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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Perspective needed - AIBU to ask for the music to be turned down in a family resturant?

94 replies

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 12:58

Before we get started i need to make a confession - This was a "Hungry Horse" resturant so I was not expecting fine dining and a mellow ambiance.

I was however, at 7.30 on a Friday night, expecting to be able to have a conversation with my DP without having to bellow at each other and then give up because i couldn't make myself heard. It was quite unbelievable actually. Now don't get me wrong, im not a kill joy, and it was 80's cheese so at a bearable decibel level woudl have been just right. In fact, i have been there before when this music has been played just now quite SO loud and it put me in a good mood. Not last night.

I politely and nicely asked the waitress if we could just get the music turned down "just a tad" so that i didn't go stark staring mad. I watched her go over to the manager who was propping up the bar, saw some sniggering and she came back, "no sorry, its friday night and we hae a DJ on at 9pm so we can't turn it down" Hmm Must have been about 8 at this point, so hardly party time. She walked off smirking at the other bar maid. Then my DP asked for my DD's pudding and had to literally shout to make himself heard. She walked over to the bar - cue more smirking from 6ft brick shit house of manager.

By this time the music had fried my synapses so i asked to see the manager, who actually squared up to me! Shock I was shouting, he got right in my face and told me not to shout - "dont shout and point at me darling!" (im not joking) I WAS shouting because otherwise i coudlnt have made myself heard. He was really aggressive, invading my personal space and saying "what do you expect love, its friday night and we have a DJ now, you should have known" Not in the resturant though surely, and not so early, the DJ wasn't playing. Had this been after 9pm in a non food pub, fine. Now im no shrinking violet but had i been i would have been quite scared. I told him i no longer wished to discuss it and asked for the adress of head office. At this point he got right in my face and said "im going to get you to talk to someone else before i lose my temper" i mean, WTAF?? Then his wife comes out, and just made it worse - I said to her, i am not his darling or love (as i had repeatedly asked him not to call me this) and she kept saying, Come one love, its just a turn of phrase. Yes, under normal circumstances, but not shouted in my face, it was intimidating. I had to ask several times for head office address, which when i got home and checked the website became apparent was incomplete! Hmm

So, as far as im concerned this is cause for a serious complaint - not so much the fact that the music was stupidly loud (it really was, im not THAT old that i dont enjoy loudish music, but itwas at nightclub level), or even the fact that the waitress was rude (i'll forgive her that, she was young) But the fucking thug of a manager thinking it was OK to square up to a customer. Let alone a customer he was at least a foot taller than. DP just kept his head down (which was probably the best thing to do in the circumstances and he knows im not scared). The bloody manageress then directed her "apology" at my DP and kept saying "well im sorry he called you darling" like i was being precious - maybe i was, i dont know, but not when its shouted at me in sarcastic tones. The lady in the cake shop, the smiley faced plumber caling me luv and darling, fine, i quite like it, it makes me smile, but not some Thug of a bar manager.

On reflection i have seen this person being aggressive with customers in the past when they have complained, no apology, just excuses and pretty much a tone of "if you dont like it, fuck off" but has always been fine with us. He wont of course get the opportunity again.

My question is though was i unreasonable in the first place for wanting the music turned down or should have just sucked this up, on account i was in a lively pub (it wasnt lively though, it was jut the manager and his cronies at the bar!) or was i justified as the music in the resturant area was unacceptably loud so that we couldnt have a conversation.

OP posts:
lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:40

I had an hours wait in pizza express once, I put this on their online feedback form and they sent me a £30 voucher and we went back and the staff fell over themselves to make us welcome. Theres the difference i think

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 05/05/2012 13:41

Right so asking questions about your OP is now known as 'picking holes' in it?

So all this happened out of eye shot of your DP?

Sorry about picking holes again asking another question.

insancerre · 05/05/2012 13:41

so you want to complain so that you get a free meal at the place you said you would never go back to Hmm

Mrsjay · 05/05/2012 13:42

I hate Frankie n Bennys for the music MrsDv DDs love it there so we go for birthdays or lunch and its so bloody loud , i guess im just old and grouchy , TBH yanbu to have asked for the music to be turned down you were eating hardly going to be dancing and It was 7 30 not as if it was party time , I wouldnt have been brave enough to have said anything though ,

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:42

no, i dont want a free meal, i want an apology and a refund

OP posts:
LadySybilDeChocolate · 05/05/2012 13:43

There's 2 here, one's dire. I made a complaint to head office I was so pissed off annoyed. They screwed my order up three times, ran out of tea etc it was like a joke. I was given a free meal which was better. I returned a few months later to see if things had improved but no. Lipstick on my glass and an eyelash (not mine) on my plate. Hmm

Mrsjay · 05/05/2012 13:43

sent too soon YABVU to be shouting like a loon at a manager ,

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:43

ah shurrup worraliberty, i like your posts to get into a barney with you - hup

OP posts:
GrahamTribe · 05/05/2012 13:45

What do you expect from Hungry Horse? You want civilised look elsewhere to eat.

