is it in the water?

tonight the first table i got at the restaurant began as super high maintenance...i brought them something, and they needed something else. it got worse when he asked for anchovies on his greek salad, which i hate with a passion, but i got anyways, and he disappeared into the bathroom. he came back, into the BACK of the restaurant to find me and says that i served him bad anchovies and it's a disgrace that i would ever do such a thing. frankly, with the training i DIDN"T RECEIVE and the fact that i think anchovies are THE most disgusting thing on earth and smell like dirty feet, let alone what ever they might taste like, i have NO idea how to know that they're out of date and shouldn't be served to a customer in a restaurant. Even though i offered my apologies as nicely as i could, he demanded he speak to the manager, and then the owner. He couldn't stop going on and on...so, i asked the cooks to make sure that the anchovies were bad, and so they smelled and tasted them and they all said that the anchovies weren't bad. That's right, they Weren't bad. and that a$$hole guy was making a huge stink, making me look like a complete idiot for nothing. he got his whole meal for free, his whole stir fry and his wife's omlette, because he thought the anchovies, which didn't even touch his salad were bad, and they weren't bad.

Three tables later the couple complained about the portion size of the stir-fry they ordered because since we've gotten new owners the food is placed on the plate differently. they were all like "didn't you Notice that it was LESS food?" as if i did it on purpose or something. luckily they were nice about it after i told the cook to make the 'old' portion and they were able to share One entree.

and i'm pretty sure that i got shorted 8 bucks in tips because of a mistake by the hostess while counting the money at shift change. i even called her after she left to make sure, but she said that she didn't make a mistake. i still think she did, but what am i gonna do? booooo...

and strangely, after applying to a few other restaurants this past weekend, i've decided i'll probably stay at this job, even though i almost walk off the job almost all the time, because i finally have a schedule that fits and i really don't want to work somewhere that's actually Fine Dining, yes more tips, but more stress and more learning of the menu...plus i don't know enough about wine and don't want anyone to know it...especially a possible employer, so i'll stay with diner food and crappy customers. yes, i'm nuts. oh well...

for the record. i think the first guy of the night was my first complaint...ever...and it was clear after the anchovies weren't really bad, that he was an a$$...though i bet the 5 dollar tip was because his wife made him leave it...haha