Pet Peeve of the Day: 12-08-05

[Schmidty]

Waitstaff at restaurants who kneel down to eye level when they take your order. This is usually accompanied by over-exuberance and forced conversation. The whole procedure is insultingly fake and annoying and is an obviously a ploy to get a bigger tip.

All I want is quick, cordial service. I don't want to be your best friend, and I don't want to hear your life-story, nor do I want to tell you mine. Just get my damned food.

[Draft Dodger]

even worse: waitstaff who grab a chair and sit down with you to take the order.

[Raiders Army]

even worse: waitstaff who grab a chair and sit down with you to take the order.
Happened to me at Cheeburger, Cheeburger. I thought it was weird, and then I saw her do it to another table as well. I was like, "Damn, she must be pretty fucking tired."

[Ksyrup]

I assume this doesn't include Hooters?

[Schmidty]

even worse: waitstaff who grab a chair and sit down with you to take the order.

I think that would push me over the edge. I pity the server who does that unspeakable act.

[Swaggs]

No way you can keep this up for more than a few more days, Schmidty. ;)

[MizzouRah]

How about a waiter/waitress who listens to your order, writes nothing down, and then screws up your order? Doh!

[vex]

Mine is the waitress who (especially when they are your age) constantly calls you "sweetie" and such.

[Schmidty]

No way you can keep this up for more than a few more days, Schmidty. ;)

I have so much dislike built up, that I think I can do this for years. On the other hand, I'm a lazy bastard, so we'll just see. ;)

[CraigSca]

Waitstaff at restaurants who kneel down to eye level when they take your order. This is usually accompanied by over-exuberance and forced conversation. The whole procedure is insultingly fake and annoying and is an obviously a ploy to get a bigger tip.

All I want is quick, cordial service. I don't want to be your best friend, and I don't want to hear your life-story, nor do I want to tell you mine. Just get my damned food.
Funny you should mention this. My wife just mentioned to me the other day a study that showed when the waitstaff does this, their tips are statistically higher. It may be annoying, but apparently profitable.

[JeeberD]

Waitstaff at restaurants who kneel down to eye level when they take your order. This is usually accompanied by over-exuberance and forced conversation. The whole procedure is insultingly fake and annoying and is an obviously a ploy to get a bigger tip.


Thank you! I hate it when my co-workers pull that bullshit...


How about a waiter/waitress who listens to your order, writes nothing down, and then screws up your order? Doh!

I write down everything. No way in hell that I trust my memory.


Mine is the waitress who (especially when they are your age) constantly calls you "sweetie" and such.

Only girls under 12 or so are "sweetie" and boys under 12 are "buddy"...

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Cmon Jeeber. If you'd kneel in your pants with the rip, maybe you'd get more tips. :D

[JeeberD]

I got new pants a couple of months ago. I'm flattered that you still think about them, though... :)

[Grammaticus]

I can deal with the eye level, pull the chair up and "sweetie" thing, though it is all very annoying. I really hate it when they come by your table 5 or 6 times during the meal. Then when it is towards the end, they dissapear and you have to go get someone else to bring the freakin check. Or they ask you if you need anything and you ask for mustard or something. They dissapear and come back bye asking if you need anything. Yeah, the mustard I asked for 10 minutes ago. Is it really that hard to remember? I mean, it happens so frequently.

[Barkeep49]

Schmidty did you know there is peer reviewed research to suggest that doing what you find a pet peeve increases the size of the tip?

[Draft Dodger]

I can deal with the eye level, pull the chair up and "sweetie" thing, though it is all very annoying. I really hate it when they come by your table 5 or 6 times during the meal. Then when it is towards the end, they dissapear and you have to go get someone else to bring the freakin check. Or they ask you if you need anything and you ask for mustard or something. They dissapear and come back bye asking if you need anything. Yeah, the mustard I asked for 10 minutes ago. Is it really that hard to remember? I mean, it happens so frequently.

I really don't get the check thing either, and it happens a lot. you'd think they'd be in a hurry to get you to leave, so another tipping customer can be sat at their table.

[Schmidty]

Schmidty did you know there is peer reviewed research to suggest that doing what you find a pet peeve increases the size of the tip?

Well, that's why it's "pet" peeve. It's something that annoys me. I have no idea about other people, although this thread (a sample of course) shows that a lot of people agree with me.

Now that I think of it, it doesn't suprise me that the tips are larger. The server is basically guilting you (almost bribing you) into giving a larger tip, even if the dipshit annoys you.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

The next time a member of a waitstaff bends over to take your order, simply state very matter-of-factly that by bending over to your eye level and taking the order they will not get a tip any higher than if they simply stand there and concentrate on getting the order right. Then remind them to make sure they get the order straight.

[vex]

I can deal with the eye level, pull the chair up and "sweetie" thing, though it is all very annoying. I really hate it when they come by your table 5 or 6 times during the meal. Then when it is towards the end, they dissapear and you have to go get someone else to bring the freakin check. Or they ask you if you need anything and you ask for mustard or something. They dissapear and come back bye asking if you need anything. Yeah, the mustard I asked for 10 minutes ago. Is it really that hard to remember? I mean, it happens so frequently.
Yeah, that drives me crazy.

[Grammaticus]

The next time a member of a waitstaff bends over to take your order, simply state very matter-of-factly that by bending over to your eye level and taking the order they will not get a tip any higher than if they simply stand there and concentrate on getting the order right. Then remind them to make sure they get the order straight.

If I have to do all that, just to get the order right, I'm tipping myself.

[Ragone]

Only girls under 12 or so are "sweetie" and boys under 12 are "buddy"...


easy there R. Kelly

[Suburban Rhythm]

Agree with this one...it's typically the chain-y, "hip" places you'll see it--Applebee's, Chili's etc. When the trend first started, I got worried...they were treating me like I knew them, and I'd have to ask my wife if that was someone we should know.

[st.cronin]

The next time a member of a waitstaff bends over to take your order, simply state very matter-of-factly that by bending over to your eye level and taking the order they will not get a tip any higher than if they simply stand there and concentrate on getting the order right. Then remind them to make sure they get the order straight.

That sounds like an excellent way to get a free DNA sample from your server included in your meal.

[sterlingice]

Sorry, the hair thread reminded me of this because we had someone do this a couple of weeks ago. My wife and I were out in KC and it was getting late but there were lines most everywhere we went so we had to find somewhere that was open past 9 but were hungry and didn't want to wait for food. So we found a local Olive Garden.

We had Waity McBendsalot, as was described in this thread. Not only that but he talked down to us from his low perch which I thought was fairly impressive. Wait, it gets better. He had the obviously fake European accent going and kept trying to hit on my wife while taking our order. She, not one to be amused by these antics, started twirling her wedding ring, and, once he noticed it, he got very cold for the rest of the meal. Then he forgets an item and never refills the drink the rest of the meal. Needless to say, his tip didn't help the "benders get more tips" statistic.

SI

[WSUCougar]

How about a waiter/waitress who listens to your order, writes nothing down, and then screws up your order? Doh!
WORD

[Desnudo]

Waitstaff at restaurants who kneel down to eye level when they take your order. This is usually accompanied by over-exuberance and forced conversation. The whole procedure is insultingly fake and annoying and is an obviously a ploy to get a bigger tip.

All I want is quick, cordial service. I don't want to be your best friend, and I don't want to hear your life-story, nor do I want to tell you mine. Just get my damned food.

Have you considered the roundhouse kick as a solution?