People Rant About The Annoying Things Others Do While Eating Out
Can you chew with your mouth CLOSED, please?!
All of us have pet peeves that stress us out about others' eating habits. Sometimes, it's hard to go out to eat, even with our closest friends, because in a matter of time we will be cringing in disgust from something minor. Or the venue we've chosen has something very...off...about it.
Reddit user waldo06 asked the internet:
What is a minor thing that infuriates you when eating at a restaraunt?
Here's what people had to say.
Endless Loud Music
Loud live music to the point where everyone is just yelling so the music gets louder and everyone gets louder and it just doesn't stop... help me...
Pepper Control
I just want control over the pepper grinder, instead of having someone come and pepper my food for me. I won't f-ck it up if I do it myself, honestly.
I Don't Want No Sweeps
Sweeping under my table while I'm eating. I was raised in a restaurant family, and generally, sweeping during meal service is frowned upon as it can cloud up the air with dust and unwanted scents. Large pieces of food / small messes usually get a quick spot-sweep. But this restaurant I eat at every now and then has their hostess constantly sweeping when she isn't seating a table, which means she's often looking for something to sweep and it almost always includes having a broom under my table going across the top of my shoe. It's baffling. Rant over.
Let Me Eat In Peace!
When the restaurant is very quiet and manager is oblivious to your social cues and just won't stop talking to you and just let you enjoy your meal. I like a bit of banter just as much as the next person but if you come to a restaurant with your other half to spend some quality time, there is a limit. (To be fair this has only been extreme enough to be annoying to me on one occasion)
The Waiting
Have a restaurant here in my town that is always crowded and usually has a wait to be seated. Apparently the owner lost it the other day because people were standing around waiting to be seated because they have no bar area or a place to sit while waiting for their table. He started yelling at the customers to get out of the way and go wait in their cars. If you are yelling at me and basically telling me to go sit in my car then I'm leaving and not coming back.
Cuttin' The Meat
Sh-tty knives. I was at the Weber grill and ordered a steak and it was delicious however the steak knives they had might as well have been a butter knife, it just made my initial impression of the tenderness/toughness of the steak all wrong. It happens all the time too I'm just so used to easily slicing into a steak or any other meat at home with nice knives that when the knife is tearing the meat more than slicing it it just feels off like it's a lower quality cut that I'm paying 3x the cost of what I do at home. I've honestly debated bringing in my own knife to places like that but I don't want to be that guy.
Can't...Reach...
Went to a restaurant with booth seating and the table was just a bit too far from the benches. I barely remember the quality of the food because I just remember being annoyed at how awkward it was eating there.
Neglect
When people let their children run around the restaurant. Not only is it annoying, but your child could get seriously injured by hot coffee, heavy plates, etc.
I Can't Believe It IS Butter
Cold, impossible to spread butter.
Chew And Screw
Waiting a long time for the bill. I just want to pay and leave.
Planet Mess
We went to Planet Hollywood in Amsterdam once (in our defense, we were living in Holland, so it wasn't like we were being tourists and ignoring better local places, but it was new and we'd never been there, so...)
They ignored us after getting our drink order and we had to get up and ask a few times for just basic attention, finally got some drinks, ordered food that never got there, left. Suuuuucked.
I think they were later taken over by squatting anarchists or something. Fair.
Can't Fit
When there's so much stuff on the table that you don't have room for your plate comfortably. I don't need a dessert menu, drink menu, regular menu, basket of bread, salt and pepper, condiments, menu of the days specials, silverware, candles, what ever else on a two person table. I can't move.
Overcompensation
Seating that is obscured from the waiting staff view. They either forget you exists or compensate by asking you 12 times during dinner if the food is okay.
Embarrassing Friends
When someone in your party has to complain about everything, and additionally make everyone else feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
I get that you expect to have a good experience when you go to a restaurant, but if you have poor service or an issue with the food you ordered, be polite and patient about it. You'll get a better outcome from the staff when they try to fix it.
It's Called An "Appetizer"
If I order an appetizer and it comes out a minute before the entree. Or at the same time. Or worst, after.
Surrounded By Idiots
Having a ridiculously loud table nearby. If you all turned it down 14 notches you'd be able to hear each other and the rest of the restaurant wouldn't.
Long gaps between courses.
Someone at my table eating noisily (bonus points if they have their mouth open).
Wait
I don't mind waiting when it's a busy night but it gets under my skin when people walk in and ask for a wait time then get all mad at the person like it's their fault. No, you came in at 8 on a Saturday night and no matter where you go there will be a wait.
