You're drawing up this weird image as if I'm here seething over it in secrecy. I didn't want to make a scene and I didn't want to make the waitress's day worse. I used to work retail for a long time and I always appreciated the customers that understood that people make mistakes. That is a separate issue from feeling that the restaurant failed to address the issue. These are not contradictory or passive-aggressive views.
I asked for feedback from those that have had similar experience or have worked or do work in the service industry. Basically all of them feel that the restaurant should have compulsively done something to address it.
And yeah, I said earlier that "pour" was not the right word to use. That was my mistake.
if you truly accepted her apology and moved on then this thread is not necessary. let's say someone spills their drink on me at the bar. they apologize, i accept, and things go fine. what would you think of me if i turned to my friends and started saying, "do you think he should have done more to compensate me?"
Don't know why you're so focused on how validated I am feeling.
Yeah they should have compensated you. I would have asked but you shouldn't have had to. Topics on waiters are always weird to me, this and how some waiters think customers have to tip because they don't get paid enough.
I literally made a post saying people shouldn't waste their time conversing with you because you simply play the contrarian, and you still make a post. That's dedication, I guess.
I literally made a post saying people shouldn't waste their time conversing with you because you simply play the contrarian, and you still make a post. That's dedication, I guess.
No.
It's the ones who don't say anything that never return.
I don't follow how all other comparatively trivial conversations are now invalid... on a forum whose primary focus is a non-essential entertainment activity?Edit: misread, my bad
The "feedback" you wanted was for everyone to tell you that the manager should have given you a freebie. The "feedback" you're getting is that you should have said something at the time and you don't like it.
She probably would have gotten some shit at work, maybe even fired if they gave you a free meal. Is that what you wanted?
He's not wrong in this case though.
I would've expected a free dessert or something, just to acknowledge something happened and to show good will. Though whoever made those decisions may not have even been aware of the situation, and the waitress probably would've gotten into trouble if they did.
I do think most places realize that it looks really good to go out of your way when something happens. Like the time one of the Illegal Fish Companies in Boston's airport accidentally cleared my table when I was just about done (I'd told them I was using the restroom). They apologized profusely, and because I had another 90 minutes until my flight, they remade my a whole entire meal. The whole thing, soup, bread and 2 martini's because I'd drank one and had a few tablespoons left in the one I'd been drinking. I sat there and worked on it while I watched a Red Sox game. That stuck out in my mind and I give them good publicity often because of it.
The worst experience? Bonefish Grill. I was with my GF (on our first dinner after I'd been out of town on business for nearly 3 months, so a pretty special occasion). After letting the waitress know that my GF was severely allergic to onions, she recommended a specific dish, it sounded good, but we asked that she double check with the kitchen since onions are common AF. She brought the food and confirmed she had done that.
Roughly 30 minutes in my GF starts showing symptoms, when I asked the waitress, she said she thought it was fine but she hadn't been able to find anyone to ask and said "things happen" several time. Not one single "sorry", I was in disbelief and figured the manager was going to go in on her when I told him what happened. He double and tripled down on all of it instead.
I debated this with him in front of a full restaurant. We weren't particularly loud, but when I'm angry I get very matter of fact and stern. Ultimately he didn't think that onions were anything they had to worry about. In his eyes if it wasn't alcohol or a nut, it wasn't a big deal. When I suggested leaving without paying because their actions made my GF sick, he said they had cameras in their lot and they would call the police. I was pissed and dramatically said "good, can you get an ambulance while you're at it?"
He walked away and muttered something. This was a young guy, so maybe he didn't know what the right thing to do was? I don't know, but at this point it wasn't about the cost or the food, it was more that I was in such disbelief that they could admit to this and not even try to appear empathetic or apologetic that I wanted to make sure everyone around there knew what was going on as well. I've never seen someone double down on something they were clearly in the wrong about, especially with so many customers watching. Keep in mind this is while my GF is visibly sweating, experiencing bad stomach cramps and breaking out in hives.
After another 5 minutes or so I gave up because I needed to get her home. I paid the bill and left a $0.01 cent tip with a note about Yelp on the receipt with both their names on it, circled. I waited outside while my GF was in the bathroom and talked to anyone who was going in to tell them the type of person the manager was, and where they could find better seafood. I know one couple took my advice because they'd heard mixed things about Bonefish.
