[kittygilchrist]

I have a sad story about the restaurant on 441..called and got a reservation for 5:30.
"OK, Kitty, two for 5:30"
Walked in at 5:30, "We don't take reservations, take this buzzer."
Waiting for my date, I saw an empty table in the bar area. Seated myself. Waitress comes over, "You can't sit here, we have a party for this table"...
"I had a reservation, but you are not honoring it."
The bouncer comes over, huge dude, picks up each set of silverware and slams it back down on the table, picks up the chair across from me, slams in back onto the floor. Does the same with another chair. "We have to have this table for another party. You can't sit here."
"I had a reservation...etc"
the Manager comes, "What can I do to make you happy." He is not apologetic, he does not smile, appears to be gritting his teeth. My date shows up, we get a table for two.

This is the worst behavior I've ever encountered at a restaurant. Being told I have a reservation and not having it honored, being physically threatened by nonverbal acts, and having management apparently consenting to both of those actions.

[Midvale]

That is beyond belief!

[keithwand]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

I have a sad story about the restaurant on 441..called and got a reservation for 5:30.
"OK, Kitty, two for 5:30"
Walked in at 5:30, "We don't take reservations, take this buzzer."
Waiting for my date, I saw an empty table in the bar area. Seated myself. Waitress comes over, "You can't sit here, we have a party for this table"...
"I had a reservation, but you are not honoring it."
The bouncer comes over, huge dude, picks up each set of silverware and slams it back down on the table, picks up the chair across from me, slams in back onto the floor. Does the same with another chair. "We have to have this table for another party. You can't sit here."
"I had a reservation...etc"
the Manager comes, "What can I do to make you happy." He is not apologetic, he does not smile, appears to be gritting his teeth. My date shows up, we get a table for two.

This is the worst behavior I've ever encountered at a restaurant. Being told I have a reservation and not having it honored, being physically threatened by nonverbal acts, and having management apparently consenting to both of those actions.

Kitty, next time meet at Ricchiardis.
Better food and ambiance.

[buggyone]

The manager asks what he can do to make you happy? Why not tell him you want the bouncer to apologize for threatening behavior - and maybe a round of drinks when your date arrived?

Hope the meal and the date went well after that bad beginning.

[jhrc4]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

I have a sad story about the restaurant on 441..called and got a reservation for 5:30.
"OK, Kitty, two for 5:30"
Walked in at 5:30, "We don't take reservations, take this buzzer."
Waiting for my date, I saw an empty table in the bar area. Seated myself. Waitress comes over, "You can't sit here, we have a party for this table"...
"I had a reservation, but you are not honoring it."
The bouncer comes over, huge dude, picks up each set of silverware and slams it back down on the table, picks up the chair across from me, slams in back onto the floor. Does the same with another chair. "We have to have this table for another party. You can't sit here."
"I had a reservation...etc"
the Manager comes, "What can I do to make you happy." He is not apologetic, he does not smile, appears to be gritting his teeth. My date shows up, we get a table for two.

This is the worst behavior I've ever encountered at a restaurant. Being told I have a reservation and not having it honored, being physically threatened by nonverbal acts, and having management apparently consenting to both of those actions.

The question that I have is what kind of Restaurant is it that you and your date went to has a " Bouncer " employed. Not the kind of place that I would consider going to for dinner, Plus ++ You Stayed !! Whoa

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Last night we went to a free tasting dinner at Carrabbas. We got the invite because we are members of their email Amici club. You get all sorts of discounts & such. The invite mentioned tipping was encouraged and appreciated. The dinner was at 5:00. We showed up at 5:00 and got one of the few remaining seats at a long communal table. There were 80 people. Another couple showed up and were going to sit opposite us, but the husband said they should move down one set of chairs and leave the end set for someone else so they wouldn't have to climb over everybody. I was disappointed because I just had this feeling we would have had a good time sitting opposite them.

So then the last couple comes in. He's in a sweater, but she's dressed to the nines, dripping with gold and diamonds, like they were in a three-star resto in Paris or something. They sit down, order tea and coke, and immediately she starts b****ing about everything. I mean everything, starting with there's nothing to put her silverware on, and she doesn't want it sitting on the table. It's too noisy. There's not enough room. Where's the food. Not once did they look across the table and say hello, how are you. She pulls out her cell phone and begins to tweet. He asks, Who are you tweeting, and she says The world, about this place.

There was an appetizer to share--arancini, little rice balls and marinara sauce. She loudly proclaims, I'm not sharing anything. So we all take our share, and finally she grabs the plate and eats the last one, proclaims it horrible and proceeds to write that on the evaluation sheet we had. Starts yelling for clean silverware.

It went on and on. Demanding more silverware after every presentation, clean plates, refusing to share any of the side dishes (although she would take hers after everyone else had served themselves), dissing every dish.

And coughing. They are both coughing repeatedly into scarf (her) and napkin (him) and sloshing themselves in hand sanitizer. Finally he tells us, We're just getting over the flu. We're thinking, How nice of you to share.

After criticizing the rest of the dishes, he finally asks the waitress if there is a charge for the tea and coke. She says No, upon which they get up and leave, leaving NO TIP. Oh, but not before she knocks over her coke across the table, which narrowly misses landing in my lap.

