Now here's a fine dining experience [General]
2008 Feb 20
Here's a more local story from a million years ago when I was a line cook at the Canal Ritz:
A guest called one of the servers over and pointed out to her that his chicken calzone said "fuck" on it. (We used a fork to mark a "c" for chicken "l" for lamb and "s" for salmon.) She apologized profusely and offered to have a new one made. The customer just laughed and said "I like this one...but if I cut it open and it says "you" on the inside I'm not paying for this meal."
The server was local opera singer Julie Nesrallah (in her student waitressing days, who was known to the staff as "Boof" for her trademark big pouffy hair.)
A guest called one of the servers over and pointed out to her that his chicken calzone said "fuck" on it. (We used a fork to mark a "c" for chicken "l" for lamb and "s" for salmon.) She apologized profusely and offered to have a new one made. The customer just laughed and said "I like this one...but if I cut it open and it says "you" on the inside I'm not paying for this meal."
The server was local opera singer Julie Nesrallah (in her student waitressing days, who was known to the staff as "Boof" for her trademark big pouffy hair.)
2008 Feb 20
That was a tame story FF, but apologies for the profanity! I'm not one for sugarcoating. If any 6 years olds are reading ottawafoodies they've already heard worse in the schoolyard.
The cook who made the offending calzone also nearly scared a poor cabdriver to death after a staff party by streaking up 5th avenue in the buff and leaping onto the windshield of the poor guy's cab. I'd could probably write a chapter of a book on that guy alone. And I only worked with him for about a month!
I guess I shouldn't mention what happened on table 33 between the manager and one of the line cooks.....
The cook who made the offending calzone also nearly scared a poor cabdriver to death after a staff party by streaking up 5th avenue in the buff and leaping onto the windshield of the poor guy's cab. I'd could probably write a chapter of a book on that guy alone. And I only worked with him for about a month!
I guess I shouldn't mention what happened on table 33 between the manager and one of the line cooks.....
2008 Feb 21
we were having a christmas party one year and everyone had to bring food. When we asked one of the more bitter pastry chefs to bring cookies he responded by saying he wouldn't bring anything. We said fine but don't come to the party. He did in fact show up at the party with a box of cookies but on closer inspection he had written f**k you on each cookie in multi coloured sprinkles. How festive, no?
2008 Feb 22
I can't resist adding my two cents about waitressing days...
I was working as a waitress at the now-long-defunct Cafe des Copains in downtown Toronto, and we worked with a very incompetent waitress.
When her disgruntled customers departed, they left 2 cents as the tip, and she ran out after them and flung the two cents at them on the street, swearing a blue streak.
Needless to say, she was fired.
...and that's my "two cents worth" story.
I was working as a waitress at the now-long-defunct Cafe des Copains in downtown Toronto, and we worked with a very incompetent waitress.
When her disgruntled customers departed, they left 2 cents as the tip, and she ran out after them and flung the two cents at them on the street, swearing a blue streak.
Needless to say, she was fired.
...and that's my "two cents worth" story.
2008 Feb 22
Glinda - Interesting story. My ex would always leave 2 cents as a tip when he was upset with the service at a restaurant... he believed that if you left "nothing" then the wait staff wouldn't understand the message, they would just think that you the customer were cheap.
Me the nice person was always embarassed, I figured that even bad service was worth something. Just don't ever come back again.
Me the nice person was always embarassed, I figured that even bad service was worth something. Just don't ever come back again.
2008 Feb 22
Food and Think: Yeah, we all knew what the 1 or 2 cent tip meant. I must say I never got one! (Although the occasional "no tip" was inevitable, and was never based on the quality of service I gave...she says modestly)
My favourite "bad tip" was the old Scotsman who came into the Duke of Wellington in Waterloo and had a birthday meal, all by himself, and was so pleased with my service that he made a point of thanking me, and pressed a quarter into my hand. (The dinner cost over 20 bucks...but then, he was an old Scotsman...)
My favourite "bad tip" was the old Scotsman who came into the Duke of Wellington in Waterloo and had a birthday meal, all by himself, and was so pleased with my service that he made a point of thanking me, and pressed a quarter into my hand. (The dinner cost over 20 bucks...but then, he was an old Scotsman...)
2008 Feb 22
Glinda - That I just chalk up to OLD. My Dad is a horrible tipper. He is over 80. He just doesn't get it. I have tried to explain to him that the restaurant minimum wage is lower than regular minimum wage. He still doesn't get it. I have tried to tell him that not everyone can get a $ 20 an hour job (he's retired after 40 years in a Union Job). Try as I might, he just doesn't get it. I've given up, now I just find subtle ways of supplementing his tip when he pays the bill... be it leaving money under my plate, napkin, saucer or going back to the table pretending I left something behind. OH Well, even without me, at least he's better than 25 cents on $ 20 dollars.
zymurgist
Restaurant sorry over F word bill
The rude bill
The message was printed in capital letters on the bill
A restaurant owner has apologised after diners had their very own F word experience - without Gordon Ramsay.
Ten friends found the abusive and sexually-explicit message on their bill at Joe Delucci's Italian restaurant in Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Diner Clare Watkin said she thought it was written after they complained about poor service.
The party from Walsall had gone to the restaurant on Friday. Owner Nigel Langsdon has begun an investigation.
Ms Watkin said: "I couldn't believe it. The bill read 'fish cakes', which one of us had for a starter, and it was written right above it - absolutely disgusting language.
I think that the way that we've been spoken to is absolutely outrageous
Clare Watkin
"We actually booked the table for 8 o' clock in the evening, by the time they had taken our order it was quarter to nine and we didn't actually receive our food until quarter past 10."
She added: "I'd like a written apology from the restaurant and I'd also like some compensation.
"I think that the way that we've been spoken to is absolutely outrageous."
TV chef Gordon Ramsay's foul-mouthed diatribes on his Channel 4 show The F Word have given viewers an insight into the type of language often used in the restaurant kitchen.
Joe Delucci's owner Mr Langsdon said the message had been meant to be seen only by kitchen staff and he did not know how it ended up as an item on the receipt.
He said: "That shouldn't come out on the bill, so we've got to find out what's gone wrong there.
"But we have apologised unreservedly to the girls concerned and said that they're very welcome to come back and have a free meal and we'd like them to."
He has also offered to donate the bill for their meal to charity.
The cost of the meal came to £284.68, including a 10% service charge.