Yeah, don't go to Bonefish Grill.
That title click bait.
I fell for it.
What do expect to happen? To get get a free meal?
I see two groups here. Some people, several who have or currently work in the service industry, saying that the restaurant didn't handle the situation right. And other people trying really hard to turn this into a back-fire thread. You have people here calling me whiney and that I deserved to have the soup spilled on me. If you're going to try and deeply analyze me, why don't you go ahead and take a temperature of the room while you're at it?
Does it matter though? It's not affecting the waitress or the restaurant or anyone else for that matter. They're just thoughts being exchanged by strangers on the internet.Because the further into this thread we delve the clearer it becomes that's why you made the thread?
Because the further into this thread we delve the clearer it becomes that's why you made the thread?
You're right, there are two groups here. But let's not paint this as if everyone who agrees with you have a more valid opinion.I see two groups here. Some people, several who have or currently work in the service industry, saying that the restaurant didn't handle the situation right. And other people trying really hard to turn this into a back-fire thread. You have people here calling me whiney and that I deserved to have the soup spilled on me. If you're going to try and deeply analyze me, why don't you go ahead and take a temperature of the room while you're at it?
So you paid for a soup that was spilled on you that you didn't eat? Why didn't they comp it?
You're right, there are two groups here. But let's not paint this as if everyone who agrees with you have a more valid opinion.
The "feedback" you wanted was for everyone to tell you that the manager should have given you a freebie. The "feedback" you're getting is that you should have said something at the time and you don't like it.
If you live somewhere that doesn't give waiters minimum wage then you are morally obligated to tip. Otherwise you're essentially free riding on everyone else.
We should change that system, but that's not a get avoid the moral problems with being a leech on society free card.
It's not weird. People talk about all sorts of trivial stuff that isn't really super important to them but that they're curious to unpack it a bit.if you truly accepted her apology and moved on then this thread is not necessary. let's say someone spills their drink on me at the bar. they apologize, i accept, and things go fine. what would you think of me if i turned to my friends and started saying, "do you think he should have done more to compensate me?"
Yeah that's not hyperbolic or anything
For you maybe
So you paid for a soup that was spilled on you that you didn't eat? Why didn't they comp it?
I honestly didn't expect people on GAF to say they hope the waitress did it on purpose.What did you expect posting this on GAF? Seriously.
I don't get why everybody thinks the soup was for me. I said in the OP that a different waitress spilled soup on me. It wasn't may soup.
I honestly didn't expect people on GAF to say they hope the waitress did it on purpose.
It's no secret that I have an opinion on what should have happened. I don't see why that is wrong when asking what others that have worked in the industry would have done.
Nah, if they give shit service they getting a shit tip, or none at all. I will say my anecdote in a post earlier is the 2nd time Ive ever not left a tip
Perhaps I phrased this wrong. I'm saying the OP asked for opinions and now they're claiming that everyone who agrees with them are more qualified to give an opinion. That's not conducive to anything other than validation.In this case they do though.
I don't get why everybody thinks the soup was for me. I said in the OP that a different waitress spilled soup on me. It wasn't may soup.
I honestly didn't expect people on GAF to say they hope the waitress did it on purpose.
I work for Hilton and I've had guests stay at my particular hotel that remind me a lot of you and this thread, or rather vice versa. For example:
Guest returns after a long day of vacationing with family to see that housekeeping fucked up and didn't put new towels in their room.
Guest calls me to inform me of this. They are actually quite pleasant and understanding about the issue but regardless, I apologize and offer them new towels and ask if there's anything else I can do for them.
They thank me and say that it's okay, don't worry about anything other than bringing new towels. I told them I'd still inform the housekeeping manager about this mistake, and if they want they can talk to MGMT themselves tomorrow. They decline this as well and never do.
They check out. A week later, a negative review shows up on trip advisor mentioning the towels and about 5 other small problems they never bothered to inform anyone of. The review reads like it was written by a totally different person as the person I dealt with was so friendly and understanding.
