A Restaurant review, of sorts

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Being good enough not to mention its name, I rode my bicycle to town today to drop it off for a tune-up, that was easy. I decided, since it was noon and a nice day and I was going to be walking home, it might be good to have lunch then put my feet to the ground.

I sat myself down at the restaurant, a clean empty table was available. Staff and owner walked past me several times before aknowledging me. I was handed a menu then in, now seventeen minutes of waiting for service. As I made my choice I was passed several more times, now at 24 minutes from my arrival and a bit more ready to eat (hungry), I waited a couple of more minutes, six to be exact as I started to time the intervals with my cell phones stopwatch!
I got to place my order. Of course, on her way out to other customers with cups of water, the waitress says to me, "I forgot you drink!" It would have been good to have while sitting in the Sun!
I did get my drink in 10 more minutes, my meal in another 8 minutes. The only time I was asked if I was enjoying my meal was when I had the last bite in my mouth and could'nt answer verbally. Meanwhile as this BS'ing by the owner, with customer's at the next table went on, just about all through the time these people sat down. I'll bet they enjoyed being talked "at" while they were trying eat.

Let's just say, you get great greeting's at La Tinga, and shown alot more appreciation for making their little cantina
a choice for a great "homemade" lunch, I'll alway's have some green in my wallet for this Mom and Pop!!!

Perhaps the timing is to make you feel as though you hiked 18 miles to get your lunch!
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posted on Fri, May 16, 2008 04:46 PM
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I know where you're talking about! by2ndMonkey1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I'd have to say that, when I go out to lunch from work, I like to feel relaxed and know that I will get back timely. A lot of restaurants downtown understand that not everybody wants to linger as though it is a day-off.
I like how you approached this, it was clever and humerous. Stick to the Mom & Pop's.

"I went to dine at the 'restauranteur's place....one is treated well there but has to pay dearly for it."
Denis Diderot, 1765
RE: I know where you're talking about! byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
The worst thing was that I went upon the recomendation of someone who spoke well of the place.

I remember a quote that was chiseled in Olde English letter's and painted in
gold on a beam in a restaurant I went to years ago as a kid, and I tend to believe it. It state's:
"Fate cannot harm me, I have dined well today."

Buon Gusto,
BozemaniteNo31423
RE: I know where you're talking about! byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
Can you imagine, 242 years ago, Diderot quipped on restaurant service!!
Something big going on near what's-its. by2ndMonkey1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Don't forget to bring your own appetizer, you may not get the one you order before your entree!!!

Ciao~
I wish the star's were forks for this one!
Lunching at noon byDrogoscg1 month ago (2 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
was it between noon and 2 pm when you entered the restaurant in question?? If so, you are stupid. That is about the worst time to get service at any spot anywhere. Let me fill you in..

You, the humble customer who can do no wrong, shows up exactly at the same time every other snobby, self-absorbed, non-cooking A-hole in the Gallatin valley who naturally assumes they are royalty and demands instant gratification cause they can affor to plunk down a few measely dollars for a lunch.

Between noon and 2 pm everyone in this fair city becomes a pure snarling A-hole and wants a quick fix and assumes they are the center of the world. While you, the perfect angel of Christ, sit and secretely seethe at your table wondering where your food is, every other table also has a perfect little angel of Christ demanding absolute service because he or she also has 10 to 15 dollars to spend for lunch. Bozeman is surely Zion!!

Usually some college student who is struggling for rent money is the server in question. The server has multiple tables of pleasent people all such as yourself snarling about everything from the amount of ice in a gtlass of water to the selection of music playing on the overhead speakers. And since it is lunch everyone is in an absolute hurry. You want your food fast, quick, and inexpensive, but you insist on going to a sit down restaurant instead of a fast food place, or even making a meal yourself so you can get it as fast as you want.

No, your in Bozeman. A god amongst humans, so you sit down and expect to get treated like royalty no matter how much trouble the restaurant is going thru during its peak business hours.

