 "Hey, watch this!" I looked up from my nachos, and my friend T. was pulling a long, black-rooted, bleach-lightened strand of hair from her head. My confusion grew as she stuffed it into the chili atop her half-gnawed burger. "My Mom showed me how to do this." She summoned our server. "Ummm...this is really gross? But there's a hair in my food. I don't think I should have to pay." The woman sighed. Though I'd never witnessed anything like this before, an eighteen-year-old girl running a scam was hardly a new menu item for her. She grabbed the plate and returned several minutes later, plunking it back on the table. "No one in the kitchen has hair that...blonde color," she huffed, staring pointedly into T.'s eyes - and then at her scalp. T. shrugged. We paid the full bill. I never went to a restaurant with her again. |
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I went to a local pizza joint – very good local chain, and had a nice pizza with my wife. We had some leftover slices (2) and I had them for lunch the next day. I was almost finished with the very last slice, just eating the last little bit of crust, when I bit into something strange. It turned out to be a twist-tie, like off a bread bag. I stopped at the place on the way home that night and (calmly) told the manager what happened and showed her the tie. She apologized and went into the kitchen to talk to the cooks. I thought we were done and walked out and got in my car, when she came out and knocked on my window. It turns out we weren't quite done – she wanted my information (name, etc) that she wrote in a book they kept at the counter. She gave me a free replacement large pizza, which we took advantage of later that week. I didn't scream or holler, and since I was literally down to the last bite of the entire thing, I really didn't expect a replacement. They went overboard to correct the situation, and we certainly continue to eat there. Polite works a lot better!
I went to a Rock Bottom Brewery in Tinley Park, Illinois and received a short black hair in my chicken, I just picked it off and kept eating, my meal was comped, but I didn't make too big of a fuss about it, I'm sure they didn't do it on purpose...
The worst thing that's ever happened like this is when they got a friend's order wrong, but another player in our drama club wanted the burger. So he asked for one that was right, and he gave the other burger to the girl, since they were going to throw it away anyway. Not a big deal. He asked if he could before he did it, even.
Springs1 – do you wear a sign when you walk in to a restaurant saying "I'm a jerk and I'll nitpick everything you do and probably try to get you fired?" Because that might be why you're receiving such poor service all the time.
Deli Mama
Continued:
"i wouldn't be surprised if servers are putting things in your food and messing with your check on purpose."
If they would, they could get FIRED, so I have had 3 servers *(*(I)))HELPED GET FIRED, HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT? So it's up to YOU to not do the wrong thing. If they do that, they are hurting themselves by having to PAY to serve us since they have to TIP OUT a percentage of SALES to the hostess, bussers, and bartenders.
"i am never, ever, snippy with anyone who handles my food no matter what the problem is because i know what may or may not happen to my meal."
I don't care, because I don’t' get sick, how does that sound to you? I 99.9% of the time don’t, but that doesn’t make my experience any better, it really doesn’t.
It sounds like if it phased me, it would have by now, wouldn't have it considering the few times I have, that didn’t do anything either, it’s like being nice doesn’t and being mean doesn’t. Being mean though actually got 2 of the 3 servers fired, so I will say YES, it helped then.
Also, WHY if they get snippy with me I can't do back? WHO CARES IF THEY DO IT BACK? They may get fired and as I said, I helped 3 servers get fired, so you are in MY MERCY, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!!
HOMEY DON'T PLAY THAT!! You servers at the customer’s mercy, not the other way around.
"you seem like the type of customer i would hate to have, no matter how well you tip."
WHY? Because I want perfect service? That's what EVERYONE WANTS, so WHY would you hate me?
"i'm sure that 98% of the time there is a problem at a restaurant is just someone who is overworked and underpaid and probably dealing with poor management. you know,"
NO, we have had times where we were one or 2 or 3 of the only tables(not any larger than 2 people at a table), that had problems. Sometimes we were the ONLY CUSTOMERS and had issues.
Most servers are lazy, don't you get that? Most don't want to WRITE DOWN what you say even after asking even. That's how LAZY they are. Then, when they forget something and you tip poorly, they think you are cheap, well STUPID LOOK AT WHAT ***EFFORT**** YOU DECIDED TO PUT INTO OUR SERVICE!!! Some servers have no common sense to speak of.
"you know, i had people actually take money out of my tip jar to pay their checks – like, dollars, not give-a-penny-take-a-penny."
That's THEFT, do you realize that? I have had a customer once that had wanted a penny out of my tip jar at the donut shop when I worked there about 10yrs ago and I told them that is my money not "GIVE A PENNY, TAKE A PENNY." Even a DOCTOR wanted to do that. Do you realize how SELF-CENTERED that is? We WORK for a money, this isn’t feel sorry for the SPENDERS WEEK.
If there's no charity jar or give a penny, take a penny like a gas station has, then people are making TIPS.
So you let people take ADVANTAGE of you I see you STUPID IMBECILE?
"why does it matter if they have to work a little harder to fix the check while you spend more time enjoying your evening?"
HOW THE F @## are we "ENJOYING" HAVING TO ***************WAIT*********************** TO LEAVE and having to deal with a BILL ERROR? WHERE DO YOU GET THE (((JOY))) IN THAT, HUH?
WHEN YOU WANT TO LEAVE, YOU WANT TO LEAVE, PERIOD, that's PUNISHING OUR TIME WE WANT TO GO!! WHY should the customer suffer in their time for that? WE SHOULDN'T AND DON'T HAVE TO BY LAW!! You want us to pay you a bigger tip; don't make us sit there longer to get it fixed if it's in your favor just as some other co-workers said that I have had TRUE stories about.
Ask people, do you honestly think people want to wait longer to leave to get even a dollar overcharged fixed if they are in a hurry? I bet you, most won't. WTF would they do it in YOUR F'ING FAVOR YOU IDIOT?
Because *** IT WAS ****US*** to have to DISCOVER A PROBLEM, which that's ***NOT OUR JOB****, because ****WE AREN'T GETTING *****************PAID********************** TO DO THIS YOU UNCARING ASSHOLE!!!
"relax and give these poor people a break already."
Give LAZY ASS UNCARING SOB'S A BREAK THAT DIDN'T ***TRY*** TO ***CATCH*** THE MISTAKE ***********WELL ******************** BEFORE CHECK TIME IS NOT MY PROBLEM AND NO I WON'T GIVE SELFISH, SELF-CENTERED ASSHOLES THAT ONLY CARE ABOUT ***********THEIR************** MONEY A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANY CARING server would take 2 cents out of their own pocket if they didn’t even TRY to CATCH that mistake. Do you honestly think that the waitress compared the menu to the check? NO, SHE WAS A LAZY ASS, SELFISH BITCH. So WHY should she deserve 20% for that, HUH?
2 cent isn’t a lot to ask from a server since **THEY*** messed up and want our money. For real, don’t make us do YOUR WORK and we will pay for doing yours that you were SUPPOSED to have done. When I represented this(the FIRST FREAKING TIME WE WERE THERE EVEN AND ONLY), she said she never noticed this. I felt if she would have compared the menu to the check, she would have not have said that. So you see how LAZY and UNCARING they are about the customer’s money, because honestly, if she would have just missed it, she would have immediately said she was sorry .
So HER 2 CENTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CUSTOMER’S? That’s how you are portraying servers.
WTF SHOULD I give them a break? THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT GIVING ME 2 CENTS OF THEIR OWN POCKET EVEN. You make it seem like that I care about 2 cents when in fact THEY DO that I don't see***********THEM******************* giving us their 2 cents.
DO YOU SEE MY POINT? 2 cents is SOOOOOO F'ING IMPORTANT TO THEM, WTF IS IT NOT OK FOR IT TO BE IMPORTANT TO US CUSTOMERS THAT WORK***HARDER*** THAN THEM FOR THEIR MONEY SINCE MOST DON'T EVEN CHECK THE CHECK FOR PRICE ERRORS EVEN? FOR REAL, WHY can’t you see that you asshole?
maybe you just need to **********CALM DOWN*********** and stop being so ***********VERBALLY ABUSIVE*********** so you can get some decent service in a restaurant, homey.
Deli Mama
One more thing:
""why does it matter if they have to work a little harder to fix the check while you spend more time enjoying your evening?"
It's not working harder, it's actually checking over the bill as most servers don't. Go on, ask servers if they compare each bill's prices to the to menu prices. They will all tell you NO, no matter if they are very slow having one party of 2 even and you know that is the GOD'S TRUTH!! Can't you just admit they are being lazy and self-centered as well as they aren't working **ANY HARDER THAN THEY ARE TRULY RESPONSIBLE FOR?**
"WHAT BS, because we NEVER ORDER FROM CUSTOMERS"
I made a typo, I said from customers, I meant the computer, sorry.
