Mr. Johnson always complains about Grover's service...

[minor muppetz]

In most waiter Grover sketches, Mr. Johnson often complains about Grover's service. But one thing that he seems to overlook is the fact that it seems to only take Grover a few seconds after ordering to bring his food to him. Think about it... He makes his order, Grover goes through the doors into the kitchen (often behind Mr. Johnson's table), Mr. Johnson may make a comment about Grover, and then Grover brings the food to him in maybe a minute or less. That's quite an accomplishment. Whenever I go to restaurants like this I usually have to wait maybe 5-10 minutes (or longer) for my food to be brought to me (regardless of whetehr I'm dining alone or with people). He should be thankful that Grover can at least serve food fast enough (maybe that's part of his Super-Grover powers). I can't beleive that in the fast food restaurant sketch that he says Grover's service takes forever.

 

[Gelfling Girl]

LOL, I wish it worked that way when I go to restaurants...

 

[mikebennidict]

In most waiter Grover sketches, Mr. Johnson often complains about Grover's service. But one thing that he seems to overlook is the fact that it seems to only take Grover a few seconds after ordering to bring his food to him. Think about it... He makes his order, Grover goes through the doors into the kitchen (often behind Mr. Johnson's table), Mr. Johnson may make a comment about Grover, and then Grover brings the food to him in maybe a minute or less. That's quite an accomplishment. Whenever I go to restaurants like this I usually have to wait maybe 5-10 minutes (or longer) for my food to be brought to me (regardless of whetehr I'm dining alone or with people). He should be thankful that Grover can at least serve food fast enough (maybe that's part of his Super-Grover powers). I can't beleive that in the fast food restaurant sketch that he says Grover's service takes forever.

Well would you be thankful if you were at a restaurant and the waiter keeps getting your oder wrong?

 

[Gelfling Girl]

Well would you be thankful if you were at a restaurant and the waiter keeps getting your oder wrong?

Hmm...well, if I was very hungry, I probably wouldn't mind too much if the food comes that quick.

 

[D'Snowth]

When it comes to restaurants, my mom can be a bit like Mr. Johnson if the service is relatively slovenly, and sometimes it can be so embarrassing... she actually caused one waiter (who was new to the job, BTW) to have a nervous breakdown, I kid you not.

 

[minor muppetz]

Well would you be thankful if you were at a restaurant and the waiter keeps getting your oder wrong?

You know, it's not alwasy Grover's fault. He tried to convince Mr. Johnson to order a few small hamburgers over the big one. Mr. Johnson didn't tell him how he wanted the #9 special of the day cooked. And outside of the restaurant sketches, Grover tried to warn him that the wig he wanted to buy was actually Grover's pet guenea pig.

 

[frogboy4]

One of my best friends is a server at one of San Francisco's cafe hot-spots frequented by celebrities and travelers in-the-know. He does quite well there, but he has to deal with so many moody customers. Everybody's equal and must wait their turn, there are no off-menu items and there's no special treatment.

While Grover's mistakes would get him immediately fired, his pluck and attitude are spot-on to any successful server. Even though the customer is supposedly "always right", the Mr. Johnson's of the world in reality are usually wrong. In most states the customer must pay for a meal even if it isn't what they ordered. Few establishments enforce that, but they can.

Always be kind to your Grover...er server. They are hard-working people who have to put up with a lot of flack!

 

[mikebennidict]

You know, it's not alwasy Grover's fault. He tried to convince Mr. Johnson to order a few small hamburgers over the big one. Mr. Johnson didn't tell him how he wanted the #9 special of the day cooked. And outside of the restaurant sketches, Grover tried to warn him that the wig he wanted to buy was actually Grover's pet guenea pig.

You may have a point with the 9 but who would expect a burger to be that big?

 

[dwmckim]

You may have a point with the 9 but who would expect a burger to be that big?

The type that often frequents coffeeshops or fast food places where a "small" drink is actually a large and a "grande" is a size just smaller than a bucket?