You are an A-Hole!! Learn to cook for yourself and then that way you will never be disappointed in service times at noon.
RE: Lunching at noon byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (2 votes) (report abuse)
It was my day off, I chose this place because of a recommendation from someone I work with. And, a restaurant is a place of service. It sounds as though you're rather disgruntled, you probably mostly work for tips. T.I.P.S. = To Insure Proper Service, with your attitude you probably think that people have to leave a tip. I say we should change to service "Non-Compris". (Wiki-pedia that!!!, punk!)
RE: Lunching at noon bydanie0061 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
Drogoscg - take it easy. You sound like you just blew a gasket.
RE: Lunching at noon byBroadway1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
Drogosc: "was it between noon and 2 pm when you entered the restaurant in question?? If so, you are stupid. That is about the worst time to get service at any spot anywhere. Let me fill you in.."

i disagree: isn't that the normal time for people to eat? lunch & dinner? if you can't handle the traffic your shop sees, then i'd say some adjustments are in order. either jack up your prices during peak times to choke demand a bit so your kitchen/wait can keep up, or invest $$ in better help & equipment. don't be a fool - you've described your problem: find a solution or move out of the way & work at a place where the flow suits you better.
RE: Lunching at noon by2ndMonkey1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
Lunchtime, what a novel idea!
Service is a dirty word..?? byalamator1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Drogoscg...you need a new job buddy. I realize that food service workers are one the hardest working, under appreciated and underpaid jobs out there and I feel for ya...BUT...I think that waiting over 20 minutes to order in ANY restaurant at ANY time of day is unacceptable. Ask any restaurant manager if that is acceptable time frame for service. I would think it is not.
BozemaniteNo31423 stated his case in a non threatening, almost whimsical tone and he apparently found it kind of comical and his dining experience turned into a experiment. Did he throw a snit fit at the manager? I don't know.
Look at the time frames again and see if it would be ok if you were the customer.
30 minutes to order, 40 minutes to get a glass of water, and 48 minutes to get the meal.
I don't think Bozo31423 is looking to be treated like a king, just decent service.
I'm also "old school". I give a good tip if I get good service.
Tell us what you really think. byBun Bun1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Gee, Drogoscg such contempt. Unless you are working for your parents, you volunteered to work there. When the money that you get isn’t enough to cover the non-sense that you have to put up with, you can volunteer to leave. I can’t imagine that you would appreciate hearing the ambulance folks berating you because you can’t keep your finger out of the pencil sharpener or endoed your bike or what ever.

If you can’t stand serving people, get a job assembling widgets or cleaning houses. Don’t blame people because they expect a service and you can’t deliver it.
I don't work for tips byDrogoscg1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
LOL! I don't work for tips, but I know the business. Just rent the movie titled Waiting and you'll better understand the people who work the crummy jobs.

And yes, I'll stick to my guns..Bozeman people are pushy snobs. Brass knuckles are illegal for a reason.
RE: I don't work for tips by2ndMonkey1 month ago (2 votes) (report abuse)
I believe there was a movie called Clueless, too!!!!
ILL thought out. byBun Bun1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
You learn about the crummy jobs by doing them, not watching a movie. A movie will not teach you what it's like to dig a ditch in the rain.

If you can de-bug software, get a job doing that. If you don't need money, do nothing or do it badly and expect to get canned. If you need the money, you do what you can. If you can't do anything, go to the gov't or beg. What you shouldn't do is take money and not do your job. I't called a contract.

I don't know what the brass knuckles refers to.
Bozemanite byberrymountain1 month ago (2 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I'm usually a bit irritated with you, but not on this one.

When you PAY for a meal, that should include reasonably courteous and efficient service. Anyone here ever entered a restaurant, in a BAD MOOD and left in a GREAT MOOD? I have. The server also got a HUGE tip.

I acknowledge that there are a few people here in Bozeman (IMAGINE...) that are SNOBS. But, I do think MOST are descent people. I also think that "servers" should NOT EXPECT GRATUTITY.

They should earn it. Customers also should NOT be ABUSIVE to servers ever! Servers, don't confuse a grumpy customer who is hungry, having a bad day, as someone who is assaulting you. They are not.

Try an experiment. Next grump, a-hole that comes in, smile as sincerely as you can, try to perk the person up. I'll just betcha your tips will INCREASE and YOU will be happier and your customer will be grateful.

Just a thought. (I know some people are jerks, but most of us are not even if we're having a bad day.) :)
RE: Bozemanite by2ndMonkey1 month ago (2 votes) (report abuse)
Pfffffffffftttt!!!! to Berry
Pfffffffffffffttt!!! to Berry... byberrymountain1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Berry wants to know what place this is. Anyone?
RE: What place ... bygixa1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
My guess is that it has something to do with the last line of the original post. Just a hunch.
Got it... byberrymountain1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I blew the photo up, and well...what can I say...