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:46

Are you sure it was an eyelash????

I do remember a visit to Zizzi's once when the flustered staff were apologising for our extended wait, because they had RUN OUT OF FLOUR Grin Had to wait for emergency supplies to be delivered from resturant in next town - i offered to go and buy them some from the supermarket next door!!! I didn't complain though, it was too funny Grin

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 05/05/2012 13:47

Would it help if we all just agreed with you Lol?

LRDtheFeministDragon · 05/05/2012 13:48

I ask places to turn music down all the time, I'm bad at filtering out noise. I've never had a rude reply before - though often they can't. I know in lots of places the wait staff will say thanks because it is wearing on them too and if a customer asks, they have an excuse to turn it down!

I'm surprised you got that response, it was really rude.

NovackNGood · 05/05/2012 13:48

I'm impressed you could see her smirking as she walked away from you.

What one person finds to be unreasonable is perhaps quite reasonable in the whole.

By your won admission you broke and started shouting and pointing which is not polite or nice and it seems that because you did not get your own way you rapidly lost your temper an d look for confrontation. I'm surprised the manager did not just present you with the bill and tell you to leave.

I'm well impressed your husband did not get out of his seat to intervene but then maybe he has seen you this way many times before and knows it's not worth it. :) Have you considered asking them for vouchers with the apology which maybe you could use towards anger management classes. :)

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:50

Yes, Worra, that would be just peachy!!! Grin

The thing is, i was genuinely unsure if i was bein unreasonable in wanting the music turned down in the first place, it was friday after all, but it was mind bendingly loud, you kinda had to be there. The way the management dealt with it was totally unprofessional though.

OP posts:
LadySybilDeChocolate · 05/05/2012 13:50

Yes, I'm certain. It was very short and thin, and had the typical eyelash 'curl'. I didn't complain about the tea, it was my guest. She moaned that there was a shop next door. I was Blush. Took us ages to get served. I think she contributed to my annoyance to be honest and I probably wouldn't have complained if she hadn't have wound me up. This was just the icing on the cake so to speak. On previous occasions I've been given chipped glasses and found glass on my child's plate (under the pizza). I like their food but things never seem to improve.

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:54

No, i did not start shouting and pointing - i WAS shouting, because when i was TRYING to talk to the manager, we were right by he speaker and there was no other way to make myself heard. Had he turned the music down I woudlnt have had to shout. He did far more shouting than i did.

NoVack - thats quite a good idea actually, or maybe a nice massage - which reminds me, i have vouchers for that, i will book one now to help me get over my trauma. Thing is, if i go to a Hungry horse anger management course, i suspect it will be a case of "leave it luv, leave it"

Pah, i dont know if i can be arsed to send the letter now

OP posts:
LadySybilDeChocolate · 05/05/2012 13:56
Wine
lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 13:57

thanks Lady :)

OP posts:
SunflowersSmile · 05/05/2012 13:59

oh go on lucyellen.. letter or email. Serve him right for eyerolling etc..

Washingmypaws · 05/05/2012 14:08

Send it!!

Nyac · 05/05/2012 14:13

Definitely send the letter.

I ask places to turn the music down sometimes. Why not, you're the customer.

Ignore the people having a go at you on this thread. They are being unreasonable.

RubyGates · 05/05/2012 14:20

Don't Weatherspoons expect all children to be off the premises by 7.00? I'm surprised HH doesn't have a similar policy.

It was unwise to take your family into what is basically a pub to eat on a Friday evening, especially knowing that post-work Friday is essentially an adult time.

The v.v. loud music was probably their unsubtle way of driving you out. I think once you had identified they weren't prepared to do anything about it, you should have finished up, paid and left. And then written a letter of complaint to the management company asking for clarification of the chain policy and detailing your unsatisfactory experience. Getting into an argument with the idiot manager was just undignified.

I would also CC the manager of the branch into this communication.

You've learnt your lesson, and the company have lost a customer.

NovackNGood · 05/05/2012 14:21

If you were right next to a speaker did you not have the ability to change to a different table. A matter of a few feet would greatly reduce the apparent sound volume.

lucyellensmumnamechange · 05/05/2012 14:25

Novack, i was riht next to the speaker when i was talking to the manager, i didnt do this at the table.

Ruby, I have been in weatherspoons afer 7 with DD. I dont normally go out so late though, DPs fault, he was late and we had already promised DD. But yeah, your post is pretty sensible to be fair

OP posts:
Psammead · 05/05/2012 14:29

YANU for asking for the music to be turned down. I have done so in several pubs/restaurants when we have been there early in the evening. I am very surprised that the proprieter would treat paying customers in such a way.