How LATE is too LATE?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by smiley21

This makes me think of what happened to my sister (biological) and her friends last week. There were 8 of them and they walked into an ice cream shop at 9:15 p.m. and the place closes at 10:00 p.m. The guy behind the counter (described by my sister as "a nerdy kid with braces") looked at them as said, "Do you guys have to eat ice cream? I am trying to finish my dinner."

They just stare at him dumbfounded and eventually lose their taste for ice cream. They all go a few doors down to Starbucks instead. Before they left, my sister told him off. Haha. That is my sister. On their way out of the ice cream place, my sister catches a glimpse of another employee standing in the back eating!!! To make matters worse, when they left Starbucks, they saw some customers eating ice cream. So the kid did not mind serving a smaller group. He just did not want it to disturb his dinner. One of my sister's friends supposedly called the manager this week. I am not sure about what happened with that. I would be so ticked if that happened to me.

Tell your sister to call the Public Health Department and say that there was a Listeria monocytogenes infection in 90% of ice cream and the workers failed to wear gloves. An inspection might be due...

[epchick]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Tell your sister to call the Public Health Department and say that there was a Listeria monocytogenes infection in 90% of ice cream and the workers failed to wear gloves. An inspection might be due...

And the point of that would be? So you shut down a whole business over one person's lousy attitude?


Smiley, was the ice cream place by any chance, Coldstone?

Originally Posted by epchick

And the point of that would be? So you shut down a whole business over one person's lousy attitude?


Smiley, was the ice cream place by any chance, Coldstone?

Well, the business wouldn't get shut down unless something turned up in the investigation, right? If the place isn't clean and things aren't up to par, then that's one less place spreading germs.

I used to work in the service industry and I remember that feeling of thinking that we get to close down early only to get our hopes dashed when people would walk in right at the last minute. I wouldn't do that to restaurant workers because I know exactly how they feel.

If I'm really really really hungry, I'll go to some 24 hour joint.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by OTW

Well, the business wouldn't get shut down unless something turned up in the investigation, right? If the place isn't clean and things aren't up to par, then that's one less place spreading germs.

I used to work in the service industry and I remember that feeling of thinking that we get to close down early only to get our hopes dashed when people would walk in right at the last minute. I wouldn't do that to restaurant workers because I know exactly how they feel.

If I'm really really really hungry, I'll go to some 24 hour joint.

That's true, but I don't understand why you would go to such lengths just because someone pissed you off.

I totally agree with you on the second part though. I used to work in the food service industry as well, and I know how it feels to think you are going to be able to close on time, and then some people come in right before closing and dash your dreams.

[twinkle555]

Originally Posted by smiley21

This makes me think of what happened to my sister (biological) and her friends last week. There were 8 of them and they walked into an ice cream shop at 9:15 p.m. and the place closes at 10:00 p.m. The guy behind the counter (described by my sister as "a nerdy kid with braces") looked at them as said, "Do you guys have to eat ice cream? I am trying to finish my dinner."

They just stare at him dumbfounded and eventually lose their taste for ice cream. They all go a few doors down to Starbucks instead. Before they left, my sister told him off. Haha. That is my sister. On their way out of the ice cream place, my sister catches a glimpse of another employee standing in the back eating!!! To make matters worse, when they left Starbucks, they saw some customers eating ice cream. So the kid did not mind serving a smaller group. He just did not want it to disturb his dinner. One of my sister's friends supposedly called the manager this week. I am not sure about what happened with that. I would be so ticked if that happened to me.

WOW that is b.s...i really hope she did called the manager and complain because that is bad business to keep an employee like that.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

I had a waiter spit (or something else...gross) in my mixed drink about 10 years ago. I was a complete asswipe to him. Like, complete...I dunno what I was going through that evening...lol.

But that's not really an excuse to do what he clearly did. His shift ended so I couldn't confront him and I didn't ask for the manager. I just learned a valuable lesson and chalked it up to experience.

WOW!!! Did you (or someone you were with) see him spit in your drink? I am !

