Servers and specials

medtran49

medtran49

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When you are in a restaurant and the specials are listed on blackboards (sometimes 2 or more) that can be easily seen from anywhere in the restaurant OR you are given a separate menu listing just the specials, how do you feel when your server starts reciting the specials? It annoys the cr@p out of me. I'm not stupid, I can see and I can read. I don't need somebody standing over me rattling off info that's right in front of me. Besides the fact that most people, me included, sort of zone out after so many words. I usually interrupt and tell them thank you, but I don't need you to tell me about them since I can read. Craig thinks I am being a bit ridiculous and rude, but I feel they are being ridiculous and rude. And it's not something the servers in all places are required to do because I've seen them do it at some tables, but not all.

To me, a server should greet me, ask if I have any questions on the menu or specials, then take my order, serve my food, ask if I want more to drink, about the food, etc, basically serve.

How do you feel?
 
medtran49 said:
When you are in a restaurant and the specials are listed on blackboards (sometimes 2 or more) that can be easily seen from anywhere in the restaurant OR you are given a separate menu listing just the specials, how do you feel when your server starts reciting the specials? It annoys the cr@p out of me. I'm not stupid, I can see and I can read. I don't need somebody standing over me rattling off info that's right in front of me. Besides the fact that most people, me included, sort of zone out after so many words. I usually interrupt and tell them thank you, but I don't need you to tell me about them since I can read. Craig thinks I am being a bit ridiculous and rude, but I feel they are being ridiculous and rude. And it's not something the servers in all places are required to do because I've seen them do it at some tables, but not all.

To me, a server should greet me, ask if I have any questions on the menu or specials, then take my order, serve my food, ask if I want more to drink, about the food, etc, basically serve.

How do you feel?
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I also get a bit annoyed, but I give up and I know that first or then he/she will stop. Fundamentally the servers do what the owner says to them what to do with the customers, I.e. to sell products and “to pilot” their tastes and choices towards something new or more expensive. Some of them however are very intrusive, and when they are like that I don’t scompose myself, I take control about the situation being funny and smiling, but firm.
 
It doesn't generally annoy me, but the first thing I do when I walk in a place is look for the specials.

My wife is an example of someone who needs that, especially since her stroke, as she kind of "lives in the moment," so to speak, and she doesn't really think ahead to look (or even ask) for the specials.

For example, we just went to breakfast last week, and we sat down, looked at the menu, and ordered. On the way out the door, MrsTasty noticed the specials board for the first time and was a little miffed that the server hadn't mentioned the specials.

Her mom was the same way, and in retrospect, she probably was in the very early stages of dementia in her late 50's, because she was always a bit spacey.

Personally, I'd prefer they just ask, "Would you like to hear about our specials today?" That gives me the option. I do think that interrupting them once they've started is rude. Except when someone is in danger, there aren't too many instances where interruptions aren't rude, really. Being irritated or annoyed with someone doesn't excuse poor manners. I wish I were a more elegant writer, like Miss Manners - that would have come out a little less harsh. :)

What I do when I don't care about the specials and they're yammering on about them is peruse the menu for what I do want.
 
TastyReuben said:
Personally, I'd prefer they just ask, "Would you like to hear about our specials today?" That gives me the option.
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DITTO

Several restaurants we frequent do not have the specials posted. The servers usually ask before spouting a litany of specials. Recently one restaurant had fried soft shell crab as an appetizer special. We were very happy to share that special. Another restaurant had pan seared Tripple Tail as an entree special. We were with another couple. We all ordered and enjoyed the special.

In south Louisiana the specials usually involve fresh caught, local, in-season seafood. We are blessed with many wonderful restaurants and many very talented, award winning chefs who feature specials with their person touch.
 
The Velvet Curtain said:
I've never really encountered pushy waiting staff here in the UK, things tend to be more reserved. It is very rare for a server to come up and introduce themselves by name, let alone try to engage in any form of dialogue.
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Depending on where you go here, servers will plop down next to you at your table and say, "Hi, guys! I'm Vickee with two e's! Whatcha havin' t'nite?!"
 
When I worked in the industry, it was required of waitresses or waiters to cover certain things each time they served. One of the ones we always had to cover was starters. "Would you like any starters with that?" was a line we were expected to ask after the person had started their order if they didn't mention any. There would be mystery customers checking we had and on one occasion i got pulled up my by bosses boss for not asking him if he wanted a starter. All i could do was answer honestly, that i assumed given he wag my bosses boss that he knew the menu inside out and would know if he wanted a starter with his order. I ended up apologising for taking the initiative! After that I just stick to the script, even when i knew.... in return I started getting the 'it's alright, I know...' comments from my boss, and such.

You just can't win.
Personally I let them finish because I know the situation they could be in and because I do see interrupting people as being rude. But that's just how I was brought up.
 
Like I wrote and several of you are obviously missing, it's not a required thing in most of the restaurants we visit, as they do it at some tables, but not all.

And, I have to disagree about my interrupting them, as I feel they are encroaching on my time, our conversation or quiet time as the case may be with their recitation. Our business and tips pay for their livelihood not vice versa.

I can understand going through the specials verbally if they aren't listed on blackboards or on a specials menu; however, again, I zone out after 2 or 3, especially if there is a lengthy description, as do a lot of other people, so that's not an effective way of letting me know about specials.

