I swear I'm going to rip the phone out of the wall

[Willowe]

Not too many SCs in the restaurant, but a TON of really weird and annoying phone calls.

I don't think YOU'RE in Kansas anymore...

It was storming pretty bad in the area. We didn't lose power, but there were definitely trees down in other places and a lot of thunder/lightening.

[phone rings]
Me: Hi, this is Willowe at [restaurant], how may I help you?
SC: Hi, this is [name] with [major newspaper in state capital]. We're getting reports that there are tornadoes around you, can you see anything from your restaurant?

Why yes! In fact, there are several twisters heading my way but obviously I'm going to stick around the restaurant and describe it for you.

And this isn't a real concern

[phone rings]
Me: Hi, this is Willowe at [restaurant], how may I help you?
SC: YES THIS I WAS IN FOR LUNCH AND DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING THEN BUT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED BY THE NICOISE SALAD I HAD.
Me: o.o [can barely understand her, have to hold the phone away from my ear because she's so loud]
SC: I JUST DON'T THINK IT WAS A REAL NICOISE SALAD, BECAUSE REAL NISCOISE SALADS ARE A TREAT AND THIS JUST WASN'T...

At this point I realize it's the charming M, a sucky regular who complains about everything. She was in THREE HOURS earlier, ordered a nicoise salad, and not only didn't say anything then but took the rest of it home. Then called up and complained about it not being a "real" nicoise salad, complete with a list of things we apparently NEEDED to do to change it (and insisting that none of these changes would cost us money ). And then she went off on our chef, N, who is just very sweet and makes wonderful food. Saying he obviously couldn't cook, needed to be fired (or at least retaught everything), etc.

She wouldn't shut up for at least 10 minutes. Started ignoring her after about two minutes and just settled the checks that had been brought up to the register.

Can you figure this out before calling back?

Guy calls with a lunch reservation for tomorrow, 8 people at noon.

Calls back- it might be 9.

Calls back- could be 10, but he's really not sure.

Calls back- and they'll probably be there closer to 12:30.

Seriously, just take five minutes to finalize your plans before calling to make a reservation! It's really not that hard to do!

[wolfie]

It was storming pretty bad in the area. We didn't lose power, but there were definitely trees down in other places and a lot of thunder/lightening.

[phone rings]
Me: Hi, this is Willowe at [restaurant], how may I help you?
SC: Hi, this is [name] with [major newspaper in state capital]. We're getting reports that there are tornadoes around you, can you see anything from your restaurant?

Why yes! In fact, there are several twisters heading my way but obviously I'm going to stick around the restaurant and describe it for you.

In other words, the reporter wants you to do HIS job for him, rather than doing your own job? In a situation like that, I'd be tempted to serve him a (figurative) facefull of egg. If you could see tornadoes, tell him "No tornadoes around here - clear sky and a light breeze". If no tornadoes, tell him "Definitely - one just levelled everything on the other side of the street".

[2gigch1]

In other words, the reporter wants you to do HIS job for him, rather than doing your own job? In a situation like that, I'd be tempted to serve him a (figurative) facefull of egg. If you could see tornadoes, tell him "No tornadoes around here - clear sky and a light breeze". If no tornadoes, tell him "Definitely - one just levelled everything on the other side of the street".

It's really not that devillish. I work in a newsroom. It kinda goes like this:

"Hey there's reports of tornadoes down in xx town!"

<Google search for local business>

<Phone call to business>

"Hi, y'all seen some tornadoes? No? Okay, thanks."

"No tornadoes Bob! What else do you need me to check on?"

As crazy as it sounds, calling up people and asking questions is a good way to get answers.

[Willowe]

It's really not that devillish. I work in a newsroom. It kinda goes like this:

"Hey there's reports of tornadoes down in xx town!"

<Google search for local business>

<Phone call to business>

"Hi, y'all seen some tornadoes? No? Okay, thanks."

"No tornadoes Bob! What else do you need me to check on?"

As crazy as it sounds, calling up people and asking questions is a good way to get answers.

I totally get where he's coming from, but it just seems like a strange request in this scenario. Like if it was just severe storms, or reports about power outages or something, that I could understand. But if there was actually a tornado, no one would be around anyway to answer the phone because (hopefully) we'd all be somewhere safe.