@Springs1 If your time is so important, why don't you just stay home and fix your own food, or better yet, not bother eating at all? You certainly spent a lot of time blaming servers, managers, etc, to justify not paying for what you eat. I'm sure someone could give good reasons why it is YOUR fault they punched you in the face full-on with their fist, using the same self-centered & self-important kind of reasons you don't want to pay for what you order.
Conqui
"You certainly spent a lot of time blaming servers, managers, etc, to justify not paying for what you eat.""
Ask yourself a question: "IS ANYONE **PAYING** THE CUSTOMER TO CHECK EACH AND EVERY PRICE AS WELL AS THE ITEMS ON THEIR BILL?"
The answer is NO, THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING THE SERVER, therefore, it's not our issue, it's theirs.
"'m sure someone could give good reasons why it is YOUR fault they punched you in the face full-on with their fist,"
NO, getting physical is a CRIME that you CAN go to jail for, which what we have done isn't. The SERVER is UNDERINGING the items, NOT the customer. The customer has ZERO responsibility in this. They can easily say they didn't notice and that's it, there's no proof that the customer noticed it. Then, when it doesn't get noticed, if the manager makes the server pay for it, it comes out of the SERVER'S POCKET, NOT OURS. DO NOT PUNISH US OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED IN THE TIP!!
You obviously NEVER have been overcharged at restaurants to say this, have you? You are probably too lazy to check each and every price like we do, aren't you for you to even KNOW that you were over or undercharged.
You probably don't even check your check for extra or wrong items, do you?
"sing the same self-centered & self-important kind of reasons you don't want to pay for what you order."
This is not about not wanting to pay for the food, don't you GET THIS?
IT IS ALL ABOUT OUR **********TIME*********** being TAKEN AWAY FROM US THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ******************************FUN************************, but NOW WE HAVE A HASSLE ON OUR HANDS THAT WE CAN'T LEAVE!!
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY, it's about not being able to leave the restaurant.
They are self-centered if they don't take it out of THEIR OWN POCKETS instead of making us wait to get a manager to fix it, so if anything, THE SERVERS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE VERY SELF-CENTERED AND ACT LIKE THEIR MONEY IS SO IMPORTANT, BUT NO THE CUSTOMER'S MONEY, that doesn't matter to them.
As I stated before, we have had 4 servers that had overcharges 10 cents and under that didn't want to take money out their own pocket. One was 2 CENTS LITERALLY on eggs. I ordered 2 eggs, which were on the menu $1.49 a piece. On our bill the 2 eggs were billed $3.00. The waitress didn't take 2 pennies out or a nickle or even a quarter out of her pocket to fix the mistake. You wouldn't even notice that mistake, would you, because you are too lazy to check each price, am I right?
So you don't call those servers ** "SELF-CENTERED?"**
They sure are not to take out 2 pennies out of their own pocket. If she would have done that, she would have gotten 19% instead of 15%. 2 pennies and you get around $1.50 more in tip. I know I would have done that for a customer not to have that hassle since it was MY FAULT I didn't notice it BEFORE I gave the customer their check. There is no tax that you can bill someone for only 2 cents, so it would literally be on 2 cents she would have owed us.
Do you see those servers ***CARING*** about OUR MONEY? WE SURE DON'T, SO WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT THEIRS IF THEY SHOW THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OURS AS MUCH OR MAYBE AT ALL DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF THE OVERCHARGE AS WELL AS HOW THEY HANDLE IT?
It's all about the fact that NO ONE WANTS to have to get their check fixed. I hate when I get overcharged in stores. I hate the hassle of having to go to customer service. Who wants all of that? Some people wouldn't even get their money back. I do, because that is stealing, because that is false advertising.
I bet if you asked 100 people if they would even bother getting even 30 cents back on their check, they wouldn't, so why would they do it for something in the restaurant's favor? It's all about the HASSLE, NOT that they got a free item.
Think about it. If I would want to get something for free, I wouldn't tip HIGHER and base it on the amount BEFORE the discount(assuming of course that we have had good service). Even if we don't have the best service, they will get a higher tip than if we would have been billed correctly for something that was in our favor.
It's about having *********FUN**********, NOT having to deal with check issues. WHO THE F** GOES OUT TO EAT WANTING THAT S@##? I would rather be honestly billed correctly ALL the time and not have none of that. We have plenty enough money to go out to eat. We aren't rich, but we certainly aren't poor either. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE HASSLE!! IT'S NOT ABOUT THE FREE ITEM!! I WOULD RATHER ANY DAY HAVE ZERO PROBLEMS THAN TO HAVE ANYTHING, ANYTHING, ANYTHING FOR FREE!! I HATE PROBLEMS IN MY SERVICE, DON'T YOU GET THAT OR WHAT?
The best service is being billed correctly, getting your orders correctly, the server being attentive(but not too attentive), etc. NO ONE GOES OUT TO EAT TO GET THEIR CHECK FIXED!! You punish our time, your tip SHOULD get punished back. Even that co-worker wouldn't have made a deal with the waitress if he wanted to sit there and wait to get the check fixed, now would have he?
The other co-worker that pays for the coke that isn't rung up in her tip does the same thing. EVERYONE IS OUT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, NOT TO HAVE HASSLES IN THEIR SERVICE!! It's NOT ABOUT THE FREE ITEM, DON'T YOU GET THAT OR WHAT?
"If your time is so important, why don't you just stay home and fix your own food, or better yet, not bother eating at all? "
If the server's tip is so important to them, maybe they need to check the customer's check instead of just handing it over as most do, because mostly all servers don't compare the menu prices to the check, NO, they make US do it, because they only care about their own money, not ours. See WHO is self-centered? THE SERVERS!!!
wow, springs1.
i don't know where you are eating, but i'm there's a good chance that having that many problems with your service is not a coincidence. i personally have taken change out of my own tips to cover people when they couldn't find the nickel they thought they had – and that is when the check was right! two pennies? for real? you made a big deal out of two pennies? talk about hassle.
if the way you act in a restaurant is anything like the way you typed your responses, i wouldn't want to help you out either. if somebody politely brought something like that to my attention, i would bend over backwards to make it right. being rude gets you nowhere fast. i wouldn't be surprised if servers are putting things in your food and messing with your check on purpose. i'm not trying to be mean; i'm speaking from experience. after working in the food industry, i wouldn't be surprised if items on your plate had been picked up off the kitchen floor. you seem like the type of customer i would hate to have, no matter how well you tip. i am never, ever, snippy with anyone who handles my food no matter what the problem is because i know what may or may not happen to my meal.
i'm sure that 98% of the time there is a problem at a restaurant is just someone who is overworked and underpaid and probably dealing with poor management. you know, i had people actually take money out of my tip jar to pay their checks – like, dollars, not give-a-penny-take-a-penny. i have a million more experiences just like that when it comes to customers. the servers are the ones working and you're the ones out having a good time – why does it matter if they have to work a little harder to fix the check while you spend more time enjoying your evening? relax and give these poor people a break already.
Deli Mama
"i personally have taken change out of my own tips to cover people when they couldn't find the nickel they thought they had"
WHY? Everyone is responsible for paying their OWN bills, just as you are. If you can't afford the expensive bar drink or that dessert or ribs instead of a burger that's at least around $8 or so cheaper, DON'T ORDER IT!! I don't feel sorry for the cheapskates.
YOU as the customer decide to order that more expensive drink that for example has the grand marnier vs. the regular margarita.
YOU decide on getting a $5.99 dessert at the restaurant, instead of going to a fast food place, getting a sundae or small frosty, even if it's around $3.50 at the most, it's certainly isn't around $6.
WHY FEEL SORRY FOR THE SPENDERS?
PEOPLE DECIDE TO SPEND THE MONEY ON **WHAT** ************THEY******************** WANT TO SPEND IT ON WHY THEY ARE POOR 90% OF THE TIME. If they are smokers for example, they'd rather smoke than have FOOD. HOW IS THAT OUR ISSUE? FOR REAL, HOW IS IT? Another example, I waited until I was married to have intercourse, so if the waitress decided to have sex without any birth control, had a kid, HTF is that OUR ISSUE? BE **RESPONSIBLE*** for YOUR OWN ACTIONS!! ACT LIKE AN ADULT!!! Let’s say if she was a single parent because of a death, that person still decided to have a kid KNOWING a person can die. I have been on the pill since 2002 and when I took antibiotics, I didn’t have sex(I didn’t feel up to up) and if I did, it was with a condom(extra protection). I, so far, haven’t forgotten over 3 hours worth. My point is, even if it happens, you decide in life to take a chance, so if you don’t have the money for a baby, you should just do everything but intercourse. For real!! I did it since 17yrs old until 25 yrs old(not completely all those years since I didn’t have a boyfriend all of the those years) did everything except intercourse. It was the fact that I didn’t’ want to be a single parent is the most important reason. I was brought up to be RESPONSBILE for my actions, WHY shouldn’t severs be? I didn’t have the money to be on my own before I got married much raise a kid, so I chose not to even risk it.
