Do you REALLY need to do that there?

[Aragarthiel]

Hubs and I went out to dinner this evening at a local place similar to Applebee's or Chili's, where it's rather inexpensive but you can enjoy a pretty nice meal. It was a bit busy so service was a bit slow, but that was to be expected. After we got our appetizer, I looked over and noticed a waitress coming from the direction of the kitchen carrying a large paper grocery bag overflowing with to-go containers in one arm, and a plastic grocery bag in the other packed just as full. She sat the bags down at the empty booth next to ours as a woman dressed in scrubs from the local hospital (likely a nurse making a food run) approached her. Now, let me point out that the restaurant was set up like this:


So, we were pretty far from the door. The waitress proceeded to completely unpack the two bags while the nurse pulled out several credit cards and they went over the order together. A bit unusual, but not really any of my business, and I go back to my appetizer. Five minutes later, another waitress walks up with a couple who looked to be in their 40s following her. They were apparently supposed to be seated at the table next to ours, but the other waitress was too far in to move, so she just apologized and told them they'd be just a minute.

Meanwhile, the wife remarked about the necklace I was wearing. Apparently she sells them, and she took that as a cue to have a ten-minute conversation with me about the necklaces. My anxiety was starting to bother me the minute they walked up, as they had to stand directly in front of our table and that made me uncomfortable, and her wanting to talk to me was making it worse. Eventually she stopped, but even then the waitress and nurse were still going over the two bags of food, and I had caught bits of "No, that's supposed to be on this receipt" and "Where's my [food item]?" Great, there are problems with the order.

All in all, I think it took about 25 minutes for them to get through the two bags of food, with the couple standing there for at least 20 of that. The other waitress had asked them if they wanted a different table, but they said no, they'd wait. I get that nurses need to do food runs for several people at once, and it takes some time, but aren't there better places to do that instead of at a booth in the bar area on a Saturday night with at least three major football games playing on the screens there?

I know part of it was my anxiety getting to me but I really think this could have been a bit more well thought out.

[EricKei]

Aye -- There has to have been somewhere better they could have done this >_< Even a corner of the bar might have been a wiser choice. That, and one bag at a time, so less room is needed. I realize that it was a big order, but it was still a situation where the to-go server was likely encroaching on the other server's table, and delaying the nice folks who had to wait for her customer.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Aye -- There has to have been somewhere better they could have done this >_< Even a corner of the bar might have been a wiser choice. That, and one bag at a time, so less room is needed. I realize that it was a big order, but it was still a situation where the to-go server was likely encroaching on the other server's table, and delaying the nice folks who had to wait for her customer.

Perhaps a suggestion to management about having a designated area for to-go orders to be picked up may be a good idea. I know the local Olive Garden has theirs set up at one end of the bar area. They also have designated parking spots labeled for To-Go customers only w/a 15 minute limit as well (I've never been in there longer than that for a To-Go order.) It may be something that the restaurant management hasn't really take into consideration, but if a customer brings it up to their attention, they may take a serious look into it to see how feasible it could be for their customers.

Sure it was sucky of the other couple to encroach on your space . . . I would have been quite uncomfortable w/that myself (I'm a bit of a introvert myself) and really can't say how I would have handled that unless I were in that situation myself. But I do applaud you for trying to do your best under those circumstances . . . some folks can't handle it as well as you tried to (anxiety issues are hard to deal with every day as it is, as I know about myself.)

I would definitely mention that part about customers in your dining space when you make your suggestion to management just to let them know how inconvenient their current lack of setup is for everyone involved.

And a big from me and the kitties.

[flyonthewall]

That sounds hella weird. When I'm eating, I want to be left alone by strangers! I bite! RAWR. (Not really..)

[malmalthekiller]

As someone who also has anxiety, I would be totally uncomfortable as well.

[notalwaysright]

Table location matters for most people. That's why some tables are considered good (usually more secluded) and some are considered bad (near the kitchen, noise and foot traffic). It's not some unknown issue that only some people care about. Most people want to eat in peace.

Hopefully that was not normal for that place because it would have really ruined my meal.

[EricKei]

For location - Depends on the place In restaurants with a viewing window set up so that you can see into the kitchen, the ones next to it are prime real estate. Worst table in any venue, though, is the one next to the bathroom - unless you need to be close for medical reasons and have said so prior to being seated.