Worst experience you have ever had with a restaurant and its staff?

[roadman]

I once told Starbucks I was James May. They didn’t get it.

Back in the days when Radio Shack would insist on asking for your name for even the most minor purchase (like a package of 480 ohm resistors), I used to tell the clerk I was Arlo Guthrie.  Was never questioned, but I wish I'd saved some of those receipts.

[hbelkins]

I used to use fake names for silly purposes, but also think that paying with a credit cared that has my name on it and then telling the clerk I'm "Takehashi", "Gerhard", or "Zbigniew" seems a bit shifty, and a time-wasting aggravation to explain the spelling. When I rented in a gated community, we'd tell the guards a fake name because we found they wouldn't randomly ID someone with an uncommon name, but Michael and Jane would.

One of the tour stops at the recent Columbus meet was the flagship Wendy's. They have the ordering kiosks where you place your order and swipe your card for payment. The name on your card shows up at a screen at the pickup spot. While I doubt anyone looks at the name on your card when you pay for your order at a staffed register (especially since you have most likely swiped the card yourself at a terminal that faces you, if a signature or PIN are required), transferring the name on the card to a pickup window eliminates your ability to tell them your name.

Do you know what time it was at the pizza hut?

Does anybody really know what time it is at Pizza Hut?
Does anybody really care?
If so I can't imagine why
We've all got time enough to cry

[Roadgeekteen]

I used to use fake names for silly purposes, but also think that paying with a credit cared that has my name on it and then telling the clerk I'm "Takehashi", "Gerhard", or "Zbigniew" seems a bit shifty, and a time-wasting aggravation to explain the spelling. When I rented in a gated community, we'd tell the guards a fake name because we found they wouldn't randomly ID someone with an uncommon name, but Michael and Jane would.

One of the tour stops at the recent Columbus meet was the flagship Wendy's. They have the ordering kiosks where you place your order and swipe your card for payment. The name on your card shows up at a screen at the pickup spot. While I doubt anyone looks at the name on your card when you pay for your order at a staffed register (especially since you have most likely swiped the card yourself at a terminal that faces you, if a signature or PIN are required), transferring the name on the card to a pickup window eliminates your ability to tell them your name.

Do you know what time it was at the pizza hut?

Does anybody really know what time it is at Pizza Hut?
Does anybody really care?
If so I can't imagine why
We've all got time enough to cry
[/quote] Did you just write a poem?

[Big John]

^^ You're likely too young to know this song:

[kphoger]

Some people would ensure that they would get fresh fries by asking for fries with no salt. Sure enough, we always had to make fresh fries for them, but it was generally considered to be a dick move because we had to throw away or set aside the existing, salted fries and be sure to keep that one person's order sequestered from the salted fries, which is more difficult to do than you'd think due to the kitchen not being set up for such a thing. So if getting fresh food is more important to you than not looking like a dick to the staff, then I guess that's an option one could explore.

My boss and his wife (who is also a coworker) simply don't like salt on their fries, so this is how they order them anyway.  They worked in restaurants together for years before starting in this industry, so they're certainly not naive to the ways of the kitchen.

[Roadgeekteen]

Some people would ensure that they would get fresh fries by asking for fries with no salt. Sure enough, we always had to make fresh fries for them, but it was generally considered to be a dick move because we had to throw away or set aside the existing, salted fries and be sure to keep that one person's order sequestered from the salted fries, which is more difficult to do than you'd think due to the kitchen not being set up for such a thing. So if getting fresh food is more important to you than not looking like a dick to the staff, then I guess that's an option one could explore.

My boss and his wife (who is also a coworker) simply don't like salt on their fries, so this is how they order them anyway.  They worked in restaurants together for years before starting in this industry, so they're certainly not naive to the ways of the kitchen.

Fries without salt are weirdly shaped potatoes.

[kkt]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

[Roadgeekteen]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

[kkt]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

Then they taste like vinegar and sugar with too much salt.

[Roadgeekteen]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

Then they taste like vinegar and sugar with too much salt.

Mustard?

[kkt]

Mustard has its own strong flavor.  A little like vinegar, not at all like sugar or salt.

[Roadgeekteen]

Mustard has its own strong flavor.  A little like vinegar, not at all like sugar or salt.

You like your food bland right?

