Dining with a Cockroach

[keggerz]

I have been meaning to type this up but keep forgetting to so here goes:

 

So we always go up to see my family for the holidays after 1st of the year and we took my mom and step dad out to dinner.

We told them we would take them wherever they wanted and they decided on Texas Roadhouse(i had never eaten at a TR before) and it wouldnt have been my choice of places to go but hey it was whatever my mom wanted.

 

Well we get there and the wait is all of like 30 minutes. We were seated at a booth and I slid in and let my wife have the "exit" seat

So the waitress brings us our rolls or bread or whatever it was and then drinks...then the appetizers...now we are just about finished with the apps

when out of the corner of my eye i see something move and glance down and its a COCKROACH not huge but still a F'n ROACH...without anyone seeing

the ROACH or what i was doing I was able to smush him in my napkin....I didnt say anything to anyone but got the attention of our waitress and asked

for the manager. Everyone wanted to know why and I said I just needed to talk to the manager about something. See I didnt want to tell my mom what had happened because she was the one that picked the place and it would have upset her.....I know i probably should have said..hey i just killed a roach lets get out of here but I only see my mom once a year and didnt want to ruin what was a nite out for her....so the manager comes over and i ask him if we can speak in private...of course i have my napkin that i folded up nicely in my hand and I tell and show him the ROACH...he has a slightly shocked look on his mid 20ish face and assures me he will "TAKE CARE OF IT"...at that point i wasnt exactly sure what that meant but i made it a point to tell him I would have been gone as soon as I saw that roach if it werent for my mother and that i didnt want to ruin her night and why...well now i go back to my table and wait for everyones meals to show up(didnt see another ROACH all nite) but when my steak showed up that I had ordered MED RARE it looked like it was NUKED 10 times past fossilization or something...i sent it back and then a guy(guessing "kitchen" manager or something) brings me my Med Rare steak and it is done to perfection...he was very nice too...now fast forward to when the check arrives......I look at it and...oh wait did I make mention that the "manager" NEVER once came back to our table to even give a "how are things going tonite" or anything like that.....ok back to the CHECK.....i must say that my idea of taking care of something and the managers idea of taking care of something are very different....I do not know what i was expecting but i do know that what he did made me feel that he could give a rats ass(or COCKROACH for the matter)about us or any other customers....he DEDUCTED $5.99 from our bill because I found a COCKROACH crawling on my table....at this point i was heated....asked to speak to the Manager again and this time my mom insisted on knowing what was going on...so i told her...she was not very happy....the manager came back over and i again talked to him off to the side and he ended up get this, DEDUCTING and additonal $15.99...so whatever, I tell him I want him to come and apologize to my mom, step dad and wife about what happened...so he did but get this...in his apology he goes on to tell us how they just sprayed the day before and that the roaches are on the move for the next 2 days and then they die...i looked at him and said you should stop while you are ahead....

 

I then called the corporate office when i got back to VA to inform them of what had happened...they of course put me through to customer relations...who went on to again apologize and then ask if they could send me a $40 Gift Certificate for the trouble we had...I was like are you F'n kidding me, I will never eat in one of your restaurants again.

 

"We just sprayed for roaches and the first 2 days they are on the move and then they die"

Edited January 15, 2008 by keggerz

[Chief Dick]

Not sure what the beef is here. You tried to leverage a cockroach for a free meal and then were pissed when you didn't get it?

 

If the cockroach truly was a cause for concern, then get up and leave and tell the manager why you are leaving.

 

And then to call him out on the carpet and demand he apologize for everything seems pretty bush to me. Just my .02.

[Grits and Shins]

When I was waiting tables I thought nothing of comping a meal or a dessert when there was an issue. Getting a free meal or a free dessert goes a long way into soothing customers and was an easy way to keep them happy.

 

I have often commented to my family and friends that this does not seem to be the common practice any more. It seems as if restraunts these days don't give a peaches by the bucket if their customers leave happy.

[keggerz]

Not sure what the beef is here. You tried to leverage a cockroach for a free meal and then were pissed when you didn't get it?

 

If the cockroach truly was a cause for concern, then get up and leave and tell the manager why you are leaving.

 

And then to call him out on the carpet and demand he apologize for everything seems pretty bush to me. Just my .02.