Oh, I can say "On the Border."
RE: Got it... bydanie0061 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
I think the photo at the top of this tag is hysterical!
if you wanna serve, you gotta chill. byBroadway1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
i've paid some dues in the restaurants here, and i've come to the conclusion that it really takes a certain type of person to work in that environment. sure there's the tables that aren't so cool, and there's plenty of times where the help could be better, but i've usually found that extra effort is indeed noticed by the customers, and almost always appreciated. maybe not always in tips, but it truly balances - i've definitely been over-tipped, and sometimes when i least deserved it. if you walk around with a chip on your shoulder, everyone sees it - bad way to shoot for tips.

re: original post: you should go talk to owner during a slow time (morns, mid-aft), i've always been glad for feedback from customers, it's a great chance to actually win someone over by showing them that you take service seriously.
RE: if you wanna serve, you gotta chill. byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
I won't stop by, but I'll reply.

You triggered a thought, of food service I'll not forget.

I was at a beach on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., I had just eaten a "Meat Pate" at a trailer food stand, it was so good I ordered a second one. Cece and her helper sold out of what they had prepared for the day, but they offered me a hotdog for free and rushed to prepare for a second round for a crowd that was building, again, behind me. As I was still finishing my hotdog, I let several people ahead of me, and stuffed to the gills...

...I slowly but surely enjoyed my second helping, which I payed double in appreciation!
RE: if you wanna serve, you gotta chill. byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse)
Oh, yeah. I forgot, HIRE THEM!
RE: if you wanna serve, you gotta chill. byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
I was in the mood for dessert after my meal, too. I wasn't asked about this either, or if I wanted coffee!!

Don't let your staff plan your future, they're not doing a good job, and you're following suit!

Es todo.
customers vs. service industry bydclxvinoise1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
The entire problem with this issue is that both sides are pointing fingers at each other, and this has gone on since there has been a service industry. There needs to be respect at both ends. Customers need to realize that they aren't entitled to good service simply because they are paying for a meal. If they are going to be disrespectful to a waitress or cashier they are going to get disrespect back. It's really that simple. Ask anyone who is in the service industry and I guarantee that they will have a plethora of customer-related horror stories from people who have an attitude of entitlement. Now, on the other side of the fence, I can definitely say that there are some service-related horror stories that are worth mentioning. I've gone to places and got absolutely horrible service even though I and the people I was with were as polite as could be. If you are going to be absolutely miserable at your job and treat your customers like crap just because you are having a bad day, perhaps you should consider getting out of the service industry and getting a job in a far less people-related industry. Unfortunately in this day and age a tip is no longer something that you give when you get good service. Now it is expected, regardless of the service that you get. A 15% tip used to be the standard tip, but now that is considered a bad tip and the standard has gone up to 20%. The attitude and service quality in the service industry has definitely gotten worse over the years and I'm sure there are plenty of reasons for it. For this reason I fail to see why the standard of tipping has increased. Regardless, there needs to be a healthy level of respect on both ends. Customers need to understand that sometimes restaurants are busy and that a waitress or waiter can't immediately accommodate their every need. Service industry people need to try and have a more positive attitude when it comes to their customers and should perhaps look for another line of work if they are unable to do so.
RE: customers vs. service industry by2ndMonkey1 month ago (3 votes) (report abuse)
With good training, you'll not find the need for:

customers "vs." service industry

or vice versa!

It is like paying rent, you are paying for the ammenities of what you signed for as stated in the lease.
Creative! byberrymountain1 month ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Hope the "manager" reads this.
I tend to go to lunch between 1:00 & 2:00... byBozemaniteNo314231 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I have eaten at: MacMenzie River Pizza, The Pita Pit, Burger Bobs, STARKY's, John Bozeman's Bistro, Nova Cafe, The Naked Noodle, La Tinga, The Garage. They all have their timing and service right where anyone would want it, no stop-watch necessary!!!
Why would Danie06 post this? byberrymountain1 month ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Danie's typical response to posts goes something like this. " what point are you attempting to make with this post? I'm not sure I know what it accomplishes."

So, what exactly Danie did you wish to accomplish with this post? hmmm...???

Kind of passive aggressive in nature, eh?

How come you just don't come out and say "On The Border" Restaurant really is the pits...??? Pictures get lots of traffic.
RE: Why would Danie06 post this? by2ndMonkey1 month ago