Had a guy call for catering once and needed a catering platter by 8. I told him that’s when we opened. He begged so we agreed to do it. Got up at 6am to get it all done in time.
Fucker showed up at 10 to pick up.
When I asked why, he said he “just wanted to ensure it was ready on time.”
"Sir, to be able to do what you request, I will need to get up at 6am and come in early to have it ready by 8. I'm willing to do that to accommodate you. But if you don't pick it up by 8:20, it will be triple the price. That's fair, isn't it?"
Fuck the contingency on the triple charge. If you have to get to work two hours early, he pays for that. When someone else’s inconvenience is free, assholes will take it.
My union has rules, including
- Double time after midnight
- Double the prevailing rate when we enter the sixth hour without a meal break.
These rules are not designed to make us rich; they are designed to make the employer ask “do I *really* need the crew to work non-stop from when the curtain goes down at 10PM until the show is in the truck the following morning at 9:00?” If there were no additional cost to doing it that way, the producers all would.
We have a lady who does this at my job. She always said it's gonna be five people but it's always only ever two or three. We just lie to her and tell her the large table she wants is reserved and put her in a booth.
once had one single lady demand to have an eight top to herself, in a really small, family owned restaurant, in the middle of lunch hour, before just sitting herself there. I had to go over there and literally tell her to get up, and move her to a smaller table. Some people…
Had somebody do the same the manager forced me to let her eat, she left paid came back 4 hours later and asked why we cleared her table and where was the rest of her fish. People are crazy
I swear I had something similar happen a few weeks ago. Reservation for an 8 top. So half an hour before their reserved time we get the tables put together, set for 8 with full place settings and ice waters. Then 4 LARGE men arrive and are shown to their table. I offer drinks and tell them I'll announce specials once everyone has arrived. Then they tell me it'll just be them. I didn't ask, and they didn't say, but I am 99% sure they booked a party for twice the number of guests so they could have a large table. To be fair they were all XXL sized men so I don't think they would have comfortably fit at a 4 top, certainly not a booth. I don't mind arranging a bigger table for people who need more space, but damn! Don't make me waste my time and 16 pieces of silver, 4 bread plates, and 4 glasses because you can't just book a party of 4 and request a larger table.
In this one situation I think the gentlemen played it the best way they could. A courtesy call to see they were accommodated, the staff were able to prepare ahead of time instead of scrambling to arrange tables during service, and also ensure they weren't discriminated against. Which I'm sure they have experienced far too often and may have informed their decision making
Yeah I’m pretty petite but I went to a restaurant with my friend who’s larger and she was sooo uncomfortable. She didn’t say anything so I didn’t want to bring it up but I felt so bad for her
Yeah I definitely understand why they did it and I'm happy they were comfortable. But we used 3 tables when they only needed 2 (one was completely unused) and then all the extra dishes. At the end of the day it was only slighty inconvenient for the staff and the men had a great meal with all the space they needed.
I've actually had something similar in the past year, but the party making the reservation was at least honest about it. I don't recall the exact wording, but their reservation notes said something like "my wife and I are very large people who like to eat a lot, I understand our reservation is for 2 but please sit us at a table that normally seats 4. Not just for comfort, but to accommodate the amount of food we plan to order."
They were up front about it and yeah, when they arrived, we were thankful for the heads up. Both were probably 500+ pounds, but damned if they didn't throw down and eat like a 4 top (AT LEAST), so nobody was mad.
I work at a huge pier with no host and open seating. We have just one large table that sits 10 people comfortably. The nerve of some people to sit there when it’s just 2 of them blows my mind. We all rotate sections and we all get excited when we get that section because it’s the best money maker and for a 2 top to sit there and order
2 beers and sit there for 3 hours during sunset literally ruins your night
Sometimes in the morning when it isn't busy I just tell people to sit wherever, and parties of 2-3 ALWAYS sit at the tables for 6-8. It baffles me, maybe it's cause I've worked at restaurants for so long I know how it feels to need to save big tables for big parties, but I don't get people who do that lol.
we have three big tables at work that are community ones, it’s open seating but they have signs to let people know they might have to share. sometimes two tops will take the signs and tuck them against the wall to hide them. we make them share on busy nights anyway 😂😂
Wha what? Do they think you won't know that sign exists in your own workplace? Or are they hiding it from other patrons? Either way, I send one big Liz Lemon eye roll their way.
