Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed.
Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BoomersBeingFools) if you have any questions or concerns.*
i just want to know what decade or world boomers live in where the waitstaff is responsible for the speed of the kitchen, the quality of the food that comes out of it, comping meals/drinks, or policies on any of the above
Yeah. If he’d just had the decency to stop when she burst into tears, I would have kept my mouth shut. But he couldn’t help himself, and as it turns out, neither could I. In retrospect I prob shouldn’t have said anything, he struck me as the kind of small penis type who is looking for a reason to shoot someone with his concealed handgun.
yeah, i can imagine the type- i’m glad you said something, though. working in bars and cafés, there’s been hundreds of times i would have killed to tell a customer to shut the fuck up- it’s always refreshing when another customer can either interject or deescalate, especially when the poor girl is in tears.
Yeah he seemed like one of those people who gets his rocks off by making other people who can’t react to him unhappy or uncomfortable. I can’t abide that personality type.
You know, I worked a counter service customer facing job for a long ass time, we had this one customer… total sweaty ass toad person of a human being. Always over sharing and blatantly looking any lady person up and down whenever possible.
Was that his deal… he got off on how uncomfortable we all were? He didn’t actually like the product so much or think we were all buddies because we remembered his gross name?
Exactly my ex MiL did this to get a discount all the time,it always worked. I refused to go anywhere with that family she would brag about it and seemed to get off on treating people in service jobs like shit.
Honestly? That sounds exhausting. If I'm eating out, I'm looking for a break or a bit of peace and/or companionship. I just don't have the energy to pitch a fit for free food every time I go out.
i remember seeing a friend in school getting bullied so i just yelled at the bully from down the hall "hey you are a stupid motherf\*cking dumba\*s you piece of sh\*t!" right at the bully and he beat my ass but it was worth ending up in the nurses office to save my friend
I'm so glad I always had managers who had my back. I remember once a customer snapping his fingers at me and shouting shouting Ew you. I point blank refused to serve him and told him I don't answer to finger snaps as I'm not a dog and not do I answer to Ew you.
He came in the next day to make a complaint. I explained why I refused service, the manager barred him on the spot.
I'm a food service manager and I fight for my crew too, they do their jobs better when they know they're supported and my one rule in my store is "no one is allowed to harass or abuse my staff but me (because I never would lol) and I expect you to be respectful but not to tolerate abuse"
Worked out well for me.
If I wasn't right there already, I'd hear MISS KELLY
In a very specific tone of voice (it's the HELP ME MOM with a touch of COME BEAT HIS ASS)
And I'd be right there tagging them out to take care of buisness.
When I started telling customers off is when I realized I needed to get out of food service. Now I'm a nurse and I usually can get jerky patients to cooperate by being stern with them. If they are too unhinged, there is always our good friend Ativan.
Having been the customer service agent on the other side of a help desk from a man screaming at me about a mistake HE made scheduling the delivery of his furniture until I was not just crying but fully hyperventilating, I do step in almost every time now. No one stood up for me that day but I know for damn sure that I'm not letting that happen to anyone else. It's my new favorite thing to do, shutting down people who are rude/cruel to people in service industries.
I've been in the same situation where if the person had stopped after their completely reasonable complaint to the server about the service I would have not said anything; but the complainer took the apologies as a sign of weakness and doubled and tripled down on further attacks...so I said something (my friend owns the restaurant, and it's a small enough town she would have heard about it if I sat there and did nothing she wouldn't have been happy with me).
Over a year later she recognized me at another bar and threw her drink at me. She must have been too drunk to recognize me the two times in between those 2 incidents when I had to deal with bouncing her out of the concert venue I work at for being drunk and disorderly.
I live in a constitutional carry state and this is something I worry about. 75+ y/os who probably have never shot/owned a gun before and are itching to feel threatened. It’s mostly an accessory to own libs but one unhinged boomer is all it takes
Hmm. I love this sub. And I see lots of similarities between boomer behaviour here in Australia and the US but we never have to worry about armed boomers…
I would imagine the Boomer thing in Australia ties in with immigration in the sense a lot of boomers must have families that came in the 1950s? Cause England still had rationing post war.
When you get boomer like behaviour in Australia it is typically from boomers Born in Australia to Australian parents.
Immigrants don’t tend to display the same type of behaviour.
Very few post WW2 immigrants came from the UK.
Far more common from Italy and Greece in the 1950s and 1960s
Not entirely.Mel Gibson's dad and the BeeGee's dad moved to Australia from the UK in that time. That is the limit of my knowledge of Australian immigration.
Exactly right. I love putting someone unreasonable in their place but I’m in FL and trigger happy MAGA boomers are anywhere and everywhere so can’t exactly get In a pissing match with random older white males.
Hey hey hey, I have a small penis and I would never berate the waitress like this. I’ve gotten real shitty food and service before, but I never complain because I know it’s not the waitresses fault.
Coming from someone who works in a customer-facing job, thank you for saying something. Fuck people who treat employees like that when they know we’re not allowed to fight back.
As a Boomer grandma, all I can say is you ROCK!!
I’m so proud of you for standing up to that nasty man and his stupid wife. How doesn’t she know Primavera is just what she got.
Not all Boomers are azzholes and idiots.
You are a wonderful man. I would have paid for your dinner, if I had been there.
You did the right thing. I was a former fast food manager and one thing I absolutely would not tolerate is rudeness to my staff.
Making someone cry for doing their job? Hell no. The fact you were as calm as you were is a point for you. Some people honestly need their ego ripped from them to even vaguely resemble decent human beings.
Nope, nope, nope. You should absolutely say something when you see that kind of disrespect from someone who should clearly know better in a restaurant. Good on you.
I think if you saw someone who seemed deranged you would probably know to not push the situation.
Well, I am glad you stood up and put these people in their place. I'm done respecting my elders if they don't respect others and I'm going to let them know their behavior is unacceptable. These folks are bullies who have been living without consequences for a long time. And it isn't just boomers. I'm sick of anyone who is a dick these days and if I get shot telling them to shut their pie hole and be a decent human being, at least I went out knowing I stood up to bullshit.
Nah, you are really appreciated. Shit you could probably make a killer YouTube channel of going around and doing this stuff. Anybody who puts a little slice of reality into the assholes, makes them stop harrassling others, is a winner in my book.
You absolutely did the right thing! Interjecting yourself was entirely the right thing to do. The kind of people that pull this nonsense, regardless of their age, need to be called out!
Yes. Over the years I've run into these same entitled jerks. When I was 17, working in a bakery, some witch came in, pounded her fist on the counter and started with "I WANT..." (cue the theme music from *Jaws*). In the fifty years since then I've learned these people are sad, miserable individuals who build themselves up by attacking those who can't fight back. Pathetic.
People always blame the wait staff, I've worked shifts in empty restaurants where the cooks were fucking around. I went in the back and yelled at them and since the place was nearly empty the entire restaurant heard it.
Guess who the customer took their frustration out on anyway? They bitched at me even though they heard me getting onto the cooks for their specific order. When they started in I asked them if they heard me and they confirmed it, still bitched anyway and gave me a shitty tip.
It's always the waiters fault because that's the only person the customer sees. And dumbass managers don't help, they just comp meals to try to convince people to come back, which just encourages people to try and get free shit.
I had a manager years ago that was awesome. We had a couple come in, complain and got a comped meal. They came back, complained got a comped meal. The third time they came in and complained, the manager went over and told them "We clearly aren't up to your standards and never will be." No comp, and they never came back.
Years ago, my mom got super nasty with a waitress pretty loudly because her steak *took too long and wasn't to her liking. I gave her a reality check in front of everyone and told her the waitstaff had no control over the food, and that if she ever pulled that shit again I'd stop dining out with her.
I made sure to apologize to the waitress in front of my mom ("I'm so sorry my mom was so bitchy to you, there was zero reason for any of that"), and gave her a really good tip. I was so pissed at her for acting like such a bitch. I think she was pretty embarrassed, because she never pulled that shit again.
My mom did that too about 20 years ago. Started going off on a waitress. I interrupted and got the waitress to leave. Then I turned to Mom and said, this is a small town. I live here you don't. I don't know that waitress but I know she knows some of the same people I do. So for my sake will you cut this shit out? Just stop.
She did.