I wasnt expecting a free meal but I also wasnt expecting to NOT see the manager at least stop by and ask if things were going well etc...I was a bit put off or whatever you want to call it by the $5.99, it would have been better imo if he would have said how about i comp you an appetizer or desert or buy you a drink or something or even hearing him say I really cant do anything but i am sorry...but instead he emphatically stated "I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT"....Should I have left, yeah probably but again I didnt want to ruin the one nite that i get to go out to dinner with my mom. I didnt demand for him to apologize to everyone I just asked very nicely if he would at least apologize to them and he did so graciously....the bigger issue is having a "manager" that isnt trained very well on how to deal with issues when they come up...ie: him telling us how they just sprayed for roaches

Edited January 15, 2008 by keggerz

[Chief Dick]

I wasnt expecting a free meal but I also wasnt expecting to NOT see the manager at least stop by and ask if things were going well etc...I was a bit put off or whatever you want to call it by the $5.99, it would have been better imo if he would have said how about i comp you an appetizer or desert or buy you a drink or something or even hearing him say I really cant do anything but i am sorry...but instead he emphatically stated "I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT"....Should I have left, yeah probably but again I didnt want to ruin the one nite that i get to go out to dinner with my mom. I didnt demand for him to apologize to everyone I just asked very nicely if he would at least apologize to them and he did so graciously....the bigger issue is having a "manager" that isnt trained very well on how to deal with issues when they come up...ie: him telling us how they just sprayed for roaches

 

Agree. He should have made the effort after the initial "I'll take care of it" statement.

[Codwagon]

Keeping it a secret for mom's sake = classy

 

Spilling the beans when you only got $6 off the bill = cheapskate

[keggerz]

Keeping it a secret for mom's sake = classy

Spilling the beans when you only got $6 off the bill = cheapskate

Far from it, my mom at that point could tell that something was wrong and she insisted that I tell her...i wasnt about to lie to her..the first time i asked to talk the manager i was able to just say i just need to talk to him and they left it at that...but after the second time she wanted to know what and why I needed to talk to him.

Edited January 15, 2008 by keggerz

[skylive5]

Good thing it wasn't me that was the manager....I would have asked you to leave since you killed the only entertainment we offered. You have no idea how much it costs to train one of those things let alone what it costs for spray so they come out of the woodwork and do their show. Cockroaches don't grow on trees ya know! You can't just go around killing them willy nilly.

[CaptainHook]

Several months ago, the wife and I go to a mom and pop restraunt down the street. Sero's is the name of it. They specialize in Greek food, but have a pretty extensive menu. Seems nice.

 

We sit right next to the wall of the kitchen. The food window is just around the corner. Mid-way through our meal, a roach comes crawling down the wall. Not huge, but a roach nonetheless. I point to it to the waitress. She grabs a napkin and finally corrals it, although it did run across our table and behind the salt and pepper shakers.

 

I picked at my food for a minute, when sure enough, another one comes crawling down the picture frame hanging on the wall. This one has curled up and mutated wings. I look up at the ceiling ,and there are about 4 or 5 of 'em wedged in between the wall and the drop ceilings. I show the waitress. We stop eating. Manager comes over and apologizes, saying something about "they come in through the roof". I was like

 

Waitress comes back over and tells us to have a nice night. No bill at all. She says even though it "might be a while" to give them a try again. We haven't been back since.

[H8tank]

Man keg... you are a whiney bitsch.

 

We went to a nice little steak house in old town Friday night with another couple. We got a real nice booth in the corner. When we sat down, I saw a little roach crawled across the table. I Smashed it and brushed it under the table.

 

What did I do then?

 

Nothing, it was a tiny insect. If some rabid racoon came outa the seat cushion and bit through my manties I might make a scene. But one little roach ruins your evening like that? Must be nice to be you and have this be your biggest problem of the evening.

[montster]

Man keg... you are a whiney bitsch.

 

We went to a nice little steak house in old town Friday night with another couple. We got a real nice booth in the corner. When we sat down, I saw a little roach crawled across the table. I Smashed it and brushed it under the table.

 

What did I do then?

 

Nothing, it was a tiny insect. If some rabid racoon came outa the seat cushion and bit through my manties I might make a scene. But one little roach ruins your evening like that? Must be nice to be you and have this be your biggest problem of the evening.

 

 

my daughter and i went to lunch at a diner in san diego last year. the place wasn't that crowded, but we were seated near a table of six. after we ordered i noticed a huge roach crawling on an empty table next to us. i alerted the waiter, who seemed embarrassed. he caught it in his hat and took it away. the table of six was oblivious to the whole thing, even though it happened not five feet from them. (they seemed like a film crew or something, and i think it even crawled over some of the gear they had stashed at the empty table.) the waiter comped us part of the bill, i think the drinks. i took the roach home and named him h8tank.

 

i did end up eating there again later.

[Big John]

 

Were there any staples in the food?

[Cyclones]

I've eaten at the Texas Roadhouse in Lexington a couple dozen times in the last 12 years and can't remember anything going wrong. A single insect wouldn't be likely to dissuade me from visiting a restaurant again unless it was in my food, in which case everyone I came into contact to would hear about it. Sounds like you just went on a bad night Keg.

 

BTW if I saw my mom once a year and she picked Texas Roadhouse to go to, I'd step up and say we're going to Ruth's Chris instead.

[whomper]

Several months ago, the wife and I go to a mom and pop restraunt down the street. Sero's is the name of it. They specialize in Greek food, but have a pretty extensive menu. Seems nice.

