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[adamsappel]

You have bread? And a toaster of some kind?

Order the burger and the waffle special and tell them to hold the waffle between their knees.

I get you, fam.

 

[firelogic]

I also have to laugh at the concern over a "snowball" effect. So the concern is that other people would be intrigued and like the egg on a burger, thus ordering more burgers and eggs.

So you'd rather shut it down. Instead of getting more eggs for a total of pennies, and realizing you could have a new popular and extremely simple menu item to sell at a premium?

It's not specifically that everyone will want an egg on their burger or an egg on whatever it is they ordered, but a problem with people adjusting orders. If one guy does it, another might notice and do it, and then they tell their friends and they start requesting adjustments. I don't know what kind of restaurant it was but the kitchen basically works like an assembly line and if it's busy, it gets hectic. Instead of having 10 orders of a certain item to prepare, now they have 5 regular, 1 with an egg, 1 with grilled onion, 1 with cheese inside the burger patty, 1 with sundried tomatoes, and 1 with avocado. It throws a well organized machine into chaos.

 

[EstoyBlackWaldo]

When I go to restaurants I frequent, I don't ask for drinks on the menu, I usually request one and its typically accommodated if the bartender is competent enough.

Having a request doesn't make you a special or mean you have an ego considering its simple enough. Assuming so is reaching.

Can't say much for the story in particular as an egg isn't special unless it came from a golden Hen OR ingredients are awfully sparse. They should have just let him have it and moved on. Only thing that ever stopped me from going to a restaurant is the quality of service and food dipping.

 

[TheOfficeMut]

Read the thread, I already responded to a polite version of your comment.

lmao okay, you were joking, thanks for clearing that up with the more "polite" comment.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

 

[Ominym]

Being a regular customer does not entitle you to discounts or freebies. You order a double, you get charged double or some other price >1 and <2.

Agreed. I don't get why people are so willing to draw a line over being charged *gasp* the standard price for a good just because they go there a lot.

To echo what you said, being a regular somewhere entitles you to nothing. You might get the occasional discount or freebie, you might not, but regardless of the situation these items should be treated as gifts and not as expectations. If you're expecting to receive free items for your frequent patronage then they aren't even gifts in the first place.

 

[Like the hat?]

They gave a reason. Don't want to offer a special and then run out of one of the ingredients. They covered his bill which shows they went above and beyond to provide the best service they could. Guy still throwing a tantrum over it makes it clear the guy is in the wrong.

 

[TheOfficeMut]

Would I stop going ?

Yes, I have very specific taste and won't deviate from that.

However I wouldn't say anything bad about the establishment and respect their policies. I'll just give my money to a place willing and wish the other place happy times.

If you have very specific taste then why would you go to a restaurant that by default does not have menu items that satisfy you?

Do you mean I should make less condescending statements than things like "You can tell when someone never worked in the service business."? Glass houses and all that.

And as a waiter I pretty much always honored guest's simple requests. You'll notice that in each of my posts I carefully used that phrasing. Putting an egg on a burger? Simple request. Adding an extra teabag no charge? Simple request. There's no reason on earth not to accommodate stuff like this - it's so easy to lose customers and restaurants are a dicey business proposition as it is.

I used ten cents as an example, but out of curiosity I just and went and checked teabag prices. They go for three cents sold to consumers in bulk (Sams Club). Adding the item to my order for free would have reduced his profit margin by three cents.

The way I see it the tea bag is the product itself so it's not a simple matter of asking for another one just for extra caffeine. To that person you literally asked for another cup of tea for free, water or not. That's just how I think about it, regardless of what the tea bag itself costs. Yea it's a 10 cent bag but that's an item to be sold to another person for a premium.

 

[Beth Cyra]

If you have very specific taste then why would you go to a restaurant that by default does not have menu items that satisfy you?

Because I like/hear their service and people are great?

I check out places on recommendation and will ask if they allow variance. If yes I give them a shot and order with out onions and double meat.