The bit about the small town is so smart and wise on your part. The world is so big, people have a tendency to think that their actions towards a stranger won’t have consequences. Like once that waitress isn’t at work she just vanishes from existence and never has another impact on anything ever again. But the world isn’t THAT big. These things matter, they add up.
I moved to a big city (Seattle) from a real small know-everybody-around type town in Michigan, and even here I find- if you move in the same circles all the time, you’ll see the same people. You got a favorite spot you go the for lunch? You’re gonna start to recognize the people there. Little arcade in town you like to hit? You’ll notice there’s a regular crowd. Idk there’s something about the way we structure our society that makes some people forget that the employee standing in front of you is actually part of your community, not some faceless drone built from parts out of the corporate warehouse.
I’m weirdly grateful my mom used to wait tables.
I was dining out with my parents last week and my dad said something about the tip. My mom said “It’s busy. I know how hard it is to be a waitress.”
They’re just self conditioned to complain. They don’t want a solution they want to be mad. As is evident by the fact they offered to refire the steak and he said no but complained about the food anyway. You don’t want them to fix it? Then don’t complain about it.
In many states comping alcohol is illegal. Establishments with liquor licenses cannot even provide free tasting samples, providing free alcohol is not allowed.
Example Virginia edit: or that was restaurant policy even in Virginia because it was illegal somewhere the chain also operated. The policy will even be influenced by other states rather than your own
Which is why a trip to Sevierville and Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a must.. get completely wasted drinking free samples of moonshine..
i distillery hop for a long weekend
Yes.
When I was a waitress, do you know how much stuff I got blamed for that was wholly out of my control? If I'd had a dollar for every time, I could pay my rent for a month without dipping into my pay cheque, *at least*.
When I see this happen, it’s usually the customer getting progressively more aggressive to get comped. That’s why they often don’t send the food back or only start complaining well into the entree, etc.
Look, I’m a boomer, but I am appalled. I would be the one standing up for the waitress. The couple are just bullies, and they wanted to receive food for nothing. It’s hard to get good help that shows up consistently, so I expect things to take longer than they used to as they are probably short handed. I am glad you stood up for her, OP.
They were also raised during the time when the old joke of chefs spitting in the food of rotten customers was a reality, they seem to have forgotten that.
i used to bartend and jesus christ- the amount of folks who would rip into me about their food taking longer than expected when i
1. didn’t take their order
2. am not responsible for the kitchen
3. am clearly busy
4. the bar is packed out…
mate, i have nothing to do with this, do you want a drink or not? no? then fuck off
I was in line at the grocery store a couple days before Thanksgiving one year and it was crowded. They had nearly every lane opened but just about every lane had 8 or 10 people in line with full carts. An older couple gets in line behind me and the husband immediately begins to complain. He's talking low at first and I guess since he wasn't getting anyone's attention, he starts to talk louder. I made the mistake of turning around so he began to complain to me about the line. I didn't really acknowledge. I tried to just continue minding my own business. As i got up to the counter to put my stuff up, he revved up the complaining loud enough for the cashier to hear. Her and I make eye contact and both just roll our eyes. He continues to complain, now to her about the wait times. Finally tired of hearing his voice, I turned and looked at him and said "what did you think the store was going to look like 2 days before a major holiday? They have all the lanes open, everyone is working, what more do you want from these people?" He shut up and said nothing else.
I really think some people just talk to hear their own voices.
For a lot of these incidents, it's people looking for any excuse to make another person miserable. He was probably hoping to see her running off sobbing, because it's the only joy left in his life.
God, if only it were just Boomers! My brother and I are Gen X and both he and his wife will 100% go for the person at the bottom of the power structure when they don't like something. It drives me up the wall.
The person at the front desk didn't cause your problem.
The person answering the customer service line didn't cause your problem.
And 99/100, your wait staff didn't cause your problem, either.
I just wish they would spend 2 seconds on critical thought!
The money is secondary; expected but secondary. The ability to berate and belittle someone to the point of tears? That’s the real prize for a bully. Good for you for speaking up.
Good work. I wish more customers would step up and say something like you. These boomers pick on the service SPECIFICALLY because they are unable to stick up for themselves due to the nature of their job. Service staff have to take it and these crusty fuckers know it and exploit it. But when another customer says something, those boomers are no have no leverage. They back down quick from those confrontations.
I once heard someone say millennials don’t know how to send food back and it really stuck with me for a while. I dunno if I’m just more laid back or have low standards but I couldn’t imagine taking food that seriously. Like getting to the point where you’re getting a manager involved over how your steak was cooked? Couldn’t be me.
Yeah, like really? People need a manager? Wtf
I have sent food back. It's rare, but happened. I was at a cheesecake factory and ordered the burrito plate. The beans were rotten. I could smell them and could not even take a bite. It was that bad like opening up your compost bin. They took it back and brought me a new plate, no complaints. And no bitching on my part either. Just matter of fact these beans are bad can I get a new plate made?
Exactly. I rarely send food back but when I do I’m polite and never expect the plate to be comped and always thank the waiter/waitress for correcting it. There’s hundreds of ways to go about it without being a pompous ass.
Litterally only sent a dish back 1x. The batter was off for the crepes. They got me a different dish and took it off the bill (that part was unnecessary but kind). Shit happens
Correct. Most places don’t have 3 star Michelin chefs and just normal people trying to get a paycheck. And there’s no shame in that. It’s just not everything is going to be perfect all the time
I only will send it back if it is completely not what I ordered, there is an allergy issue, or it's raw/completely burnt. I think I send food back maybe once a year, and the vast majority of those times is because of the allergies.
I think I've only done it once. I ordered cheesecake and asked that the strawberry topping wasn't added because I hate strawberries. It came out with it, but somehow I was the one apologizing and offered to just bring that one home and buy another slice without the strawberries.
Thanks for doing that.
Some old guy gave me the same kind of grief when I was working on the night of my Senior Prom.
I was the only server in the whole restaurant because everyone else was at the prom, it was packed, and he was an asshole lecturing me on the quality of my service while I cried.
I'm just waiting for the chance to tell someone they're acting like entitled toddlers and to grow up. I'm age 62, should be quite interesting to see their reaction.
My parents are just a few years older than you. They worry about being boomers. I often remind them that boomer is a state of dementia and that they’re ok for now. For now. But I will put them in a home.
Edit: mostly /s
My recent goal has been to practice gratitude and appreciation in the moment. It is amazing how that one little change has such a widespread effect on your life.
It’s just crazy how the only generation accusing others being entitled, is the primary one that is the absolute shittiest towards wait staff when the slightest issue occurs.
I might get hate for this, but had the server been an older person or male, do you think he would still have been so aggressive? I waited tables putting myself through school. It’s an occupation super vulnerable to abuse just by its very nature. However, I’ve also found people love to shit on teenagers and young adults and some really assholes like to make young girls cry.
I'm a boomer guy. 74 yrs. I've been told by people of all ages, all my life, that everybody loves me. It's pretty simple really. This is how it works...I love everybody first. I'm KIND.
There's really only one rule about living on this planet, as Kurt Vonnegut said..."GOD DAMN IT, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIND!"
These fucks probably do this everywhere they go to eat (that they aren't already known at for doing this kind of shit).
Cheapskates wanting free shit while projecting fault on everyone else.
Fuck yeah man. More of us reasonable big dudes need to start shouting these assholes down like they deserve. Especially those of us who are confident we won’t have an issue when they try to get violent. I love doing it because they always assume based on how I look (ex strongman competitor, gun/mil themed ink, buzz cut, etc) that I will agree with them. The shock when they get called a c**t by someone they think is “in” is the most joyful part of my day. Keep up the good work, speak softly and carry a big st(d)ick.
It doesn’t need to be big dudes, I’m 5’9” and old bitches don’t want to fight me anymore than they want to fight you. Because the people treating others poorly out in public are never hard, and they’re always afraid. And they always scurry away with their tail between their legs when somebody checks them.
Like if I get up from my table with my kids to tell you you’re abusing that waitress and it needs to stop because we don’t treat people like that, 99.9% of old boomers don’t need me to be 6” taller to feel shamed and scram.