"you made a big deal out of two pennies? talk about hassle."
Did you notice that THEY DID as well not to TAKE IT OUT OF THEIR ***OWN 2 PENNIES EVEN OF THEIR FREAKING POCKETS*** YOU IDIOT?
YOU DIDN'T NOTICE THAT *********THEIR FREAKING 2 CENTS WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM********? WELL, I AM WAITING FOR YOUR SELFISH ANSWER, ASSHOLE?
I DIDN'T HAVE ONE SERVER GIVE ME THEIR OWN MONEY, SO HOW IS ME WANTING OUR 2 CENTS GIVING THEM MUCH HARM? YET, THEY AREN'T TAKING *******THEIR FREAKIN OWN 2 CENTS ARE THEY?
WHAT AN ASSHOLE YOU ARE!!
YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT AT THAT ***THEY AREN'T TAKING ***THEIR*** 2 CENTS, so WHY THE HELL SHOULD I NOT VALUE *****MY FREAKIN OWN 2 CENTS****JUST AS ****************THEY************************ ARE?
"if somebody politely brought something like that to my attention, i would bend over backwards to make it right."
We have ALL of the times for the most part(once I lost my temper due to I thought the waiter did it on purpose, but that was ONCE when I had drank too much, so honestly that wasn't the REAL me, but I went off of a previous experience I had at the same restaurant where the waiter did overcharge us on purpose, which I know I shouldn't have, but I did mess up, but he messed up too by being mean back. He said basically when I asked him in a mean way “Is there some reason you charged me for an extra drink.” He was like “I TOOK THIS TABLE AS A FAVOR.” Does that really help anything? It doesn't help to be defensive back; it makes it 10 times worse.
In mostly all of the overcharge situations, all I presented was the situation not in a yelling way 99.9% of the time. Usually I say "The price is $7.29, but the menu has $6.99", which this is a REAL EXAMPLE. The waitress didn't apologize and didn't ask to get something comped and didn't give money out of her own pocket. so you think ********I*************** am the SELFISH ONE, LOOK AT THOSE SELFISH SERVERS, THEN TELL ME**** WHO**** IS SELFISH?
As far as the guy that overcharged us on a $6 drink I didn’t order, yes I handled it wrong, but do you honestly think being defensive back is the way to make a tip? A caring waiter would have no matter HOW the customer acted would have said “I’M SO SORRY” and would have asked the manager to comp at the very least a coke off the bill for the customer’s inconvenience, which if they wouldn’t, a caring server would pay for it THEMSELVES. By the way he reacted made him get an automatic stiff. If he would have tried to calm me down by being NICE and getting me something off the bill to PROVE his innocence by his manager, he would have gotten 13% at least of the amount BEFORE the discount instead of zero. It doesn’t help to be defensive back, don’t you get that or what? I had every right to think he overcharged us on purpose, because he wasn’t attentive and that we only ordered JUST DRINKS, so HTF can you MESS UP THAT? NO FOOD, just 2 people, then actually only billed us for one soft drink(on PURPOSE as I said before), so our actually overcharge with tax I figured out was $4.91, but it still was an overcharge.
NO ONE bends over backwards. My husband once had a baked potato I mentioned in another post forgotten, the waitress didn't bend over backwards, if anything, he POLITELY just mentioned he ordered a loaded baked potato, but she didn't apologize. If anything, she took OUR TIME to look at the ticket AT OUR TABLE for about 10-15 seconds which is very UNCARING to do. A caring server wouldn't have EVER went by a ticket and would have (((VERIFIED))) the WRITTEN ORDER WELL BEFORE ************DELIVERING THE FOOD*********!!!
Even when being nice just simply presenting the problem, MOST servers don’t apologize. I am VERY SERIOUS HERE. Especially with wrongly priced items. We had one at a fine dining restaurant that was $2 overcharged and he said it was a “MISPRINT.” WHAT BS, because we NEVER ORDER FROM COMPUTERS, LIKE DUH, customers order from a MENU. Any servers that have had been charged wrong prices would know this without being trained even. That’s not nice to say it’s a misprint. All I said was that the margarita was $10, not $12 in a NICE manner.
SO NO, NO ONE BENDS OVER BACKWARDS, because a caring server would take THEIR OWN 2 CENTS EVEN out of their own pocket to fix a wrong price and they don’t. Then, since they don’t, WHY act like I am the cheapskate then if they are PROVING THEY ARE?
Continued next post:
Sounds like a lot of people eat at shitty places, or I don't pay attention to my food enough. I've never found anything in my food. Maybe a hair or eyelash once, but couldn't be sure it didn't come from me. An eyelash won't kill me. Apparently, we are all royalty. Finger? Complain. Eyelash? Get real.
I used to work in a breakfast restaurant during college and a bar after I graduated. I had two notable examples stick out:
1) At the breakfast restaurant, an older lady came in a couple of times near closing time (we were only open 6-2). Every time she said she found a hair in her food and demanded it be comped. Near the 5th or 6th time of this, the manager quietly brought her to a unoccupied section and told her if she tried this little antic again, he would charge her for all of the meals he has already comped for this invisible hair. She sheepishly apologized and never came back.
2) When I was working at the bar, a group of 40-somethings came in, drunk as skunks. They all ordered beers and entrees, but I told them that the keg for the beer was being switched over in an attempt to get them to drink some water and eat some food before consuming anymore alcohol. They all eat their meals, but one woman vomited all over the table, the floor, and herself. The rest of her party made a huge scene about how the food was ill prepared and it made her sick (mind you she ate her food and promptly vomited less than 5 minutes later AND the vomit reeked of vodka; the entire bar smelled like 'vomitka'). They demanded that all their meals be free AND they demanded to drink for free the rest of the night. The owner said they pay for all the meals and quietly leave or they pay for no meals and he calls the police – their choice. They chose to pay for their meals but made a big scene before leaving, calling the owner a Nazi and me the dumbest girl they'd ever met. What's funny is they tried coming in again the next night (raving about the food, no less) and couldn't understand why the owner refused them service.
I have never had to "cheat on my bill". That being said...I have had MANY reasons to complain about what some restaurants call food. I have refused to pay for many meals based on many reasons. When I go to a restaurant I EXPECT food that isn't just "edible" but GOOD. I demand I get what I pay for. I wish EVERYONE would do the same. Stop paying for garbage served in the guise of food. You pay good money...you should be getting good food. Don't reward bad restaurants with repeat business and refuse to eat/pay for bad food! (you need to refuse the food when you have just tasted it not when you are half way through or finished with it).
"good food" is a matter of taste...others might like what you don't so that doesn't mean you should get it for free. On the other hand you hit one nail on the head...when you return to a restaurant you didn't like the first time you have no one to blame but yourself. That is why restaurants should serve good food...to win the right to your repeat business.
No, However, if it's not suppose to be in the food and it is, then it ends up in mine. I've gotten rocks, pennies, hair, etc... Usually I just pull it out, Its been cooked. I have gotten free meals from this and won prizes. I even cooked a cake and used a $1 spatula my wife just bought and part of the tip melted off into the chocolate, guess where it ended up. Yup, on my plate. I would never put something in my food to get out of a bill but when it is there the restaurant has always given me it free. Pizza Hut even gave me two extra orders of the same type.
After reading this story and the comments to follow, I was reminded of an article I read ages ago.
It involved a family at a high-priced restaurant who ordered as if it were their last meals and AFTER finishing their food and cleaning their plates, claimed that the food was disgusting and they shouldn't have to pay.
When one first reads into this, seeing how they finished their entire meals we want to call BS. However, the story does not end here. As someone commented earlier, how do restaurants prove when there is a scam or when a mistake on their part happens?
This restaurant I was discussing actually did prove that the family enjoyed their meal. They had video and sound recordings stationed above most of their tables. This video showed the family enjoying their meal and had not one word of complaint from any of them, one family member actually mentioning how they enjoyed their food.
It's great that this family got caught, but do restaurants have a right to record your conversations at dinner? Makes your skin crawl thinking about how as your eating, you may be watched.
I wish that would work the other way. All too often I've had a bad meal, but been too chicken to send it back or ask for money off. I wish they'd record that and then just give me the discount. :)
Although I have never witnessed someone trying to get a free meal like this, I did have a highly unfortunate event at a Denny's of all places with someone I knew who was just sooo rude to the waitress. Very demanding about how her food was to be cooked and then insisted that she probably would get it wrong anyways. Apparently this person had been a waitress for one whole day before quitting that job, and felt that her miserable 5 hours made it OK to be a total B**** to every waitress or waiter she ever encountered. Whatever happened to common decency?
Your friend must have been a complete joy to be married to...
ummmm still single as far as I know...???
No surprise there...Life is WAY too short, you know?
That costs someone money. Lower profit for the diner, lower wages for the employees, lower amount of food on the table for employees children, resulting in malnutrition, related illnesses and eventual starvation.
