Dining Out Annoyances

It’s rare that I get annoyed with wait staff when I’m out. They’re busy, this may not be their first choice of employment, I get it. I have never worked food service, but I have worked retail on Michigan Avenue in Chicago at a swanky store during holiday season… not for the faint of heart. I know how jerky people can be.

It takes a lot to get me annoyed. Long wait times usually don’t get to me too much, it’s people’s attitude that does. So. Today my boyfriend and I walked to one of the tasty local cafes near our apartment. When you go around meal times, they’re swamped. The last time we went they forgot about my iced chai latte. Just completely forgot. Let me give you the set up. You order at the counter and then they’ll bring your food to the table if you’re dining, but it’s not like the typical, like, “serving you” experience. There’s an outside patio I like to sit at when the weather is nice.

Anyway, last time we just wanted to grab drinks and go on a walk. We were waiting for 20 minutes and saw people behind us order and leave with food. So finally I said something like “hey, I know you’re busy, but it’s been a while and I just wanted to check on my drink.” The young woman behind the counter asked what I ordered and then was like “you’re next up.” Annoyed… felt lied to, but whatever lol. I got my drink and we were on our way.

Today we went and actually had brunch. Ordered food and an iced chai latte. Sat on the patio, trying to be patient, got halfway through the food and no iced chai latte. So I go in and ask, tell them what table we are, and a girl goes “I just finished it. I’ll bring it out to you.” If you finished it why can’t you just give it to me now? lol I was so annoyed.

My boyfriend has worked food service so we actually had a nice conversation about how sometimes baristas in a cafe may not be in communication with the kitchen, especially if they don’t have an electronic system for keeping track of orders. My own annoyance dissipated when I recalled being swamped at my retail job, having people waiting in line, and not enough staff to help gift wrap things or having to rescan items if the customer decided mid transaction that they wanted to send it to their home instead of carry it around Chicago for the rest of the day (something stupid in the system made us have to void it out and start over if they wanted it shipped back home if they were on vacation or something).

What annoys you when you go out? lol. What helps you remain empathic toward service staff? I’m always polite/decent in my mind, but there are some things that get on my nerves. I freely admit that I’m an impatient person.

I can only think of one time I made a comment to someone and that was after they were rude to my mother— that may be a story for another day.

Happy Sunday

Natalie