I don't know, it just seemed a bit odd to me at the time.

[Seshat]

It's really not that devillish. I work in a newsroom. It kinda goes like this:

As crazy as it sounds, calling up people and asking questions is a good way to get answers.

Why not:

a) Check the twitter stream, or
b) Check with the bureau of meteorology - they have both professional and amateur storm chasers reporting to them all the time.

[thansal]

Can you figure this out before calling back?

Heh, I suck and did that one recently. I made the mistake of posting a possible idea of what to do that night to FB, only to have every one dribble in, causing me to call in twice to up the reservation. My only saving grace is that each time I called they were hard numbers, and I never changed the time, I still suck for it though (they were very forgiving and pleasant to us about it, go them!) :P

[vikingchyk]

Why not:
a) Check the twitter stream, or
b) Check with the bureau of meteorology - they have both professional and amateur storm chasers reporting to them all the time.

But then they couldn't get the obligatory useless (wo)man-on-the-scene quote:
"It sounded like a freight train coming through!!"

[Pixilated]

It's really not that devillish. I work in a newsroom. It kinda goes like this:

"Hey there's reports of tornadoes down in xx town!"

<Google search for local business>

<Phone call to business>

"Hi, y'all seen some tornadoes? No? Okay, thanks."

"No tornadoes Bob! What else do you need me to check on?"

As crazy as it sounds, calling up people and asking questions is a good way to get answers.

Yep. And we do feel like a fool sometimes, when we have to do this (or in my case, "had" to do this) but it's part of the job.

I totally get where he's coming from, but it just seems like a strange request in this scenario. Like if it was just severe storms, or reports about power outages or something, that I could understand. But if there was actually a tornado, no one would be around anyway to answer the phone because (hopefully) we'd all be somewhere safe.

I don't know, it just seemed a bit odd to me at the time.

I can believe it. "So, has the roof fallen in on you yet??"

Why not:

a) Check the twitter stream, or
b) Check with the bureau of meteorology - they have both professional and amateur storm chasers reporting to them all the time.

But then they couldn't get the obligatory useless (wo)man-on-the-scene quote:
"It sounded like a freight train coming through!!"

Was gonna say, "Because the editors really really prefer (e.g. DEMAND) that you get 'the personal angle'" but I see vikingchyk beat me to it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

In other words, the reporter wants you to do HIS job for him, rather than doing your own job? In a situation like that, I'd be tempted to serve him a (figurative) facefull of egg. If you could see tornadoes, tell him "No tornadoes around here - clear sky and a light breeze". If no tornadoes, tell him "Definitely - one just levelled everything on the other side of the street".

Actually, this would be what the Milwaukee Urinal Sentinel does fairly frequently. They put up a blurb on their web site "Did you see x or have you experienced x? If so contact us at (link)"

This not only requires no effort whatsoever, it also reveals which bias they're going to apply to the story, if there is any.

As for the OP, why call some random restaurant about bad storms when you could get better information from the local weather bureau or Skywarn team? Or come to town after the storms have passed through if you really need first-hand accounts?

[cinema guy]

Now I'm craving salad nicoise.

[MoonCat]

"Did you see x or have you experienced x? If so contact us at (link)"

This is one of the things that bugs me about TV news these days. They constantly encourage viewers to send in photos and videos, which just seems to me to be a great way to avoid doing it themselves. Whatever happened to professionals going out to get this stuff?

[Dave1982]

"Well someday I'm gonna yank that phone cord right out from the wall/How long is this phase gonna last?"

"Come on!"

[Akasa]

Kinda off topic, but what's a niciose salad?

[Oniontears]

Kinda off topic, but what's a niciose salad?

Hilariously, I didn't know what this was either, and in my Googling I found this: http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainmen...ntroversy.html

So basically, the customer was complaining about a salad EVERYONE has a different version of anyway! Too, too funny.

[paxillated]

a) Check the twitter stream, or
b) Check with the bureau of meteorology - they have both professional and amateur storm chasers reporting to them all the time.

or

c. Go online and check the local live, animated radar for bow echoes and severe thunderstorms. And weather warnings. Before you call.

I like Wunderground. Their USA radar map is here. Click on the area you're interested in.