Dear Husband and I decided to have dinner in a restaurant that was totally new to us. It’s not terribly far from where we are staying for the duration, and we thought we might enjoy trying something new.
When we walked in, there was a sign announcing that there would be a private party downstairs. We were seated on the main floor, four or five steps up. We had the choice of a table or a booth, and choose a booth on the outer edge of the room. At the time, only one other table was taken, which didn’t surprise us given that we were dining rather early on a Monday.
Our waiter appeared, told us about the restaurant and their aim to buy food locally. The menu had a nice selection, and we both opted for soup, and an entree. And then things began to go downhill. Just little things, really. We talked about it, quietly, during dinner.
For instance, the chipotle honey butter was okay, but it seemed the chef was trying a bit too hard for originality. Whatever happened to plain butter? DH ordered a Pepsi, but when it came it seemed that the syrup to soda mix was wrong, and he ultimately sent it back, and settled for water.
I asked what the soup of the day was, and the answer was, “Clam Chowder.” I had to ask which kind. When it arrived, it might have been a corn chowder, because there was more corn than clam in it, and it looked like it was chicken broth thickened with cornstarch. That’s not my idea of a good New England Clam Chowder.
We finished our soup, and the soup and bread plates were still on the table when a bus boy brought our entrees. His hands were full. He couldn’t remove the dishes so that he could set the entrees down, so we had to assist him. I’m surprised that they didn’t bus the table first.
We ordered two different steak dinners. Both of us ordered the steak done medium rare. Both our steaks came rare
I rarely order dessert, but I was tempted by the idea of cheesecake. I asked the waiter (who had been conspicuously absent during our meal) what the cheesecake of the day was. He said it was chocolate and strawberry. I asked for a more detailed description. He said he thought it had a ground oreo base, and had strawberries and chocolate over the regular cheesecake. I asked if I could get it without the chocolate and he allowed as that was possible. When it came, it had a graham cracker crust, was slightly overcooked, and had frozen strawberries in sauce over the top. For some reason, I was expecting fresh strawberries…you know, their commitment to fresh produce, grown locally.
Now, I should tell you, that we ate most of our dinners. What bothered us was that the service was off, and the meal didn’t quite live up to the prices. The look of the rooms, and the look of the staff told me that we should have had a better experience. As we left, we realized that our waiter was handling all the outside seating. Another waiter came along and commented that they were short-handed due to the private party. I’d have thought they would have made sure they had the staff to cover their needs.
One last thing, I went to the ladies room without my purse. Too late, I discovered that there was no toilet paper. Luckily a server was in the next stall and shared with me, but someone should have checked the restrooms to be sure they were stocked following the busy weekend.
So, DH and I have decided to offer ourselves as undercover restaurant critics. We know enough about fine dining to be able to assess what’s good and what isn’t. The staff would never guess that we were critics. We don’t look the part. I wonder how much that plays into whether the staff makes your experience a good one, dressing up for the occasion? I have to say we are rather casual these days.
Maybe we can find a local newspaper that wants a restaurant column. We could really expand this, and make a living eating out!
My first comment will be, “Don’t say ‘How’re you dooin guys?”
I loved your description of the experience that you and Fred has as “Undercover Restaurant Critics”. You make even a bad experience entertaining. I would have loved to have been there with you, like hidden in your pocket, to watch your reactions and hear your comments.
I might have been just a little snippy, QT! lol I forgot to mention the gnat I found resting on the ice after I drained my iced tea. It was really good iced tea. Maybe I need to consider adding a gnat or two to my tea in the future! lol Actually, we were pretty laid back about the evening. It could have been worse.
But did you still leave a tip?
My experience of the US is that everyone leaves a tip, irrespective of the service that they receive.
I went to a restaurant near St Pete’s Beach in Florida, years ago. The food and service were dreadful. I counted out the exact dollars and cents and left them on the table. As I left the waiter ran after me, standing between me and the door. “You forgot the tip, Ma’m, over here it’s customary to leave a tip!” “You forgot the service my man,” I replied, in the UK it’s customary to give good service if one expects a tip! My tip is to pull your socks up!” I think that was lost in translation somewhere…
Yes, we did, BW. Dear Husband has worked in the food industry, and understands that even incompetent servers depend upon their tips to make a living. He might tip less than his usual percentage if the service was awful.
