lol.. took hubby on a date last night for a restaurant shop (it was ok to take someone) and about halfway in we just wanted to run away. The atmosphere was just not our style (very loud and too many tv's) and the food was horrid. Hubby ordered a drink with his meal and literally spit it back into the glass after tasting it. We ended up spending more than our reimbursable amount because we had to wait and see what the bartender did with our cash and he took FOREVER to steal it.

Unless there is a shop listed for Cipriani's.. I'm not doing food shops again!

We do 1 to 2 dinner shops per week and yes, there are times I want to just leave. Usually it is because in a fairly empty restaurant we are seated next to a table with one or more screaming kids.

The worst was recently when they were putting all customes in one of three sections of a restaurant. There were 3 adults, all on their cell phones throughout the meal, and stairstep kids from toddler to perhaps 9 who didn't stop fighting and arguing while the parents chattered away on their phones and walloping a kid from time to time. They had a headstart on their meal so the servers already had a taste of the chaos before we got there and were seated right next to them. Kids were leaving the table to 'visit' other guests, run to the bathroom, pick up more coloring supplies, throw tantrums in the floor etc. When the toddler grabbed for our very hot appetizer it was tempting to let him pull it off the table and scald himself--though the restaurant would probably have been sued.

Last night's joy was a toddler who had been eating ketchup covered fries and stood up in his seat to bounce, getting ketchup on the upholstery, in my companion's hair and on the back of his shirt.

This stuff appears in casual to upscale casual establishments. Management obviously wants/needs the business. And I guess you can't just automatically isolate families with kids, but there is little excuse to seat childless couples next to the melee in progress.

I ask for a different table. Always. Am willing to wait. :-)

Definitely would rather wait for a more relaxed place to sit.

A couple of weeks ago, I was doing a restaurant shop with my husband. We were to order one round of alcoholic beverages. I ordered a margarita and my husband ordered a Crown and coke. The margarita was fine. The Crown and coke came in two glasses - Crown in one and coke in the other. We were speechless.

I guess they thought he wanted a shot with a soda back?

The Crown was about three fingers high in a highball, not a shot. Newbie server, maybe - but, bartender?

Newbie server says to bartender, "I need a Crown and a Coke." Bartender says, "You mean a Crown and Cola?" Newbie server, "No he specifically said a Coke."

What a difference an article makes!

solideogloria Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
We
> ended up spending more than our reimbursable
> amount because we had to wait and see what the
> bartender did with our cash and he took FOREVER to
> steal it.


Why? Did you have to order more drinks?

Did the bartender steal it?

just goes to prove that these reimburse shops are useless and more trouble than they are worth. just curious, what was the shop fee, above the reimburse?

Wow. Why so negative? I do LOTS of reimburse only FD, and I don't find it worthless. I love them.

Sorry about the screaming children...I will beat them more severely next time!

I LOVE taking restaurants, some more than others, but especially bar audits. 2 reasons- I get to leave the kids a home, its a bar and in WA no other brats are allowed, free date night, and I love to talk shop with the bartender. They dont suspect you as a shopper if you talk their language, IMHO. We have some great microbreweries up here and it is worth every penny!

Now if they just shopped wineries...

OOH YA! Wineries. I so miss those from my time in NorCal. The only one here is on Maui. I don't live on Maui....sigh. :-(