Rude waiter in Majorca

[Orca123]

We were having an early evening drink in a bar in Palma Nova when a woman on a nearby table asked the waiter why it was quiet he replied "it's October, people who come here in October can't afford to buy drinks"
What a cheeky twat, we were thinking of eating there but after that thought forget it and went elsewhere

Amusingly the waiter probably now thinks they can't afford to eat there.

You’re looking at it from the wrong angle OP.

Surly waiters are integral to a holiday in most Mediterranean countries. Just have a laugh and regard it as part of the entertainment.

Gently, you need to get a thicker skin.

He wasn’t even talking to you and he was simply making an observation as someone who is experienced in his profession.

It’s like saying why is it so quiet outside but busy inside - because the weathers cold/it’s raining etc.

I genuinely don’t know how you can get offended by this.
Were you trying to get out of paying for your drinks perhaps?

Perhaps you were too far away to see the twinkle in his eye?
Or maybe his end of season cynicism?
Or just a truthful answer to a stupid question?
He wasn’t even talking to you.

Why are you offended by this?

You’ve taken that very personally, did he hit a nerve are you there then as it’s cheaper, ?

I'm going to Mallorca next week. I don't care what the waiters think of my spending power and what I can and cannot afford.

I'm going in October because no-one in their right mind would go in high summer if that wasn't their only time available for a summer holiday. The weather and sea will still be warm, and it will be less stiflingly hot and less crowded than August. The fact it's cheaper is a bonus.

It's like the holiday version of that meme - £100k car on finance and £0 in the bank, people assume you're rich, £1k car bought outright and £100k in the bank, people assume you're poor, ie £5k holiday in August, people assume you're rich, £1.5k holiday in October, with £3.5k left over for other things, that waiter apparently assumes you're poor.

😂😂
If you know you know!

Pollensa is nicer.

Pollensa is lovely.

He was just making conversation! I came onto the thread expecting to read about a Spanish version of Basil Fawlty, but he's made an entirely innocuous remark based on his observations.

You are being oversensitive. It was a throw away comment about why it was quiet.
I don't think it's particularly offensive and probably not even true.

The waiter was probably a bit irritated and gave a flippant reply. It’s common sense that nowhere is going to be busy out of season and the woman’s question was the equivalent of asking someone why their business isn’t doing particularly well!

We must have different views of 'rude' @Orca123

I cannot imagine how sensitive you have to be to eavesdrop on a conversation, think it is rude and be so offended by it you post on MN.

🙄

I think what he said was quite funny. It was a joke! You need to find your sense of humour and not take it so seriously.

It will be busy again next week in half term surely?

I mean he's kinda right. Also, it's been a really long season, overtourism is wreaking havoc everywhere, and everyone is just generally really tired. But most importantly - are you a Spanish speaker or was he having the conversation in a second language? Because lots of us tend to simplify statements/put them into the absolute/imperative when we're speaking a language which isn't our first, which I think sometimes has the effect of making things seem a little more blunt than they otherwise would.

Agree. He was answering her question - the demographic of people who come at this time of year is different and fewer of them can afford to eat and drink out every night. He wasn’t telling OP that SHE was hard up or poor, because she was obviously sat there buying drinks. He may, I assume, also have been speaking English as a second language so his choice of words may have been more blunt than a native speaker.

Some people seek offence where none is intended.

I think the waiter was rude to say it a bit. It was probably a joke though.

We had a comment in crete about why we would want to holiday in October when it was so cold and no parties on the beach!! 😁❄️

I couldn't do high season in these places.

She's cracked it!

He has a point, people going out of season are unlikely to want to party hard. This year the weather is hot, normally it would be raining

I would have laughed. It's cheaper in October, less money is spent.

Why not? October would be perfect for young couples and groups of friends and I'm sure there will be plenty of partying and drinking by those who like that sort of holiday.

Also families with younger DC who might be going now as it's not too hot for little ones but the sea is still warm.

I think he was rude too op. And telling a customer that they can't afford to spend money is his establishment doesn't seem very smart.

I agree and also would have taken my money elsewhere. We go on holiday with the kids in May and October half term now instead of the summer as I hate the crowds in August everywhere and can't really see the point of leaving the UK when its actually nice weather here and everywhere is quieter in the UK and work is also quiet! But i have the same amount of money to spend in October, probably more as I've earnt more over the year. I'm going away for our main annual holiday next week for 10 days and we will be eating in a differenr restaurant every night. Silly waiter.