DH’s eldest son worked in restaurants in Florida, and he told us that the tipping practice is a surprise to those from Canada and the UK, so I’m not surprised your server ran after you. BUT, if his service was dismal, he needed the wake up call. Others have told me that I should write to the manager of this restaurant, to tell him of our experience so that he can train his staff to avoid these things. That’s IF he will.
I don’t know if this is the truth but TIPS is supposed to stand for “To Insure Prompt Service” UNfortunately, most servers don’t understand the concept of service, and do expect to get a tip whether they do a good job or not. Our servers are paid less than the minimum wage and their tips make the difference between starving and an adequate living.
Were I the manager or owner of a restaurant, training the employees would be high on my list of duties. I’m proud to say that DH’s son used to go out into the restaurant and take a seat, and have a new server wait on him before the server was allowed to work alone. It was like a final test, or a critique. It gave him the chance to see the employee at work, and to remind him that he needed to live up to expectations of the manager, the restaurant, the chain, and the patrons.
If there is a minimum wage, how can an employer pay below it? Maybe that is the problem that needs addressing, then tips could be for good service, so service would improve. Legal minimum wage needs to be a real wage, not someting that the customer has to make up due to profit-taking by owners/shareholders.
Tips are a bonus, not a right.
We often laugh at the US tipping culture. “Have a nice day!” someone will say, and the correct response seems to be actions to the effect of, “Have a dollar!” Even those people who work in other low paid jobs will very generously tip certain people who are only doing a job to a minimum standard. A crazy idea to us English!
Hope everything is going to plan with The Move.
BW, I think the restaurant industry has been exempt from the minimum wage law. Employees of Mc Donald’s have been leading the push to raise minimum wage to a livable standard. I believe they are trying for around $15 an hour, and in Illinois the minimum wages is about $8 or so.
I agree with you that a tip should be a bonus, and not part of a person’s wages.
We are in that brief period where we own a house, but have no belongings to speak of in the house. We’ll have three more nights in the motel, and then we should be able to sleep in our new home. I hate the wait, but it’s giving me a chance to clean. 🙂
Thanks, for asking!
When I am Queen of the Universe, I will outlaw tipping. People should be paid a living wage, and they should perform their jobs without begging customers to support them.
Well said, oh Queen! The only people who benefit from this system at the moment are those who are working high-end rooms. I like your solution to the mess.
Fast food workers have to make at least minimum wage. Restaurant wait staff have a very low minimum because they get tips and Uncle Sam doesn’t get his fair share (taxes – servers regularly under-report their earnings, I know that for a fact).
From Wikipedia: “The American federal government requires a wage of at least $2.13 per hour be paid to employees that receive at least $30 per month in tips.[4] If wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any pay period, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate. As of May 2012, the average hourly wage – including tips – for a restaurant employee in the United States that received tip income was $11.82.[5]” [take that $11.82 with a grain of salt – they can only go by what is reported to the IRS – I know servers who make a better living than I do from their tips – bogie]
For mediocre service, I will reduce my tip to 10-12% (I usually tip 20-30% for good service – I’ve been known to leave more for exceptional service). For horrid service, I will leave 1 penny – just so they know I didn’t “forget” to leave the tip.
Buffy – sounds like your experience was way below expectations!
Thanks for the definitive explanation, Bogie. I knew that wait staff earned a lot less, but not quite how much less. And I didn’t know that the employer had to increase the wages for those who didn’t earn enough tips to make minimum wage.
Like you we tend to be generous with our tips, but DH rarely tips less that 15%. The service would have to be nonexistent for him to leave the penny.
As the system is what it is, at times the tip has been larger than my bill – in extenuating circumstances where I (or my party) was a real pain in the butt and the wait staff took it in stride, providing good service without complaint.
Good on you! I don’t think I’ve ever been in a situation quite like that, but D.H. has taught me to always honor good service.
I recall, particularly, at a Denny’s in Kansas City KS where I went for breakfast. Hunky Husband called me just as the waitress arrived to take my order, so I had to shoo her away. HH took 20-25 minutes to get the information that he needed (in order to send a volunteer out on assignment for the non-profit for which we volunteer – which information he assured me he knew, before I had left town, of course!) Then, I ordered breakfast. HH called, again.
I ran out of time (needing to be at my post by 7:30am), so had the breakfast packed “to go”. The bill was under $10, but the tip was over $10. That did not make me the last of the big spenders, but gave some compensation for the trouble I had been. The woman who waited on me was terrific!
Given that the woman who waited on you was terrific, I’d have to agree with your actions. We don’t see that kind of thing much, but I hope we’d do the same.