Garcia's Revisited

Ok, Hänni, Bug and I went back last night for dinner. The chimichanga wasn't bad, but it wasn't Mexican. It was more like stew-in-a-tortilla with brown gravy on top. I doubt we'll bother going back.

::side note to Hänni::
I'm sure you're going to say, "Well, I recommended the mini-chimis, not the chimichanga. You didn't order the right thing." And to that I say, "Well, I was hungry and wanted a full dinner, and the waiter said the Colorado Chimi was the best one, so that's what I got."
::end side note to Hänni::

That's not why I'm writing, though. As you know, today is Tuesday, WTF Tuesday in particular, even if our lovely hosts are MIA (which is a WTF in itself). What I want to write about is...

Damnit. There are two things I want to talk about. Guess I'll do both.

First, what would possess a restaurant to think that techno dance music is even remotely suitable for a pleasant dining experience? Garcia's was playing that shit last night. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate techno dance music, with its random beats, low thuds and off-key singing... if I've had a few drinks and was IN A CLUB. Bug was WTFing, too, saying, "Mommy? What's that?" "What's what, honey?" ::hand to ear:: "Sound of noise?" "Oh, that's techno dance music, honey." Like that totally clarified the query for her.

::tangent::
I suppose I could go back and update the post from the other day, but I won't bother. One other wonderful thing about the Sourdough Mining Company is that it played 80's music, but not so loud to make mister mrtl sit and bitch about it throughout the meal. It was a nice background touch.
::end tangent::

Second, customer service. It's been on my mind recently. What happened to businesses wanting to please or best benefit their customers? I tell you it's all in the crapper now. In the last several months, I've been paying particular attention to this. Like last night, did the hostess get us a high chair? Did I not mention we needed a high chair? No. Bitch sat us at a table right next to the stack and disappeared. Other examples:

Why must cashiers always attempt to put change on top of bills in my hand? You know something's going to get dropped. And when I do my quick and oh-so-skillful, single-handed bill-folding maneuver to show some bare hand to drop the coins, cashiers have actually made a move to unfold them to still put the coins on top of the bills. Stupid nits.

I realize that hostesses are trying to make the wait staff's jobs easier by huddling all the diners next to each other, but it's NOT ABOUT THEM. As paying customers, they are supposed to be helping to make our dining experience as wonderful as possible, and having to listen to stupid, loud and overbearing talkers, having some old fart slamming his back against our shared backrest and jolting me or having some boogery kid sticking a French fry in my hair is not my idea of a good time. And the nerve when they roll their eyes when we ask for another seat a few booths over? Bitches!

::side note to readers who currently or have worked in any of these situations::
I don't want to hear any fucking excuses. Don't bother.
:: end side note to readers who currently or have worked in any of these situations::

Comments

[Hänni]

Sorry you had a bad experience at Garcias! I've never experienced any of that stuff. And yeah, WTF was up with the techno? That shit is awful- it keeps me from ever going to the Marble Slab in my neighborhood.

And yeah, i'm gonna say it: thanks for giving it the college try, and thanks for the side note, but yeah mini chimis are *nothing* like the regulars. Mini chimis are filled with delicious cream cheese - no gravy on those babies... if you get the app, it is enough for a meal... just an FYI (although you won't be going back. Tsk, tsk)

[william]

Coming from 10 years in the restaurant industry, I have reasons (not excuses) to the problems that you experienced....they are...Ahh forget it. No F-ing excuses.

[cat]

I HATE the change on top of the bills thing. HATE! Especially in the supermarket. Everyone standing in line behind me has to wait while I slide the change off the bills into my change purse, straighten each bill and make sure each one is face up, right-side up, before placing the bills carefully into my billfold.

You kow what? It's a mercy I am so easygoing. (Wait. Does TGIM read this blog? No?) Yep. Easygoing. That's me.

[cat]

Um, that's "You know what?" not "You kow what?" Grr! Argh. Why the hell don't I ever hit preview first? Damn my impatience with modern technology!

[Dima]

I think the seating thing is actually stupid. You would think it would be more annoying for them to have everyone right next to each other. The reason for all the problems you mention is that people who work in food and retail services are getting stupider and less trained.

