To Ask For An Omelette?!

[MagicalMrsMistoffelees]

Cafe Rouge has a range of menus covering different times. We visited for lunch today at around 12.30pm and I asked for an omelette and fries. It's not on the main menu but is on other menus. I've been to CR twice before and made this request and both times they were fine about it.

Today the waitress said a straight no. She said the breakfast menu was no longer being served (fair enough) and the whisk had been washed up. She was friendly but certain that we could only order off the main menu. I mentioned that I'd been to CR before and it hadn't been a problem but she said they wouldn't have the eggs prepared and it wasn't happening. I shrugged it off, ordered something else and thought no more. But 10 minutes later she came back and said actually I could have an omelette after all, it was no problem. I'd gone off the idea by then. But it got me thinking.

Was it unreasonable to ask for an omelette?! I thought, based on my previous visits both to CR and other restaurants that requests were usually no problem. But this got me thinking. Perhaps it's not as straightforward as it seems?! A couple of eggs whisked in a bowl and heated in a frying pan seems fairly basic but maybe not. (Especially if the whisk has already been washed up. ) Can anyone who's worked in a restaurant enlighten me please?

[originalmavis]

The whisk had been washed and tbe eggs weren't prepared? She was grasping at straws wasn't she?

Omlette and frites is the food of the gods. I've never had one on CR. Are they really cheesy, gooey and yummy? (Omlette porn, endulge me)

[whois]

Not U to ask, but they weren't totally U to say no either.

[originalmavis]

It's not really breakfast food though is it?

[VimFuego101]

YANBU to ask. Sometimes places prep in bulk for breakfast items and use certain areas for cooking breakfast items, which is why they don't overlap. But I can't see why it's that difficult to whisk up a few eggs and make an omelette in a pan.

[Floggingmolly]

That's unbelievable; that she actually said the whisk has been washed up . Your business wasn't worth shoving the whisk in with the next dishwasher load... I'd have got arsey and asked for the manager, tbh.
Even if I didn't get my omelette, I'd have made him (or her) stand there and repeat the tale of the whisk and how unmanageable it's upkeep appears to be.

[ctjoy103]

Yanbu, how would she even know if that one utensil is washed up? Sounds like she was being difficult for the sake of it.

[hollinhurst84]

YANBU
My parents run a pub, and my dad would be thrilled. He has some secret super power so you would have ended up with one of those soufflé type ones

[MagicalMrsMistoffelees]

I really did hear her say the whisk had been washed up because I was so surprised I checked with my husband afterwards. I didn't like to say I generally only use a fork to beat the eggs for an omelette. She gave me the impression the whisk was fundamental to the whole business.

I just checked the CR website and can't even see omelettes on the breakfast menu! So what the breakfast menu had to do with it I'm not sure.

The restaurant was half empty at lunchtime - I think I know why now!

[possum18]

The whisk being washed up and put away for the day has really tickled me

[originalmavis]

Only one whisk? I have 4 (one specially for hot chocolate).

[caroldecker]

She is obviously told to not allow off menu orders, so makes up an excuse. She did actually check with the chef, who said it was ok, and came back and offered it to you.

[Topseyt]

Ah, the whisk had done its job and been put back to bed!!!

Silly excuse. I am sure they could have rustled up a simple omelette.

[diddl]

What did you have then Op

It would have been better if she had said that she would check, rather than making up excuses though.

[Chippednailvarnish]

The only other reason I can think of is that they are actually using powdered eggs and she didn't want to admit it. I used to work in a hospital and the eggs were powdered pasteurised that would be made up in bulk before each session, hence the importance of the whisk!

[arethereanyleftatall]

In answer to your question - yes, if you go off menu, it makes things harder for the kitchen. (More than the extent of washing up a whisk I would imagine). They have menus for a reason.

[hollinhurst84]

Just thought they could be powdered eggs or ready made omelettes

[diddl]

It's on their "menu rapide"-Mon -Fri.

Sorry, had to google as never heard of CR!

[Mondrian]

She was probably new as its not her call but the chef or manager's (which explains the change of heart), its always ok to ask for something off the menu & good (or expensive) restaurents are usually happy to cater to that if not too busy.

[Stinkerbelle37]

You do know that they don't even make their croques Monsieur on the premises?! So disappointed when I discovered that. Haven't been back.

[CorBlimeyTrousers]

I had an omelette (mushroom as it happens - very nice) and chips for lunch at CR just this Thursday. It was on the special weekday lunch menu that I suspect is not available at the weekend when they can get people to spend more.

I think the whisk and breakfast are red herrings (see what I did there).

[rosy71]

If omelette isn't on the menu, why on earth would you ask for it? The menu's there for a reason; you can't ask for whatever you fancy. YABU.

[Thistledew]

A friend of mine once stopped at one of those Happy Eater/Little Chef places and asked for an omelette. He was told that was not possible as they had run out, but he could have scrambled eggs instead. The fact that the two were apparently not made from the same ingredients rather put him off the idea of either.

[Ameliablue]

Sounds like an inexperienced waiter who said one thing and then spoke to colleagues who told her she was wrong.

[MagicalMrsMistoffelees]

Powdered eggs is a thing? Ugh. That has truly put me off egg based products for the time being!

The background to my request for something not on the menu as it probably does sound a bit odd out of context: omelette is on one of their menus so I ordered it on my first visit but was told that that particular menu wasn't running at that time but they were happy to do it anyway. The next time I went they offered to do the same. This time it was a definite no, washed whisk, breakfast menu etc etc.

Too many menus, not enough omelettes!

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

Little Chef omelettes are those frozen ones that come ready folded. Our school cook has them on the menu sometimes.