Monday, July 31, 2006 by Ospite.


Saturday. Packed solid as usual. Our walk-in wait was roughly 85 minutes and our reservations booked completely with no room to spare. I was up front covering for an ill co-worker.

She very slowly and dramatically. About 40, black tank, khaki shorts, hair pulled up, and two crutches to support her broken ankle.

"How long is your wait for four?"
"About an hour-fifteen."
"What?! That's crazy. Can't you see I'm on crutches? My ankle is broken!"
"I'm sorry ma'am, but without a reservation, I can't bump the rest of the wait list to get you a table."
"Can't you just ask someone else for their spot in line?"
"I can't do that. Reservations are the only ones that aren't effected by the walk-in list, and reservations must be taken 90 minutes in advance."
"Fine. I cannot stand around for over an hour with crutches. If you refuse to do anything then I'll do it myself. I'll ask around and see if people will give me their spot."
"Be my guest."
"Can I see the list so I know who to ask?"
"No you may not."

She then proceeded to ask around hoping someone would relinquish their relished position in line. It's like being chosen for the promised land. Obviously most people simply stared at her as she milked the injury for all it was worth. As time passed, she convinced her children to come up to the podium every five minutes to check on the status. You'd think I'd be exaggerating...but I'm literally not. We started timing them.

Finally their time had come. We brought them to the first available table.

"Wait, what is this?"
"The first available table. Is there a problem?"
"Where am I supposed to put my foot up?"
"We can pull up an extra chair here so you can keep it elavated."
"No no. We need more room. Isn't there a table with more room?"
"This is the first thing we have open. I don't know when the next one will get up. So it's this one, or you can wait again in the bar."
"Fine. FINE! We'll stay here. But our service better be damn good!"

I strolled past her waitress on her way to greet the table."

"Have fun with that one."
"Bossy?"
"Yeah watch out. She's the Crutchmaster."
"What?"
"You'll find out."

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

So you're on crutches. OK, I feel bad for you. Here's an idea: don't go to a restaurant where you know that you'll have a long wait. There are plenty of other choices. Or...if you really want to eat at that restaurant, go during an off-peak time.

I'm perfectly happy to hold a door for you, give up my seat on the subway to you, or make other reasonable accommodations. But you chose to go out to eat knowing that you might be faced with a wait. The world doesn't always revolve around you. Deal with it.

3:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would have told her to leave the moment she started bothering other customers. I'm guessing she left a lousy tip too, eh?

7:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Boo Fucking Hoo! We see this kind of behavior all the time at my workplace, usually from fat obese slobs who park in the handicapped stall then expect everyone else in the place to be accomodating to them. Too bad you couldn't have found a really shitty table for her and her asshole children!

10:05 PM  
Blogger caramaena said...

You say she convinced the children to check for her every five minutes.

Were they embarrassed to do so? I hope they were and that their mother's examples of poor behaviour isn't learnt.

12:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tacky. Still, if she kept harassing customers, why didn't you throw her out? I think you'd be within your rights to do so.

5:37 AM  
Blogger Ospite said...

I let her wander around asking people because by doing so, she continually got attitude slapped right back at her..attitude I wouldn't be allowed to give based on my employee standing. So I let other patrons do it for me.

And yes, her kids did not enjoy coming up and asking me every 5 minutes...they seemed quite annoyed by their mother. And the father...well, he just sat there.

8:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice blog. Are you sure you know what "droll" means?

12:24 PM  
Blogger jali said...

What a self indulgent idiot. She should have gone to Wendy's drive through if she really wanted fast service. I visit here a couple of times per week and I really enjoy the site.

7:08 AM  

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At your service, Ospite

I am not in the restaurant business, I am in the people business. I use every opportunity to people watch, because to me, even the most mundane is fascinating.

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