And, dude, I was totally jealous that you and Hanni got to hang out and go out for Mexican. But then I realized that there was only one comma, which meant, you were talking to her and not listing her.

[Amy]

Sorry Mrtl hon but you sound SOO VERY PREGNANT today.

[mrtl]

Hänni - Better that I didn't get the mini's then. Cream cheese gives me the... well, let's not go there, k?
william - There's no excuse for shitty customer service.
cat - You're always the banker in Monopoly, aren't you? (Mental note to never play Monopoly with cat, lest blood be shed.)
Dima - Business owners just don't understand how much of a difference it makes. I'd surrender a good restaurant if the service is that bad.

As for a Hänni/mrtl meet-up, it's not entirely impossible. She has family up here, and if she can get away, I'd totally take her out for pie.
Amy - O.M.G. You pegged it. My back has been killing me for a few days now (not helped when I decided to rearrange the office/playroom by myself yesterday -- lots of heavy furniture), and Frida settles so much when I sit down (which is like, constantly), that standing up (which is like, very often, what with the peeing and eating) is painful. But, you know, I'm not much of a whiner; I just become a bitcher.

And not like bitching isn't already a huge part of my personality. I'm not happy if I don't have something to bitch about.

[Von Krankipantzen]

I am hearing you on the service thing. It seems to be getting really terrible lately. And I don't see prices going down either.

[Rookie Momma]

I can't agree with you more about the customer service! I am generally a very patient person, but I can't STAND bad customer service. (Just ask RD) I've worked in retail and I know it's not always easy to please people, but some stuff is just common sense and respect.

[mrtl]

Kranki - Prices are horrendous up here. blech
Rookie Momma - Welcome! Yes - some people can't be pleased. I'm not asking for much, though. Competency? Courtesy?

Those who've worked in restaurants would say I just don't understand. I say screw that. It's about my dining experience, not the wait staff's convenience.

[eclectic]

Where to begin?! First, I'll go with the pregnant thing -- if that's not a good enough reason to bitch, then I don't know what would be. It SUCKS -- even when it's a "good pregnancy." Isn't that an oxymoron? Gaaaaah! It's like you're held hostage for 9 months or so. Second, bad service in a restaurant is a total deal-breaker. No food is good enough to justify poor service because I have good food at home. Hell, I can even find good food at Taco Bell. But when I go to a restaurant, I want good food PLUS good service. It's not an "either/or." And last, IMO, good Mexican food never contains cream cheese or gravy. That. Is. All.

[Adrienne]

We went to a mexican restaurant here in Grand Forks the other night and

a) we were crammed in between two tables of 6 or more, both of which contained children (we were 4 adults).

b) the waiter brought my mom the wrong food and instead of offering to fix the problem, he just looked at her like he was waiting for her to accept the incorrect food and eat it. Then when she asked for the veggie dish she ORDERED (instead of the fatty one they brought her), he told her it would take a while.

c) My dad and I ordered chicken enchiladas and we had to order each of the following things separately:
cheese - $1
Guacamole - $1
Sour Cream $0.75 cents.
And the enchiladas weren't cheap to begin with!

AND ANOTHER THING - I agree about the change thing. I hate it when you're trying to get your purse situated, or whatever, and the cashier is SHOVING the change in your face when you obviously have no hands for it. I used to be a cashier and I found that holding on to the change until the customer actually is looking at you and has a free hand is really not ANY harder.

Uh oh. You made me rant.

[William]

I agree there is no reason or excuse for shitty service. Especially in a restaurant. The saying goes. "you had a good experience eating somewhere you tell one person. You had a bad experience you tell 10."

By the way be careful of the people who put coins on top of the cash. They know you will fold it up and may not count it. They maybe taking a dollar or two.

[mrtl]

eclectic - Honestly, I don't feel worthy of complaining about the pregnancy; I've heard too many stories far worse.

Why'd you have to go and mention Taco Bell, though? That's just mean. I'm stuck at home - mister mrtl working a mids shift and Bug in bed - well, her tent anyway. WAH!
Adrienne - That shit's just wrong.
William - oooooh! That just boils my blood. Bastards.