BTW, has anyone ever had a "Waiter Grover" of their own in real life? Years ago when i used to frequently eat at Denny's (combination of being superclose to home and supporting them for TMS campaign), i ALWAYS would get the same bad waiter no matter what time/shift i ate there or how many people were working there - even if i'd visit a different Denny's! I mean we're talking the kind of waiter that you would actually tell friends about and bring them with you to see for themselves that such a creature existed! It eventually became a running joke among my friends that whenever we got a bad waiter more than once we would always say in our best Mr. Johnson tone "Why is it no matter where I go I always get THAT waiter?"

Joking and SST in-jokes with friends aside, i'm usually very patient and tolerant with waiters/servers but i do have three major pet peeves:

1) when a waiter takes longer to bring your check once you've finished than the amount of time you've stepped in the door, waited for food to arrive and eaten it combined. I'll admit there's been times when i became so annoyed with not receiving my check that i'd say "well if i don't have a check after an hour, that must mean it's free" and have walked out without paying (bad i know)

2) when a waiter tries to trick or deceive you into ordering something higher priced. We all know about suggestive selling/upselling but it seems like over the last year or so there's been a sudden increase in just flat out dishonesty (by both wait staff, management, and advertising/menu presentation) about what costs what - has anyone else noticed this or is this just some weird Arizona thing?

3) This applies more to bartenders but i've also seen this with waiters/servers, also karaoke hosts - and largely at places that are gay-owned or primarily cater to gay clientele - when the wait staff trips over themselves to serve the people who are super good-looking and ignore as much as possible anyone not as attractive. This more than anything will cause me to boycott/never frequent a place again.

 

[frogboy4]

The type that often frequents coffeeshops or fast food places where a "small" drink is actually a large and a "grande" is a size just smaller than a bucket?

BTW, has anyone ever had a "Waiter Grover" of their own in real life? Years ago when i used to frequently eat at Denny's (combination of being superclose to home and supporting them for TMS campaign), i ALWAYS was get the same bad waiter no matter what time/shift i ate there or how many people were working there - even if i'd visit a different Denny's! I mean we're talking the kind of waiter that you would actually tell friends about and bring them with you to see for themselves that such a creature existed! It eventually became a running joke among my friends that whenever we got a bad waiter more than once we would always say in our best Mr. Johnson tone "Why is it no matter where I go I always get THAT waiter?"

Joking and SST in-jokes with friends aside, i'm usually very patient and tolerant with waiters/servers but i do have three major pet peeves:

1) when a waiter takes longer to bring your check once you've finished than the amount of time you've stepped in the door, waited for food to arrive and eaten it combined. I'll admit there's been times when i became so annoyed with not receiving my check that i'd say "well if i don't have a check after an hour, that must mean it's free" and have walked out without paying (bad i know)

2) when a waiter tries to trick or deceive you into ordering something higher priced. We all know about suggestive selling/upselling but it seems like over the last year or so there's been a sudden increase in just flat out dishonesty (by both wait staff, management, and advertising/menu presentation) about what costs what - has anyone else noticed this or is this just some weird Arizona thing?

3) This applies more to bartenders but i've also seen this with waiters/servers, also karaoke hosts - and largely at places that are gay-owned or primarily cater to gay clientele - when the wait staff trips over themselves to serve the people who are super good-looking and ignore as much as possible anyone not as attractive. This more than anything will cause me to boycott/never frequent a place again.

I know that waiters really want to turn over their tables for new customers so if the check takes a while to come there's something going on that's unseen. Other times it bewilders me too.

I've never been a fan of super-sizing or upgrading cost when it comes to food. Modest portions at reasonable prices are always best. Materialism tires me as well. Whenever somebody asks where I purchased an attractive item I usually reply, "Target" just to get them away from me!

Some establishments serve me faster just because of the blond hair, (heck, it's expensive to get my roots done!) but most of these establishments prioritize regular customers and healthy tippers above attractive people. Some say the waiters should be flirtatious for tips, but it works the same way for customers. That extra sparkle given to a server usually pays off in great service! It really comes down to the golden rule. Bartenders usually cry on my shoulder than vice-versa!

But there always will be exceptions - the mischievous Grovers of the service industry. Some are colorful, fuzzy and blue. Some...are not.