If they don't I order a drink and say thank you and leave. No harm no foul.

 

[Risible]

Being a regular customer does not entitle you to discounts or freebies. You order a double, you get charged double or some other price >1 and <2.

I don't disagree, but charging double for an item that costs pennies is just stupid business.

The way I see it the tea bag is the product itself so it's not a simple matter of asking for another one just for extra caffeine. To that person you literally asked for another cup of tea for free, water or not.

This makes no sense. No, I "literally" asked for an extra teabag.

I'm starting to get a feel for why so many restaurants fail.

 

[TheOfficeMut]

Because I like/hear their service and people are great?

I check out places on recommendation and will ask if they allow variance. If yes I give them a shot and order with out onions and double meat.

If they don't I order a drink and say thank you and leave. No harm no foul.

Saying no onions or extra meat is quite different from what I had in mind when I asked you. I thought you were going to one type of restaurant and demanding menu items that don't exist.

I don't disagree, but charging double for an item that costs pennies is just stupid business.



This makes no sense. No, I "literally" asked for an extra teabag.

I'm starting to get a feel for why so many restaurants fail.

What makes no sense about what I said? You asked for an extra tea bag which might as well be another cup of tea and you're expecting it for free. From a small business owner at a deli, assumingly, at that. You have no problem paying for the tea to begin with but get upset if you're charged again for the same thing? It's not just an extra tea bag when that is the basis of the product. It shouldn't be given for free if that can be sold to the next person for the same price that you paid for your first tea. Why do you think that's unreasonable? Whether it's another actual cup of tea makes no difference because what makes a cup of tea is the tea bag itself. Losing that means one less cup of tea that can be sold.

I think you were unreasonable in expecting a second tea bag for free. Simple.

 

[Joni]

edit: finished looking at more replies and I'm astounded at how many people are defending the restaurant. It's not entitled to want your food a certain way especially when you are generally paying a huge premium for food when eating out.

You are paying a premium because you can't be bothered to put in the effort to do so yourself
You are paying for time, not just the food. The restaurant is simply weighing how much that time gain can cost.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

I spent a lot of years in the restaurant biz as a server/bartender/some management, and my opinion is that the GM is totally in the wrong in the story. Just put an egg on his goddamn burger, especially if he's a heavy regular. What on earth, this shouldn't even be a question.

The family of regional restaurants that I worked for really prided themselves on customer service, though. We had one family of regulars who, no kidding, had one child who wouldn't eat our kids menu, and wanted a happy meal from the McDonalds across the street. Every time they came in, we sent a busser or the host across the crosswalk to get him one. We were proud to do it, because we were giving the parents the chance to go out and have a steak or whatever on a semi regular basis, and if we didn't do it, they wouldn't have that chance. A couple of years later, the kid had outgrown his pickiness, and would order off our menu, and they were still regulars at that point. It was a proud anecdote that was always explained to new hires when they came on.

Refusing to put an egg on a customer's burger. That's nuts.

 

[Beth Cyra]

Saying no onions or extra meat is quite different from what I had in mind when I asked you. I thought you were going to one type of restaurant and demanding menu items that don't exist.

Oh hell naw.

If I want someone else product I'll go to that place.

It's not Rigo's job to make me a plate of Fried Rice and General Tsao

 

[eddievanclaylen]

Its fine to adjust the menu within reason. No mushrooms, no dairy, gluten will kill me if I even look at it ...

The absolute worst are the everything on the side fuckers. I will literally put everything on its own HUGE plate so theres no room on your table and you look like an asshole.

Also, if you have so many severe food allergies that one accidental bite of something will kill you, dont put your life in the hands of some guy making 8 bucks an hour.

 

[Staccat0]

That was the total bill by then. Not the burger price only.

Who said it was $71 on just a burger?

forgive me

 

[Acinixys]

Then the whole menu is open to a bit of adjustment here an extra sauce there. The chef created the menu, you decide if you want anything on there or not. Don't make special requests.