Oh, no argument from me! It’s the “younger” boomer dudes that seem to get people worried. I always see comments on here about how people don’t want confrontation because they are worried dude will pull a gun or something crazy, and I completely understand the sentiment. I just happen to be the kind of person who doesn’t worry too much about those things. If I were in my sisters or wife’s shoes, I would probably avoid it too, which is why I like calling out their bullshit. If someone wants to follow me into a parking lot, I’m gonna keep walking till we get to an open area and have some words with someone. Wanna pull a gun? Let’s go. Respect to ANYONE who stands up to them. I just worry a bit less as a big burly biker type, I guess. 99% will piss off at a mere hint of confrontation, but the 1% left still don’t get me too worried.
You're right, one need not be large to stand up and throw down. I'm 5'5" and grew up with brothers and abusive mom and am afraid of no one. Still though, these Neanderthals do understand the concept of might makes right. I suspect they back down very quickly w/big guy. Doesn't mean not big people can't do the same. Boomers just might not pick up on that at a glance like they would with big guy is all.
That's how I met my husband. I was a waitress and was being hassled by a group of drunks. Suddenly this huge guy comes up behind me and told the guys that if they said another word to me, he was going to beat the sh!t out of them. Said he'd drag them out to the parking lot one at a time or beat them all at once! They quickly paid and left. That was 18 years and 4 sons ago!
Some of these people think it's a sport to try and get things comped, that couple sounds like one set, I've had to deal with the type, always boomer. Had one try to get her lunch comped because the eggfuyoung was too eggy, it's a damn Chinese omelet and they ate well over half.
I am a boomer. I have also been a waitress. There have always been complete asses like this couple. And the observation that apologies only serve to make them double and triple down is so spot on. I am not saying "not all boomers" , because of course nobody is saying that all boomers act this way. I am just saying that picking on servers because they cannot fight back and just getting even more aggressive when there is any form of apology (especially from a woman server) has been sport for decades (probably centuries!).
I've noticed this when in the States. It's a game to see how much they can get off the bill or upgraded for free. No basis in their complaints just financial gain.
I will only even comp anything if the fault is genuinely ours. And even then only if the person has been respectful about it. If you're rude, you're paying full price.
Missus did this to an old bloke in a Hungry Jacks (Australia's burger king)
She's 5ft tall, they have 0 come back to authority.
I was in the car and saw him storm out looking pissed. She told me when she got in the car she told him to stop yelling at young women, she can try yelling at her if he wants to feel powerful.
Obviously he didn't.
Keep it up big homie. During pandemic I decided to make it my life’s work to call them out every opportunity I get.
We’re all tryin to exist and they come in like pigeons. Shitting every where. Walking all in the fucking way. Leave shit and trash every where. Ugh.
My mom (baby boomer) dated a guy like that and it was absolutely embarrassing every time we went out to eat; nothing was good enough and he made sure everyone knew it. I was young so I didn't have the choice to stay home and I wish someone had told him to stfu.
Nothing -- I mean, NOTHING -- will make me lose respect for someone quicker than seeing them get nasty with a bartender or server or with anyone who has a service job.
IMO it's just trashy behavior, lording it over someone that way when they're just trying to make a damn living.
That is one of the comps for not fitting in planes, a lot of cars, and it being a pain to find clothes you like that fit. Being a big guy can have such a "calming effect" ( scared silent) on people without every having to yell, threaten, or actually assault people. I've been using it since i was a teen. Often, I have to work very hard to hold my composure, and go somewhere to burst out laughing afterwards when some dipstick is acting up and I just walk up and look at them, or ask what they are upset about, and they just stop, sputter, and start walking away.
Good for you OP. Unfortunately, this type of abusive behavior can really only be called out by other customers, not the staff working there. People need to learn their bad behavior won't be tolerated by the rest of us.
What kind of shitty manager allows people to make his staff cry? I would've 100% told them to get the fuck out and never come back. You have to have your workers' backs.
I always try to come to the aid of people in the service industry that are being abused by assholes. They can’t defend themselves but another customer can and it totally unravels the bullies.
Boomers will be the first to lecture about respect, treating women properly, chivalry, ect. Yet they are the problem in nearly every circumstance, especially when it comes to a young waitress in a restaurant.
My mom is a boomer, and sometimes an annoying one at that. That being said, she *never, ever* berates customer service because she grew up broke and worked as a waitress for years.
I remember sneaking to the back of a restaurant while on vacation to tell our waitress (as nicely as humanly possible) that my mom’s food came out cold and overcooked, and that she’d like to order something different, but didn’t want the waitress or kitchen staff to feel bad/attacked/get into trouble with the manager. I mentioned that my mom waitressed for years and didn’t want to be “that customer,” so she felt too bad to say anything.
The waitress came up and told her that she really appreciated my mom’s understanding and would be more than happy to get her something else ASAP. Not only was my mom’s food comped, they gave her a free desert, too. She didn’t even ask for her food to be comped, and emphasized she’d pay for her replacement meal. I remember looking over and I saw my mom tip nearly 50% *in cash* for the whole meal (there were 6 of us, and it was a nice place). She wrote a nice note on the receipt, too.
I gained a lot of respect for my mom that day. I firmly believe that society would benefit immensely from everyone having to work in customer service at some point. Me and my siblings have all worked front-facing jobs and have learned what it is like to be truly humbled.
I don’t get folks, especially boomers, who act a damn fool for a free meal. Whenever patrons were kind when pointing out a mistake in their order or that it came out bad, I’d go out of my way to make sure they get extra good service/freebies if I could make it happen. I just don’t understand the logic of trying to catch flies with vinegar.
Good for you for defending the waitress. People like this confound me. I mean we are retired. What the phuck is the hurry? Afraid you are going to croak before you get to eat your "last supper".
I worked at sub shop in Boston. If anyone gave us any shit we would blast them harder. Even if we needed to fight them.that only happened once. Maybe it's just the neighborhood I grew up in, but no matter what job I'm doing , I'm not taking shit from assholes.
Edit: except the Army 😀 definitely took a lot of shit there..
You're doing the Lords work brother. If this would have been in my restaurant back when I was managing restaurants your dinner would have been on me and your getting "friend of the house" perks from now on. Good on you for sticking up for the server that couldn't for herself.
This kind of shit makes me physically angry.
Making some women cry because they've just got to bitch and moan about something. All the time.
If they're trying to make us ageist, it's working.
I work in the restaurant business and I say to my fellow employees about shitty customers “It must suck to go out for a dinner in a restaurant” This is on them not on us
One thing that I absolutely can't stand or tolerate is when customers bully and abuse waiters because of their own unreasonable expectations about the food or a restaurant. These innocent servers are just trying to do their jobs. They don't have any control over the quality of the food, the prices or how long it might take to get an order to a table. Good for you for standing up for that waitress. I'm sure you're a hero to her for sticking up for her. Shame on that odious couple for being such assholes!
Assholes come in all ages. If I just focus on their age, I can tag every generation that's still alive! I've told many aholes of all ages to shut the fuck up if they deserve it.
When people act like this, and aren't paying customers, film them (keeping staff and other paying customers out of frame). If they want to make a spectacle, show them the full potential of what a spectacle is.
I had something like this happen to me once. I live in Michigan and we have a 10 cent bottle deposit on (most) cans and bottles. The way the system is setup, the stores are where customers return their bottles for cash, but they get that money reimbursed by the vendor for that brand. This ensures customers can return their bottles to almost any store and the vendor is the one ultimately responsible for collecting the deposit. It's hard to explain, and it doesn't come up that often because most customers return their bottles to larger stores with dedicated bottle return machines. The law states though that any store that sells beverages with a deposit must accept empty bottles for products they sell (regardless of where the customer purchased it) because they will receive credit for those bottles from their vendor. So that's the back story here...
I in a small-ish gas station a few years ago. As I got in line the guy ahead of me was arguing with the cashier about taking back his bottles. She explained that she can't because they don't sell anything from that vendor. He then got belligerent which is when I stepped in. I calmly said, she only has to take back products they sell. He then turned his lead-infused boomer rage on me and tried to insist I was wrong. I'm a peaceful person who avoids conflict, but I'm also a very large guy which plays in my favor in situations like this as most people are reluctant to piss me off. I stood my ground and told him that I work as a manager in retail and know how the laws work around returns. He eventually storms off telling telling us to "fuck off" screaming about, "never coming back again." The cashier and I had a good laugh at his expense after that. It wasn't until later I thought about how that could have gone badly, but I really don't care! I'd still do it again. This is America, I could get shot at any fucking time for no reason at all. If that's how I'm gonna go out, might as well make it worthwhile! Lol.