Also, I have to wonder sometimes if it's an age/debility (I have severe arthritis in my knees, hips and back, making it difficult and painful to walk) almost discrimination thing. A couple of weeks ago, we were out for brunch. Our waiter started in with the recitation even though a specials menu was included with the regular menu. I interrupted him with my usual thank you, but... speech. He came back, with something like, well it just gives more importance if we tell you about them. A few minutes later, the table next to us was seated with 2 much younger couples. They didn't get the recitation from him. So, why did we?
 
I do prefer to read the specials rather than hearing them. If I just hear them, I will forget what they were in less than a minute. :scratchhead:

But, I don't get irritated by hearing the specials. I'm sure most wait staff don't intend to annoy anyone, especially in Merica, where 90-percent of their income is from gratuities. It is hard to know what every different customer wants. If I were a waiter, I would probably ask, "Would you like to hear about of specials?"

CD
 
Really, unless you're privy to the restaurants' policy, you don't know what is or isn't required - could be that it is, and when they're waiting on you, the manager is within earshot, and when they're waiting on the next table, the manager is off doing something else.

Or, if I were a waiter, I'd probably skip a few tables as well, as in, "Crap, if I have to say these specials one more time, I'm going to strangle myself!" Then I'd take a break from it for the next few tables.

It's all supposition, really. One's as likely (or not as likely) as the other.

I must say, I'm not buying the encroachment on your quiet time time reasoning. When you go out for a meal, it's understood you're going to interact with the server at a few points during the evening - when they list the specials, when they take your drinks order, when they take your food order, when they wait until your mouth is full before asking how everything is, when they ask if you want dessert, and when they bring the bill. If you're going to get annoyed about being read the specials, you may as well get annoyed about asking if you need a drinks refill. It's just part of the normal give-and-take of a night out.

Another reason could be that most people aren't aware of the specials, even if they're on a big board and even if they're given a menu. The first thing I do with a menu insert is set it to the side, because there's more stuff listed in the main menu than on some wonky insert. My loss, so be it.

But seriously, think about the average person, or group of people. They're distracted walking into a restaurant. They're on their phone. They're interacting with their friends/family. It's easy-peasy to glide right past that board of specials without even noticing. I happen to look for it, because I know it benefits my wife, but I'm betting a lot of people don't bother, or aren't aware. Why? Because the server's going to tell them anyway.

Here's how I look at it: it takes just a few minutes, literally just a few minutes at most, for a server to roll through the specials. How hard is it to sit and politely (pretend to) listen? Are those three minutes (or gosh, even five whole minutes if your server is a slow one) that precious to you, that you can't just wait them out?

I do think the best policy is for a server to ask if you want to hear them, but barring that, I don't see the big deal in looking at the wine list or the main menu while they do their thing.
 
TastyReuben said:
I must say, I'm not buying the encroachment on your quiet time time reasoning. When you go out for a meal, it's understood you're going to interact with the server at a few points during the evening - when they list the specials, when they take your drinks order, when they take your food order, when they wait until your mouth is full before asking how everything is, when they ask if you want dessert, and when they bring the bill. If you're going to get annoyed about being read the specials, you may as well get annoyed about asking if you need a drinks refill. It's just part of the normal give-and-take of a night out.
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There's necessary interaction and then there's unnecessary interaction. Reciting specials is unnecessary when they are readily available other than verbally. I even mentioned most of the necessary interactions you cite in my original post.

And if some server plopped their butt down beside me or a companion like you mentioned, we'd be getting another server or leaving.
 
For some reason, I've noticed specials boards are often on the wall in a place where you have to stand up or move to see them. In those instances its useful to have them recited to you. But on the whole I prefer to read them myself.

In the UK (as aforementioned) waiting staff don't tend be very pushy so it isn't usually an issue.
 
medtran49 said:
And if some server plopped their butt down beside me or a companion like you mentioned, we'd be getting another server or leaving.
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The first time we ate at The Macaroni Grill (are those still around?), we were shocked to find the tables were all fitted with big rolls of butcher paper, used as tablecloths of a sort. The host would seat you, then the server would come out, take out a big Sharpie and elaborately write their name, along with a big smiley face or some other cartoonish thing, and it would cover the whole table, along with, "Hi, Guys! I'm Barbie! How ya feelin' tonight?! Good? Ya feelin' good?! I hope so! Hey, that's a nice shirt you got on!"

It was excruciating, because that's how the whole night went - very bubbly, very chummy.

It's funny, both the wife and I read a lot of travel blogs and travel industry stuff, because of her job, and one of the biggest complaints Americans have when they travel to Europe is the perception that waitstaff in restaurants are rude/standoffish. The reason is pretty simple, they're paid a living wage and not dependent on tips for their income, so they don't have to be puppy-dog-attentive or have some schtick in hopes of getting a 20% tip out of you.

Back to the whole specials thing...hey, if it annoys you, it annoys you. I'm not telling you it shouldn't annoy you. Believe me, I'm a walking hodge-podge of contradictions, so I get annoyed at the silliest things sometimes (I get annoyed when shopkeepers don't greet me when I walk in and simultaneously get annoyed if they do - wrap your head around that).

You asked the question, though, as to whether folks here thought it was rude, and we're just trying to answer your question.
 
Macaroni Grills were still around a couple of years ago before we downsized homes. We would drive by one occasionally while running errands.

I remember the butcher paper, but don't remember the over the top greeting or writing on the table. Maybe they don't do that everywhere. We stopped going there after I was served more unopened clams than open ones in a mixed seafood dish, sent them back, only to have them returned open with shards of broken shell inside the clams... Had a discussion with the manager about that.
 
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