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Well when do you take your public health courses? After that experience, you'd probably will not even EAT at restaurants anymore... LOL

I'm sure I won't. I've heard of some disgusting things though.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

I got into it with a dude at Subway 9 years ago because he was the only one working and had a headache. They close at 10:00 but he wanted to close at 9:20 because he had a headache.

I said "I just want a seafood sub."
He said "Too bad...I'm tired...have a headache...closing."

I said I wasn't leaving without a sub. He starting cussing.

So after we cussed each other out he threatened to call the cops. And I had some more choice words until my linesister said "okay...that was fun...get in the damn car." LOL.

We called the Better Business Bureau on that Subway the next day.

(Quizno's has NEVER mistreated me. )

My God this post made me laugh SO hard!

[Nanners52674]

So its not a restaurant but i worked at the seafood counter of a grocery store for a few months. Every night for closing you have to take all the fish out of the display pack it in bins and store it in the big cooler. On more than one occasion customers would come by when there was packing up and there was almost no fish on display and be like oh are you closing is it to late for you to get me something. And as for the don't mess with the people who prepare your food quote soooo true!

[smiley21]

Originally Posted by epchick

Smiley, was the ice cream place by any chance, Coldstone?

No, it was Marble Slab Creamery.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by wreckingcrew

This is just me, but the latest I will go into a "sit-down" restaurant, is an hour before they close. If they close at 11, I'm not walking in past 10pm. This might not make sense, but I used to work retail and we couldn't close the store til the last person was out, and we couldn't make announcements. I used to HATE when it would be 9:15, we close at 9:30 and have some people walk in to "browse".

We went to Max & Erma's a couple years ago and I think they closed at 10, we came in around 10 till 9. We got TERRIBLE service. It was clear that they'd been planning on closing up and sitting on their asses and we spoiled their fun. We had no intention of dallying, we just wanted to eat.

I worked at Subway and the only things we didn't serve near closing time (2 AM) were the hot subs because you have to turn off the heater. Anything else, it really isn't that much of a pain in the ass to do as some people make it out. If you are the ding dong who ran your cash out before you should have and a sale will throw it off, that isn't the customer's fault. The guy who had the "headache" - I can't imagine he wasn't fired the next day.

[KSigkid]

I tend not to go to places too close to closing time, out of fear that I'll get terrible service, or they'll do a rush job on making the food. I tend not to go to a sit down restaurant unless there's at least a couple of hours left until closing.

However, if I'm going to a restaurant just for a drink or dessert (like Finale in Boston, Publick House in Brookline for a beer etc.), I will sometimes cut it a little closer.

[ZTAngel]

Originally Posted by wreckingcrew

And I've seen "Waiting", and not that I was rude before, but I have definitely taken the "don't fuck with teh people that serve your food" line to heart. I understand that sometimes you're busy and just having a bad night, and if I ever send something back, I try to be as apologetic and polite as possible.

Same here. I had friends who worked in restaurants and they told me some of the stuff that gets done to food if you're an ass. I usually won't send something back unless there's truly something wrong with it. I ordered a burger medium well one time and it was still mooing when it was brought to my table. Completely inedible. I was really nice about it and the server was apologetic on behalf of the kitchen. Occasionally, I'll send the food back and just ask to have it taken off the bill instead of getting a new item if I notice that the server is in a foul mood.

[RU OX Alum]

the only time i ever send anything back is if i'm allergic to it and didn't know before hand
(i.e. i ask for no onions and they made it with onions, or put onions on anyway when not on the menu, i'm not trying to be mean, i'm just not trying to die)

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

the only time i ever send anything back is if i'm allergic to it and didn't know before hand
(i.e. i ask for no onions and they made it with onions, or put onions on anyway when not on the menu, i'm not trying to be mean, i'm just not trying to die)

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Lately I've been getting a lot of dishes served to me with a red onion garnish, which is not stated on the menu. I'm not allergic to onions, but I HATE red onions. Onions are not the type of garnish you want to put across the top of an entree without notice - many people are allergic to them. One place that did this served it on top of a pasta dish, so the food pretty much absorbed the onion...I had to pick it out of the pasta, even though it was just casually laid on top to make it look pretty. I didn't send it back, but I made a suggestion to the server that they not put onions on top of entrees as a garnish, or else they're likely to have to remake some.