How can you sit there eating a hamburger with someone who is in the act of murdering a helpless child ? You Murderer !
Yes but he got his recommended daily requirement of iron and zinc!
I used to work at a call center that took customer service calls for retail businesses. In one case a pizza shop customer found a bolt in his pizza and called the store to complain. The kid who answered said he remembered that a bolt fell into a pizza as it was being put in the conveyor belt oven... The manager said not to worry about it because the oven would melt the bolt! (as if the oven were anywhere near hot enough to melt steel, and as if it's safe to eat a bolt, as long as it's melted) We heard crazy stuff like this every day.
Taught him, you should have to remove the bolt. Bolts are not conducive to channeling The Force. Strong in The Force, must you be.
I've served for awhile now. You learn quick who is legit and who isn't! If something is wrong with what you ordered say something RIGHT AWAY when I check back! I will happily fix whatever is wrong! Things happen and we are happy to fix them. BUT when I check on your table and you tell me everything is great when you've already cut into your steak, taken a few bites of your burger, whatever you may be eating THEN tell me that there was something wrong AFTER you've eaten everything you're getting nothing for free! There is a reason your server checks back with you. If you come across something halfway through that is understandable, but most of the time it is obvious right away when something isn't cooked the way you want it or there is something that you didn't want on your salad, ect.... And if you just walk out on your bill, remember... the server is usually the one who has to PAY for your meal! And if you complain EVERY time you come to a place the servers WILL remember you and you aren't getting a thing taken off your bill so save the complaints for when there really is something wrong! You'd be amazed at how happy we are to replace what you ordered with the correct item or if the rare case you don't want anything to replace it we will take it off your bill! To the servers/cooks who feel it's ok to do something to people's food if it's sent back, GROW UP! That's sick and wrong! Even if someone is rude that doesn't give you the right to do ANYTHING to their food or drinks! If you worked in my bar and did that I know the boss would send you packing right away!
I feel like if restaurants installed surveillance cameras in the dining areas then low lives who try to get away with not paying a bill could be arrested. Or at least recognized as someone the place would not want to allow in again should they show up the next time and be recognized from the footage.
Why is it that classless morons think that every restaurant issue should be rewarded with a freebie? If you wait in line at a grocery store, do you walk out without paying? How much of your life has been wasted at a doctor's office, reading a germ-riddled 2 year old copy of Sports Illustrated? I am so tired of the rude comments, the sense of entitlement, the double standard. The next person that answers my greeting of "How are you this evening?" with a brusk "Ketel One and tonic" is getting a faceful of fist.
I've been out with people who habitually complain about food when eating out to the point that I wonder WHY they eat out. And to the point that I avoid eating out with them because I feel embarrassed.
But an out and out scam like the piece of trash with her hair described in this article? Oh no. Nononono. Totally no class garbage. Not a person I'd want to be associated with REGARDLESS of their sex appeal. Total turn-off. Loser.
And they'd know it too before they watch me and my sweet tushie walk out the door.
As a career server (sad as that sounds, at higher end restaurants you can make a nice living by any standard) I've seen more than my share of miscreants trying to pull cons. Usually restaurants roll over and comp their particular dish, meal, or buy dessert. I've had steaks sent back in similar fashion. Even had a lady once finish her entire lobster tail, complain it was tough after the fact, then get mad when she was told she wasn't getting anything free because she failed to mention it the two times the server and manager checked on their food.
People are pathetic. Not all of them, but a lot of them. They are petty, shallow, stupid, cheap, rude, inconsiderate, snakey, mean, condescending and generally irritating to be around. The worst of this comes out when you give them a modicum of control over someone (IE their server in a restaurant, or their experience while dining out).
This story is just another example of someone being pathetic.
Now...you all do realize that the author of this little "piece" didn't actually experience this, and didn't happen to them....right? This mope heard of this little scam that everyone is aware of...and tried to roll it up into a poinant little article. These little editorials suck.
Move the ad, CNN!
I think we should follow the lead of countries that have compulsory military service after high school, except it should be compulsory "service industry" work. Maybe some people would stop treating service industry workers like crap.
Great idea! I never worked as a server, but I worked at a gym for a couple years after I got out of the military to supplement my income. For the most part, people were polite and friendly, but now and again, I'd run into a nasty customer. I have a college degree, was a military officer and compete at the national level in two sports, and some people treated me like I was a stupid meathead loser JUST because I worked at a gym. I'd get comments like "well, since you don't know what a 'real' job is...", and "you clearly don't have a clue about personal responsibility", and my favorite: "you should think about going to college or joining the military". People's assumptions just astound me.
I'm a bit picky, so I tend to order food without things. As tends to happen, sometimes "no green onions" or "no mushrooms" gets overlooked. Every now and then, the manager will come over and apologize profusely and comp my dinner. I appreciate it, but it's not really that big a deal to pick off some scallions!
My dad ran a restaurant half way around the world and it happened there too. Most people are good but you will find scum bags everywhere. Another funny story...One time a guy brought along an "escort" , ate and drank nicely and slipped out with an excuse of going to the bathroom, leaving the "escort" to pay.
I ate at a restaurant in town recently that typically has very good food. Ordered a Bloody Mary which was the worst thing I had ever tasted – the waitress replaced it free (I only took one sip). Then my dinner came and the chicken fried steak was absolutely raw in the middle. Rather than make another fuss, I just ate the edges and let it go at that. I did not want to be considered a pain the you know what or trying to scam the restaurant out of a meal. I also have not been back to the restaurant. I don't know if the waitress or cook/chef noticed that the uneater portion of the meat was raw.
When I worked at a restaurant a few years ago, I had a table come in for lunch. 3 black women, all older, probably in their 40's-50's. Very well dressed and everything. I serve their sandwiches, and within about 5 minutes, one of the women (the only one at the table with very distinct, fire engine red hair weaves), complains that there's hair in her food. She, nor her friends would make eye contact with me, and they were "disgusted" and felt that they should ALL get a percentage knocked off the bill. So I took her plate to the hostess stand where there was better lighting, pulled out the hair and returned to the table. I had the hair in my hand and said, "If you'll just hang tight for one moment, I want you to personally meet the cook (the ONLY employees there were me, the bald cook, a curly grey haired manager, and a blond server). I got the cook to come out and we stood there and I told her, "As you can see, there CLEARLY isn't anyone in this restaurant except for you that has hair like this." They just looked surprised. So while they chewed on that, I printed their bill and inserted the "offending hair" in the pocket of the billfold that I put on the table. lol They paid, but obviously didn't leave a tip.
hahahaha!!! Love it!! and hopefully you never saw their sorry butts again!!
Does anyone else think this is a BS, made-up story?
I promise you it's true. Seeing that happen has stayed with me for a long, long time.
The best way (I'd NEVER do it myself, having worked in several restaurants as a cook) Is to put a few of your short and curlys in it. They can't discern one person's from another
I have never done a "dine-n-dash" or anything of that nature but, after reading this article, I can see why restaraunt workers get so annoyed with those who have legitimate complaints. But then there is the other side too. I'd like to see a poll about how rudely others have been treated when a legit circumstance arises. Recently, my boss sent me to a local fast food joint to grab lunch for everyone. One particular employee reached into his fries several times before realizing that there was chewed, smushed gum on the napkin that had been placed on top. I went back to the joint with the half eaten food and they were so rude and stand offish. They even went so far as to say "that's not one of our napkins, ours aren't that big"...please. They were all the same lady...geez.
Karma means you don't get away with anything. Living simply, taking care of yourself and others will reap positive rewards. Scam on others and there will be different rewards. Be happy boys and girls.
Very well said!
By the way, tipping is the most illogical, stupidest thing we North Americans do. Almost no one else in the world does it, and the only places that do are places frequented by North Americans. This includes every other English speaking country too.
Well, given that it IS the norm in our country, I hope you don't use this attitude as an excuse to not tip. Most wait staff have their wages pro-rated based on the expectation of a certain percentage of income from tips, so getting stiffed because of a customer's attitude (rather than actual poor service) does really hurt them. Undeservedly, whereas if they really are screwups, then withholding a tip might be well-deserved.
Q: What's the difference between a canoe and a Canadian?
A: A canoe tips...
Actually it's quite logical. Americans want cheap food. By providing cheap food the restaurants pay workers poorly and thus depend on tips so that the job sustains them. When I lived in Europe eating out costed 2 to 3 times more.
I can totally agree with you. I actually had a waitress approach my table before taking my order and asked for her tip.
Oh come on, how often does this happen? I wouldn't doubt we have to be more worried about what goes on in the kitchen anyway. And what waitresses and bar tenders get paid (with tips) for the work they do, who cares?
Just ask yourself, "Would I like to be cheated out of money I have earned?" Most independent restaurant profit is not great, and waitresses and service help depend on tips. If you want free food, raid your parent's refrigerator or go to jail.
