RESTAURANT SCENE: Everybody's got pet peeves

Everybody has a bad restaurant experience now and then.

As I write this, co-worker Douglas Walker and I were just remembering a recent lunchtime visit to a McGalliard Road restaurant where the patron sitting behind Walker not only forcefully backed his chair up into Walker's but slammed a backpack into Walker's head.

Bad customers, bad servers, bad outcomes from the kitchen. They're definitely the minority of experiences I've had in restaurants, so it's not like I'd swear off eating out.

But restaurant patrons' gripes and pet peeves — as well as those of restaurant staff — can be interesting and illuminating. Not to mention entertaining.

It's been a while since I've had a truly bad restaurant experience. Most of my "memorable" incidents have consisted of servers dumping ice water on me or grating cheese over my lap rather than over my salad.

A now-gone Muncie restaurant surprised me once with a side of coleslaw that somebody had already, for the most part, eaten.

The website Urban Spoon compiled a list of pet peeves provided by readers and "experts," whoever those people might be:

• Loud people: Urban Spoon noted that people who talk loudly on cellphones are among the biggest annoyances in restaurants. I'd add to that the one person in every large group who seems intent on shrieking with laughter at every funny thing that's said. Looking on the bright side: You're not at their table and even closer to the noise.

• Out of control kids: As a parent, I was always concerned when my son was young that he wasn't flinging toys or, worse, silverware at patrons at nearby tables. And as a parent, I'll say that I'm really sympathetic when kids get bored and act up at restaurants. Luckily almost everyone offers crayons nowadays.

(As an aside, my favorite kid-oriented restaurant experience in recent years: Parents know that it's hard to eat with a babe in arms. I fondly remember watching in a local restaurant as some people who had obviously just bumped into friends held and cooed over the couple's baby. As they stood next to the table rocking and playing with the baby, the new parents remained seated, barely looking up as they plowed through their food. Parents gotta eat when they can. And sleep.)

In 1952, Indiana Sen. Homer E. Capehart points out some good items on the U. S. Senate restaurant menu to Clinton (Ind.) carriers of The Indianapolis News. Capehart apparently didn’t mind the presence of all those youngsters, but today’s diners are increasingly testy about a variety of issues — and so are some restaurant owners and operators.(Photo: The Indianapolis Star)

• Overtly amorous couples. Urban Spoon found that readers didn't want to watch couples kissing, holding hands and more in the booth next door. Believe me, there's nothing like Mardi Gras in New Orleans for seeing public displays of affection next to your beignets and coffee. Everything else pales in comparison.

Other complaints include long wait times — offset to some extent by goodies like peanuts at Texas Roadhouse — and the "no substitutions" policy.

The wildest restaurant pet peeve I've seen lately, however, was one that was voiced by a restaurant owner, not customer.

An Australian restaurant owner recently took to Facebook to complain about a couple of longtime restaurant industry practices that he felt hurt his bottom line:

"During peak times, we would really really appreciate each individual guest purchasing a meal or dessert and a beverage. We would like to reserve table space for paying customers.

"Sorry to put it plainly but large groups not eating or drinking does not pay our rent or the wages of our fabulous staff. If you must share please purchase a drink."

After some backlash, the owner of Freestyle Tout backtracked a little bit. But not entirely, according to Consumerist:

"To help set the record straight there are no 'rules' regarding dining at (the restaurant). We are in the business of hospitality and as such, everyone is welcome whether you are part of a large group, a solo diner or a small party of two. Having said that, we are also a business with staff wages and rent to pay."

So in case you're heading to Australia and are thinking about sharing that big dessert: Proceed with caution.

Source:  The Star Press - 30th August 2014