Are you serious

People will always want some kind of adjustment to their order

You would be an idiot to deny anything but the most blatantly stupid requests. You are throwing away money and customers with such a closed minded view

The server asks the chef, and then he/she decides if it can be done. And 99% of the time it can and will be.

 

[nekkid]

who spends 71 dollars on a hamburger?

Basically there are many questions about this patron that I would ask before addressing the service of the restaurant.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

If they can't fulfill a simple request like that, I would be very worried that they're not making the food from the ground up themselves. So I would maybe not go there again out of fear of being overcharged for sub-standard food, but not due to feeling disrespected

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I don't eat at a lot of restaurants (especially those of a higher-end variety) but my wife and I are vegetarian and I have never been to a place that wouldn't accommodate a specific request (like no mushrooms in my food because they're awful things) or a simple change in what's on the menu. I don't think this was unreasonable at all, and I think if he's such a regular customer the restaurant should have done all they could to accommodate a very minor request like this. Maybe things are different in the US vs. here in the UK? Like how here tips are typically left when you've received good service as opposed to bring an expected part of every transaction.

 

[Risible]

What makes no sense about what I said? You asked for an extra tea bag which might as well be another cup of tea and you're expecting it for free. From a small business owner at a deli, assumingly, at that. You have no problem paying for the tea to begin with but get upset if you're charged again for the same thing? It's not just an extra tea bag when that is the basis of the product. It shouldn't be given for free if that can be sold to the next person for the same price that you paid for your first tea. Why do you think that's unreasonable? Whether it's another actual cup of tea makes no difference because what makes a cup of tea is the tea bag itself. Losing that means one less cup of tea that can be sold.

I think you were unreasonable in expecting a second tea bag for free. Simple.

The bolded is the part that makes no sense. You make a logical leap that just doesn't follow.

Asking for an extra teabag is nowhere close to asking for a second tea. You are making the tea anyway, so no extra labor. I'm not asking for another cup or more water, so no added overhead there. Literally the only difference is adding the second teabag, so we are talking about adding pennies to the overhead vs. not complying with a customers wishes.

 

[gutter_trash]

He's a heavy regular.

The management is way dumb in this case.

Charge him extra for the egg, whatever.

Not all restaurants have to be chain restaurant hell

 

[The Albatross]

The bolded is the part that makes no sense. You make a logical leap that just doesn't follow.

Asking for an extra teabag is nowhere close to asking for a second tea. You are making the tea anyway, so no extra labor. I'm not asking for another cup or more water, so no added overhead there. Literally the only difference is adding the second teabag, so we are talking about adding pennies to the overhead vs. not complying with a customers wishes.

Eh, this is a stretch. Do you expect to get an extra shot of flavor syrup for free at Starbucks? It's pennies to make that syrup and all it takes is one extra "squirt" motion from the barista (something they probably do 1000 times a day). I don't doubt that many places would comply if you asked for it every time for free, but I think it's taking advantage of the good graces of a restaurant.

 

[tmac456]

I work in a brewpub and on the menu it states in bold that no substitutions are allowed

customers get pissy about it but it's just the way it is

 

[Forkball]

Order what's on the damn menu. There's a reason why they have it instead of giving you a list of ingredients.

 

[Moff]

I often do special orders, I don't mind if they refuse, but I think something is missing in this story, I don't understand why they would offer to pay the whole bill when they could simply charge the price of the waffle + egg for the egg on the burger, I am sure the patron would have paid that. very weird explanation from the manager.

 

[Aselith]

They ask for different special orders and get mad if they can't be honored.

But if the offer is to sell two products to one customer them asking for a special order seems like a net positive. You sell two products instead of one.

 

[The Faceless Master]

at the point where the manager offered to pay the bill, i would accept, leave a larger than normal tip and just not eat there as often as before, but still eat there.

btw, an extra tea bag is like wtf? how about getting an extra patty on a burger and not getting charged more? it's not the whole burger!!!