Thanks for saying something. As a waitress sometimes people (of all ages) just take their anger out on you and even your manager won’t speak up for you.
I know a millennial couple where the husband considers it a olympic-level sport to get their food comped. I have stopped going to dinner with them. It's embarrassing and unnecessary.
Likely do this at every restaurant they eat at to get free meals and drinks. Its probably worked so they continue to make others lives hard because they’re cheap pricks.
Everyone who is not in their race, age group, or perceived socio-economic status is not a person to them. These are sad people exploiting a power dynamic they’ve held for too long
Lmao as a currently out of industry waitress/bartender, thank you, I loved it when my other tables would say something to rude guests or even loudly from behind them be like “wow that guy is a real asshole isn’t he!” The look of embarrassment on the tables face is always great.
Good on you, bro. Big guy here, and knowing when to use restraint and when to speak up is a much respected skill. Thank you for using your powers for good.
From a boomer. This is what paragraphs look like. Readability matters. Communication is an art. Wallas of text are annoying.
Pick up your game.
‐‐-----------------------------------------------------------------------
P A R A G R A P H S
I (40 M) decided to stop off at a local Italian chain restaurant after a 10-hour day at work for a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Seated diagonally from me was a boomer couple in their early 60s. They were getting their salads when I was being seated.
They got their food as I was getting my salad. The kitchen was running slow, no question. But as I’m trying to eat my salad, the husband spends a good 5 minutes be-rating the waitress, and then they call a manager over.
He’s mad because the food took so long. She’s mad because her pasta doesn’t have sauce on it, just tomatoes and veggies (she ordered a primavera, apparently).
The manager comes over, and the husband keeps complaining. The manager apologizes for the slow kitchen, and then the husband says his steak is over-cooked, but no, he doesn’t want to send it back. Wife wants her meal comped, manager concedes.
They’ve finished, my food arrives, I’m starting to eat and trying to ignore them. The husband then starts berating the waitress again b/c they can’t comp the alcohol. The waitress starts crying. He doesn’t stop.
Finally, I look over at the husband and say “excuse me, sir, I’m trying to enjoy my meal. Would you mind kindly shutting the fuck up and leaving her alone?”
I’m a big guy, and I usually keep quiet and to myself. Wife is startled. She gets up and leaves. The husband looks shocked, walks away, gets the manager, pays his tab at the front, and then leaves. Waitress gives me a look that says “thanks for saying what I can’t” and I finish my meal in peace.
‐‐-----------‐--------------------------------------------------------------
Great job putting these boomers in their place. My family was in the restaurant business for many decades. It may bring comfort to some to realize that these people have swallowed their fair share of bodily fluids. And their fair share is a lot. And people working in a sweltering kitchen for hours can get very creative in their quest for revenge.
I will sooner clean shit stains from public restrooms before I EVER work in customer service again and it is 100% because of entitled Boomers
They deserve the worst experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to give them that
As a fellow big intimidating dude, thank you for doing your duty and using our privilege properly and standing up for those who can't and protecting those in need.
I hope your toes go unstubbed for a whole month.
Want to share a positive experience to contrast the typical boomer restaurant experience. Years ago I was dating a woman who loved a certain restaurant. I was always underwhelmed across the board, but food is food and she liked it so we went. I never said anything negative to her or the staff, but internally was just meh about the whole thing from the food to the service. Until, one time we go and everything was just better. Noticeably. I thought about how willing people are to say bad or negative things and was really compelled to tell the manager I was converted, and next time we came it would be my idea. I gave our complements to the waitress and on our way out I asked to speak with a manager. The hostess had that look of “oh no here we go again “ and when the manager came out from the back and although professional had the sight air of “someone is about to kick my dog”
I told him great job from the front to back that I was previously a “hater” but what ever they were doing was working and to keep it up and we’d be back. I was totally transparent even about feeling the need to communicate the positive to combat negative “talk
To the manager situations”. From the look on the managers face alone I could tell I made a net positive impact and honestly that was enough. But. Then. Manger says thank you and asks if we can wait just a second. When he comes back dude ( who was not a small dude) has a grip of his business cards in his hand. He says “ each of these cards is an automatic and instant seating/ vip reservation any time you come in on top of 50% off. Plus as long as he’s manger he would restock me. I was like dude thank you, not necessary but thank you. He says he has a great staff and they all really care about making an awesome experience, and yet still the only time they got any feedback it was negative. We became regulars. I always offered to pay full price and they always denied me. (Always tipped full price) We weren’t big spenders but they treated us like royalty. We became first name basis with practically everybody from the busboy to the kitchen staff. People would just come by the table to say Hi. It was wild. I genuinely think they got a much of a kick out it as we did. I finally moved out of state. End of an era. We went one last time before we left, and they brought us a little cake and a thank you card. We all genuinely made each other’s lives better by just being kind. I genuinely still miss that place lol.
I promise anyone you will always get more in a restaurant situation from kindness, ….and to the boomers …remember the movie Waiting that’s a “documentary” not a film…. Be kind to the staff, because the line cook already hates you for even existing. Be nice.
Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed. Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6 *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BoomersBeingFools) if you have any questions or concerns.*
i just want to know what decade or world boomers live in where the waitstaff is responsible for the speed of the kitchen, the quality of the food that comes out of it, comping meals/drinks, or policies on any of the above
Yeah. If he’d just had the decency to stop when she burst into tears, I would have kept my mouth shut. But he couldn’t help himself, and as it turns out, neither could I. In retrospect I prob shouldn’t have said anything, he struck me as the kind of small penis type who is looking for a reason to shoot someone with his concealed handgun.
yeah, i can imagine the type- i’m glad you said something, though. working in bars and cafés, there’s been hundreds of times i would have killed to tell a customer to shut the fuck up- it’s always refreshing when another customer can either interject or deescalate, especially when the poor girl is in tears.
Yeah he seemed like one of those people who gets his rocks off by making other people who can’t react to him unhappy or uncomfortable. I can’t abide that personality type.
The dude does not abide!
Calmer than you are...
No kink shaming, but he should keep his kinks consensual.
A non consensual kink is just abuse, right?
Not sure about terminology, ESL. Might be SA? Harassment? Public nuisance?
All of those terms lack consent/denote a power imbalance. they could all apply
You know, I worked a counter service customer facing job for a long ass time, we had this one customer… total sweaty ass toad person of a human being. Always over sharing and blatantly looking any lady person up and down whenever possible. Was that his deal… he got off on how uncomfortable we all were? He didn’t actually like the product so much or think we were all buddies because we remembered his gross name?
Those are the scum of the earth, and every woman hates them.
Or does this at every restaurant to get a free meal
Exactly my ex MiL did this to get a discount all the time,it always worked. I refused to go anywhere with that family she would brag about it and seemed to get off on treating people in service jobs like shit.
Honestly? That sounds exhausting. If I'm eating out, I'm looking for a break or a bit of peace and/or companionship. I just don't have the energy to pitch a fit for free food every time I go out.
i remember seeing a friend in school getting bullied so i just yelled at the bully from down the hall "hey you are a stupid motherf\*cking dumba\*s you piece of sh\*t!" right at the bully and he beat my ass but it was worth ending up in the nurses office to save my friend
So boomers.
Every age group, they are all boomers and this is a taught and learned behavior. Sad but true.
Sounds like my MIL. I don’t put up with her being rude to people in my presence.
I'm so glad I always had managers who had my back. I remember once a customer snapping his fingers at me and shouting shouting Ew you. I point blank refused to serve him and told him I don't answer to finger snaps as I'm not a dog and not do I answer to Ew you. He came in the next day to make a complaint. I explained why I refused service, the manager barred him on the spot.
I'm a food service manager and I fight for my crew too, they do their jobs better when they know they're supported and my one rule in my store is "no one is allowed to harass or abuse my staff but me (because I never would lol) and I expect you to be respectful but not to tolerate abuse" Worked out well for me.
This. Manager should be stepping in not getting called over. Nobody disrespects my staff. Take your bs elsewhere.
