That particular beef is one I have with Firehouse Subs: their sizes are not even listed on their menu. The first time I was snarkily corrected when I tried to specify what size I wanted, and I thought that maybe it might have been my fault for not reading the menu carefully enough, and so the second time I went, I perused the menu for minutes looking for the magic names of the sizes of the subs that would not draw a perky passive aggressive correction, but I failed and was corrected nonetheless.
I agree with “don’t be an ass to the server”, but I also agree with this. I also agree with calling the “small” a “small”, even if the idiots labelled the “small” drink the “medium” drink. And, yes, I’ve seen this done.
I agree with whoever said about local delis having names for each individual sandwich. The names don’t annoy me but if I’m in a hurry or a place I probably won’t go to again (like if I’m travelling and stop to eat)I’m not going to study the menu to figure out which of their 100 sandwiches is a ham and swiss on rye with mustard. I’m just going to order ham and swiss on rye with mustard.
Eberts & Gerberts was the king of this crap, they changed it now, but you used to have to say words like ‘narmer’ or ‘gerf’ for something like a ham hoagie.
What’s the big hangup? Do you think they are laughing at you for having to say the names that they thought up and put on the menu? Why is it “embarassing”?
At Cracker Barrel, it’s the irritation of having to read through the entire menu to figure out which one represents a very basic breakfast combination.
The only place I absolutely refuse to use the cutesy names is Cold Stone Creamery (“Like It,” “Love It,” and “Gotta Have It”). That’s just one step too far for me. I order a “small” (or a “kid size” because even their small is rather huge) and I’ve never had a server have a problem with it.
Most of the Cold Stones have disappeared around here anyway, which is probably for the best, so it’s no longer a problem.
It never even occurred to me to have a problem using the item names at fast food restaurants (Quarter Pounder, Whopper, McNuggets, etc.)
I’ll say the names if they’re just cutesy - if the name is going to result in a lot of jokes ( Like the Big Ass Pork Platter) then I just point to it on the menu.
This confused me because I’ve always ordered a medium. I just checked their menu on-line and they very clearly have S, M, or L next to the prices.
Arby’s sizes though are Classic, Double, and Half Pound. The usually ask me when I order a medium if I want the double. I don’t want the biggest, and I don’t want the smallest… I want the medium. Shouldn’t be that hard.
Refuse? No, that seems like a weird mix of grumpy 75 year old and sullen 14 year old that I’d aspire not to be. I might point to the menu or use a number if the names is way too long and the server doesn’t understand my abbreviated version, but I have no problem reading off whatever name they have for whatever menu item I’d like to eat.
I find the idea a bit baffling as I can’t imagine the situation where anyone would fault someone for using the actual name on the menu, whereas I can perfectly imagine laughing at someone insisting “It’s a cheeseburger with fries, dangit! I refuse to call it anything else!”
Because I am an adult with a minimum amount of self respect. Plus, I am not an employee of their corporation and paid to buy into their bullshit descriptions of their average dishes made to sound better than they are.