 

[EYEL1NER]

The Duncan guy made the story up, he admit that in the comments. Why are people arguing over this dumb management exercise.

If that is the case then this guy is still a dick. He is going to make up a story, yet still name and (attempt to) shame an actual restaurant and potentially fuck with their business? He definitely seems like the type of customer to say "You aren't going to give me an egg on my burger? Well congratulations, you just lost out on future business from the guy who spends $500 A MONTH ON BURGERS! Come on!"

Would I stop going to the restaurant in that situation? No, because I'm not a crazy person. After asking and being told the initial "Ah, I'm sorry, but we can't do that," I would have said "Okay then" and proceeded with my order.

If I am going to a restaurant that much in a month and spending that much, I would have to enjoy the taste of the food. I'm not going to stop eating something I enjoy because one time I couldn't make a change to a menu item. I mean, I get TERRIBLE service from fast food joints and I still eat at those pretty frequently. It seems like 9 times out of ten at Taco Bell the employee will read back my order where I said I didn't want any tomatoes on anything, where I wanted a soft taco instead of a hard taco with my combo, and what I wanted to drink, and then hand me a bag with tomatoes everywhere, a hard taco, and no straw for the drink she also handed me. And I don't stop going there because I fucking love the taste of that food.


EDIT: I do wish more places offered fried eggs as burger toppings though. I do see them every now and then but a lot of times they are paired with stuff like avocado, which I cannot eat.

 

[Hazmat]

I'm not convinced that this isn't a concoction of the OP's mind, but why would a restaurant be willing to let go of a $71 bill over an egg? If they won't fulfill the request, fine, that's their prerogative, but they'd lose $71 for not putting something they already make on a burger?

 

[Monocle]

"The bill was only 71 bucks."

wat

 

[eot]

Probably, yes

 

[TheOfficeMut]

The bolded is the part that makes no sense. You make a logical leap that just doesn't follow.

Asking for an extra teabag is nowhere close to asking for a second tea. You are making the tea anyway, so no extra labor. I'm not asking for another cup or more water, so no added overhead there. Literally the only difference is adding the second teabag, so we are talking about adding pennies to the overhead vs. not complying with a customers wishes.

Why do you keep ignoring the fact that the extra teabag is the basis for another cup of tea which would be charged a premium, yet you're expecting it for free simply because you purchased one already? A cup of tea or a bag of tea makes no difference is the point I am trying to make since the water is not what's being charged for. You could have gotten a cup of water for free, right? Exactly. So why would you expect another tea bag for free? One free to you means one less to be sold at a profit to someone else in a cup with water.

At first I thought you just didn't understand the difference but now you just sound entitled. Effort and cost of the item makes no difference here. The tea bag is what's being charged for. Stop pretending otherwise.

 

[Goliath]

I good manager appreciates return customers.

I go to a local Hibachi place that took an amazing sushi roll off the menu. When I go I still order it and they make it for me. There are also two restaurants that I go to that know me and my family. It's not that we go there that often, just that when we go we go as a group. We often get desserts or beverages given complimentary.

This new years we went to a local German restaurant for the first time. It was empty except for my party. We were large and they gave us dessert for free.

Good managers remember you, try to make you feel appreciated and accommodate.

 

[ZOONAMI]

I would say awesome, thanks for covering the tab!

I'll get an egg next time!

Suckers. If you want to cover a $71 bill over a 10 cent egg I'm all for it.

 

[KrellRell]

What's the deal with the fake ass story?

 

[ultratruman]

The manager declines and offers to pay his bill.

Man, i'd just leave it. Maybe they were low on eggs or something, it happens. They'd obviously do it if they could, if they were willing to pay your bill.

