Help me beat poor service.

Also, I look forward to reading your scathing review on Yelp!

My favorite part or receipts including server names is calling how hoebag waitresses who spell their names with an "I" at the end opposed to an "y" on their crap service. I also tip 30-40% when I get E36M3 service and write a note for them to save the extra amount as I'll be writing a complete review for online posting and that a link and copy of the review with be sent to management of the establishment. If the location has a Facebook or instagram account, it'll get put on there as well.

I tried walking through a wall, but it didn't work. I tried talking to a stranger, an attractive 20-something girl, and she looked right through me and walked away. The jury is still out on whether I am a corporeal being or not I suppose.

You did blow up a lawn tractor engine....

berkeley Yelp. That and Google Reviews are as one sided and useless as they come... I purposely do exactly the opposite of what those reviews say because the writer generally comes across as a spoiled twentysomething.

Full disclosure: I have, in the past, done a negative Google Review on a Dremel product but only AFTER I had contacted Dremel. They still sell the damn thing on the inkjet printer principle; price the tool reasonably then hit you square in the balls for replacement consumeables.

In reply to Curmudgeon:

oh I don't use Yelp to actually choose where to eat, but I will use it to flounder crap hospitality industry employees. Google, Tripadvisor and Amazon get actual reviews from me, good or bad.

You commented like, "no worse if tattoo of swastika".

I suggest that it is time for you to genuinely test this theory.

When I get poor service in a restaurant, I always pay by plastic. On the tip line I'll put the appropriate ammount, usually little to nothing if it was truly terrible. Next to that (or in place of a tip in really bad examples) I'll write "terrible", "rude", or a few words for the reason why I didn't tip well. The manager WILL see the CC slip and now will hear your complaint. If at all possible, I'll give the bus boy a tip since his tips come out of the waitstaff's tips.
As far as your issue, I dont know why you are consistently getting over looked.

The purpose of yelp, google reviews etc. is not to help anyone assess any company's level of service. It's to turn the company running the service into a "gatekeeper of reputation," a very lucrative position of power. Whatever happens to the reviewed companies is inconsequential to that goal. Some of them run side-companies that offer to remove reviews for a fee.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Want a breakfast sandwich at 11:01? Can't seem to get thru to the staff? There are ways to get the service you demand.

Side tangent, what's this movie?

In reply to Scottah :

Falling Down

Falling Down with Michael Douglas

tuna55 wrote:

foxtrapper wrote: A loud booming laugh and voice often helps. As does a sense of humor. Things like: "HAHAHA!, WE'RE NOT DONE YET, COME ON BACK." "OYE!, WHERE'S THAT WONDERFUL SERVICE YOU FOLK ARE KNOWN FOR? (insert big smile to disarm here)." singing loudly, badly and off key often gets you attention almost instantly. Especially rather bawdy songs.

Careful, you'll come across like this guy

True! Hadn't thought of it. Now you've got me a little worried.

But I can say it is effective for not getting ignored, and generally the perception seems to be neutral at worse. Many times the person is taken aback, but they don't get angry or vindictive.

Ho, hey... if it ain't Capt. Hook. You still owe me a grand. Ha! Faggedabout it. Is this the Mrs? Whoa, bet she was sumpthin' before electricity!

They are just waiting for minimum wage to hit $15 then the service will get better......

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Want a breakfast sandwich at 11:01? Can't seem to get thru to the staff? There are ways to get the service you demand.

That is a great movie. You should get a badge. I have a gold one I have to wear around my neck that is far more impressive than my title, and it works great. Sometimes I have to force people to take my money and no one ever tells me they don't have a bathroom.

This happens to me quite a lot as well. When someone finally notices me, I do a super exaggerated blink and say: "Oh, sorry - sometimes I become invisible and it's hard to come back. You can see me now? Great!, Can I order something?"

Usually they don't get the sarcasm....

I am going to propose something else, are you in an area known for horrible service? Covington, LA had no restaurants with a decent wait staff...except for the mexican restaurant.

Sometimes, the local scene just sucks.

All the advice here is ineffective, sorry but your own life choices have cursed you forever. Here's why:

It's called the "Curse of bad service". It's directly related to the fact that once you worked in the service industry. While working in that industry you provided your customers with the best service you could (because you were a motivated individual who was going places). Now that you've moved on to those "better places" you must bear the burden of the curse. You are forever doomed to receive bad service.

Happens to me and my wife all the time. We don't even go out on dates anymore because nothing ever seems to go right. It's kind of one of those "with our powers combined...!" things.

Example: My wife doesn't like cheese very much. No matter WHAT she orders (it could be a piece of toast, or even the occasional iced tea) it is guaranteed to be brought to the table with cheese melted all over it. Without fail, every time. It's kind of a running joke with us now.

(edited the book of examples I continued to list below rest assured, there were some funny ones)

Sorry for the bad luck man, but it could be worse. You could still have that job you had while you worked your way out of the service industry and into the industry you are in now.

I've read through this whole thread a couple of times now and am struck by the fact that this doesn't seem to affect me. I mean once six or seven years ago I got noticeably bad service and tipped the woman 7 cents but otherwise I seem to get fairly quick service as accurate as it seems I can expect.

I wonder what the difference is?

I have the same problem. It seems to have taken a vacation lately, but the stories I could tell you about ridiculously bad service from bike shops, and parts supplier would blow your mind.

I did the dinner and a movie thing and did not get any service. Waited until the movie was over and when the staff asked me to leave because the next movie was going to start and they were going to let in new group. I said that I wanted to see the manager and I was not leaving until I got my dinner. Manager came we talked. I got complete refund and free tickets for four to come back (dinner included). Mind you there was only two of us. As I left I saw the manager running up and down the wait staff in the back of the lobby.

I never went back and have told many friends of the experience.

Wally wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Want a breakfast sandwich at 11:01? Can't seem to get thru to the staff? There are ways to get the service you demand.

That is a great movie. You should get a badge. I have a gold one I have to wear around my neck that is far more impressive than my title, and it works great. Sometimes I have to force people to take my money and no one ever tells me they don't have a bathroom.

Yeah, that's a great movie. Some of Michael Douglas' more inspired work with something of a twist ending; it keeps you guessing as to who's right and who's wrong in his interactions.

My movie is a one off. I generally get decent service and I usually tip well and will complement people even before the transaction is over. I have found that complementing people and being positive about others and projecting that will get you good if not much better service. It has netted me free disserts from the chef. Complementary drinks from the manager. Now these are also not the norm either but it has happened.

Thankfully, I can't remember the last time I got bad service and I dine out 1-2 times a week. The restaurant biz around here is too competitive for restaurants to survive long with bad service.

As for bad service in the retail realm, I literally expect NOTHING from the underpaid, underappreciated workers of retail. I always see good service as a pleasant surprise.

I don't have the "bad service" problem at restaurants, either. Why? Vegas is a service-based economy. A person can make a decent career out of waiting tables here, and it shows in their professionalism.

SWMBO's daughter is a waitress. She works under a Union contract with the Culinary Workers' Union, Local 226. Her base rate is $24/hour. plus tips. Great health care coverage, paid vacation, etc. Last year she made about 20% more than I did, after tips. Almost $100k waiting tables. You can make $150k if you get into a high-end restaurant.

You get good service all over town.