If I wasn't right there already, I'd hear MISS KELLY In a very specific tone of voice (it's the HELP ME MOM with a touch of COME BEAT HIS ASS) And I'd be right there tagging them out to take care of buisness.
When I started telling customers off is when I realized I needed to get out of food service. Now I'm a nurse and I usually can get jerky patients to cooperate by being stern with them. If they are too unhinged, there is always our good friend Ativan.
Having been the customer service agent on the other side of a help desk from a man screaming at me about a mistake HE made scheduling the delivery of his furniture until I was not just crying but fully hyperventilating, I do step in almost every time now. No one stood up for me that day but I know for damn sure that I'm not letting that happen to anyone else. It's my new favorite thing to do, shutting down people who are rude/cruel to people in service industries.
I've been in the same situation where if the person had stopped after their completely reasonable complaint to the server about the service I would have not said anything; but the complainer took the apologies as a sign of weakness and doubled and tripled down on further attacks...so I said something (my friend owns the restaurant, and it's a small enough town she would have heard about it if I sat there and did nothing she wouldn't have been happy with me). Over a year later she recognized me at another bar and threw her drink at me. She must have been too drunk to recognize me the two times in between those 2 incidents when I had to deal with bouncing her out of the concert venue I work at for being drunk and disorderly.
They apologized. Boomers see that as weakness and he went in for the kill. The apology was blood in the water.
I live in a constitutional carry state and this is something I worry about. 75+ y/os who probably have never shot/owned a gun before and are itching to feel threatened. It’s mostly an accessory to own libs but one unhinged boomer is all it takes
Hmm. I love this sub. And I see lots of similarities between boomer behaviour here in Australia and the US but we never have to worry about armed boomers…
I would imagine the Boomer thing in Australia ties in with immigration in the sense a lot of boomers must have families that came in the 1950s? Cause England still had rationing post war.
When you get boomer like behaviour in Australia it is typically from boomers Born in Australia to Australian parents. Immigrants don’t tend to display the same type of behaviour. Very few post WW2 immigrants came from the UK. Far more common from Italy and Greece in the 1950s and 1960s
Ok I am basing my knowledge of Australian immigration in the 50s and 60s on a Kinks song so i COULD be wrong
You inspired me to google it. There was a lot from the UK post ww2. You just don’t tend to notice them…
Do you know the kinks song “Australia”?
Not entirely.Mel Gibson's dad and the BeeGee's dad moved to Australia from the UK in that time. That is the limit of my knowledge of Australian immigration.
Thing is, we have various styles of Obnoxious in AU of which Boomer Obnoxious is only one.
Like that guy that shot that girl in the car that was turning around in his driveway. Like WTF?!
Exactly right. I love putting someone unreasonable in their place but I’m in FL and trigger happy MAGA boomers are anywhere and everywhere so can’t exactly get In a pissing match with random older white males.
Hey hey hey, I have a small penis and I would never berate the waitress like this. I’ve gotten real shitty food and service before, but I never complain because I know it’s not the waitresses fault.
On behalf of everyone who has ever been in that situation...Thank You.
Coming from someone who works in a customer-facing job, thank you for saying something. Fuck people who treat employees like that when they know we’re not allowed to fight back.
As a Boomer grandma, all I can say is you ROCK!! I’m so proud of you for standing up to that nasty man and his stupid wife. How doesn’t she know Primavera is just what she got. Not all Boomers are azzholes and idiots. You are a wonderful man. I would have paid for your dinner, if I had been there.
Seconded by another old lady.
You're a wonderful boomer. 💖
More people need to do this! Public shaming them in the same way that they do 'the help' is the only way they listen.
In what world should we actually be worried that we are going to be killed to do the most basic human thing.
The world in which MAGA idiots are threatening to storm a courthouse because a trial of one’s peers didn’t go his way
You did the right thing. I was a former fast food manager and one thing I absolutely would not tolerate is rudeness to my staff. Making someone cry for doing their job? Hell no. The fact you were as calm as you were is a point for you. Some people honestly need their ego ripped from them to even vaguely resemble decent human beings.
Nope, nope, nope. You should absolutely say something when you see that kind of disrespect from someone who should clearly know better in a restaurant. Good on you. I think if you saw someone who seemed deranged you would probably know to not push the situation.
You did the right thing. That guy was being abusive.
He probably became aroused when she began to cry! They get off on what they perceive as "power."
Well, I am glad you stood up and put these people in their place. I'm done respecting my elders if they don't respect others and I'm going to let them know their behavior is unacceptable. These folks are bullies who have been living without consequences for a long time. And it isn't just boomers. I'm sick of anyone who is a dick these days and if I get shot telling them to shut their pie hole and be a decent human being, at least I went out knowing I stood up to bullshit.
Nah, you are really appreciated. Shit you could probably make a killer YouTube channel of going around and doing this stuff. Anybody who puts a little slice of reality into the assholes, makes them stop harrassling others, is a winner in my book.
You absolutely did the right thing! Interjecting yourself was entirely the right thing to do. The kind of people that pull this nonsense, regardless of their age, need to be called out!
Yes. Over the years I've run into these same entitled jerks. When I was 17, working in a bakery, some witch came in, pounded her fist on the counter and started with "I WANT..." (cue the theme music from *Jaws*). In the fifty years since then I've learned these people are sad, miserable individuals who build themselves up by attacking those who can't fight back. Pathetic.
People always blame the wait staff, I've worked shifts in empty restaurants where the cooks were fucking around. I went in the back and yelled at them and since the place was nearly empty the entire restaurant heard it. Guess who the customer took their frustration out on anyway? They bitched at me even though they heard me getting onto the cooks for their specific order. When they started in I asked them if they heard me and they confirmed it, still bitched anyway and gave me a shitty tip. It's always the waiters fault because that's the only person the customer sees. And dumbass managers don't help, they just comp meals to try to convince people to come back, which just encourages people to try and get free shit.
I had a manager years ago that was awesome. We had a couple come in, complain and got a comped meal. They came back, complained got a comped meal. The third time they came in and complained, the manager went over and told them "We clearly aren't up to your standards and never will be." No comp, and they never came back.
Years ago, my mom got super nasty with a waitress pretty loudly because her steak *took too long and wasn't to her liking. I gave her a reality check in front of everyone and told her the waitstaff had no control over the food, and that if she ever pulled that shit again I'd stop dining out with her. I made sure to apologize to the waitress in front of my mom ("I'm so sorry my mom was so bitchy to you, there was zero reason for any of that"), and gave her a really good tip. I was so pissed at her for acting like such a bitch. I think she was pretty embarrassed, because she never pulled that shit again.
My mom did that too about 20 years ago. Started going off on a waitress. I interrupted and got the waitress to leave. Then I turned to Mom and said, this is a small town. I live here you don't. I don't know that waitress but I know she knows some of the same people I do. So for my sake will you cut this shit out? Just stop. She did.
The bit about the small town is so smart and wise on your part. The world is so big, people have a tendency to think that their actions towards a stranger won’t have consequences. Like once that waitress isn’t at work she just vanishes from existence and never has another impact on anything ever again. But the world isn’t THAT big. These things matter, they add up. I moved to a big city (Seattle) from a real small know-everybody-around type town in Michigan, and even here I find- if you move in the same circles all the time, you’ll see the same people. You got a favorite spot you go the for lunch? You’re gonna start to recognize the people there. Little arcade in town you like to hit? You’ll notice there’s a regular crowd. Idk there’s something about the way we structure our society that makes some people forget that the employee standing in front of you is actually part of your community, not some faceless drone built from parts out of the corporate warehouse.
I’m weirdly grateful my mom used to wait tables. I was dining out with my parents last week and my dad said something about the tip. My mom said “It’s busy. I know how hard it is to be a waitress.”
They’re just self conditioned to complain. They don’t want a solution they want to be mad. As is evident by the fact they offered to refire the steak and he said no but complained about the food anyway. You don’t want them to fix it? Then don’t complain about it.
