12.07.2007

Now Who's Uncouth?

I just got home, and wanted to look up the word Uncouth, in case I misunderstood its meaning. Webster says it means awkward and unmannerly. Apparently, that describes me....

Today at my restaurant, at apparently 12:30pm, during the lunch rush, we are on a wait. Not one single table to be had, approximately 15 customers at the door waiting to get a seat and have their lunch. From where I'm standing, I can see the people in the front of the line, a couple, and the people all the way at the end of the line, a woman with small children, ages 6 months - 8 years old.

There had been a seating mistake with the couple, and some guests who arrived after them, had been sat before them. I apologized and told them I would get them the next table. As I'm walking away, I see the woman at the END of the line, pushing her 8 year old daughter forward, but I am busy, so I head for the table that just got up, so I can bus and set it for this couple. As I turn around to lead the couple to the newly cleaned table, this little girl is trying to jump into the seat. I apologize to her and tell her I'm sorry but these other people are going to sit here now. She's cute, it's not her fault, and she walks back to the END of the line and tells her mom.

I approach the greeter, and tell her we have another table available, and as I am about to lead a group of 3 guests to the new table, again, I see the mom at the END of the line, pushing her daughter forward again. I go to seat the next group, and as I turn around, this child is climbing into the new table.....again, I apologize, and tell her, honey, I'm sorry you can't sit here, I'm about to seat some customers here, but if you just wait with your mom, we'll be with you. At this point, there are still 10 other people in line, right? Her mom is still at the END of the line.

Finally, some more tables get up, the entire wait couldn't have been more than 10 minutes, and finally they are seated at a table for 4 with the infant staying in the stroller. At which point, the mom leaves the table and walks towards me at the front of the restaurant, with a chip on her shoulder. Here it comes:

"You are so-ooooo UNCOUTH!"

Excuse me, ma'am?

"You have no manners for asking my daughter to leave the table she was trying to reserve for us!"

Ma'am, my apologies, but we are a first come, first serve restaurant, and I was leading another guest to that table, and yes, I did have to explain to your daughter that she was going to need to wait till it was your family's turn.

"How COULD you seat that 2 top before us!?"

Well, ma'am, they were here 10 minutes before you, were at the front of the line, and had accidently been skipped in the seating, so I needed to get them the next available seat. You were several parties behind them.

"What's your NAME? I'm writing a letter to the OWNER!!"

I'm the General Manager of the restaurant, here's my business card, and the address is on there.

"I want you to get me the NEXT available large table."

Ma'am, we only have one table larger than the one you are already at, but as I see it's becoming available, I will be happy to clear and set it for you. Give me one moment.
Okay, ma'am, if you'd like, the table is ready. I'd be happy to move you over there.

"We're ALREADY sitting HERE and I need to change the baby's diaper!"

Okay, ma'am, as you wish.

The baby at this point, is screaming his little lungs out. So, what does she do? She promptly places the baby on the table and changes his poopie diaper right there in the dining room! Then the entire family eats without washing their hands or asking for the table to be cleaned. Then they leave the poopie diaper and a $2 tip on the table.

Now who's UNCOUTH?



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In this case, the customer is most defintetly not right.... Don't know how you keep your cool with people like that. I do think you handled it with more "coth" than she did:) I can't believe she would change the baby's poo diaper right there on the table! Gross! I hope the customers around her didn't notice what she was doing....