I got another one:
So one time while I was working as a server at a restaurant, a lady found a hair in her soup. Hmm. Oh well not mine obviously I have short hair. Something was nagging at me so out of curiosity I went to the kitchen.... back at the table I just asked her one question. "How many white women do you think we have working in the kitchen tonight". No free meal this time honey.
Dude honestly who cares about finding ways to eat out. restaurants are disgusting the people that work in the back are unhygienic and careless, remember they're getting payed shit to serve you. don't expect much out of a waiter when their only getting paid $2.13 an hr plus tips. You can get fired for showing up without a name tag or your five minutes late, so you can't expect the employees to take the job serious. Honestly if u want good food, find a friend that's in culinary arts and have him cook dinner for you lol or learn to cook yourself
This happens at my husbands restaurant each and every weekend-all the staff in the kitchen have shaved heads. Someone will come in with a huge group (birthday party/reunion, etc) of people and order something not on the menu and of course, they make it for them. Then, right when everyone is either done, or close to being done with their dinner, someone will demand to see a manager and begin very loudly complaining about a hair in their food-and demanding the entire table's meals be comped. We went out to eat once and my husband found pieces of Brillo pad in his salad-and because he knows the business, he quietly called over the waitress and said "hey-i realize this is because you're really cleaning those colanders well before you throw the lettuce in to wash it...but you might wanna throw that batch away." He doesn't demand anything, yell, or become abusive. Of course, he's got class, and others..not so much.
Good for your husband.
Really, that is the best way to handle a real situation. It's up to the restaurant to decide how to deal with it. It's up to you to decide if you want to go back.
I've never worked at a restaurant, but I cook a lot of meals and I know that sometimes stuff happens.
His response is perfect – it lets them know they have a problem and gives them a chance to both deal with it so as not to have the problem reoccur and also gives them the chance to deal with you as customers to make an impression one way or the other.
Excellant answer Amber and you shall receive an honorary "PHD" of Internet Intelligence! Wish more people would do this.
Personally, this is such a skanky, shameful activity, I'd be embarrassed to know anyone who tried it. If you can't afford to eat out. don't do it.
I ordered a hot dog from sonic once and brought it back to the house to eat it. About halfway through it I noticed a black hair and called them. They told me to bring it back and they would refund my money. Keep in mind I am white and the hair was from a black person. I get there and the manager comes out and sees I had eaten about half of the hotdog. I show him the hair and he tried to say it was mine. Finally he came back with well you've already eaten half I can't give you your money back. When that wasn't working he brought up the fact that I had brought the fries and hotdog back but I forgot the drink. By then I was at my breaking point. I told him I would go back for the drink but only if he 100% reimbursed me for the food AND my gas money to go get the drink. Only after I asked for the number to corporate did he refund me the 5 or 6 bucks for the meal.
I did still call corporate and they blew me off, never been back and never will.
I chose "other" and here is my response:
I have served people on two occasions in which they did this sort of scam. I could not prove it, but I knew it. The great thing is that people are generally good, and this sort of scam seldom happens; and that is also a good thing since it does not sour myself or a restaurant owner when a legitimate claim is made.
These people mess things up for others! My friend was eating lunch at a restaurant one day and get this, she found a CHEWED GUM in her pasta dish! She actually was chewing it and wondering what the heck that was too! They did offer to make her another order. I don't think she ever went back.
I would hope it was a shaving cream pie.. They don't deserve a free dessert on top of their antics!
I used to work at a restaurant and people do stuff like this ALL THE TIME. The mentality is if they can get away with it, they should do it. Its just a criminal, entitled attitude. People know the more fuss they make the more you just want them out of the place. In highschool I worked for a pizza place and you knew the scam was on every time someone called in and the first thing they say is "I'm supposed to get some free pizza". No matter what you do, they'll get it.
So either you had a non-representative cross-section of the population at your restaurant, you kept getting the same 6% over and over again, or many who responded to this poll are lying.
Having waitressed my way through college, I feel like you can tell (most of the time) the folks who really did find something weird in their food and the ones who are just trying to get out of paying the bill. The ones who really did have it happen to them, you feel really bad, even when it's not your fault, so I don't mind reducing or completely comp'ing the bill. For those who you know are lying...I feel like I should just have been allowed to hit 'em with a pie. I don't think that's asking too much.
If you have a legitimate reason to send food back to the kitchen, by all means, but don't make crap up just to inconvenience the kitchen workers.
No doubt she's a democrat.
Wrong – this kind of greed and lack of ethics is a Repub thing....since you raised the question.
In my state if you get caught doing this you go to jail
I have only found a hair in my food once.
Since I was raised in an institution, I ate the food, pulled out the hair, didn't say anything.
My eating partner, however, raised a fit and got the entire meal for free.
I was embarrassed.
Doing it on purpose? L O S E R
Works best with a pubic hair!
you would not believe how often people complain about meals in order to get them for free. My wife works at a high end restaurant and even super rich people do it. From the poor lowlife at applebees complaining about a burger they ate 90% of already.... to the fat, wealthy prik that complains about the $50 steak he just ate almost all of...there's are a-holes in all walks of life. I have had problems with meals at nice places and chains... I simply pay and never go back to that place again.
YIPPPEEEEEEEE – 94% of people were honest ! Only 6% scum !
Now thats grounds for a celebration ! { not as many scummy people as I had anticipated ! }
Restaurants should not let customers get away...just make another one of the same thing, after measuring how much they have already eaten so it cn be subtracted before delivering to the table.
May be security cameras should be zoomed into each table....but that way ROI will not look good.
I found a cow's tooth in my vegetable beef soup once. Told the waitress about it, didn't get it taken off my bill or another free bowl of soup.... she took it to the kitchen and got me another bowl of vegetable beef!! It was kinda gross, but at the same time kinda funny too.
On a similar note,as a cashier I had someone try to pull the change scam on me twice.Worked as a cashier for 10 years,rarely if ever make mistakes,and the same fool tried to scam me twice.
The first time I was nice and told him to talk to my boss,and my boss told him to go to hell.Pretended not to recognize him the second time until he tried to pull the same trick right in front of my face.Threatened to break his arm If he didnt leave right then and there.Never saw the guy again.
C N N ! ! ! Of your attempted quality screening the comments, why did you let the following comment be shown? I mean isn't the word fu*king a word that should not be posted?................................
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Yes
Her name is Amy and she's a fucking thief. Her kids will be thiefs and will steal too.
September 2, 2010 at 1:35 pm | Reply
Well, everybody should be able to know who they are so the restaurant staff can watch them.
Dan, it's the Internet, not Utah. You're going to see swear words now and then.
dude... change your tampon. it's ok, we will all wait. Peace
...And what the heck is a "jingoist?"
She had to be white huh? "immigrants" dont eat at places they can't afford! Isn't that right Brad?
Makes you wonder what other kinds of shady things people like this do if they won't pay for a $6 burger.
Exactly!
Thumb in chili rings a bell! :)
My sister-in-law nearly always sends something back because its not just so, i.e. toast not piping hot, it drives me nuts so I dont like going out to eat with her.
To a certain extent this is perfectly acceptable behavior. I ask for hot tea and three times the water comes, barely warmer than body temperature – it gets sent back until they actually warm it up so it steams. Ask for my steak rare and they bring it severely overcooked to medium-well. C'mon – a steak place with a very very thick filet mignon shouldn't have ANY trouble NOT cooking it too much! Try again, dudes. And again. You'd save money if you aimed for undercooked instead of overcooked, so if the customer doesn't like it you can just throw it on the grill for another minute instead of having ruined the steak (unless you see it as a way to get a free one yourself....cooked to your specification, LOL!) Requested no dressing on a salad and it came smothered. Bring me a new one – without dressing, please. These 'returns' until they get it right are justified. Note these were not all the same meal. That would indeed say something about the restaurant – or the waiter who apparently forgot to turn on his hearing aid!
Yes I can see your point, but sending items back until they get it right, That I wouldnt do. Just like in the movie Waiting with Ryan Reynolds if you havent seen it you should rent it. Ive been on both sides of the coin as a customer and being a waitress in an upscale restaurant in California you can insult the staff all you want but they never ever like it when you send something back especially with an attitude and being rude. Thats a no no. I know it isnt your fault that your steak is overcooked but sometimes its not the waitress fault either, the cooks get it wrong. Let me let you in on a little secret cooks get offended when you send food back. Dont ask me why. I was a waitress for 2 years Ive seen alot of nasty stuff. People are gross and nasty and I dont condone nor do I agree with scammers. Customers can be very rude. If you dont like the service from a particular restaurant you shouldnt go back and you should report them to the proper management otherwise keep sending something back you might just get a suprise yourself...... See that movie its disgusting... ICK! Stop pissing off the people that serve you.
