Table cleaned off prematurely
 

After afternoon church service concluded I went to a restaurant in another nearby city in Los Angeles County for my evening rations. This place is similar to Sizzler where you pay first before eating. I paid and then found a booth. I removed my drinks (root beer and water) from the tray along with the napkins and utensils along with a bowl that contained some blue cheese dressing that I use for dip for my fries. There was also a red rectangular wooden block with a name (I forget exactly what name) on it. That rectangular block with the name is used so the server will know exactly which booth or table to take the order to. After I put those items on the table, I proceeded to the washroom and washed my hands. When I returned to my booth I saw that an employee just finished cleaning off the table! The rectangular block should have been a telltale sign that I was not yet served my food and therefore I was not finished. I was a bit irate and raised my voice several decibels and let the server know that I was not finished, I hadn't even started.

Anyone else ever have that happen?

Not that I recall, although I have seen wait staff attempt to clear dishes from my (occupied) table before someone had finished eating.

When dining alone at a Sizzler-type restaurant, I would probably use the restroom before placing my order.

I assume that the restaurant replaced your root beer without additional charge.

They did indeed replace the root beer without charge.

good
this is always frustrating. Sorry you had to experience it. Not fun.

That's happened to me a number of times. I'd always get the manager on the scene, bypassing any wait staff.

You yelled at the server because they removed your drink (which was later replaced as it should be)? Granted, they should have seen the napkin and dressing but I am not sure that something so minor and easily fixable would warrant going off on a server like that. I would of course say something but not yell at the server. What exactly where the damages---you had to get another drink and another bowl of dressing?

Mistakes happen. I’d save my yelling for something far more significant.

It’s annoying, I agree. I used to stop at a Ryan’s on my way back from Pensacola that did this regularly. Usually while I was getting dessert, they’d clear the table. But I never yelled at anyone. Just went back to the register and requested another plastic cup.

I've had it happen at hotel breakfasts when solo. How are you doing, by the way?

Order a new root beer and get on with your life.

.

Not to hijack, but this drives me crazy. I eat much slower than my husband (or he eats faster than me) and they always want to take his empty plate - he tells them "please don't, the lady is still eating" but then the next busboy comes along...making me feel more and more anxious and as if I'm a bother.

But in the OP's case...I always leave a personal item at the table...phone, sweater, book....so they know the table is still occupied.

Minor irritation compared to my situation....as an 8 year old child (40+ years ago): entered restaurant with parents. Got seated, I had to go to the bathroom but for some reason, i pulled out cash and coins from my pockets and set on table. I came back from the bathroom and my cash and coins were GONE!!! Mom and Dad explained server probably thought it was a tip from previous diners. I was NOT happy! Chalk it up as payment to the universe for something crappy you did and move on! BTW, bleu cheese is my go-to as well!

In San Francisco I’d fear theft. Blah. It’s a tough situation when solo dining at a fast casual spot.
I definitely would never leave a phone on a table or anywhere public unattended. Way too much theft.

This is not the first time this happened at this particular establishment. The food arrived in a very timely fashion...too timely in this instance. The servers took several minutes to replace the utensils which allowed time for the food to start cooling off.

More trouble. Heart trouble. Small tumour discovered on bladder wall. Those things discovered only because of the original cancer in the breast tissues.

I had it happen at the breakfast buffet at the Conrad Singapore. They cleared the table and seated another party by the time I returned with my first plate. The staff was horrified when the discovered their error and reseated me promptly. I should have left my mini pack of Kleenex on the table like it was a hawker center. Lol.

At a restaurant in Santa Fe on the evening of out 1st wedding anniversary to celebrate. As we dined on the main course, server would take an item off the table every time she went by - which was relatively frequent since the table was in the hallway between the main dining room and the kitchen. After a certain point we just gave up and left.

David

Rarely would I be concerned about someone stealing a book that I left on the table to signal that it was still in use.

Well considering that you are afraid that somebody will steal groceries out of your car in the 10 seconds that it takes to return your cart at Costco, I would never expect you to leave so much as a plastic water bottle on the table. :idea:

totally. I’m amazed with people who leave stuff as if it’ll just be safely respected. Thieves break into cars to take things. Why wouldn’t they take a device or jacket that is left on a table? Just such a disaster.

Perhaps noticing the OP's FT handle would have made you less surprised about this :).

I agree. What's a book?
I stress about leaving my kindle or phone. I've often thought of dragging an old book around with me on vacations to save a pool lounge chair, but not to restaurants.

True. :D Whereas some of us don't think everyone is a criminal.
:D Some of us are old school and still prefer printed books, as opposed to e-books. I have never stressed about those disappearing, because if they do, I'll get another.

LOL--Oh I noticed. ;)
I used to do this all the time. Those chair vultures at resorts in Mexico would sometimes just throw the book aside and sit on the chair anyway & play dumb when confronted. It was brutal.

Obviously your experience is different but the parking lot at my Costco is always packed with people both in and out of cars. It takes less than 10 seconds to return a cart which is certainly not enough time to break into a car, grab groceries and run to a getaway car or run through the lot with arms full of food. Do you honestly see this happen...ever? What kind of paranoia makes you think that people are hanging around a Costco lot waiting to pounce on somebody's groceries in a few seconds? It doesn't sound like a very profitable way to be a thief. As I said in the Costco thread, if that really concerns you maybe instacart is the way to get your Costco stuff.
No one is saying to leave a rolex watch on a table but in the OP's case it was a root beer that he just got from the restaurant and it was not stolen. Maybe I just don't hang out in unsafe places but I do think most people are honest. Just last week, a friend drove off with her purse on the roof of her car and another car stopped and picked it up and chased her down and honked at her and gave her the purse back.
Way OT...sorry.

What kind of item? A dirty dish or something you were eating or what?

I recall back in the day I worked at a fancy restaurant, and we were supposed to take the salt & pepper off of the table every time someone finished their main course and before dessert. Looking at S&P shakers while you were eating ice cream and cake obviously caused a lot of trauma. Then when those people left and the table was reset the S&P came back for the new people. And was taken off when they had dessert. It was something I had such a hard time remembering (because it seemed so stupid to me) and I got reprimanded for it all the time.

She'd grab a roll/bread plate without stopping. Next pass was a partially drunk wine glass. Some silverware, again not stopping. All at random intervals. There's probably the S&P shakers as well but that was over 30+ years ago so I don't remember the full sequence before we gave up and left.

Very weird.

David

Most people ARE, but it only takes one. I'm not as paranoid as gaobest, but I kind of see the point. I don't think anyone wants my groceries, but in places like Chicago and the bay area, it's pretty crazy how brazen thieves have become. For example, a guy here had his car stolen in my very safe suburb while he was getting gas at a crowded Shell station at a busy intersection on a Saturday morning. There was just a story today about a small boutique in Chicago with a room full of customers being robbed in broad daylight - in and out in a few seconds. People are literally turning their backs for 30 seconds becoming victims. Come to think of it, I wouldn't be surprised if I hear about someone's groceries being stolen while they park the cart...