# Merry Rantmas! (December Mini-rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 1, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249 "2017-12-01T14:59:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/241 "2017-12-16T12:18:13Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > I’m tempted to make him do the missed assignments instead of movie night tonight, but that would take away the natural consequences of failing to complete assignments. Goddammit. Parenting sucks, especially when they start puberty. Mine aren’t at that stage yet so I don’t know, but maybe give him the choice? ‘OK, you can watch the movie tonight and you’ll be stuck with a B. Or you can take responsibility for your goofup, use that time to do the assignments, and have the A.’ Or else just go with the idea that the assignment isn’t optional, and the natural consequence of failing to do it when you were supposed to is having to do it at a time when you’d rather be doing something else. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/242 "2017-12-16T19:08:22Z")
Went out to get the mail this morning, and discovered that the community mailbox in which we get our mail was gone. A tiny orange traffic cone stood in its place. Called the post office. “Oh yeah, somebody knocked it down. It should be replaced on Monday.” Should? And how do I get the mail in the meantime? “Come to the post office.” Sure, I have nothing else to do, and Saturday at the post office in December isn’t crowded, right? (I don’t know how to put the sarcasm emoji here.) So I waited in line. “Oh, the mail isn’t here. Must be on the truck.” Can I come back for it? “Not until the carrier is back which won’t be until after the post office is closed.” Spoke to a manager, who said, “Hey, wasn’t that mailbox knocked down just a couple of weeks ago?” No. “Are you sure? Because I’m sure it was knocked down last month.” No. (I didn’t ask if he was calling me a liar.) Fun fact: I may have to come to the post office Monday to get new keys, but I won’t know until Monday afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/243 "2017-12-17T01:52:13Z")
Panera seems to be doing it’s best to lose my business. They may have finally just succeeded. Item #1. While I was out running some errands tonight I stopped at Panera on the way home to pick up a couple of soup and salad “you pick two’s” for my wife and me. When the cashier rings me up, this “Would you like to tip the Panera staff?” message pops up on the card reader at the register. Why the fuck should I tip the staff? They don’t bring my order out to me. They make me bus my own table. They usually screw up my to-go orders one way or another. Hey Panera, if you don’t think your staff is getting paid enough, then pay them more, or raise your prices. Fuck this “tip your staff” bullshit. So I picked “No”, which may explain item #2. Item #2. You guessed it. Once again my to-go order was a disaster. I got home and discovered: (a) both salad containers had about one inch of salad in the bottom; (b) neither salad had a container of dressing included; © the “croutons” on my caesar salad were more like they just dumped a handful of salty bread crumbs on top; (d) one of the baguette pieces they gave us was a two inch piece of heel. I guess by now I should know that I need to stop at a table and take everything out of the bag and carefully examine the order for defects before I leave the store. It’s ironic that at the top of the receipt they print a message “Accuracy matters! You’re order should be correct every time.” And what happens if they screw it up? “If it’s not, we’ll fix it right away, and give you a free treat for your trouble.” So you screw up my to-go order, make me drive all the way back to the store to make it right, and you’re gonna give me a cookie? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/244 "2017-12-17T02:09:51Z")
I would call and complain anyway. Won’t help supper tonight, but it may help you feel better. Talk to a manager. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/245 "2017-12-17T07:55:16Z")
Take a picture of it and post it to Facebook and tag the company and the local store if they have an account. They just love getting customer feedback. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/246 "2017-12-17T12:56:24Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Take a picture of it and post it to Facebook and tag the company and the local store if they have an account. They just love getting customer feedback. This. I belong to a local restaurant group where most of the members wouldn’t think twice about doing just this, especially since a lot of managers/owners also belong to the group. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/247 "2017-12-17T13:03:43Z")