In many states comping alcohol is illegal. Establishments with liquor licenses cannot even provide free tasting samples, providing free alcohol is not allowed. Example Virginia edit: or that was restaurant policy even in Virginia because it was illegal somewhere the chain also operated. The policy will even be influenced by other states rather than your own
Which is why a trip to Sevierville and Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a must.. get completely wasted drinking free samples of moonshine.. i distillery hop for a long weekend
Ha ha meanwhile here in Boston happy hour discounts are illegal
Yes. When I was a waitress, do you know how much stuff I got blamed for that was wholly out of my control? If I'd had a dollar for every time, I could pay my rent for a month without dipping into my pay cheque, *at least*.
When I see this happen, it’s usually the customer getting progressively more aggressive to get comped. That’s why they often don’t send the food back or only start complaining well into the entree, etc.
The lead poisoning world
Look, I’m a boomer, but I am appalled. I would be the one standing up for the waitress. The couple are just bullies, and they wanted to receive food for nothing. It’s hard to get good help that shows up consistently, so I expect things to take longer than they used to as they are probably short handed. I am glad you stood up for her, OP.
They don’t understand how the world works on any level.
Same one that has the cashiers deciding prices of goods
They were also raised during the time when the old joke of chefs spitting in the food of rotten customers was a reality, they seem to have forgotten that.
It never occurs to them that there are other parties involved in this process.
I'm a bartender and people come up to me to ask why their food is taking a while, during a packed service..
i used to bartend and jesus christ- the amount of folks who would rip into me about their food taking longer than expected when i 1. didn’t take their order 2. am not responsible for the kitchen 3. am clearly busy 4. the bar is packed out… mate, i have nothing to do with this, do you want a drink or not? no? then fuck off
I was in line at the grocery store a couple days before Thanksgiving one year and it was crowded. They had nearly every lane opened but just about every lane had 8 or 10 people in line with full carts. An older couple gets in line behind me and the husband immediately begins to complain. He's talking low at first and I guess since he wasn't getting anyone's attention, he starts to talk louder. I made the mistake of turning around so he began to complain to me about the line. I didn't really acknowledge. I tried to just continue minding my own business. As i got up to the counter to put my stuff up, he revved up the complaining loud enough for the cashier to hear. Her and I make eye contact and both just roll our eyes. He continues to complain, now to her about the wait times. Finally tired of hearing his voice, I turned and looked at him and said "what did you think the store was going to look like 2 days before a major holiday? They have all the lanes open, everyone is working, what more do you want from these people?" He shut up and said nothing else. I really think some people just talk to hear their own voices.
Shit runs downhill and the server is usually at the bottom of that hill.
I want to know what world they live in where it's okay to treat people/behave like that...
For a lot of these incidents, it's people looking for any excuse to make another person miserable. He was probably hoping to see her running off sobbing, because it's the only joy left in his life.
God, if only it were just Boomers! My brother and I are Gen X and both he and his wife will 100% go for the person at the bottom of the power structure when they don't like something. It drives me up the wall. The person at the front desk didn't cause your problem. The person answering the customer service line didn't cause your problem. And 99/100, your wait staff didn't cause your problem, either. I just wish they would spend 2 seconds on critical thought!
The money is secondary; expected but secondary. The ability to berate and belittle someone to the point of tears? That’s the real prize for a bully. Good for you for speaking up.
🫡 thank you for your service.
Right time, right place 😆
Good work. I wish more customers would step up and say something like you. These boomers pick on the service SPECIFICALLY because they are unable to stick up for themselves due to the nature of their job. Service staff have to take it and these crusty fuckers know it and exploit it. But when another customer says something, those boomers are no have no leverage. They back down quick from those confrontations.
The Crusty Fucker, the new adult lounge owned and operated by Eugene Krabs
I once heard someone say millennials don’t know how to send food back and it really stuck with me for a while. I dunno if I’m just more laid back or have low standards but I couldn’t imagine taking food that seriously. Like getting to the point where you’re getting a manager involved over how your steak was cooked? Couldn’t be me.
Yeah, like really? People need a manager? Wtf I have sent food back. It's rare, but happened. I was at a cheesecake factory and ordered the burrito plate. The beans were rotten. I could smell them and could not even take a bite. It was that bad like opening up your compost bin. They took it back and brought me a new plate, no complaints. And no bitching on my part either. Just matter of fact these beans are bad can I get a new plate made?
Exactly. I rarely send food back but when I do I’m polite and never expect the plate to be comped and always thank the waiter/waitress for correcting it. There’s hundreds of ways to go about it without being a pompous ass.
Litterally only sent a dish back 1x. The batter was off for the crepes. They got me a different dish and took it off the bill (that part was unnecessary but kind). Shit happens
Correct. Most places don’t have 3 star Michelin chefs and just normal people trying to get a paycheck. And there’s no shame in that. It’s just not everything is going to be perfect all the time
Maybe because the generation that raised us would send us to bed hungry if we were too picky for the dinner they made us
I only will send it back if it is completely not what I ordered, there is an allergy issue, or it's raw/completely burnt. I think I send food back maybe once a year, and the vast majority of those times is because of the allergies.
I send food back on the really pretty rare occasion that it's wrong enough to matter but honestly I end up apologizing like it's my fault somehow.
I think I've only done it once. I ordered cheesecake and asked that the strawberry topping wasn't added because I hate strawberries. It came out with it, but somehow I was the one apologizing and offered to just bring that one home and buy another slice without the strawberries.
If my steak needs a maxi pad, I am sending it back to be cooked longer.
Thanks for doing that. Some old guy gave me the same kind of grief when I was working on the night of my Senior Prom. I was the only server in the whole restaurant because everyone else was at the prom, it was packed, and he was an asshole lecturing me on the quality of my service while I cried.
An extra layer down in hell for people who feel the need to lecture or give unsolicited “advice” directly to the service staff.
Tell boomers that act this way that their children would be very disappointed in them.
I'm just waiting for the chance to tell someone they're acting like entitled toddlers and to grow up. I'm age 62, should be quite interesting to see their reaction.
My parents are just a few years older than you. They worry about being boomers. I often remind them that boomer is a state of dementia and that they’re ok for now. For now. But I will put them in a home. Edit: mostly /s
Recently, my motto has been "Be nicer". I want to avoid boomering forever if possible.
My recent goal has been to practice gratitude and appreciation in the moment. It is amazing how that one little change has such a widespread effect on your life.
I like to quote The Doctor - “Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind.”
If you can still worry about becoming a boomer, you aren't one.
Would they care though? In their mind, they’re always right and there’s 0 chance they could ever be wrong.
They comp'ed the wrong meal . . .
Ikr. Op should get a complimentary meal for sending the boomer on his way
It’s just crazy how the only generation accusing others being entitled, is the primary one that is the absolute shittiest towards wait staff when the slightest issue occurs.
Projection!!
I might get hate for this, but had the server been an older person or male, do you think he would still have been so aggressive? I waited tables putting myself through school. It’s an occupation super vulnerable to abuse just by its very nature. However, I’ve also found people love to shit on teenagers and young adults and some really assholes like to make young girls cry.
Absolutely. Bullies zero in on the weak/vulnerable. Low hanging fruit, as it were.
Entitlement, abusive behavior, never-ending complaining, rudeness galore. Is there anything nice to be said about these or any boomer?
They die soon…?
There's one redeeming quality.
I'm a boomer guy. 74 yrs. I've been told by people of all ages, all my life, that everybody loves me. It's pretty simple really. This is how it works...I love everybody first. I'm KIND. There's really only one rule about living on this planet, as Kurt Vonnegut said..."GOD DAMN IT, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIND!"
My favorite thing is when someone tells a boomer to STFU. They’ve not been told *no* in decades, if ever
These fucks probably do this everywhere they go to eat (that they aren't already known at for doing this kind of shit). Cheapskates wanting free shit while projecting fault on everyone else.
They call 1-800-Walmart and get the cashier fired so they can get a free gift card.
They're miserable people who suck the life out of everyone around them.
“Kindly shutting the fuck up” is an outstanding quote. Draws an incredibly firm line, but isn’t over the top. *chefs kiss*
Fuck yeah man. More of us reasonable big dudes need to start shouting these assholes down like they deserve. Especially those of us who are confident we won’t have an issue when they try to get violent. I love doing it because they always assume based on how I look (ex strongman competitor, gun/mil themed ink, buzz cut, etc) that I will agree with them. The shock when they get called a c**t by someone they think is “in” is the most joyful part of my day. Keep up the good work, speak softly and carry a big st(d)ick.