U are one of the customers who gets the "feces salad sandwich" on a regular basis, you just don't know it. As a pro cook, semi retired, from a college town in the midwest, my suggestion would be: order it, eat it, enjoy it, dont eat the parts you dont like but NEVER send it back with a complaint. NEVER. If you are in a 5 star resturaunt, yes complain all you want, there is a lotta oversight on all the production. But if you go into a chain and start sending food back and tellin the waitstaff to tell the kitchen staff something you dont like, yeah you are just BEGGING for a feces salad sandwich. I've seen it happen before, it's grim stuff. But when my line cooks are all making 7 bucks an hour and nobody tips out the kitchen, the waitstaff is bitching up a storm and everything is stressful for a 6 dollar meal that you were too lazy to cook at home for yourself if you start complaining about stuff that is just nit picking, you're really seriously askin for it. im not saying it's right or wrong, im just saying it's so. and no, ive never done it, but ive seen it done. Personally i only eat at 2 different spots, both are places i trust. Hell if you are paying less then 10 dollars for a meal, STFU and eat it, whatever it is. Peace
If you can't afford to pay for your lunch or dinner,stay home! I wouldn't trash my name or lower my standards to do something that low.Who ever does something like that should look in the mirror and ask themselves,was I brought up like that or did I just turn into a low life on my own? GOD HELP US,what is wrong with our country.
What a disgusting trick- and even more sickening is the fact that that girls mom taught her to do that. What great parenting. Pigs.
My own mother used to bilk countless free Rt44 drinks from Sonic right in front of me by ordering them, saying she had a free coupon for one, and "forgetting" to give them the coupon when the carhop came.. They no longer give the coupons out NEARLY as often here city wide now because of her antics. She even complained to me about it, and I said, GEE I WONDER WHY? {sarcasm}
Why would anybody try something like this to get something as insignificant as a free meal. Most of the places these type of people try this at don't have food that cost much to begin with.
It is really amazing how worthless people can be.
Many years ago, I found a small bolt in my food at a Chinese restaurant. They did give me the meal free. Would never dream of making something up to get a free or discounted meal.
I used to have a friend who loves to be a high maintenance diner...everything from asking the server their name and story, to asking for larger servings and trying to order off the menu (at chain restaurants)...I would not at all be surprised if he would pull this sort of thing, which is why I refuse to dine with him.
I had a friend who would order items she wouldn't eat, well could not eat. She was allergic to chocolate and would order a drink from the bar that had chocolate in it and then throw a fit saying something like, "I can't drink this! It taste awful. Please get me a soda or something no one has to make." The drink and usually the appetizer would never be on the bill. Then she would show a coupon for a free desert and get that free too! After a few times with a group and twice by myself, I no longer went to lunch or dinner with her. When I told her why, she said I "was judgmental and had something against her that I was presenting as this invalid complaint of her behavior". I had her repeat it so I could write it down. At that point I realized she was insane and was relieved when she put in her resignation and now works in another State. Sorry Georgia. We don't want her back.
JT, can you imagine being her husband or boyfriend?
I glad you told you how worthless she is.
Sorry, I meant to say I am glad you told her how worthless she is.
"I had her repeat it so I could write it down." Now THAT was funny! At first I thought that you were having trouble coherently expressing her reaction – but obviously she said that verbatim, and you were so appalled that you actually got her to repeat it so you could record it as further evidence of her insanity. Well done, JT!
The waitress probably told her to eat at home if she cant afford a big tip
I love how some people are pulling politics into this.
Truth has nothing better to do than spoil everyone's fun on a FOOD BLOG with his conspiracy theories. Just ignore it.
I remember doing the dine and dash a couple of times as a teenager. It was stupid and it amazes me how much a person changes over a lifetime. I mean I used to be a liberal. I didn't think it was right then, however did not stand up to the friends around me just went with what I thought would make me cool to my friends. Now though if someone suggested something about cheating someone I am the first to say that is wrong.
What the bloody hell does being a "liberal" have to do with this? Not being exceedingly crappy to one another is a HUMAN characteristic of socially-adjusted individuals, not a matter of political preference.
Seriously... you have issues you need to deal with.
You know right from wrong and consider the rights of others? There, see, you're STILL a liberal. Be proud :)
This gal sounds like a dyed in the wool liberal. Glad that it did not work for her.
Really? She must be a liberal? Really? Can't you do better than that?
Oh, that's just Truth's "thing." Some people always wear a flower in their hair or always ask for dressing on the side. Truth enjoys calling people liberals as a pejorative. It's almost cute, once you're used to it.
I can...she's a thief and a sorry excuse for a human being!!!
That's why we love him. He's like a cranky grandpa you put up with. Sometimes he'll actually say something funny.
As a restaurant manager I have actually watched someone pull a plastic bag with a dead roach in it out of their purse and place it into their food. The look on her face when i showed her where I was standing (the wait station directly behind her seat) when she did that was priceless. The (rhymes with witch) tried to deny it.
I walked out of a restaurant without paying one time. That said, I'd like to point out that I was in New Orleans, near Bourbon Street, it was just an average Wednesday night and the restaurant (and every one near it) was packed beyond belief. We were going on hour three of the marathon meal (took us 1/2 hour just to get drinks) and had been done with our food and waiting for our bill for about 45 minutes. We asked the waiter for it three times, before my (ex) husband finally just said "Ok, we are leaving." So I grabbed the waiter on his next trip past us and said "We have to go, if we can't have our bill in the next five minutes, we're going to leave and not pay." And he said OK, we was going RIGHT now to get the bill. And 10 minutes later we left.
We had a similar experience. My roomie and I had somewhere to be, so asked for the check. While waiting, one of us went to the ladies room, then the other went to the ladies room, so there was always someone at the table. It wasn't till we got home that evening and one asked "how much do I owe you for lunch?" and the other responded "I thought YOU paid!" that we realized the bill had never arrived. Moreover, we waved bye-bye to our waiter as we left and he didn't try to stop us walking out. Maybe he wanted to treat two pretty girls to lunch?
I've almost done that more than once. It really gets on my nerves when you have to wait on the bill. Waiting on the food is one thing, because you imagine they're preparing it, or if you don't get it in an unreasonable amount of time, you can leave... but once you eaten, you have to pay for the food, and it's super frustrated to be stuck at the restaurant for another hour because no one will bring you the bill.
Once I had to actually get up, tack down the hostess and go to the register with her to pay. I didn't leave a tip. The waitress was rude and absent the entire meal, and we got zero service. However, I explained the lack of tip to the hostess, who promised to pass it on to the owner of the restaurant. There was really only one other time I couldn't wait for the bill. I had an appointment to get to, and I kept flagging people down, but the bill never came. I finally left approximately the amount for the food in cash on the table and walked out.
Restaurants should be able to file charges on someone who does this for attempted fraud. Seriously. I'm very glad she didn't get away with it, but the thought that people try it is deeply disturbing. Especially that her /mother/ taught her. Fabulous moral lessons, mom!
That is what I was going to say.
I wonder what the kitchen staff added to her food before the waitress brought it back to her...
Ha ha! After watching the movie 'Waiting', I try not so make a fuss even if something truly is wrong with the meal! Anybody for some fromunda cheese? Ick...
People have mentioned a few movies that joke about what goes on behind the scenes when you complain about your food. Based on my own experience as a chef and waiter, I never ever send food back! Never complain or be rude to your server until after you have your meal and won't need any drink refills or dessert!!! You think a hair in your food is bad? You think that a chef spitting on your burger is bad? You can't imagine what goes on in some restaurant kitchens. I mean that. YOU CAN"T IMAGINE! These people work hard, often for meager wages. How do you think they manage to sleep at night? I'll tell you. They fall asleep snickering about their "secret sauce" or "special seasoning" that you earned through your rudeness and complaining. You have been warned!
I've dined with people who seem to complain at every single restaurant they eat at, seemingly so they can get some sort of deal out of the place. Oddly enough when it came time to tip, they weren't very generous (tipping on the reduced cost of the meal). I'd imagine that they couldn't go to the same place too many times or the staff would start to recognize them and then who knows what would happen...
There are people that always want to go somewhere but, never want to pay for anything.
I'm a restaurant manager and stuff like this happens all the time. People will eat all their food and complain about it afterwards. My servers always do a check back at which time they can say something but they don't. I just comp the item because if I don't, they will send an email to corporate and just get a gift card anyway. I even had a lady call and said she got food poisoning from us. After a few questions, I figured out she was lying and she had the nerve to say "you can't blame me for trying"!
I actually found a nail in my food. An actual nail that gets nailed in the wall. I told the waitress and she took the plate and then came back and had the nerve to say the manager said its not theirs. I started laughing and could not believe they thought I put it there. I got up and walked out and didnt pay for anything. I then wrote an email to the company and they sent me a gift card. All I kept telling the waitress was why the hell would I put a nail out of all things in my food??? She refused to answer me which is why I left.