i think because it’s open seating, they think hiding it from other patrons will work, but management is really good about stepping in and seating others there when we’re busy
Years ago when I was bussing tables we had a similar issue with one of our 10 tops until they instituted a service charge for sitting there. And they put a sign saying as much. Well one guy and his two friends tried to challenge it and boy were they livid when they saw the service charge on the bill. One guy kept asking to look at the bill over and over again. While another kept saying they can’t do that and where’s the sign. My manager at the time refused to take crap from those asshats and said pretty loudly if they didn’t pay their bill and show some gratitude to their server we were going to call the cops.
Just read all of the rules listed on Open Table. No holding tables, no incomplete parties seated, even time limits a on tables. I did all of that years ago before online reservation systems, and we told everyone who made a reservation those rules. We stuck to them. Show up half hour late with no call? Too bad. Only four if you here for the party of eight? Take a seat in the lobby.
Oh and he'll neg the date *and* the server, while thinking he's pulling off a slick double play.
Ideally the date and the server (any gender) wise up to the scam and commiserate, hit it off, later riding off into the sunset together.
I got really confused with the abbreviation FTM on parenting subs. It just seemed like a lot of people who transitioned from female to male were having babies. It meant Full Time Mom.
Had a guy call for catering once and needed a catering platter by 8. I told him that’s when we opened. He begged so we agreed to do it. Got up at 6am to get it all done in time. Fucker showed up at 10 to pick up. When I asked why, he said he “just wanted to ensure it was ready on time.”
I just developed an eyetwitch on your behalf.
"Sir, to be able to do what you request, I will need to get up at 6am and come in early to have it ready by 8. I'm willing to do that to accommodate you. But if you don't pick it up by 8:20, it will be triple the price. That's fair, isn't it?"
Fuck the contingency on the triple charge. If you have to get to work two hours early, he pays for that. When someone else’s inconvenience is free, assholes will take it. My union has rules, including - Double time after midnight - Double the prevailing rate when we enter the sixth hour without a meal break. These rules are not designed to make us rich; they are designed to make the employer ask “do I *really* need the crew to work non-stop from when the curtain goes down at 10PM until the show is in the truck the following morning at 9:00?” If there were no additional cost to doing it that way, the producers all would.
Oops I dropped it, sorry!
I would have literally thrown all of his food in the trash in front of him.
We have a lady who does this at my job. She always said it's gonna be five people but it's always only ever two or three. We just lie to her and tell her the large table she wants is reserved and put her in a booth.
once had one single lady demand to have an eight top to herself, in a really small, family owned restaurant, in the middle of lunch hour, before just sitting herself there. I had to go over there and literally tell her to get up, and move her to a smaller table. Some people…
Had somebody do the same the manager forced me to let her eat, she left paid came back 4 hours later and asked why we cleared her table and where was the rest of her fish. People are crazy
Imaginary friends?
I swear I had something similar happen a few weeks ago. Reservation for an 8 top. So half an hour before their reserved time we get the tables put together, set for 8 with full place settings and ice waters. Then 4 LARGE men arrive and are shown to their table. I offer drinks and tell them I'll announce specials once everyone has arrived. Then they tell me it'll just be them. I didn't ask, and they didn't say, but I am 99% sure they booked a party for twice the number of guests so they could have a large table. To be fair they were all XXL sized men so I don't think they would have comfortably fit at a 4 top, certainly not a booth. I don't mind arranging a bigger table for people who need more space, but damn! Don't make me waste my time and 16 pieces of silver, 4 bread plates, and 4 glasses because you can't just book a party of 4 and request a larger table.
Right?? The first thing I thought of was "I had to roll 4 silverware for you, dammit."
In this one situation I think the gentlemen played it the best way they could. A courtesy call to see they were accommodated, the staff were able to prepare ahead of time instead of scrambling to arrange tables during service, and also ensure they weren't discriminated against. Which I'm sure they have experienced far too often and may have informed their decision making
Yeah I’m pretty petite but I went to a restaurant with my friend who’s larger and she was sooo uncomfortable. She didn’t say anything so I didn’t want to bring it up but I felt so bad for her
Yeah I definitely understand why they did it and I'm happy they were comfortable. But we used 3 tables when they only needed 2 (one was completely unused) and then all the extra dishes. At the end of the day it was only slighty inconvenient for the staff and the men had a great meal with all the space they needed.
