Culinary and Kitchen-Related Pet Peeves

[researchgal]

Hate it when you have a reservation and you still have to wait (more than a few minutes) for the table, AND, the maitre d' gives you the same attitude as those who just walked in off the street with no res...

[tissue]

I hate it when I am forced to buy bottled water...

[C Squared]

I went to a diner in Philly, with a group, after a party.

Our waitress informed us that since it was after midnight, we had to pay our check BEFORE she put the order in the kitchen. And to top it off, since we were a group the tip was automatically added to the check

Just try to get another cup of coffe

[Wilfrid]

I hate it when I am forced to buy bottled water...

I regard that as scandalous, and would encourage anyone who has that experience to name the restaurant. It has never happened to me yet, but I am all set to walk over to the men's room with an empty glass and come back with the tap water I asked for.

[Jinmyo]

Pet peeves.

[Liza]

I regard that as scandalous, and would encourage anyone who has that experience to name the restaurant.  It has never happened to me yet, but I am all set to walk over to the men's room with an empty glass and come back with the tap water I asked for.     

Thank goodness I read to the end of the sentence. Rounding that corner from "walk over to the men's room and come back with", I was a little nervous.

[Wilfrid]

Yes, I had to think carefully about how to finish that sentence. I am usually much less careful about you know what I am trying to, er, that's it.

[stellabella]

My number one pet peeve--when I serve dinner to guests and some piggy person sits down and digs in before everyone is seated. This behavior brings out the misanthrope in me like no other.

[ollie]

I hate it when they dim the lights in a restaurant. I like to look at my food, and, it makes me sleepy.

[GordonCooks]

When I hear someone order a "Cranberry and Vodka" at a bar

[=Mark]

I hate it when . . .

. . . your server waits until the precise moment your mouth is full and then asks you "Is everything OK?"

Without missing a beat or putting down a utensil I immediately give them a silent "Thumbs Up."

[=Mark]

...when the meal and the service were good and the meal was excellent, but then it comes time to settle the check and your server dissapears into that alternate reality that they share with car salesmen.

[Charles Smith]

I hate it when there's not enough room at the table for everything that's being served.

[tissue]

I hate it when I am forced to buy bottled water...

I regard that as scandalous, and would encourage anyone who has that experience to name the restaurant. It has never happened to me yet, but I am all set to walk over to the men's room with an empty glass and come back with the tap water I asked for.

Well lots of places don't really give you choice, they just insist you either want carbonated or flat bottled water. Then they keep filling your glass and then open another bottle....

I've gotten really feisty and have started saying "tap water from the faucet is fine."

[Malawry]

I hate it when I'm served cold bread. Especially since it usually comes with cold butter, which I hate even more than cold bread.

[awbrig]

how about you goto a fancy club or restaurant/bar and the great tables have a "reserved" sign on them and they clearly arent reserved and they stand empty for hours...

[tommy]

how about you goto a fancy club or restaurant/bar and the great tables have a "reserved" sign on them and they clearly arent reserved and they stand empty for hours...

do you think it's a conspiracy? why would the club not want you sitting there?

[awbrig]

what? No, the places in Chicago that do this save them for celebrities that ususally do not show, hence leaving these tables open all night...im not saying that it is me personally wanting these tables...just an observation...

and p.s. why do you personally try to be put me down every chance you get...give it a break already...

[tommy]

i am merely wondering why you think they do this. you stated that "they clearly aren't reserved." thanks for the clarification.

[awbrig]

ok sorry...these tables sit there w reserved tags on them for hours at a time...and if you inquire about them...they simply mention that they are reserved...and you usually dont ever see anyone sitting at them...the places the do this in Chicago are usually the very newly opened places or the trendy sidewalk people viewing places...I think they think that people will percieve this as the restaurant having very exclusive customers, but I find it annoying and dishonest...

[John]

I read somewhere that servers intentionally wait until your mouth is full to ask if everything is ok. It might've even been on egullet. Ever since, I've been waiting for it to happen again. I'm torn between making them wait until I've swallowed my food, or grossing them out by answering with a mouthfull of food. Do you think they do this on purpose? I'm beginning to think they do. I hear of it frequently.

[Saffy]

I think if you look at the chances of talking to someone in a resturant while they actually have food in their mouth, you will find the chance is quite high, especially if you have just started your meal, and you are hungry and you are me - more eating less talking! :)

[ngatti]

I hate having to 'settle up' with the barman when my table is ready.

I want someone to announce my table, place my drinks on a tray and direct me to my table. My liquor bill should appear on my dinner check. I've already waited for my table. I don't wish to wait longer while my card is swiped. I'm quite capable of leaving a 5 or 10 for the barman and will carry those denominations whenever I go out with the sole purpose in mind of tipping the bartender (along with singles or fives to take care of valet parkers, coatcheck, and the increasingly rare restroom attendants). I carry sufficient cash for gratuities even when using plastic.

I think the practice is rude, especially in places where the average check tops 100 dollars.

Nick

[tommy]

I'm quite capable of leaving a 5 or 10 for the barman and will carry those denominations whenever I go out with the sole purpose in mind of tipping the bartender

would you then deduct that tip amount from your dinner tip amount, since you've already tipped it?

[Peter B Wolf]

I hate when dinner guests ask for a napkin, not knowing the cloth one I decoratatively placed on their plate, is just that.

I hate it when people put salt and pepper on their food without tasting it.

I hate it when, in a restaurant, the waiter places my fork and knife on the table besides me, after finishing the salad.

I hate it when people don't make use of the designated silverware.

I hate it when waiters add coffee to my unfinished cup, totally messing up my right proportioning of sugar and cream.

I hate to read the menu terms: "Shrimp Scampi" and "Coquille St. Jacques"