Ok it’s time to rant!

I went to a chain type restaurant tonight and ordered, a turkey cheeses burger wrap. My wife ordered her dinner, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for our four year old, with fruit.

So after waiting 15 minutes for our food to come, I received a turkey cheese burger on a white bun. When I told the waitress I ordered a wrap, she claimed she misunderstood. I can honestly buy that. But when I thought about it, I told her I wanted the wrap from the lite menu. I mean come on, it’s about 100 or so less calories, plus I hate the taste of whit bread.

Ok, enough about that for now. So my wife looks at me and says, I ordered fruit for our daughter. I about lost it! They gave us fries. Have you ever tried to take fries away from a 4 year old? It’s like taking candy from a 4 year old.

I can understand not hearing me with my order, but she screwed up two of the three orders, with unhealthier versions of what we ordered. UGGGG!

So my solution to this is, when you order from the light menu, make damn sure you have the wait staff read back to you what you ordered! Especially for your kids!

Wed. May 23, 11:20pm

Hey maybe she was new, or perhaps just heard you wrong-people make mistakes! The important thing is whether or not she fixed your order when you brought it to her attention, not that the mistake was made in the first place. I commend you and your family for trying to eat healthier but don't take it out on the poor waitress. I'm sure you occasionally make mistake also.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 11:35 PM

Another thing about restraunts is you never know how many calories are actually in the light menu items and if you ask the waitress anything about the food, they never seem to know. I also hate the embarassed feeling I get when I order it, i always blush and if it comes back wrong, I just live with it so I dont get embarassed again.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 11:39 PM

OP here.
To answer, I have seen her at this restaurant several times in the past, and do remember her from once before.

At this restaurant, they actually post the entire nutritional value of the meal. They don’t however, with the regular menu, because it’s loaded with fat and calories!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 11:46 PM

Wrap v. sandwich: easy mistake based on what they're used to hearing
Fries v. fruit: well, they start off sounding the same, also an easy mistake

Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 11:59 PM

What? Easy mistake? That is crazy. It is not an easy mistake if you are paying attention and doing your job as a waitress, which is quite simply to *listen* to your customer's order and bring them what they ask for.

I agree with 11:35 poster that is is important how the waitress dealt with the probelms, but it is also true that she should be more careful when taking orders, and checking the order before serving it. I would not call her a 'poor waitress' because she messed up.

OP - I hear ya and empathize. I get frustrated with crappy service in restaurants too. I used to be a waitress and I know that it is not that hard to do if you put in a little effort and pay attention.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 5:53 AM

I used to be a waitress also and I disagree with the above post. I think that it is very stressful and I can easily see the mistake happening (this doesnt make it any less irritating though I know). Sometimes when you have six tables to take care of and 30 drinks to keep full, extra napkins, side of ketchup, soup spoon, crackers, and menu substitutions all while running burning hot plates to your tables sometimes you just have a bad day

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 6:09 AM

OP, I totally agree. I would have been beyond annoyed. I have 3 kids and fries are impossible.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 6:56 AM

I agree with the OP. I am a vegetarian. I can't tell you how many times I have asked the waitress if the marinara sauce is made with meat. I have asked them to go back and ask the kitchen. Then I get sauce with meat. If you have not consumed meat in a while it can make you very sick.

I had a friend who went out for pancakes with his twin brother. His brother was allergic to nuts. He asked the waiter if there were nuts in the pancakes. Waiter said no. He ordered pancakes and had a few bites before going into anaphylacitc shock. He died before the EMS arrived. Why? The pancakes were cooked in peanut oil.

Restaurants are in a unique business. What they are selling has the potential to harm people. It is up to the consumer to be educated and make staff aware of their needs. Once you consume something, the damage is usually done. It's not like selling a faulty garden hose or the wrong perfume. People are eating this. It affects their bodies, thier health. I have waitressed and I know people get busy. Some operate by rote. If every kid orders fries, some may think they ALL will. I have found if you (kindly) explain your point, how important it is, you usually get what you want. If not, ask for the manager. The mistake could have been made in the kitchen. But DO speak to the manager. They need to understand how important it is to get an order right.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 8:35 AM

What a moron.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 8:37 AM

Maybe people shouldn't eat out as much - problem solved !
Did you know that the average American eats out typically 4 times a week!! I we wonder why people have issues with food and weight - try cooking at home you know the calories intake and nutritional info.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 9:57 AM

It seems a waste of a good rant to devote it to something as trivial as this. You need to relax and realize that there are a LOT more serious things in life than a mistaken food order.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 10:13 AM

I used to waitress and I completely agree with the OP. A competant server writes down what you order, asks questions if there is any area of unclearness (was that the chicken or the beef fajita you wanted?) and gets it to the kitched accurately. While the waitstaff shouldn't be blamed for mistakes made in the kitchen, they should be casting an eye over the plate.... double-checking -- "Was that supposed to have fries on it?" This takes only a few seconds for a table of 3.

Getting the right food to the right table is the center of the JOB. Saying it's not important is like saying it's okay that a pilot can't take off or land, as long as (s)he can fly the plane while it's in the air!

With that said, a lot of the chain restaurants are really noisy. I used to work at Chilis, and had to squat down at the tables to take orders, because I really could not hear what people were saying unless they were yelling at me. If you're ordering in a really noisy environment, speak up!

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 10:36 AM

to op

While annoying- you are also being an example for your daughter. I hope that you did not take the fries away from her- once in awhile (as it sounds like) fries are ok. Everything in moderation.
My parents heavily weighed in on what I ate and how much (no snacks, chips or cookies, cupcakes)... guess what? when I got off on my own in college I ate how much and whatever I wanted- I did not have them there to control me so I rebelled because they were not there. I ballooned. It has taken some serious rethinking on my own to get a "grip" on my feelings about food- and listen more to what my stomach is saying and body is telling me than everything/everyone else outside.
This is my personal experience- I just want to let you know, despite your best intentions- they may backfire on you when she actually grows up on her own and is able to do things for herself.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 11:05 AM

11:05, i totally agree with you - that was my experience, too. as a parent i try to act like no food is forbidden and so far, my daughter makes healthy choices just as much as things like fries.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 12:37 PM

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