I've found a staple in my food before but didn't say anything because I didn't think they would believe me because of people like this.
that stapler sticking out of your pocket didn't help much either, I bet.
Her name is Amy and she's a fucking thief. Her kids will be thiefs and will steal too.
Scum is everywhere in this country–at all levels.
I've dined with an older relative that complains about the meal after he's eaten it, he tries to get a free dessert or $$ taken off the bill. My husband and I try to avoid going to restaurants with him (we'll have him over for dinner instead) but sometimes we have no choice, the last time it happened my husband went back into the place and apologized to the waitress and gave her an extra tip.
Sounds like another case of old, cranky, and cheap.
Lisa, I don't care if the person is a friend or relative...why would you ever go out to eat with them again, let alone invite them to your house for dinner? If I were at a meal with a constant complainer (I actually would not be there, because after 1 or 2 times out with that person, I would never dine with them again) I would call them out on their complaining and probably even do it in front of the waiter. People like this are complete ass%#les and I would have no problem telling them that to their face. Too many people would rather not confront someone when they do something that is wrong. I think the exact opposite should be done. If no one ever tells them that they are acting rude, they will probably never stop.
That psycho bitch from hell must be sensational in bed. Would love that.
This is all Obama's fault
Well, George H.W. Bush was president at the time. Does that make it his fault?
That's funny!
That's the difference between a Valid Complaint and a Scam because someone is cheap. What's more, is that it was her MOTHER who passed this trend down to the child. If you are going to be that cheap, eat at home!
Some peeps do it on purpose, but usually they get their own hair in the food and don't recognize it belongs to them and blame the cooks even though their heads are all shaved.
Tacky, tacky, tacky. Glad she got caught- and lost a dining companion!
I agree. Very tacky. For me, I don't what would be a worse taste in my mouth experience- a friend stooping that low at a restaurant or actually finding a hair in my meal
Sadly, "Integrity" is dying in this new generation.
Pretty sure the article states her mom showed her how to ran that scam. So much for the "new generation" argument.
When I used to work security for a high-end department store, we used to get gangs of shoplifters coming in that were often a gaggle of girls whose ringleaders were their mothers. What a lesson in ethics for those kids.
They should black list people who do that, just like they used to when people would write checks that bounced. It would be great if area restaurants shared information about people like this with each other, kind of like how the casinos do in Vegas. This way people would know that there was a consequence for trying to scam the restaurant beyond getting a dirty look.
How can one prove when it's a scam, though? The restaurant could be sued because, unlike a bounced check, there's no proof unless they videotape everything and caught the sabotage as it happened. I'd never even think of stealing, but I have found the occasional hair in my food, and have found insects in my salads exactly twice. I never asked for a free meal but I did bring it to the servers' attention each time so they'd be aware of it since it's easy to see how it could happen. My meal was comped once or twice, but I usually just paid because, as I said, it happens. I also had a catering company years ago, so I'm probably a little more sensitive to how easily things can go wrong than some, and I don't like to take something for nothing unless it's a screw-up that shoud've been avoided.
Speaking of insects...the grossest thing I've seen actually found was a squished cockroach in a burger from a Jack in the Box.
My boyfriend showed it to the server who just looked at it dumbly and said "oh yeah, sometimes those things get in the lettuce. Sorry."
My boyfriend said "Well I'm not going to finish eating this..."
To which the response was "Yeah, I wouldn't either."
I mean I know it was fast food, but still...no offer of a refund or anything! And based on the comment it sounded like this was not a one time thing. That was ridiculous...even McDonald's usually gives a free apple pie or something when they screw up the order. But this is a violation of the health code...seriously WASH THE LETTUCE!
In my experience if someone truly is grossed out by something, they don't want a replacement and they won't keep eating it. Usually they've lost their appetite. (Although I personally have long since given up being grossed out by hairs unless I don't catch them until they're in my mouth...if I see them I usually just pluck them out and go on eating. I mean, you know back in those kitchens people are sweating in your food and everything else. Generally you try not to think about it, but you know it's true.)
I've had all to many (in my opinion) real experiences with hair or bugs in my food to do this. It literally makes my stomach turn at even the thought of putting my own hair in a dish.
I can't stand when people try to pull these scams. What's worse is that someone at the next table might see the commotion and hear that there was a hair in the food and never come back to the place. You're not scamming one meal, you're potentially losing a lot of business for the restaurant.
However, one of the funniest anniversary cards I've ever seen had a picture of a nice dining couple on the front, and it said, "here's your ticket to a free meal." When you opened it up, there was a plastic squished bug inside. I think the fact that this trend was immortalized by Hallmark says a lot.
That's the same as being a thief in my book. Our country's morals are in the toilet these days. I'm glad she got caught, stupid broad.
Oh yeah, new thing in this country...not being moral. People have been scamming since the beginning of time. This happened in the bible, the 40's, 50's, 60's, etc.
STOP BLAMING PEOPLE TODAY on everything that is wrong with the world.
I'm sure it was an immigrant anyway. They steal everything.
You had a semi-point and then the sound of your ignorance almost made my ears bleed.
Brad, that is the dumbest thing on this thread, and that is no small achievement.
Brad you're an ass!!!
Well said Brad.
I'm pretty sure Brad was making an ironic joke. You really think he's such an ignorant fool as to say "quit blaming people for everything" and then say "immigrants screw everything up" a single line apart from one another? Even if he was a jingoist, a bigot, and a jerk, I doubt anyone's so stupid as to mix those two statements in the same posting.
It's all good. Calm down. It's funny.
And some people are evidently so dense that they don't catch irony
I think Brad is smart. Immigrants really do steal everything...
Prescott is even stupider!! What a jerk. Probably a crook who seeks to justify his own lack of morals by claiming that immigrants are just as bad as he himself is.
Brad has a good point
what a loser. Brad, I bet an immigrant took your job. maybe if you stop being such a useless lazy druggy you will get it back. so stop blaming immigrants . is not their fault you are such a bastard moron.
TheBear..thank you.
Brad, you're an idiot.
HOW STUPID DO YOU SOUND I CANT STAND THE ALL MIGHTY "WHITE MAN" DO YOU KNOW YOU GUYS WERE THE FIRST TO STEAL ANYTHING YOU GUYS STOLE LAND, LIVES, MONEY AND STILL GET AWAY WITH IT I SWEAR ITS GOING TO CHANGE REAL SOON THOUGH BECAUSE ONE DAY WHITES WILL BE THE MINORITY OF THIS NATION AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE READY...
Simply – You are an idiot, and for the love of all that is holy, please turn off the caps.
Are you really that crass and ignorant, or is it just a gift? Or are you just bored and seeing if you can rile people up?
I agree that this sounds like a sarcastic rather than derogatory comment on immigrants, but...
I do have to admit certain cultures are much more accepting/encouraging of behaviours like this. (Generalization, not reflection on individuals, but you can you say this isn't true?)
SIMPLY BLESSED, based just on what I can see from your post, a) you are a racist pig; b) you really need to learn how to not type in all caps; c) you need to learn this thing called punctuation; d) I'm really not concerned about when whites become a minority-I know it's happening. However, generally the whites tend to be the more intelligent of the races, so we will find a way to keep you in your place-as second class citizens, right where you are now and belong.
@Svenski - "I doubt anyone's so stupid as to mix those two statements in the same posting"..... You live an isolated life, apparently. Even if meant to be ironic, it's not as cute as he thought.
Yes it is.
I agree – a thief is a thief is a thief is a thief!! My husband and I were having lunch at a local restaurant on a Sunday afternoon and the server asked if we knew the two "older women" that had just vacated the table next to ours. They looked like they could have been Sunday School teachers and left without paying their bill. Such stupidity. Even if the server has forgotten to put an item on our check we always remind them and have the check refirgured.
You are either lying or you are a moron.
I'm with you, CJ, and Julian, you're being crass. It's just as wrong to pay a bill when you know it's been miscalculated in your favour as it is to steal deliberately. A sin of omission is still a sin, and the restaurant still loses money. I'm just as quick to have them correct a mistake if it's in their favour, so why wouldn't I do the reverse?
Don't parents teach their children how to behave these days? Whatever happened to the Gold Rule? Do the majority of people fall on CJ's side or Julian's?
Cj
"Even if the server has forgotten to put an item on our check we always remind them and have the check refirgured."
A LOT of times now-a-days, servers will PURPOSELY leave off soft drinks off the bill to get a higher tip. It is very common and some servers on the internet stated that their manager let's them for certain regulars.
As far as getting it the bill fixed, that's punishing the CUSTOMER. If my husband or I see a item missing from our bill, we tip based on the original amount and then some. It's NOT OUR TIME that should be punished for their mess-up. I feel if they are going to take OUR TIME that we want to LEAVE to fix it, you better give us a comp. We mostly go through overcharges besides the soft drinks, so for us, it's a HASSLE.
