'Several things happened that made us frustrated': Dining couple can't get through to waitress, internet divided about who was in the wrong

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 14, 2023 3:00 PM EST

When you don't want fast food but also don't want to pay $35 for an entree, it might be time to head to a chain restaurant. The prices of everything these days have gone up to utterly comical levels. While looking to find a nice dinner at a spot in Manhattan, I found one place that looked stunning. Then, I took a peek at their menu to find that the cheapest item was an $18 appetizer of potato chips. Just let that sink in: nearly $20 for potato chips, as the cheapest menu item. I weep for the future of humanity. 

You know what, though? You don't have to pay a crazy amount to get you and your family a really fantastic dinner. There are tons of local and family-owned spots that charge reasonable amounts for a meal you'll dream about for weeks afterwards. There are also chain restaurants, which usually have pretty good food and pretty good service. It's reliable, fast, and easy… most of the time. 

This woman and her husband didn't get the service they were looking for while dining at a chain restaurant. The couple just wanted a nice meal, but it seems like there were communication issues at every turn. Commenters seemed confused by the story, but one commenter understood the OP and let her have a chance to explain further, which is included towards the end of this article. Check out the entire story below, then read about one airline passenger who just thought he could sit wherever he wanted to on a plane, which was news to the dude who bought a ticket for that specific seat. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    Waitress could not understand what we wanted
    via Wiktor Karkocha on Unsplash
  • 02
    Waitress could not understand wanted what we
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 03
    We went to a southern restaurant chain today thats famous for its old-fashioned style meals. However, several things happened that made us frustrated.
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 04
    1. We got seated but were sitting with our menus for about 15-20 minutes before we even got our drinks ordered. No big deal really, we understand they're short- staffed, but it was a foreshadowing for how the rest of the meal was going to go.
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 05
    2. I ordered a side salad, and our waitress, an older gray- haired lady, said "oh we don't have side salads, we only have house salads." Which didn't make sense to me because I've ordered side salads from this restaurant
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 06
    before. But i said "Ok well then get me a house salad please." When she brought out the salad it was on a side plate, not a full meal plate. So they obviously have side salads.
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 07
    3. This is the main one that frustrated us. Me and my husband wanted the exact same meal, same sides. Should be easy right? Well our waitress said "oh those are appetizers, they won't be charged as a side." Which didn't make sense because they were listed under sides, but we said "ok thats fine."
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 08
    Then she said "ok two appetizers now you can still get two sides." We told her again the food that we wanted and she said "those are appetizers you can still get two sides." Repeat for 5 minutes. This is just on my order. My husband ordered and told her he wanted (food 1, 2) after he said that she said "ok but you can still get two
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 09
    sides, what sides do you want?" I could see he was getting frustrated after this back-and- forth, so i finally cut in and said "Just get him (food 1,2) please." To which she took the menus up and said "Don't worry we'll figure it out."
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 10
    4. When the check finally came, my husband said "This is much cheaper than it should be." I looked at the check and said "That's because she charged us for the appetizers and not the main meals." I knew we would get it fixed at the register so we went up and they added the meals and $30
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 11
    to our order. I asked the cashier "Are you a manager?" She said yes and we explained the situation and she said "Yeah they're charged as appetizers instead of sides." I said "Well then why are they listed under sides?" She said "Oh are they? Well we got a new menu."
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 12
    Overall we left that restaurant very frustrated and I've thought about writing a review, but is this worth complaining about? Or am i making a big deal out of nothing?
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 13
    Elegant Spot_3486. After reading the post I'd bet your communication skills were why she couldn't understand.
    via u/Elegant Spot_3486
  • 14
    live-the-future Could you not have just opened up a menu, and pointed to the side you wanted under the sides (or premium sides) section?
    via u/live--future
  • 15
    Ramybee "Ok that's fine" makes me wonder if they just accepted the appetizer response and didn't ask further details about it, which may have led to the menu clarification. Instead, this is a typical scenario of being upset over their own lack of communication.
    via u/Ramybee
  • 16
    soldiernerd. I have no idea what you wanted or what you got or why you're mad 611 Reply Share PPAPpenpen Or, more importantly, why they felt the need to tell us about it, or what they think we would do for them in this situation. In fact you might say that this post was mildly infuriating so I suppose it's actually very well suited for this subreddit
    via u/soldiernerd
  • 17
    Powerful-Seesaw-3407. The whole way you handled this makes it hard to believe you waited more than a few minutes at most for a drink order lol 120 Reply Share Yippykyyyay It's like running on a treadmill. People think that because they don't enjoy it that it's been 30 minutes when it's really been 2.
    via u/Powerful-Seesaw-3407
  • 18
    Excellent-Mongoose47 I think the server tried to bless you and it flew over your heads. They charged you for the two appetizers knowing that this might be upsetting or frustrating based on the back and forth. Since you got the full priced appetizers they didn't charge you for the meals. This may have been part of the "we'll figure it out."
    via u/Excellent-Mongoose47
  • 19
    In your inability to let things be and walk away with a $30 reduction in your bill, you went ahead and played yourself. You talked to the front clerk, got the meals added on, and tried to get clarification that you were right all along. Next time take the blessing and go about your day. The idea you want to leave a negative review for being wrong about side salads and loaded tots is asinine.
    via u/Excellent-Mongoose47
  • 20
    That OtherKatie So, ultimately you got what you wanted. You were honest enough to pay for what you got! Confusion abounded, near as I can tell maybe partly on your part. Still, you got your food, you paid for what you got, you didn't mention the quality of said food so assuming it was good. Take a breath. We hear you, but time to move on. Let's give everyone involved a break and please don't post a negative review.
    via u/That OtherKatie
  • 21
    Coldactill This is probably the most accurate mildly infuriating I've ever since the response of everyone in the comments is to become mildly infuriated trying to understand what is going on here.
    via u/Coldactill
  • 22

    One person finally sided with the OP and understood what she was trying to say

    StrawberryKiss2559. Op, I looked at the menu and you were correct in everything you ordered. I don't blame you for being flabbergasted that the people working there didn't know the menu. I'm guessing they haven't been trained on the new menu? I guess it could have helped if you showed the waitress the menu while ordering, but you thought she knew the menu (why wouldn't she?) so it probably didn't occur to you that you would have to show her.
    via u/StrawberryKiss2559
  • 23

    OP worried that she was being a Karen, but it seems less serious than that

    MustangLover22 OP. Everyone is making fun of me here, but yes the tots and salad were SPECIFICALLY listed under sides. The tots were under premium and the salad was "add a side salad for (cost)". THAT is why i was confused when she kept going back and forth. Yes i should've pointed, but at that point we had been waiting 20 minutes just for our drink order, confused at the back and forth, and we just wanted to order our food.
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 24
    And as far as for the cheaper check without the meals, i went out to the car to put the leftovers up and came back and my husband was at the cash register talking to the employee. I assume what happened is she looked at the ticket and said "this isn't right" and asked what we had. I came back and said "2 (same meals)" She said ok and added it to the check. There never was a chance to just take a cheaper meal like some are saying, and even so, we are honest people who want to pay what price is li
    via u/MustangLover22
  • 25
    That restaurant has a bunch of bad reviews anyway, so i don't think its me just being a "karen".
    via u/MustangLover22

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

waiters confusing waiter customers food service confused kitchen mildly infuriating food eating waitress dining couple cracker dinner barrel salad
Scroll Down For The Next Article