh. Great.
The old lady orders a Bourbon St. Steak. It comes with mushrooms and onions. She says, "I don't want onion, I only want the mushrooms and green peppers." Now, a lot of people think the B St comes with green peppers. It doesn't. It just seems natural, so I never worry about it when people say "Don't put the green peppers on there" because I KNOW they won't anyway, because IT DOESNT COME ON IT.
Anyway, I *86 the onions, but I didn't worry about the green peppers, because I didn't know she wanted me to ADD THEM. She was speaking as if they already came on the steak. In order to do that I'd have to ring them up as a charge... Our kitchen is very funny on food costs, and never giving us ANYTHING unless we ring it in.
She also didn't want her garlic toast, and wanted a side of plain sour dough bread instead. I didn't charge her for that, since it was just a trade off for the garlic toast.
So it goes out, with only mushrooms, and I didn't run it and naturally, as it always goes, they forgot her bread. I go to fetch it, and bring it out to her. She then fusses that she doesn't have her green peppers. I apologize and say it doesn't come on it, etc etc, but I will get her some. I ask the kitchen for some. They tell me to ring it in, so I say Fine, and ring them in, they're only like 20 cents. The kitchen forgets to drop them. I'm yelling for them to just cook them, it's taking FOREVER, so I take them out near raw, in a huff.
Then she wants Another piece of sour dough. I have to ring it in to get it.
OK, now to one of the daughters. She ordered a Kid Pasta.
"But I don't want the marinara. Well, I don't want it ON IT. Could you like, put it on the side? You know, in a little dish? JUST NOT ON IT."
And for effect her parents repeat all of it. "Don't put the marianara on it. Put it on the side, in a dish."
Then the other daughter orders the Pasta as well, but they make sure to add, "WITH the sauce. Hers is without, hers is with, got it?"
*GRRRRRRRRRRRRRrr... .STRANGLE*
Later, the parents.
"Aren't we supposed to get toast with this? It does come with it, right?"
"Oh yes, I'll be right back with that." So I run to the kitchen, it's only 2 of them, but I throw 3 pieces on a plate.
"We're short one piece of bread." They get smart with me, saying the kids pasta needs bread, too, as if I didn't know. I'm getting angry.
Oh. Right. Both the kids wanted pieces. So me throwing on what I thought was an extra piece, really made it look like I forgot a piece for the other child. Great.
"But it's okay, because she just wants a plain piece of sour dough anyway."
So I go get it. Again. Frustrated.
Bear in mind, they are running me RAGGED. I am back and forth, back and forth, making shirley temples, water with no lemon, Diet Coke with no lemon? I mean, it doesn't COME with lemon you boob!
Finally, it's time for them to leave. I have a gut instinct feeling that this is going to be bad, simply from experience. I am scared to drop their checks, because I know she will be mad I had to charge her for green peppers and her extra toast. Agh.
So. I drop the checks. The parents see that I accidentally charged them for the kids drinks.
"Don't the kids drink come free with the meal?"
I didn't realize I had done this, so I was like "Oh yeah, they do, I'm sorry--"
Parents, Real Snarky: "Um, yeah, why don't you go get that taken off."
I am blinded with fury. I can feel the cold head rush to my frontal lobe. I get them taken off, bring them their receit.
The old man pays, and I bring them their change. The old woman is looking over the reciet. Oh lord.
Then the old couple: "How much were those beers??" So I look at the ticket, which is IN THEIR HANDS, and read the price to them. They mumble under the breath, I ask, "Is the price of the beer.. um.. okay?"
J, my manager, happens to be behind me, pre-bussing a table or something, and he hears the lady say, "Why did you charge me for the green peppers? I replaced them for the onions! WHY WHY WHY"
And I'm a little taken aback, even though I expected this, and I calmly say, "I'm sorry, the kitchen wouldn't serve them to me until I had rung them in---"
Old Fogies: "YOU PEOPLE ARE SO CHEAP!"
In my head, I'm thinking.... We're cheap? You're the ones that won't pay for what you ordered.... Hmmm...
"AND THE BREAD! YOU CHARGED ME FOR THE BREAD!"
Me: "uhh, the extra piece."
Them: "I can't believe this!"
Of course by this time, Jason is walking by and grabs the check out of their hands and is just trying to get them out of there. He takes off 10% for them bring OLD AND HORNORY, and I give them a freaking REFUND for $3.26.
She told my manager J that I was scared of him. Scared of him? I guess because I was just doing my job, I guess. He thought this was hilarious, knowing full well it wasn't true. And she said, "You guys have a serious problem! You're a chain, and you should all do things the same way!"
He corrects her quickly. We are NOT a chain, we are a franchise. We ALL do things differently. Very differently, might I add. Every store is owned by someone different, and we do what we want. We even have different menu's if we want.
Agh. I was just so angry. I was losing my cool over this lady.
Loud enough for her to hear, I was saying things like "Maybe I should go work for a soup kitchen if I'm gonna start giving things away for free" and "This isn't UNICEF or the Salvation Army, you PAY for food here, I'm sorry that this is a RESTAURANT, it isn't FREE"
Agh. I was furious. I can't even begin to explain. But I guess I just did.
Haha.. that felt good, you guys.
Hm. They still tipped me.
P.S.
I'm going to be a manager soon. *cheers*