If our server punishes our time to fix a mistake, you bet the tip will be punished. If it's in our favor, we just pay either all of it or part of it in the bill. They get a tip too, so they'd have a much lesser tip, so they can decide to be honest by finding the error themselves. Remember, the SERVER is the person responsible for ringing you up correctly, not anyone else, unless someone else is bringing you your check, which is very rare.
We have had WRONG prices before due to servers that are TOO LAZY to COMPARE the MENUS to the check and make US customers do it. I AM TIRED OF THE WAITING TO GET THE CHECK FIXED CRAP!!
WHY would feel that's "GOOD SERVICE" to tip a good tip when they are PUNISHING YOUR TIME to get something they can pay out of their OWN POCKET to fix if necessary? I feel you want my money, don't PUNISH ME for YOUR MESS-UPS!!
If something isn't rung up right, that's on the server and it's VERY POSSIBLE NO ONE MAY EVEN FIND OUT, FOR REAL. Think about it. There were times where we weren't rung up for a dessert or even mixed drinks, if the server, bartender, or manager doesn't realize it, they won't know anyways.
Once, a former co-worker told me about entrée that was left off him and his wife's check. He said to the waitress that he can either give her a big tip or she can fix it, guess which one she took? THE BIGGER TIP!! Obviously, an entrée is more than a few bucks extra in the tip, so she probably didn't have to pay for it for her to take the bigger tip option. Also, see how **SHE** was the one that was dishonest. Now, I don't know if she rung it up afterwards, but I seriously doubt that. If you punish the customer, they should be punished back.
My point is, if something isn't rung up, that's on the SERVER, NOT the customer. If you punish my time, I punish you, especially since we have to go through the crap the MANY of times we have had OVERCHARGES, so WHY in the world would I punish my time to get something in our favor fixed? A LOT of times we have had overcharges where the servers didn't even say they were sorry even.
I have actually seen(rare, but have) prices a little bit higher on the menu than the check. Once, I saw a margarita that I ordered straight from the menu 25 cents less on our check. You honestly think we should take OUR TIME to get it fixed, when they probably wouldn't fix it anyway? Also, we can give an extra 50 cents even in the tip to cover that. WHY punish us.
This is NOT the same as the ***CUSTOMER*** scamming the restaurant. This is the ***SERVER*** that either was too lazy to check over the check or they made a mistake, either way, don't punish us for it.
CUSTOMERS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ERRORS ON THE CHECK AS FAR AS POINTING THEM OUT GOES. Heck, even if we were overcharged, we can not say anything if we wanted to, which unless we were in a hurry for something major, we would do that. I think it's crazy not to mention it otherwise, because most people work HARD for their money.
The customer isn't "SCAMMING" the restaurant if they see they weren't charged for something. That's on the ****SERVER**** to notice and it pay for it when we have LEFT with the HIGHER TIP they receive. Being at a restaurant has to do with having a good time, not dealing with getting checks fixed.
You honestly must not have had much of any overcharges, have you? WE HAVE, so you can understand WHY we feel this way? It's an inconvenience. Whether you are ready to leave or even if you aren't(let's say you get the bill before your dessert arrives), it's still something you don't want to deal with. It's so much easier to just pay a bigger tip and let the *******SERVER********(AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE) DISCOVER THE PROBLEM. If they don't, no harm done to anybody.
The restaurant loses money all the time to giving comps for bad service, which I feel if you are going to make us wait to get the check fixed, YOU OWE ME A COMP(no matter if it's a 5 cent overcharge, $5 overcharge or $5 undercharge), you should give me something for MY LONGER WAIT and INCONVENIENCE!! That is a MAJOR mistake and should be given a comp just as when an appetizer is forgotten to be put in or an entrée is completely wrong. Time is money. A CARING server would pay US for inconveniencing OUR DINING EXPERIENCE AND OUR TIME!! THEY OWE US, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!
A caring server wouldn't fix it when presented. They would tell the customer "Don't worry about it" and PAY FOR IT THEMSELVES!! When my register was short when I worked at a donut shop (I believe they gave us a $2 leeway), they took it out of OUR CHECK. If I presented a missing item and the server would actually take up our time to fix it, they'd receive a BIG FAT ZERO FOR A TIP, unless they gave me a comp of some sort to make-up for my TIME and INCONVENIENCE!! To put more on my bill and that is something they can ring up LATER, AFTER I HAVE LEFT IS JUST MORALLY WRONG TO TAKE UP A CUSTOMER'S TIME LIKE THAT!!
Tracy
"It's just as wrong to pay a bill when you know it's been miscalculated in your favour as it is to steal deliberately."
NO, but restaurants do it all the time. Corporate doesn't get the newer menus, but a lot of managers don't care to tell their workers and a lot of people get overcharged on prices, but the managers don't do anything about it.
Do you truly understand it's not the ***CUSTOMER*** stealing, it's the SERVER either purposely deciding to not ring up an item(such as soft drinks) or the SERVER forgetting to ring up something. That is ON THEM TO PAY FOR THAT ITEM, just as I had to in my check when the register was short. They should have to do the same as I did. The restaurant doesn't lose money that way.
Also, what about the waitress I mentioned above that the co-worker OFFERED her a bigger tip instead of fixing the mistake with her taking the bigger tip option. THAT WAS **HER** deciding to steal even more so.
If I notice an item not on our check, we should have a comp just as when your food is completely wrong anyways. You shouldn't think that my time isn't worth money, because time is money. You want to inconvenience my time to fix something you can do later with your own money or even the restaurant managers may not even notice. I bet that is what happened that the waitress that took the bigger tip option didn't have to pay for that entrée. Do you want to bet?
It's not stealing, because if the person ringing you up messed up, that's ***THE SERVER UNDERINGING YOU, NOT YOU DOING ANYTHING!! It's NOT OUR JOB TO CHECK OUR BILL, that's the SERVER'S JOB THAT WE ARE PAYING TO DO THAT!!
It's not OUR JOB TO POINT OUT ANY ERRORS ON OUR BILL!! We have had many times items not on the bill, mostly soft drinks, which obviously if it was against the law, we would have been in jail by now. It's not US THIEVING them, it's the SERVER STEALING from the restaurant, whether it is truly doing it on purpose or accidental. Its' not our problem if they don't ring up something. That is THEIR ISSUE and should give us a comp if they are going to punish our time like that.
"A sin of omission is still a sin, and the restaurant still loses money"
As I said before, usually either the SERVER pays for it themselves or it doesn't even get realized. Even if, as I said before, the restaurant managers comp things left and right these days, so the little bit of money they may lose may not even phase them.
"I'm just as quick to have them correct a mistake if it's in their favour, so why wouldn't I do the reverse?"
Because it's punishing YOUR TIME and INCONVENIENCE when you can just pay it in the tip even or pay a bigger tip for part of the item. I asked a former co-worker a question about what she does when she is not rung up for a soft drink, which she says she just leaves it in the tip. People don't want to get HASSLE of not being able to LEAVE and have that interruption to do that.
I don't do the same, because managers and MOST servers don't care about our money. Most of the time, the servers don't even say they are sorry, especially when there is an overcharged price, they feel they can't READ a menu too. Also, we have had 2 cents even 4 cents overcharges and not one server took out their OWN MONEY to fix it, they had rathered inconvenienced our time instead, so their tip took a hit(15% instead of 20%). Don't you think they should have just fixed it themselves if they cared about OUR MONEY? They DON'T, THAT IS WHY WE DON'T DO THE SAME IF IT'S IN OUR FAVOR as well as they would be INCONVENIENCING OUR TIME, making us wait to LEAVE!!
" Whatever happened to the Gold Rule? Do the majority of people fall on CJ's side or Julian's?"
Whatever happened to making up for a mistake with a comp like they do for food mistakes? If you make us wait to get the check fixed(whether it's in the restaurant's and server's favor(more higher the bill, the more higher the tip)), WHY do you think we should not take it off the tip for YOU making us wait and punishing us, especially if you don't give us something for our inconvenience for our trouble? It's not US that has to point out ANY ERRORS!! THAT IS NOT THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY!! The customer's responsibly is to pay the check they receive, that's it.
I feel it's immoral for the server to punish our TIME by fixing a mistake in their favor. That's not right of them and then they want our money at the end, are you nuts?
To Someone Else: Waiters and waitresses are paid an unbelievably low hourly rate, and they depend on tips which they earn for good service. Perhaps other countries pay their staff properly.
I agree with those who have stated that anyone who tries to cheat in a restaurant, is so low-class and tacky. Actually, it's plain criminal behavior, it's theft, and it's morally wrong. Disgusting!!
Brad for President!
Businesses are so concerned about customer service and the public knows this, which is why so many feel they can get away with something as stupid and insipid as this scam. I applaud the server for not only returning the plate but staring her in the eye, then focusing on her scalp. Obviously "T" felt no remorse, which are the worst kind of people.