Wibu to complain about this waitress?

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

Dh thinks I shouldn't have complained, I think I definitely should have, who's right?

Went to a Toby carvery, meal was fine and service by the waitress fine until we finished the meal (they don't do much as its a buffet thing). We then obviously wanted the bill so I tried to get the waitress' attention. When she came near the table I made eye contact twice to try and get her to come over. She smiled and looked away then left. Next time she came near I made eye contact and raised my hand, nothing. I ended up getting up and walking over to her at another table and standing waiting for her to finish with them then asking.

We waited another 10 minutes for her to bring the bill. Dh had the card in his hand, and she had the card machine in hers, but before we could ask to use it she had gone. She just put the bill on the table and walked straight off. I then started the rediculous process of trying to get her attention again, I even stood up and called out excuse me after three or four failed attempts. She completely ignored us. This had been going on for another ten minutes.

Finally I managed to get her attention and asked for the card machine, waited another five or so minutes and she came back with it. Dh didn't want me to say anything, but I seriously couldn't stop myself. I was tired and wanted to go home, not play this rediculous game of catch the waitress.

I said that I had been trying to get her attention for ages, that we had wanted to pay by card and she had the machine etc and that it had taken a rediculous amount of time to get the bill sorted.

Her reply: "Well I do have a lot of other customers to attend to, I didn't see or hear you." No apology, and then she just walked off once the payment had gone through. IMO the only acceptable response to this sort of complaint is surely an apology?? I feel it's her job to be attentive to her customers needs, and she had seen plenty of times that we had finished our meals and would obviously need to sort the bill.

Dh thinks I shouldn't have complained and that it would have been enough to simply not leave her a tip. Obviously I don't agree. Aibu?

[Angelfootprints]

I might just need to google it now usual...

[Angelfootprints]

I wish I hadnt looked at their website. All I can think about is roast beef and roast potatoes...

[usualsuspect]

You can get takeaway carveries, wow.

I wish I lived near a Toby carvery.

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

The roast potatoes are gorgeous. I can't have the beef though as they cook it rare :( I go for the pork instead but still have beefy gravy. It's yummy!! And their stuffing is bloody delicious.

[usualsuspect]

We go to a Wetherspoons local pub often on Sundays for a carvery. Lovely they are.

But I'm impressed Toby do a takeaway Sunday dinner

[maddening]

We had a similar thing at a restaurant (but not carvery style ) and asked for ds' meal to come with starters. When it was apparent that his meal hadn't come with the starters I politely asked again if it could come asap - it was the last of the main meals to come - so we didn't leave a tip and won't go back there - didn't feel like arguing the toss with a waitress so voted with our purse and feet.

[maja00]

I find this irritating too. Better to call the waitress over than just to make eye contact though.

If they are taking ages with the bill I get up and get my stuff together - that usually hurries it up. If not I go to the bar/till on the way out.

[MissStrawberry]

YANBU

All this she had other customers to see to is crap. She also had the OP to see too!

We have one supplier to buy our school uniform from and they also do alterations. Every time we take stuff in we are told how busy they are. I feel I am just as much a customer as any one else so why make us feel like we are not as equal to the others? Bad customer service and if it carries on I will be strongly suggesting the school consider getting another supplier. The service from some staff is appalling. The quality of the uniform is terrible (£34 for a polyester dress!) and then they don't do most of the work you asked of them.

[Justforlaughs]

Firstly, you are heavily pregnant and as such entitled to be Unreasonable at any and every possible opportunity

Secondly, if the waitress is busy, it is polite, and in my experience, normal for her to put the bill on the table and explain that she will be back in a moment but she is on her way with the card reader to take payment from another customer who was waiting before you were. She should not dump the bill on the table and walk away without saying anything.

FWIW, I do not always leave a tip, but normally do not make a point of saying so, unless there is something seriously wrong, in which case it will probably not be just the tip that I am not paying.

If you were not happy then you are perfectly within your rights to mention why not.

I hate, as in REALLY hate having to wait ages for a waiter/ waitress to take payment for my meal. If I know that I am not going to add anything to the tab, I will often ask for the bill when I order.

[Wuxiapian]

I hate the drawn-out process of trying to pay sometimes, too, OP, but them I'm an impatient bugger.

You're pregnant, tired and fed up, so, I don't think you are BU.

[greenfolder]

I hate this-and now I do just get up, put my coat on. This results in then rushing to me with the card machine and me saying "so sorry, really got to be somewhere"

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

"Firstly, you are heavily pregnant and as such entitled to be Unreasonable at any and every possible opportunity"

^^ I like this!

I'm much less tired and crabby this morning, thanks for the replies even if the majority did decide I was a moody cow

[xylem8]

And re standing up as though to leave, I would panic they would think we were running off without paying! Or is that the point?
yes and it works!

[TeddyPickleStick]

I don't post on MN too frequently these days but even I've noticed malcolmtucker rudely correcting grammar. I called her on it when she did it to a dyslexic poster and then proceeded to question her diagnosis.

Please stop it. It's really rude, snide and it makes me think you have a superiority complex.

Op - you were not being unreasonable

[Pollydon]

Yabu, hospitality places have other customers, you know !

[Madamecastafiore]

Could you not just have asked another member of staff? You did not need to deal with her only to pay the bill and if another member of staff said you did then you say very directly that you will then be leaving the restaurant without paying because she is ignoring you.

[Angelfootprints]

I dont get that Pollydon. Was the op somehow not one of the customers herself? or inferior to the other customers?

Sorry, but I just don't see any logic in that mindset.

[Madamecastafiore]

is it not supposed to be MalcolmTucker'sMum????

Correct me if I am stupid, I am only educated to A Level standard!

[Madamecastafiore]

Oops me trying to be funny and not starting my post with a capital letter!

[notanyanymore]

i said in my experience they are rude. i never imagined people would think i've been to every toby carvery going and interacted with all their staff...

[ComposHat]

she was probably run off her feet and paid minimum wage to deal with ill mannered dickheads with an overblown sense of their own importance.

As others have pointed out, if you really eere in such a hurry you could have gone to the till.


After your outburst op id avoid going back there for a while unless you like you food phlegmish style.

[EmmaBemma]

"Trying to get eye contact was a bit pointless unless she is supposed to be a mind reader."

Eh? It's almost like some people here have never been in a restaurant. That's how you attract the attention of waiters - you try to get eye contact. Then you sort of flash your eyebrows to indicate that you require assistance. Or, if you need to pay, you do the internationally recognised "bill please" semaphore.

[EmmaBemma]

If they're happening to pass your table, you can say "excuse me please", but you can hardly do that from across the restaurant without shouting.

[Angelfootprints]

"Overblown sense of importance"

Ha ha ha ha! Yes, what a dickhead who was just trying to show of her importance by trying to pay her food bill.

[ComposHat]

No someone who had no understanding of the fact that the waitress had other customers to attend to as well and that in a busy restaurant she may have to wait to be served.