[kkt]

Not at all.  Just not overwhelmingly salty.

[Roadgeekteen]

Not at all.  Just not overwhelmingly salty.

Some fries, like 5 guys ones are not as salty as others.

[hbelkins]

Some people would ensure that they would get fresh fries by asking for fries with no salt. Sure enough, we always had to make fresh fries for them, but it was generally considered to be a dick move because we had to throw away or set aside the existing, salted fries and be sure to keep that one person's order sequestered from the salted fries, which is more difficult to do than you'd think due to the kitchen not being set up for such a thing. So if getting fresh food is more important to you than not looking like a dick to the staff, then I guess that's an option one could explore.

To echo what others, have said, some people are under medical orders to reduce their salt intake. In general, run-of-the-mill fries come two ways -- saltier than a salt block like you'd set out for livestock, or no salt whatsoever. And it's not consistent even at the same restaurant. For instance, you can go to the McDonald's or Wendy's in the town where I work one day, and get very salty fries one day, and then go the next day and get fries with no salt whatsoever.

I'm generally someone who will put salt on something I haven't even tasted yet, but I've been told I need to cut down on salt because of my blood pressure. Yet I don't order fries with no salt, but there may be people who do for medical reasons. The kitchen staff needs to take dietary considerations into account instead of automatically assuming someone wants to be a jerk.

[kphoger]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

And how, exactly, does dipping something in ketchup reduce the salt content of what's being dipped?  His doctor said to eat less salt, and you're suggesting he instead take salty food and just cover up the taste.  Trolling, or idiocy?

[Brandon]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Much agreed.  Far too many place use way, way too much salt.  If I wanted a salt lick, I'd have ordered a salt lick.

[Roadgeekteen]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

And how, exactly, does dipping something in ketchup reduce the salt content of what's being dipped?  His doctor said to eat less salt, and you're suggesting he instead take salty food and just cover up the taste.  Trolling, or idiocy?

idiocy. I legit did not think about the saltiness of ketchup.

[kphoger]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

And how, exactly, does dipping something in ketchup reduce the salt content of what's being dipped?  His doctor said to eat less salt, and you're suggesting he instead take salty food and just cover up the taste.  Trolling, or idiocy?

idiocy. I legit did not think about the saltiness of ketchup.

That entirely not the point of what I was saying.  The french fry you're dipping has the same amount of salt on it, whether you dip it in ketchup or not.  Dipping it in ketchup is no substitute for ordering fries without salt on them to begin with.

It's like telling someone who's allergic to peanuts to dip their Snickers bar in ketchup.

[Roadgeekteen]

I lowered my salt intake as recommended by my doctor, for blood pressure.  Fries with salt added now taste overwhelming, like eating a salt lick.  Fries are potatoes and should taste like a small crunchy baked potato.

Try dipping them in ketchup.

And how, exactly, does dipping something in ketchup reduce the salt content of what's being dipped?  His doctor said to eat less salt, and you're suggesting he instead take salty food and just cover up the taste.  Trolling, or idiocy?

idiocy. I legit did not think about the saltiness of ketchup.

That entirely not the point of what I was saying.  The french fry you're dipping has the same amount of salt on it, whether you dip it in ketchup or not.  Dipping it in ketchup is no substitute for ordering fries without salt on them to begin with.

It's like telling someone who's allergic to peanuts to dip their Snickers bar in ketchup.

I often find that enough ketchup drowns out the taste. But I am looking like a complete fool right now so I will stop.

[bandit957]

My mom got mad because a clerk at a department store chewed bubble gum.

[kphoger]

My mom got mad because a clerk at a department store chewed bubble gum.

Probably wasn't roads scholaring at the time...

[Roadgeekteen]

My mom got mad because a clerk at a department store chewed bubble gum.

Why?

[bandit957]

My mom got mad because a clerk at a department store chewed bubble gum.

Why?

I asked my mom about it recently, and she said it was "probably because she was blowing bubbles in my face." The incident happened around 1988.

[Roadgeekteen]

My mom got mad because a clerk at a department store chewed bubble gum.

Why?

I asked my mom about it recently, and she said it was "probably because she was blowing bubbles in my face." The incident happened around 1988.

Why were you at the store with your mom at age 16? I usually stay home when my mom goes out.