 

[ReAxion]

gain infinite free food by asking for an egg on your burger every time

 

[terrible]

Ask to pay for their weird waffle egg thing but use the egg for your burger instead. This wins the first world problem of the week award.

 

[mrhyderager]

I don't ask for menu adjustments just like I don't shout out story suggestions in the theatre. Hell, unlike the theatre they even let you freely review what is available before deciding to sit down.

I'm completely with the restaurant on their policy.

Probably cost them a bit of money here but they might be successful enough that it doesn't matter.

Edit: why do some restaurant goers think the menu is a starting off point for suggestions?

This depends entirely on the restaurant. Do they typically make these kind of alterations? Also, a customer that's giving you $500/month is worth making a slight alteration like this from any rational business standpoint. This isn't fundamentally changing their business model, and it's not asking for an ingredient they simply don't have.

It's a clear case of a management team being unable to adjust on the fly. I wouldn't say he should flat out stop going if he truly was such a regular patron but I certainly see the irritation.

 

[Trey]

When I frequent restaurants, it's because they provide good service with good food, and will indulge occasionally in these sorts of requests. That's what I expect from places I specifically form a relationship with. Little stuff like the situation in the original post goes a long way.

I doubt I would drop a restaurant over an egg, but I would definitely question why they couldn't go off menu for something so simple. The request is not absurd whatsoever.

 

[entremet]

The Duncan guy made the story up, he admit that in the comments. Why are people arguing over this dumb management exercise.

He actually did not.

Sir, to be clear, we know three of the bartenders very well. They always welcome us in. We have never asked for a special request in over two years. Ryan and Luis were especially embarrassed that the kitchen could not do something this simple.

I wrote this story to make sure business owner's understand the value of a customer, and create a culture where people are empowered to serve and handle breakdowns.

Thanks for your input.

When he's says story, he means anecdote not made up story. If this was fake, he could've been sued by the restaurant.

It could be fake. I don't know. But it's not a parable. Nor do I read as him making it up for a management exercise alone.

 

[Timedog]

(this is assuming the guy is a true regular and a big tipper).

Typically people that act entitled like this are bad tippers in my restaurant work experience.

 

[BajiBoxer]

If I were the customer, the reason sounds perfectly reasonable and I would just be like "ok, no biggie".

If I were the restaurant manager, I'd just give him the egg, and send someone out to pick up an extra dozen eggs if possible.

No reason for it to be a big issue.

 

[Skellig Gra]

What's the deal with the fake ass story?

It's just a really long Yelp review

 

[deadscreensky]

This doesn't make a ton of sense.

One egg is such a big deal the entire $71 meal is comped rather than just giving it to him?

And the guy still complains and wants to take his business elsewhere?

Sounds like someone who is always in there, possibly a pain for the staff to deal with, and putting a stop to catering to his wishes was worth losing his business.

That's sort of where I'm sitting, yeah. There's obviously a big missing chunk of context here.

Personally I feel making the meal free (!) is more than suitable compensation, and at worst I might go to the place less rather than drop them entirely.

 

[vwnut13]

So the GM was willing to burn a bridge on loyal customer for an egg that only costs probably 10 cents with bulk pricing.

10 cents for an egg in bulk?

I can go down to the local grocery store and got a dozen eggs for $0.79.

 

[entremet]

Typically people that act entitled like this are bad tippers in my restaurant work experience.

I'd say when he decided to leave, yeah that's a bit entitled, but asking for a GM is not a bad thing per se.

It's a service business.

10 cents for an egg in bulk?

I can go down to the local grocery store and got a dozen eggs for $0.79.

Yeah, it may even be cheaper lol.

 

[Stallion Dan]

Edit: why do some restaurant goers think the menu is a starting off point for suggestions?

Because allergies, different tastes etc.


Also this story is fake and stolen from Hell's Kitchen.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

Absolutely idiotic he was given a possible full meal comp over an egg

I think this is the point where I would have probably mellowed out about it.

"Oh, okay. Well, I appreciate that."