It doesn’t need to be big dudes, I’m 5’9” and old bitches don’t want to fight me anymore than they want to fight you. Because the people treating others poorly out in public are never hard, and they’re always afraid. And they always scurry away with their tail between their legs when somebody checks them. Like if I get up from my table with my kids to tell you you’re abusing that waitress and it needs to stop because we don’t treat people like that, 99.9% of old boomers don’t need me to be 6” taller to feel shamed and scram.
Oh, no argument from me! It’s the “younger” boomer dudes that seem to get people worried. I always see comments on here about how people don’t want confrontation because they are worried dude will pull a gun or something crazy, and I completely understand the sentiment. I just happen to be the kind of person who doesn’t worry too much about those things. If I were in my sisters or wife’s shoes, I would probably avoid it too, which is why I like calling out their bullshit. If someone wants to follow me into a parking lot, I’m gonna keep walking till we get to an open area and have some words with someone. Wanna pull a gun? Let’s go. Respect to ANYONE who stands up to them. I just worry a bit less as a big burly biker type, I guess. 99% will piss off at a mere hint of confrontation, but the 1% left still don’t get me too worried.
You're right, one need not be large to stand up and throw down. I'm 5'5" and grew up with brothers and abusive mom and am afraid of no one. Still though, these Neanderthals do understand the concept of might makes right. I suspect they back down very quickly w/big guy. Doesn't mean not big people can't do the same. Boomers just might not pick up on that at a glance like they would with big guy is all.
They’re scam artists. It was all about getting free food.
Boomer punching down.
WTF is wrong with people? I just can’t. Thanks for sticking up for her.
Boomer here. Good for you.
All boomers are baby boomers, but not all baby boomers are *boomers*.
“You are bad guy, but this does not mean you’re *bad* guy.” -Zangief
Disagree with that first half as I've seen gen x'ers and even millennials act like boomers, but 100% agree on the last half.
Lmaooooo
That's how I met my husband. I was a waitress and was being hassled by a group of drunks. Suddenly this huge guy comes up behind me and told the guys that if they said another word to me, he was going to beat the sh!t out of them. Said he'd drag them out to the parking lot one at a time or beat them all at once! They quickly paid and left. That was 18 years and 4 sons ago!
You killed four sons???
Some of these people think it's a sport to try and get things comped, that couple sounds like one set, I've had to deal with the type, always boomer. Had one try to get her lunch comped because the eggfuyoung was too eggy, it's a damn Chinese omelet and they ate well over half.
I am a boomer. I have also been a waitress. There have always been complete asses like this couple. And the observation that apologies only serve to make them double and triple down is so spot on. I am not saying "not all boomers" , because of course nobody is saying that all boomers act this way. I am just saying that picking on servers because they cannot fight back and just getting even more aggressive when there is any form of apology (especially from a woman server) has been sport for decades (probably centuries!).
I've noticed this when in the States. It's a game to see how much they can get off the bill or upgraded for free. No basis in their complaints just financial gain.
I will only even comp anything if the fault is genuinely ours. And even then only if the person has been respectful about it. If you're rude, you're paying full price.
I might even clip the bar with a Guinness and black. Because I had that down so well, I could direct it to their shirt and trousers.
Can’t imagine why their kids don’t talk to them anymore.
Missus did this to an old bloke in a Hungry Jacks (Australia's burger king) She's 5ft tall, they have 0 come back to authority. I was in the car and saw him storm out looking pissed. She told me when she got in the car she told him to stop yelling at young women, she can try yelling at her if he wants to feel powerful. Obviously he didn't.
Keep it up big homie. During pandemic I decided to make it my life’s work to call them out every opportunity I get. We’re all tryin to exist and they come in like pigeons. Shitting every where. Walking all in the fucking way. Leave shit and trash every where. Ugh.
Being nice and polite is free so be nice to the people not getting paid enough to help you.
I swear Boomers do this for free meals. How awful 😞
"My food took a long time, I need my booze comped." What a fuckwad.
I do the same thing, why? I can’t get fired from that job!
Um excuse me you gave me what I ordered. This is outrageous, I'm not paying for anything.
Thank you for using your bigness to keep the peace. Sincerely a smallie
The problem isn't just boomers being incredibly rude.its compounded by the fact that businesses have rewarded then for that behavior for so long.
My mom (baby boomer) dated a guy like that and it was absolutely embarrassing every time we went out to eat; nothing was good enough and he made sure everyone knew it. I was young so I didn't have the choice to stay home and I wish someone had told him to stfu.
Nothing -- I mean, NOTHING -- will make me lose respect for someone quicker than seeing them get nasty with a bartender or server or with anyone who has a service job. IMO it's just trashy behavior, lording it over someone that way when they're just trying to make a damn living.
They want their booze comped too? Fucking mooches.
These are the same people who would complain about social services being hand outs
In most states it's against the law to comp alcohol.
That is one of the comps for not fitting in planes, a lot of cars, and it being a pain to find clothes you like that fit. Being a big guy can have such a "calming effect" ( scared silent) on people without every having to yell, threaten, or actually assault people. I've been using it since i was a teen. Often, I have to work very hard to hold my composure, and go somewhere to burst out laughing afterwards when some dipstick is acting up and I just walk up and look at them, or ask what they are upset about, and they just stop, sputter, and start walking away.
Good for you OP. Unfortunately, this type of abusive behavior can really only be called out by other customers, not the staff working there. People need to learn their bad behavior won't be tolerated by the rest of us.
Atta Boy. Gotta stand up for others when they can’t defend themselves. Good on you.
What kind of shitty manager allows people to make his staff cry? I would've 100% told them to get the fuck out and never come back. You have to have your workers' backs.
If I were a manager, I would be tempted to trespass them.
I always try to come to the aid of people in the service industry that are being abused by assholes. They can’t defend themselves but another customer can and it totally unravels the bullies.
I salute you, sir. I also consider it my duty to intervene when I see customer service workers being bullied.
Boomers will be the first to lecture about respect, treating women properly, chivalry, ect. Yet they are the problem in nearly every circumstance, especially when it comes to a young waitress in a restaurant.
My mom is a boomer, and sometimes an annoying one at that. That being said, she *never, ever* berates customer service because she grew up broke and worked as a waitress for years. I remember sneaking to the back of a restaurant while on vacation to tell our waitress (as nicely as humanly possible) that my mom’s food came out cold and overcooked, and that she’d like to order something different, but didn’t want the waitress or kitchen staff to feel bad/attacked/get into trouble with the manager. I mentioned that my mom waitressed for years and didn’t want to be “that customer,” so she felt too bad to say anything. The waitress came up and told her that she really appreciated my mom’s understanding and would be more than happy to get her something else ASAP. Not only was my mom’s food comped, they gave her a free desert, too. She didn’t even ask for her food to be comped, and emphasized she’d pay for her replacement meal. I remember looking over and I saw my mom tip nearly 50% *in cash* for the whole meal (there were 6 of us, and it was a nice place). She wrote a nice note on the receipt, too. I gained a lot of respect for my mom that day. I firmly believe that society would benefit immensely from everyone having to work in customer service at some point. Me and my siblings have all worked front-facing jobs and have learned what it is like to be truly humbled. I don’t get folks, especially boomers, who act a damn fool for a free meal. Whenever patrons were kind when pointing out a mistake in their order or that it came out bad, I’d go out of my way to make sure they get extra good service/freebies if I could make it happen. I just don’t understand the logic of trying to catch flies with vinegar.
Good for you for defending the waitress. People like this confound me. I mean we are retired. What the phuck is the hurry? Afraid you are going to croak before you get to eat your "last supper".
These issues are not because they are boomers, there are just AH of any age.
I worked at sub shop in Boston. If anyone gave us any shit we would blast them harder. Even if we needed to fight them.that only happened once. Maybe it's just the neighborhood I grew up in, but no matter what job I'm doing , I'm not taking shit from assholes. Edit: except the Army 😀 definitely took a lot of shit there..
You're doing the Lords work brother. If this would have been in my restaurant back when I was managing restaurants your dinner would have been on me and your getting "friend of the house" perks from now on. Good on you for sticking up for the server that couldn't for herself.
As a cook, thanks man.