I said to the lady at the other end of the table, Next year would you please not move down? The whole table of 6 had observed her rude behavior. We got a good laugh out of it up to the part where they left no tip.

The waitstaff covered this dinner for 80 in little over an hour. The service was flawless. I am appalled at this couple's behavior. Everybody at the table tipped generously to make up for it.

That's my story.

CFrance I am sorry you had this bad experience but I come away with a different point of view. First this woman's decision on clothing and jewelry is preferable to some folks who seem to underdress everywhere they go. and let's face it there are not many places one can go wearing jewelry and diamonds around here.

Secondly I believe her behavior may well have been a result of her illness than her personality. I agree with her that I really don't want my silverware on a bare table.

If you recall her statement she said I don't share and waited until everyone else had helped themselves. Perhaps she did so because she was concerned that she might pass along her illness by touching other people's food.

Frankly I don't want people touching food I intend to eat. for instance if a restaurant serves a loaf of bread that needs slicing I use my napkin to hold the bread. If I see anyone put their bare hands on the loaf well they bought the whole loaf.

Perhaps her illness was driving her behavior?

What I will criticize her about is attending the event at all since she had the flu

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by rubicon

CFrance I am sorry you had this bad experience but I come away with a different point of view. First this woman's decision on clothing and jewelry is preferable to some folks who seem to underdress everywhere they go. and let's face it there are not many places one can go wearing jewelry and diamonds around here.

Secondly I believe her behavior may well have been a result of her illness than her personality. I agree with her that I really don't want my silverware on a bare table.

If you recall her statement she said I don't share and waited until everyone else had helped themselves. Perhaps she did so because she was concerned that she might pass along her illness by touching other people's food.

Frankly I don't want people touching food I intend to eat. for instance if a restaurant serves a loaf of bread that needs slicing I use my napkin to hold the bread. If I see anyone put their bare hands on the loaf well they bought the whole loaf.

Perhaps her illness was driving her behavior?

What I will criticize her about is attending the event at all since she had the flu

All good points, Rubicon. Also maybe it was a mixture of both illness and poor manners. She was too ill to say hello and engage in some pleasant stranger-to stranger dinner conversation, but at least she apologized for spilling her coke across the table.

Makes for a good story, anyway.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by CFrance

All good points, Rubicon. Also maybe it was a mixture of both illness and poor manners. She was too ill to say hello and engage in some pleasant stranger-to stranger dinner conversation, but at least she apologized for spilling her coke across the table.

Makes for a good story, anyway.

paranoid personality disorder.

[Steve & Deanna]

Sounds like this lady had lots of class.....and it was all low!!!

[jhrc4]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

paranoid personality disorder.

A Gold Star for coming to that Conclusion.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

paranoid personality disorder.

Originally Posted by jhrc4

A Gold Star for coming to that Conclusion.

Actually, setting the sarcasm aside...

Not having a degree in psychology and the experience with people with disorders, like Kitty has had in her career, I wouldn't have thought of a personality disorder. That's something to consider.

I just thought she had poor upbringing!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Actually, setting the sarcasm aside...

Not having a degree in psychology and the experience with people with disorders, like Kitty has had in her career, I wouldn't have thought of a personality disorder. That's something to consider.

I just thought she had poor upbringing!

Me TOO. THAT is exactly what I thought. My mother would have made short work of that attitude fifty years ago.

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

I have a sad story about the restaurant on 441..called and got a reservation for 5:30.
"OK, Kitty, two for 5:30"
Walked in at 5:30, "We don't take reservations, take this buzzer."
Waiting for my date, I saw an empty table in the bar area. Seated myself. Waitress comes over, "You can't sit here, we have a party for this table"...
"I had a reservation, but you are not honoring it."
The bouncer comes over, huge dude, picks up each set of silverware and slams it back down on the table, picks up the chair across from me, slams in back onto the floor. Does the same with another chair. "We have to have this table for another party. You can't sit here."
"I had a reservation...etc"
the Manager comes, "What can I do to make you happy." He is not apologetic, he does not smile, appears to be gritting his teeth. My date shows up, we get a table for two.

This is the worst behavior I've ever encountered at a restaurant. Being told I have a reservation and not having it honored, being physically threatened by nonverbal acts, and having management apparently consenting to both of those actions.

Unless this has changed, and I haven't been there recently, Carrabbas policy has been that they don't take RESERVATIONS but have "call-ahead seating." If you call ahead and ask for a table at 5:30 p.m., you are put on the list ahead of those who just show up. You're still are given the buzzer and told where to sit or stand until a table becomes available. Maybe the misunderstanding started when you thought you had a reservation?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Unless this has changed, and I haven't been there recently, Carrabbas policy has been that they don't take RESERVATIONS but have "call-ahead seating." If you call ahead and ask for a table at 5:30 p.m., you are put on the list ahead of those who just show up. You're still are given the buzzer and told where to sit or stand until a table becomes available. Maybe the misunderstanding started when you thought you had a reservation?

Carla B, I don't think Kitty was talking about Carrabba's.

[Carla B]

Maybe not, C. France. If not, wonder which restaurant on 441 it was.