I’ve been keeping a stiff upper lip but JFC, this foot thing has a life of its own. Still nonunion, bone stimulator now 2x/day, questions raised that perhaps I’m losing bone mass via long term use of a daily medication (I had a bone density scan last week), I’m supposed to be wearing The Boot again (like I can do that in snowy weather when there are dogs to walk – speaking of which, I’m not supposed to be walking them but if I don’t they won’t be walked). Plus now since my husband has the bigger check, he’s paying the bills…and thinks we should starve to death “because I didn’t realize how expensive food is.” Yeah, I know it’s cheaper-to-no-cost to have our friend Pizza Store Owner feed us, but yeah, one does get sick of that kind of food after awhile. And yeah, food IS expensive, relatively speaking, unless you want to go to Cut Rate Chain 6 towns away and wait in line for over an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/248 "2017-12-17T13:53:11Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Take a picture of it and post it to Facebook and tag the company and the local store if they have an account. They just love getting customer feedback. I thought about that later, after the food was all eaten. I saved the receipt though, and plan to stop in and talk to a manager while we are out and about today. (And get my cookie! :p) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/249 "2017-12-17T14:05:55Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Panera seems to be doing it’s best to lose my business. I never understand why people give businesses multiple shots at making them unhappy. There are so many alternatives! If Panera fucks up, don’t bother telling them or looking back. Just take your $$ elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/250 "2017-12-17T15:36:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I never understand why people give businesses multiple shots at making them unhappy. There are so many alternatives! If Panera fucks up, don’t bother telling them or looking back. Just take your $$ elsewhere. The food is so good, though. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/251 "2017-12-17T17:23:34Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The food is so good, though. > > IMO. Cool. Personally, though, I’d use it as an excuse to try a placed I’ve never experienced. Plenty of those around. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/252 "2017-12-17T17:35:59Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Take a picture of it and post it to Facebook and tag the company and the local store if they have an account. They just love getting customer feedback. It was before the days of Twitter, and getting on the phone didn’t have much effect - but I once found a _thumbnail_ in my salad. I called both the restaurant and the delivery service, and they were pretty much “meh” about the whole thing. I didn’t even get a refund. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/253 "2017-12-17T17:58:49Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The food is so good, though. > > IMO. I have found Panera to have poor service and bland food. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/254 "2017-12-17T18:16:06Z")
Ok, guy in parking lot at Wal-Mart, you were wrong to try to pull through your parking space and my potential space. So don’t get out of your oversized truck and come curse me. Cause, guess what? I am calling 911 and giving them your plate number. And further more there is cop in the parking lot and I pointed you out to him. And. .guess what you are getting stopped before you leave said parking lot. What you did is a crime and cursing me won’t help your case. So there!! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/255 "2017-12-17T20:49:30Z")
Must have been one helluva parking space! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/256 "2017-12-17T20:54:11Z")
Look old man, I know I just crawled out of bed at noon and am a bit tired myself, but walking very slowly down the middle of the grocery store when you’ve had someone (me) walking behind you for 40’ now and a woman coming toward you from the other side of life is no way to asshole your way through life. You’re not even looking at anything in this aisle, you’re doing some kind of Thorazine Shuffle here. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/257 "2017-12-17T21:06:39Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Look old man, I know I just crawled out of bed at noon and am a bit tired myself, but walking very slowly down the middle of the grocery store when you’ve had someone (me) walking behind you for 40’ now and a woman coming toward you from the other side of life is no way to asshole your way through life. You’re not even looking at anything in this aisle, you’re doing some kind of Thorazine Shuffle here. This is why you need a bicycle bell on your shopping cart. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/258 "2017-12-17T21:19:54Z")
Aldi could probably get away with charging more for those… ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/259 "2017-12-17T22:29:24Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > Mine aren’t at that stage yet so I don’t know, but maybe give him the choice? ‘OK, you can watch the movie tonight and you’ll be stuck with a B. Or you can take responsibility for your goofup, use that time to do the assignments, and have the A.’ > > Or else just go with the idea that the assignment isn’t optional, and the natural consequence of failing to do it when you were supposed to is having to do it at a time when you’d rather be doing something else. We wound up working on the assignments together. He’s been avoiding them because he didn’t fully understand the instructions. I was a little exasperated but we got business out of the way first. I asked a bunch of questions before bringing down the hammer so he could explain himself first and I’m glad I did. I think he got the message and I didn’t feel the need to walk anything back. I hate that. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249/260 "2017-12-17T22:41:49Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Must have been one helluva parking space! He was one helluva idiot. He got arrested, dui and public intox. Bright spot in my week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merry-rantmas-december-mini-rants/803249.md?page=14)