Wouldn’t early 60s be on the line of boomers and Gen x
This kind of shit makes me physically angry. Making some women cry because they've just got to bitch and moan about something. All the time. If they're trying to make us ageist, it's working.
Well done; being nasty to service staff in any capacity is the lowest, crappiest behaviour and should be challenged accordingly.
I work in the restaurant business and I say to my fellow employees about shitty customers “It must suck to go out for a dinner in a restaurant” This is on them not on us
One thing that I absolutely can't stand or tolerate is when customers bully and abuse waiters because of their own unreasonable expectations about the food or a restaurant. These innocent servers are just trying to do their jobs. They don't have any control over the quality of the food, the prices or how long it might take to get an order to a table. Good for you for standing up for that waitress. I'm sure you're a hero to her for sticking up for her. Shame on that odious couple for being such assholes!
Thanks so much for standing up to them. Those people were miserable.
Assholes come in all ages. If I just focus on their age, I can tag every generation that's still alive! I've told many aholes of all ages to shut the fuck up if they deserve it.
When people act like this, and aren't paying customers, film them (keeping staff and other paying customers out of frame). If they want to make a spectacle, show them the full potential of what a spectacle is.
Not all Boomers are as rude as this couple! Maybe they forgot to take their meds.
I had something like this happen to me once. I live in Michigan and we have a 10 cent bottle deposit on (most) cans and bottles. The way the system is setup, the stores are where customers return their bottles for cash, but they get that money reimbursed by the vendor for that brand. This ensures customers can return their bottles to almost any store and the vendor is the one ultimately responsible for collecting the deposit. It's hard to explain, and it doesn't come up that often because most customers return their bottles to larger stores with dedicated bottle return machines. The law states though that any store that sells beverages with a deposit must accept empty bottles for products they sell (regardless of where the customer purchased it) because they will receive credit for those bottles from their vendor. So that's the back story here... I in a small-ish gas station a few years ago. As I got in line the guy ahead of me was arguing with the cashier about taking back his bottles. She explained that she can't because they don't sell anything from that vendor. He then got belligerent which is when I stepped in. I calmly said, she only has to take back products they sell. He then turned his lead-infused boomer rage on me and tried to insist I was wrong. I'm a peaceful person who avoids conflict, but I'm also a very large guy which plays in my favor in situations like this as most people are reluctant to piss me off. I stood my ground and told him that I work as a manager in retail and know how the laws work around returns. He eventually storms off telling telling us to "fuck off" screaming about, "never coming back again." The cashier and I had a good laugh at his expense after that. It wasn't until later I thought about how that could have gone badly, but I really don't care! I'd still do it again. This is America, I could get shot at any fucking time for no reason at all. If that's how I'm gonna go out, might as well make it worthwhile! Lol.
A hero among us!
Ask them what their hurry is, they are old where are they hurrying to, the grave?
Thanks for saying something. As a waitress sometimes people (of all ages) just take their anger out on you and even your manager won’t speak up for you.
I know a millennial couple where the husband considers it a olympic-level sport to get their food comped. I have stopped going to dinner with them. It's embarrassing and unnecessary.
Likely do this at every restaurant they eat at to get free meals and drinks. Its probably worked so they continue to make others lives hard because they’re cheap pricks.
You’re a GODDAMN AMERICAN HERO 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
My entire life of eating out….I never see people acting like this. Maybe my area of the country is more friendly or whatever
Not all heroes wear capes!
I doubt this really happened, but I hope it did
Everyone who is not in their race, age group, or perceived socio-economic status is not a person to them. These are sad people exploiting a power dynamic they’ve held for too long
Lmao as a currently out of industry waitress/bartender, thank you, I loved it when my other tables would say something to rude guests or even loudly from behind them be like “wow that guy is a real asshole isn’t he!” The look of embarrassment on the tables face is always great.
Good on you, bro. Big guy here, and knowing when to use restraint and when to speak up is a much respected skill. Thank you for using your powers for good.
OP you are the fucking Greatest!
I can't understand the true, deep down psychopathology that is comfortable with making a stranger cry.
From a boomer. This is what paragraphs look like. Readability matters. Communication is an art. Wallas of text are annoying. Pick up your game. ‐‐----------------------------------------------------------------------- P A R A G R A P H S I (40 M) decided to stop off at a local Italian chain restaurant after a 10-hour day at work for a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Seated diagonally from me was a boomer couple in their early 60s. They were getting their salads when I was being seated. They got their food as I was getting my salad. The kitchen was running slow, no question. But as I’m trying to eat my salad, the husband spends a good 5 minutes be-rating the waitress, and then they call a manager over. He’s mad because the food took so long. She’s mad because her pasta doesn’t have sauce on it, just tomatoes and veggies (she ordered a primavera, apparently). The manager comes over, and the husband keeps complaining. The manager apologizes for the slow kitchen, and then the husband says his steak is over-cooked, but no, he doesn’t want to send it back. Wife wants her meal comped, manager concedes. They’ve finished, my food arrives, I’m starting to eat and trying to ignore them. The husband then starts berating the waitress again b/c they can’t comp the alcohol. The waitress starts crying. He doesn’t stop. Finally, I look over at the husband and say “excuse me, sir, I’m trying to enjoy my meal. Would you mind kindly shutting the fuck up and leaving her alone?” I’m a big guy, and I usually keep quiet and to myself. Wife is startled. She gets up and leaves. The husband looks shocked, walks away, gets the manager, pays his tab at the front, and then leaves. Waitress gives me a look that says “thanks for saying what I can’t” and I finish my meal in peace. ‐‐-----------‐-------------------------------------------------------------- Great job putting these boomers in their place. My family was in the restaurant business for many decades. It may bring comfort to some to realize that these people have swallowed their fair share of bodily fluids. And their fair share is a lot. And people working in a sweltering kitchen for hours can get very creative in their quest for revenge.
40? You're a boomer yourself
I will sooner clean shit stains from public restrooms before I EVER work in customer service again and it is 100% because of entitled Boomers They deserve the worst experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to give them that
Generally agree with you, but ppl who are in their early 60s aren't boomers, they're Gen X, just saying
As a fellow big intimidating dude, thank you for doing your duty and using our privilege properly and standing up for those who can't and protecting those in need. I hope your toes go unstubbed for a whole month.
Want to share a positive experience to contrast the typical boomer restaurant experience. Years ago I was dating a woman who loved a certain restaurant. I was always underwhelmed across the board, but food is food and she liked it so we went. I never said anything negative to her or the staff, but internally was just meh about the whole thing from the food to the service. Until, one time we go and everything was just better. Noticeably. I thought about how willing people are to say bad or negative things and was really compelled to tell the manager I was converted, and next time we came it would be my idea. I gave our complements to the waitress and on our way out I asked to speak with a manager. The hostess had that look of “oh no here we go again “ and when the manager came out from the back and although professional had the sight air of “someone is about to kick my dog” I told him great job from the front to back that I was previously a “hater” but what ever they were doing was working and to keep it up and we’d be back. I was totally transparent even about feeling the need to communicate the positive to combat negative “talk To the manager situations”. From the look on the managers face alone I could tell I made a net positive impact and honestly that was enough. But. Then. Manger says thank you and asks if we can wait just a second. When he comes back dude ( who was not a small dude) has a grip of his business cards in his hand. He says “ each of these cards is an automatic and instant seating/ vip reservation any time you come in on top of 50% off. Plus as long as he’s manger he would restock me. I was like dude thank you, not necessary but thank you. He says he has a great staff and they all really care about making an awesome experience, and yet still the only time they got any feedback it was negative. We became regulars. I always offered to pay full price and they always denied me. (Always tipped full price) We weren’t big spenders but they treated us like royalty. We became first name basis with practically everybody from the busboy to the kitchen staff. People would just come by the table to say Hi. It was wild. I genuinely think they got a much of a kick out it as we did. I finally moved out of state. End of an era. We went one last time before we left, and they brought us a little cake and a thank you card. We all genuinely made each other’s lives better by just being kind. I genuinely still miss that place lol. I promise anyone you will always get more in a restaurant situation from kindness, ….and to the boomers …remember the movie Waiting that’s a “documentary” not a film…. Be kind to the staff, because the line cook already hates you for even existing. Be nice.