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Waitress - would you complain about this?

158 replies

Soffit · 28/01/2022 17:53

I'm trying to understand who is wrong here. I visited a popular food chain restaurant yesterday (peri..chicken) with 1DC. Outside the restaurant was a largeish family group. They were hovering around near the menu, blocking the entrance but started moving inside when they saw us trying to get inside. Just inside the entrance was a hand sanitiser dispenser. We do not use it as we bring our own. They were taking turns on it so we went past them and walked up the long narrow passage to where you would usually wait to be seated (always the same spot - been many, many times).

The waitress, instead of offering us a table, bellowed out something to the effect of 'I think that group entered first didn't they so I'm going to seat them first'. At this point, the group is nowhere near the seating queue and still applying hand sanitiser. She called out to them to come along so they quickly finished, walked over and overtook us.
It felt as though she was going out of her way to make a point and make us feel rude. It strongly felt that this may also have been because she was of similar heritage to the group and wanted to make a social justice point but it seemed defensive, really weird and plain wrong in this situation.

This is not meant to be goady. I am just wondering if you would raise it.

OP posts:
tiredofthisshit21 · 28/01/2022 17:54

Waitresses get paid minimum wage and get a hard time. It sounds like the other family were there first and you tried to jump the queue. YABU

toppkatz · 28/01/2022 17:55

You queue-jumped.

Soffit · 28/01/2022 17:55

@tiredofthisshit21

Waitresses get paid minimum wage and get a hard time. It sounds like the other family were there first and you tried to jump the queue. YABU
There was nobody in the queue at all. The start of the queue was five meters further along
OP posts:
Idontgiveagriffindamn · 28/01/2022 17:56

No I’d not complain and I’d personally have waited for then

aceyace · 28/01/2022 17:56

Just sounds like bad timing

Gizlotsmum · 28/01/2022 17:57

She was right, the other group were there first. What if you had been using the hand sanitiser and someone went past you? Would that make them first?

QforCucumber · 28/01/2022 17:57

So she saw them enter first, then you go past them. And you’re offended and want to complain that she say the group who entered the restaurant before you?

BIWI · 28/01/2022 17:57

You are being unreasonable here. They were clearly ahead of you, both outside and then inside the restaurant.

And what does this mean:

There was nobody in the queue at all. The start of the queue was five meters further along

Was there, or wasn't there, a queue?!

SoupDragon · 28/01/2022 17:58

They were there before you.

YellowLemonz · 28/01/2022 17:58

She was right

tiredofthisshit21 · 28/01/2022 17:58

You're also being racist with the 'of similar heritage' comment.

SergeiL · 28/01/2022 17:58

You pushed in. Simple as that!

RunningFromInsanity · 28/01/2022 17:58

Re-read your OP, especially the part where you try to shoehorn racism into the issue, realise you sound crazy and go and have a cup of tea.

Soffit · 28/01/2022 17:58

Hmm .. so how long would be appropriate to wait for a large group by the door? People wait there for friends, takeaway orders etc.

OP posts:
YellowLemonz · 28/01/2022 17:59

Also who would complain about shit like this?!

SpringSparrow · 28/01/2022 18:01

No I wouldn’t complain and I would have just waited behind the family using the hand sanitizer. It would look like you were queue jumping to the waitress. Whether or not you feel they was a queue, you entered the restaurant behind the other family, so should have waited for them to be served first. I don’t know what you would complain about.

Soffit · 28/01/2022 18:01

@BIWI

You are being unreasonable here. They were clearly ahead of you, both outside and then inside the restaurant.

And what does this mean:

There was nobody in the queue at all. The start of the queue was five meters further along

Was there, or wasn't there, a queue?!

No there wasn't a queue because that happens away from the entrance many meters away. They did physically enter before us but were by no means queueing
OP posts:
RussiasGreatestLoveMachine · 28/01/2022 18:01

Is it really that big a deal?

How long did you have to wait to be seated?

I don’t think this thread is going to go the way you want it to.

CeleriacOfTheNight · 28/01/2022 18:01

@Soffit

Hmm .. so how long would be appropriate to wait for a large group by the door? People wait there for friends, takeaway orders etc.
You said they'd gone in though- before you.

You probably looked a bit shifty nipping past them, the waitress wasn't to know you had your own sanitiser so she probably just thought 'nice try sunshines, no you don't!' Grin

Soffit · 28/01/2022 18:02

I suppose if it were the other way round then I couldn't have cared less. I don't think they did either but she saw fit to make it into an issue. They were actually flustered from being made to hurry up

OP posts:
QforCucumber · 28/01/2022 18:02

If they were folding up a pushchair, getting a baby out to go towards to ‘wait to be seated’ sign would you have still pushed past?

If they were of the same heritage to you and not the waitress would you still be inclined to complain?

DearlyBeloathed · 28/01/2022 18:03

Get a grip of yourself.

CLC22 · 28/01/2022 18:03

No need to complain you are been unreasonable.

Soffit · 28/01/2022 18:04

@RussiasGreatestLoveMachine

Is it really that big a deal?

How long did you have to wait to be seated?

I don’t think this thread is going to go the way you want it to.

I don't have any preconceptions about the consensus. I was in a bad mood anyway. That's why I was trying to establish whether I would be overreacting.
OP posts:
RussiasGreatestLoveMachine · 28/01/2022 18:05

Then OK, yes, you would be.