# Terrible service / terrible food **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 10, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712 "2015-05-10T18:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/1 "2015-05-10T18:00:34Z")
OK, I know it’s Mother’s Day and all that. BUT: We went to the highest-rated Thai restaurant in town. They were short BOTH servers and “chefs”. The service sucked; the food was just about inedible. I DESPISE spending “good $$$” on crappy wait staff and worse cooks. Yes, we were given a “discount” but that don’t make up for it. GRUMP GRUMP GRUMP :mad: ☹ :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/2 "2015-05-10T18:21:59Z")
…and such small portions! Just kidding. It sucks to look forward to something and then have it be a dissapointment. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/3 "2015-05-10T20:29:02Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > …and such small portions! Quite small this Mama’s Day. Atomic, you might say. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/4 "2015-05-10T21:50:35Z")
> [@Atomic\_Mama](#): > > OK, I know it’s Mother’s Day and all that. BUT: > > We went to the highest-rated Thai restaurant in town. That carries less swank if your town is in Zimbabwe. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/5 "2015-05-10T22:02:22Z")
I hope you still tipped at least 25%, or you’re the true monster. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/6 "2015-05-10T23:17:50Z")
Did you tip accordingly and tell them why ? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/7 "2015-05-11T01:17:01Z")
If you know they were short chefs and servers, I say give them a break. They gave you a discount, which is maybe the best they could do. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/8 "2015-05-11T01:37:42Z")
“Terrible service/terrible food/outrageous prices. Eat at Bob’s!” Despite the catchy slogan, that franchise never caught on. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/9 "2015-05-11T02:47:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > If you know they were short chefs and servers, I say give them a break. They gave you a discount, which is maybe the best they could do. Why should they get a break just cause they were short? Diminutive-Americans are just as capable. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/10 "2015-05-11T05:03:32Z")
I’d say the owners are from Thailand and did not know it was Mothers Day but that would be surprising if it was a “top rated” restaurant. Mothers Day and Valentines Day are usually golden opportunities to fleece restaurant full of customers with overpriced special menus. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/11 "2015-05-11T15:10:38Z")
There is a saying in the restaurant biz: The sourness of bad service is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. Seriously, though. You expected good service and/or good food on one of the busiest days for restaurants? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/12 "2015-05-11T15:45:09Z")
Maybe being the top rated Thai restaurant in your town is like being the finest ballerina in Idaho. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/13 "2015-05-11T17:36:32Z")
We took the Lovely and Talented Mrs. **Shodan** out for Mother’s Day, to a new restaurant. My food was over cooked, I asked about a beer on the menu and the server gave a completely non-sequitur answer, my daughter never did get any silverware, and then the server disappeared and never returned. My son tracked down the manager and asked for a box for our leftovers. Nothing. I went and asked - he treated it as if it were a complete novelty. It was my son’s treat, so he decided on the tip, but I suspect it close to zero. This was four o’clock in the afternoon, and the place was not exactly packed. I doubt we will be back. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/14 "2015-05-11T19:04:38Z")
Most of the places I’ve gotten terrible service, the food was great. Most of the places the food has sucked, the service was great. I’m not sure which is more annoying… If both are bad, that’s kind of okay, because I can say, with a clear conscience, “Okay, I’m not going there again.” Having to stop going to someplace with great breakfasts because they never refill my coffee cup, or because they ALWAYS refill my coffee cup with undrinkable swill, now, that’s annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/15 "2015-05-11T19:36:56Z")
On the other side, our extended family went to [Smack Shack](http://Smack-shack.com) here in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. It was an awesome sunny day and the place was awesome. I don’t eat much seafood, but I still had plenty of choices. My 14 year old niece who has developmental issues (she looks 9) wanted to see the Lobster tank. One of the chefs spent about a half hour showing it to her and talking to her about it. We were thrilled! My BIL and I split the check for our 10 person party. Yeah, they got a good (just over 20%) tip. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/16 "2015-05-11T22:00:45Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > We took the Lovely and Talented Mrs. **Shodan** out … I agree 100% with Shodan! Mrs. Shodan _was_ very talented…very talented, indeed! I hang my head in shame for saying that…I blame my sock. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/17 "2015-05-11T23:32:31Z")
I know that we rarely go out on the actual holiday [other than our birthdays, nothing significant happens on Sept 27th =)] because we rarely actually have had good experiences [with either crowding or crappy service, or the prices got bumped up because of the holiday.] ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/18 "2015-05-12T01:57:40Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > There is a saying in the restaurant biz: > > The sourness of bad service is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. > > Seriously, though. You expected good service and/or good food on one of the busiest days for restaurants? You should expect good service no matter the occasion. Any restaurant that either does not staff properly or if they cannot, take reservations for a holiday like this, is being run by a Jackass. ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/19 "2015-05-12T15:54:01Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > On the other side, our extended family went to [Smack Shack](http://Smack-shack.com) here in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. > > It was an awesome sunny day and the place was awesome. I assume ‘Smack’ isn’t slang for Heroin in the US, then? I’d think twice about taking my mother to a venue of that name… ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712/20 "2015-05-12T15:58:09Z")
Smack has many meanings. I smack my lips at the thought of smacking you across the face for injecting smack. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terrible-service-terrible-food/719712.md?page=2)