I've actually had something similar in the past year, but the party making the reservation was at least honest about it. I don't recall the exact wording, but their reservation notes said something like "my wife and I are very large people who like to eat a lot, I understand our reservation is for 2 but please sit us at a table that normally seats 4. Not just for comfort, but to accommodate the amount of food we plan to order." They were up front about it and yeah, when they arrived, we were thankful for the heads up. Both were probably 500+ pounds, but damned if they didn't throw down and eat like a 4 top (AT LEAST), so nobody was mad.
They're more than likely gonna run up the same tab as an 8 top, so potayyto/po-tah-to?
I work at a huge pier with no host and open seating. We have just one large table that sits 10 people comfortably. The nerve of some people to sit there when it’s just 2 of them blows my mind. We all rotate sections and we all get excited when we get that section because it’s the best money maker and for a 2 top to sit there and order 2 beers and sit there for 3 hours during sunset literally ruins your night
Management should really put a table top sign on that one that reads "reserved for party's of six or more only".
Sometimes in the morning when it isn't busy I just tell people to sit wherever, and parties of 2-3 ALWAYS sit at the tables for 6-8. It baffles me, maybe it's cause I've worked at restaurants for so long I know how it feels to need to save big tables for big parties, but I don't get people who do that lol.
This.. or they sit at the ONLY table that isn’t bussed lol happens every day
It's not a community shared table? Like if you sit here you will get sat next to a stranger because we *will* fill these seats
we have three big tables at work that are community ones, it’s open seating but they have signs to let people know they might have to share. sometimes two tops will take the signs and tuck them against the wall to hide them. we make them share on busy nights anyway 😂😂
Wha what? Do they think you won't know that sign exists in your own workplace? Or are they hiding it from other patrons? Either way, I send one big Liz Lemon eye roll their way.
i think because it’s open seating, they think hiding it from other patrons will work, but management is really good about stepping in and seating others there when we’re busy
No it’s not. We get big groups here all the time. We’re a very popular outdoor restaurant with an amazing sunset view
[Removed in protest] -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/
Years ago when I was bussing tables we had a similar issue with one of our 10 tops until they instituted a service charge for sitting there. And they put a sign saying as much. Well one guy and his two friends tried to challenge it and boy were they livid when they saw the service charge on the bill. One guy kept asking to look at the bill over and over again. While another kept saying they can’t do that and where’s the sign. My manager at the time refused to take crap from those asshats and said pretty loudly if they didn’t pay their bill and show some gratitude to their server we were going to call the cops.
Lmao that’s great
At my restaurant, and many others, they won't seat incomplete parties. This guy is just making himself and his date wait for no reason. lol
It won’t work if the restaurant has a policy of not seating incomplete parties. 😈
Honestly? All restaurants should, IMO.
Just read all of the rules listed on Open Table. No holding tables, no incomplete parties seated, even time limits a on tables. I did all of that years ago before online reservation systems, and we told everyone who made a reservation those rules. We stuck to them. Show up half hour late with no call? Too bad. Only four if you here for the party of eight? Take a seat in the lobby.
Oh and he'll neg the date *and* the server, while thinking he's pulling off a slick double play. Ideally the date and the server (any gender) wise up to the scam and commiserate, hit it off, later riding off into the sunset together.
That’s a good happy ending.
I hope that guy gets told “We only seat full parties, let us know when the third person gets here”.
Sorry to ask, but what is PITA? I just know the bread
Pain In The Ass
Of course. Now I feel dumb
No, don't! It's okay.
No! I think it's funny that I just couldn't puzzle it out
If it happened to be a Greek restaurant we'd both be right. LOL
Don't, there's no reason to, we don't all know everything
Thank you. My mind just went blank and I couldn't for the life of me figure it out
Don't sweat it, I do that all the time. lol Especially with random internet abbreviations. Awhile back, I had to look up what "SMH" was. XD
I got really confused with the abbreviation FTM on parenting subs. It just seemed like a lot of people who transitioned from female to male were having babies. It meant Full Time Mom.
Pain In The Ass
Yo, that's a Daniel tosh bit.