 

We sit right next to the wall of the kitchen. The food window is just around the corner. Mid-way through our meal, a roach comes crawling down the wall. Not huge, but a roach nonetheless. I point to it to the waitress. She grabs a napkin and finally corrals it, although it did run across our table and behind the salt and pepper shakers.

 

I picked at my food for a minute, when sure enough, another one comes crawling down the picture frame hanging on the wall. This one has curled up and mutated wings. I look up at the ceiling ,and there are about 4 or 5 of 'em wedged in between the wall and the drop ceilings. I show the waitress. We stop eating. Manager comes over and apologizes, saying something about "they come in through the roof". I was like

 

Waitress comes back over and tells us to have a nice night. No bill at all. She says even though it "might be a while" to give them a try again. We haven't been back since.

 

 

I was eating at a place in the city and a hugh roach fell right out of the drop cieling hit my shoulder and landed in my plate. I almost shat myself.

[Puddy]

As far as chain restaurant steaks go, Texas Roadhouse is pretty damn good. I'm guessing most restaurants have occasional critter issues (although actually seeing one would tend to freak me out quite a bit).

[Caveman_Nick]

Virtually all restaurants have roaches. They are practically impossible to exterminate, and they follow the food. If you see a roach in a restaurant, it's because you were unlucky....as they tend to do their best to keep them under control.

 

 

That said, anyone that kills a roach in a restaurant and doesn't make a stink generally deserves ace treatment, which it doesn't sound like you got.

[Gonkis]

bit through my manties I might make a scene.

 

[Jimmy Neutron]

Went to a new TR in my area a few months ago - worst meal we've had in many years. I received a gift card to TR for Christmas and still have not given it away - can't think of someone I like that little.

[theeohiostate]

While down in the Bayou, my brother , his wife and I met up with Tbimm and Slayer for a bite to eat and a few drinks.

 

 

Brothers wife orders a drink and atop the Rum and Coke sits a roach

 

 

Nice dining with you guys , next time let me choose the place to eat.

Edited January 16, 2008 by theeohiostate

[AtomicCEO]

My Big Mac had a foot in it. A whole foot!!

[darin3]

As far as chain restaurant steaks go, Texas Roadhouse is pretty damn good. I'm guessing most restaurants have occasional critter issues (although actually seeing one would tend to freak me out quite a bit).

Uh, yup.

 

Virtually all restaurants have roaches. They are practically impossible to exterminate, and they follow the food. If you see a roach in a restaurant, it's because you were unlucky....as they tend to do their best to keep them under control.

That said, anyone that kills a roach in a restaurant and doesn't make a stink generally deserves ace treatment, which it doesn't sound like you got.

Uh, yup again.

 

While down in the Bayou, my brother , his wife and I met up with Tbimm and Slayer for a bite to eat and a few drinks.

Brothers wife orders a drink and atop the Rum and Coke sits a roach

Nice dining with you guys , next time let me choose the place to eat.

Welcome to the Big Easy. Hopefully my visit with tbimm, Slayer and the rest of the fellas will go roachless.

[detlef]

Interesting fact that the dudes from Terminex like to tell you when they're selling their services. A family of 50 German Cockroaches can live off a spot of grease the size of a nickel for 1 month.

 

Honestly, I'm basically with Keggerz here. At the end of the day, roaches are almost impossible to completely eliminate and if somebody just started flipping out and acting like I took a crap on their plate the second they saw one, I'd have a really hard time not telling them to f themselves. However, on the rare occasion (like really rare) a customer has pointed out non human living creatures in my restaurant and was even remotely cool about it we offer a genuine and sincere apology up to and usually including some free grub. We also go to great lengths to make sure that absolutely nothing else wrong happens to them the rest of their time at my place.

 

From what I can see, Keggerz is basically pissed at the fact that the Manager made a point of saying, "I'll take care of it" and decided that never stopping by again and lopping $6 off the check was "taking care of it". That, is lame. He could have "taken care of it" by going to the kitchen and saying, "make sure table X's food is perfect. I want to see it before it goes out." Then dude stops by to check on things, knowing damned well everything is fine because he watched it go out himself. Of course, I would have likely sent out some free grub as well. The fact that his steak came out beyond well pretty much shows that he didn't do that. It sounds to me like dude is a pussily and just punted. Something bad managers do.

 

You never want to screw up on a table. You certainly don't want to screw up twice.

[detlef]

While down in the Bayou, my brother , his wife and I met up with Tbimm and Slayer for a bite to eat and a few drinks.

Brothers wife orders a drink and atop the Rum and Coke sits a roach

Nice dining with you guys , next time let me choose the place to eat.

They fricken fly down there. Of course, they're not called roaches, they're called palmetto bugs. Same freaking difference! Nasty things. None the less, as hard as it is to kill the bastages off, it's even harder when they fly.

[AtomicCEO]

An entire foot.

[Hugh B Tool]

High fiber. A bit crunchy for my tastes though