I see two groups here. Some people, several who have or currently work in the service industry, saying that the restaurant didn't handle the situation right. And other people trying really hard to turn this into a back-fire thread. You have people here calling me whiney and that I deserved to have the soup spilled on me. If you're going to try and deeply analyze me, why don't you go ahead and take a temperature of the room while you're at it?
Perhaps I phrased this wrong. I'm saying the OP asked for opinions and now they're claiming that everyone who agrees with them are more qualified to give an opinion. That's not conducive to anything other than validation.
Oh your OP confused me. So a waitress that wasn't your own spilled soup on you that didn't belong to you but to someone else instead? In that case, yeah, an apology should have sufficed, but a manager should have actually offered a comp of some sort to ease it over, even if you were calm about it. It's the hospitality industry for a reason and having worked in it, spilling food on someone is one of the most notorious reasons to comp an item or offer something complimentary.
I think the funniest part of this thread is the number of people clearly ignoring people who have actually worked in the service industry.
The restaurant shouldn't have comped his meal just out of moral obligation, it's obviously going to affect their business if they make a habit out of bad customer service. If a waiter spilled soup on me then didn't offer anything to rectify the situation I also wouldn't have said anything but I also would not return to that restaurant and would warn my friends to stay away from it.
"Two groups. One that agrees with me and one that's wrong."
I don't think whether the soup was mine or not or whether the waitress was the one that was serving me should play a role in how the restaurant should have responded.
Of course it plays a role. If it was your own that spilled on you that you didn't eat yet got charged for, of course you'd want it comped. But because it wasn't, an apology sufficed, HOWEVER to instill further good will a manager should have gone above and beyond to turn a shitty situation into a better one.
Exactly. The service industry is about selling a good time. If the customer doesn't have a good time, then you lose business.
Not every customer speaks up on how they feel on the spot. You have to be careful because you can get bad reviews and word of mouth, which can possibly hamper sales and growth.
Everything is binary for Gaf. "You didn't say anything. Why can't people speak up?" That's not how the world works. A lot of people have manners. Not making a big deal out of it is to protect a low paid service industry worker from an already embarrassing situation. Asking for comps is the "whiney baby" begging in this case. It's not the customers responsibility to see that they are taken care of, it's the restaurant who is selling you the good time.
The restaurant should have compensated the OP by comping that meal regardless of how "satisfied" they looked on the outside, AND added 1 free launch/dinner special at a later date. That would have negated the scenario, this thread, the customer would be happy, and most people don't eat out alone so guests would be brought giving even more business.
Come on guys, this stuff isn't rocket science. But no, everything is LOL Millennials and OP is a wimp.
"Two groups. One that agrees with me and one that's wrong."
Some people here said they should've refunded you the soup.They aren't going to pay for your soup when it's not your soup. It is a relevant detail.I don't think whether the soup was mine or not or whether the waitress was the one that was serving me should play a role in how the restaurant should have responded.
Management didn't notice. If they had (like, if they saw it happen, or if you had complained about it) then they would've given you a free meal or dry cleaning or something like that, whatever it takes to solve the problem, and they would've turned around and taken some sort of retribution out of the waitress's hide. Maybe docked her pay. Maybe yelled at her. Maybe made her go scrub the toilets. Maybe inched her slightly closer to getting fired.
She (with no power to fix her own mistake, beyond an apology and/or ratting herself out to her boss, because she's just the waitress) personally and genuinely apologized to you, and you seemed to accept her apology and non-verbally agreed to keep quiet about it, to sweep the problem under the rug. You did her a favor. I'm sure she appreciates it. Probably not enough to earn you a blowjob. Maybe not enough for her to even remember your face the next time you eat there. But you did another human a favor and I'm sure they appreciate it.
I suppose there's still time for you to go back in and complain to the manager, and trade that goodwill for some free pie.
Some people here said they should've refunded you the soup.They aren't going to pay for your soup when it's not your soup. It is a relevant detail.
You're right, there are two groups here. But let's not paint this as if everyone who agrees with you have a more valid opinion.
I'm pretty confident that management knew. The place was small, a lot of employees were around, and she didn't quietly apologize. She was pretty loud about it and was quickly racing back and forth around the restaurant to try and clean it up.
Jesús, what is wrong with some of you. It really baffles me.