To have walked out of this restaurant?

[MellieMGrant]

Took DD out for a nice day together, hair and shopping and lunch etc.

We went to a local mid range chain restaurant which prides itself (and usually delivers on) speedy service, as we wanted to get lunch done and dusted.

We were seated almost immediately, on the end of a long table. The table was filthy, and our place settings were used.

A member of staff came and cleared the rest of the bench and didn't acknowledge us at all. Didn't change our place settings.

We sat there, ignored, for almost twenty five minutes. I tried to make eye contact with at least two staff members but got nowhere.

A family were seated behind us and had their orders taken and drinks brought over while we were there.

I'm not particularly assertive and didn't want to make a fuss in front of DD anyway, so we just got up and left. Ended up going to Subway instead as we were really hungry by that point.

Was I being unreasonable? We often go out for lunch on a Saturday and I've never had such a poor experience, no matter how busy they are.

I feel a bit guilty for walking out but I'm not sure what else I should have done. Is a twenty odd minute wait at a dirty table too long or was I just hangry and irritable?

[AllllGooone]

Was it a popular Japanese style noodle bar chain? If soi seem to find their service so bad, regardless of the branch.

[MellieMGrant]

It was.

But we've always found it fine. Today was the first time it's been shit. We've even been in a huge group with seven kids and it's been excellent probably because they were trying to get us in and out quick

[AllllGooone]

Knew it! I was having a wobbly day recently (depression) ordered takeaway for collection from them to cheer myself up, waited for 20mins and could have cried! Their TA reviews seem to show it's a common theme!

[MammaTJ]

Well, isn't this the most obvious self validating post ever!!

Of course we are all going to agree with you, but was there any need to stay so long? To not say anything? To sit at a dirty table?

You could have solved this yourself a lot sooner really and I would have.

[Hassled]

Wagamamas is weird on service - it's either great or truly shite. Never somewhere in the middle.

Anyway, of course you should have walked out. I've walked out for way less. Don't fret about it - and they won't remember you if you go back; they see hundreds of people a day.

[HemanOrSheRa]

Don't be horrid TJ. The OP has told us why and what happened.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Wow MammaTJ you got out of the wrong side of bed this morning!

[RortyCrankle]

Good for you on walking out although I doubt I would have waited 30 minutes.

After a stressful hospital visit I was starving hungry and went to a nearby restaurant. There were about 30 tables with only 2 or 3 occupied. Staff member led me to a tiny table which faced away from the room towards the serving area and it was jammed up against a table where a waitress was clattering and sorting cutlery. I looked at him and without a word turned on my heels and started to walk out. He came after me and tried to show me to a window table. I told him 'too little, too late' and left. Never has a McDonald''s quarter pounder and fries tasted so good. Oh and I enjoyed leaving a review online when I got home

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

MamaTJ did you read all of Mellies posts? If you didn't you should, if you did, shame on you.

Mellie. I do not have any diagnosed MH issues, so no excuses, but I did similar recently. I kept thinking 'someone will serve me soon', but no, they served everyone around me. I tried to get their attention & they blanked me. It was kind of surreal. I felt like shouting 'Have I unknowingly turned fucking invisible??' I was furious. After going up to the bar twice & being told that someone would come over & take my order I told them to forget it.

[GabsAlot]

its your rightto walk out but next time tell someone why on your way out or they wont even realise

[Aeroflotgirl]

Bit harsh Rorty, you should have asked for a better seat.

[Nanny0gg]

Aeroflotgirl

Why? she didn't make a scene, she just showed very clearly that her treatment was thoroughly unacceptable.

[Aeroflotgirl]

Why did she nit give then a chance to put it right. Sounds a bit thoughtless tbh. Speak up if your not happy, and give them a chance, if yiur still not happy then complain or walk out.

[SpareASquare]

I have left a scathing TA review. What I lack in social assertiveness I make up for in being a keyboard warrior

So you've been in many times and received good service? Today was an anomaly, yet, you left a 'scathing' review without as much as an 'excuse me'. I'm surprised at the number of people who think that's ok. You are effectively punishing them to make yourself feel better about your lack of assertiveness. If it has never happened before, why the hell wouldn't you give them the chance to 'fix' it first?
And you made eye contact and still never spoke up. Were you expecting them to communicate telepathically? I've left bad reviews, so that in itself isn't an issue, but never without actually communicating my displeasure and giving them a chance to remedy especially if it is the exception rather than the rule.
Oh well, at least you feel better now that you have taken the cowardly approach.

[Nanny0gg]

Aeroflotgirl

Not in those circumstances. There were plenty of tables so presumably he was making some kind of 'point'.

I wouldn't have wanted to stay there either.

[MellieMGrant]

Spare, tbf my review said that I've always had good service previously.

And I've never had an experience where eye contact wasn't enough.

I was a waitress for years in various restaurants and if someone in my section even glanced at me I'd have made sure they didn't need anything.

[AwaywiththePixies27]

Wow. What is it with the thread policing on MN lately?

OP don't worry. I understand. I'm of the type. "I'll give them ten more minutes". Then give them twenty. I really have to work on this.

[bionicant]

surely if you work in a restaurant you should be really ott with customers unless they make it plain to leave you alone! service sounds shite

[summerholsdreamin]

As soon as I read your post OP I thought Wagammamas! Was it in East Anglia by any chance? We have had our bill reduced by 50% twice for shockingly slow service.

Love the good but my God they need to sort staffing out.

[AwaywiththePixies27]

But you do have to tip ....

So does being treated with courtesy mean you only get it if you tip then? Well that's me screwed given we generally tip at the end, are you UK bigchoc?

We ate out at a new place recently (big thing for me & my OCD and DS & his AS). The waiter and waitress were that good with DS and accommodating to us all, I left a significant tip. No way would I have tipped with the OPs piss poor service.

[MellieMGrant]

Not east anglia. Sarf east.

[Italiangreyhound]

MellieMGrant you were not being unreasonable at all.

Keep on with the work with your counseller and try and move on.

I think assertiveness is good, it's helpful to the other person to know they can't mess you about. It's not aggressive.

In the situation described you could have spoken directly to a server and said "please could you clean our table" or "please could you send one of your team to clean our table"
then "please can someone take our order."

If you want to make a point you could say "we are in a rush" "we are very hungry" or the flattering "we're starving and the food here is so good."

Big smile. Not aggressive, just assertive.

If this really bothers you, why not speak to therapist/counseller. I like to role play stiff in my head before it happens too, maybe makes it easier.

you are great, remember that, they should be pleased to serve you, you pay their wages. (I was a waitress too!)

[Italiangreyhound]

role play stuff!

[Tartyflette]

I've been in this type of restaurant and been ignored -- tbh, you can gauge if it's deliberate or not (sometimes it has been, sometimes not.) I've also been to places where there are obvious tensions between staff and the result is that customers have suffered.
I'm a gobby cow now and will ask to see the manager and tell him exactly why I'm leaving his or her restaurant. But when I was younger I probably would have put up with it.
And after that I leave, because frankly, I don't want to risk pissing off anyone who is serving food to me.....

[DoNotBlameMeIVotedRemain]

YWBU not to actuall speak to a member of staff and ask them to sort your table out and take your order. It's poor service but you should have shown DD that sometimes you need to assertive if you are being overlooked or poorly treated.