Least Favorite Restaurant Distractions

[monkeymay]

God, I love this couple!

Well played human drama is always a remarkable thing - I've had a few nights like this myself

And I think dinner theater is brilliant.

Has anyone ever been to Medieval Times?

Least favorite:

People with entitlement issues who go out of their way to prove just how f**king special they are to everyone in the place.

[monkeymay]

No, but my kitchen sports a CD player frequently loaded with mariachi music and (worse) Mexican lounge-singer type music.

We do a combo of mariachi AND classic rock as these are the only radio stations we get in my kitchen.(The CD player part gave up after one too many greasy hands fighting over it).

KLove/Radio Amour is the local fav.

I've been down with Shakira for years before she broke big.

And she goes well with Zepplin too.

[kpurvis]

The pronoun "we" used by a waiter. It makes me feel like I'm being spoonfed grool in the old-folks home.

"Ain't no 'we' here, bubba, unless 'we' plan to split the check with me."

[NeroW]

The pronoun "we" used by a waiter. It makes me feel like I'm being spoonfed grool in the old-folks home.

"Ain't no 'we' here, bubba, unless 'we' plan to split the check with me."

I hate that too.

I also hate "medley."

What is California medley?

[SobaAddict70]

God, I love this couple!

Well played human drama is always a remarkable thing - I've had a few nights like this myself

I'm reminded of the Voice's less than glowing review of Sugiyama last year, in which we were treated to an unromantic interlude during one of his meals there.

Fortunately, I haven't yet had a similar experience, although time will tell I suppose.

Soba

edit: I'm not quite sure that it was that particular critic who reviewed Sugiyama. Maybe someone can dig up the link -- its buried somewhere on the boards. In the meantime, edited post to cover any possible bases.

Edited March 26, 2003 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[Deacon]

My biggie is the slobberingly drunk couple at the very next table, about half a foot away, who haven't touched their food--they just continue to order martinis, which the waiter dutifully continues to bring (without clearing away the empty glasses, as if we needed a further visual reminder of their drunkenness), although it is CLEAR they are disturbing at least half the diners in the room and should have been cut off three empty glasses ago. 

. . . and the man, whose bald head grows shinier, more mottled, and more eye-catching with every sip of gin, . . . says:

Man: "Do you know how much I love you?  Answer me!  Answer me, Nancy!  Do you know how much I love you? . . . I love you . . . I love you . . .  like the stars in the sky!  Look up!  See those stars?  Like those stars up there!  That's how much I love you."  (He moves her head so that she can see said stars.  He waves his fork again, triumphantly, drops it, and watches it confusedly as it whistles its way down to the tablecloth).

Woman: "Oh Greg!  I've got to go to the bathroom."

See, dinner theater can be fun after all. . . .

[fifi]

I forgot about the "we" thing. Once when a waiter used "we", I responded... "Oh! I didn't realize you were dining with us. Won't you sit down?" The look on the guy's face was amazing.

[Jaymes]

I forgot about the "we" thing. Once when a waiter used "we", I responded... "Oh! I didn't realize you were dining with us. Won't you sit down?" The look on the guy's face was amazing.

Yeah - that really is grating.

I usually ignore it.

But last month, I was in a particularly bad mood - had HORRIBLE day - been caught in a rainstorm - same hairdo as coaches have after they get the Gatorade poured over them - just wanted to be left alone and eat before I had to go back out into the rain and fight rush hour traffic and get home.

So, my insufferably perky waiter trots over and he says, "Well, how are we this evening?"

To which I replied, "How the hell should I know? I just met you."

Gag.

How on earth do WE think that got started?

[tommy]

you just should wait until the bill is presented and proclaim "*we* are splitting it evenly, thanks for joining us."

[foodie52]

You know what distracts the hell out of me? Going into a restaurant and discovering that you're pretty much the ONLY people there....my mind goes into overdrive at that point....

What's wrong with this place? Is it too early? Too late? Does the food suck? Wait...I've eaten here before.....is there a new chef? Is there something about this place that I don't know about? Is it too late to leave?

And....

How obvious will it be if I want to get up and leave RIGHT NOW because I'm freaked out!

[coolhandluke]

Perhaps worthy of another link, but can this include inappropriate or amateur behavior by other patrons of the restaurant? For instance, people who try deperately to flag his/her server over in sometimes frantic manners only to sit and ponder what they would like off of the menu. As a front of the house employee, I'm sure this could be a long and seperate string......