Natural Selection
Let me preface this by saying I live in Florida. I hate how the retirees ruin the service in restaurants around retirement areas. The restaurant will start out OK, but the continuous flow of crabby, cheap old people will run out any good waitstaff and they will all be replaced by second stringers who can't hack it elsewhere. So, in certain areas, THE SERVICE SUCKS EVERYWHERE.
Be A Friend To The Water
When the amount of water is not proportional to the amount of people and it takes a while to get a refill, seriously all I want is a glass of water.
Waiter Input
I had a waiter judge me for ordering a medium rare burger. He then told me how unhealthy it was to eat red meat.
Dude. Do you think I want a meal that's going to add ten years to my life? I don't eat out for a eat healthy. I eat out because I want too enjoy myself. Everything in moderation.
He also asked us to tip generously.
Insta-Slam
I don't mind if you have to Instagram your meal, but shut the damn flash off, especially if you're going to need about 30 practice photos first.
I'd Like A Button Please
Waiters walking up and bothering you every 2 minutes - asking how things are or trying to start conversations while you have a mouthful of food. After traveling over seas I was entranced by Korea where every table has a button; you push it and the waiter comes. Other than that they completely leave you alone. Every restaurant in America needs these.
Being Ignored
Not getting served. Twice now I've gone to restaurants and after being sat down the server never came back.
One time after seeing the people who came in after us eating while we had yet to get our water, we had time to fill out Google reviews before walking out. The owner kept giving our table weird looks the whole time.
Of course, most of the time, it was “just a phase". And looking back, those phases are regrettable, to say the least. Here are some prime examples of that.
SirGergoyFriendman asked:
What was your biggest/most regrettable "It's not a phase, mom. It's my life." that, in fact, turned out to be just a phase and not your life?
The enthusiasm of a young person can lead to some unexpected changes that parents are just not ready for.
Hi, Wheeljack!
I was VERY into The Transformers when I was a wee lad in the 1980s. One day, I decided to change my name to the name of my favorite Autobot. My name was lame, and I wanted an awesome Transformer name. And I was VERY insistent that my parents only call me by my new name. Calling me by my 'old' name would cause a big fat tantrum on my part.
So for the better part of a week, my poor parents had to call me Wheeljack.
Very 2008.
Ariana Grande Shrug GIFGiphyMy cat-ear phase. I wore cat ears every single day. Everywhere. I had like 20 pairs of them. Now everyone thinks I'm a furry.
I find that very cute and wouldn't have thought you'd be furry. Even if you'd had cat mittens. I think my suspicions would have started if you moved a bit like a cat, displayed catlike grooming habits or got a cat mask.
Not gonna lie, that car sounds cool.
I went to a car show once as a teen, and the only newer car there was some chick's PT cruiser. It was hot glittery pink, and at the time I was obsessed. I insisted that one day I would have a hot pink car, with pink seats, pink dash, pink carpets, etc. I was pretty heavily goth at the time, so my parents just rolled their eyes.
These phases can often lead to some very strange fashion choices.
That’s commitment.
When I was a teenager (early 00s), I was waiting for my mother to pick me up and was wearing one of those sh!tty sports wristwatches. It was itching me so I took it off for a second, but then she arrived and because I was struggling to get it back on my wrist, I looped it around the equally sh!tty chain I had around my neck in a rush to get out the door.
My mom asked me about it in the car, and I told her this was my new style and I planned to wear it like that every day. She rolled her eyes.
I wore that watch on a chain around my neck every single day for 3 years or so. There are even professional family photos where I'm wearing it because I refused to take it off.
One day, the chain broke and I lost the watch. I was in high school at that point anyway and it was a major lady repellent, so... phase over.
Not everyone can be Eminem.
slim shady eminem GIFGiphyBaggy pants, being a rapper someday and being a professional skater.
When I was about 14 and Eminem was starting to blow up I bought myself a keyboard with a synthesizer. It cost like $200 which was all the money I had saved up. It finally came (this was way before amazon prime and such) and I tried rapping.
My sister told me "you're effing horrible" and I gave up right then and there.
This should be a sin.
I used to button the top buttons of polo shirts.
I must say, this is probably the worst one I've read.
Looking back at our regrettable choices, all we can do is cringe.
An optimistic look at bad tattoos.
check me out season 3 GIF by PortlandiaGiphyBeing a tattooer. Regrettable because of those poor people who have my awful doodles on their bodies.
Take heart! My favorite tattoo is the one I drunkenly got my buddy to do in his living room one year during March Madness! It's dumb and frankly mediocre? But such a good story and has such good associations I smile every time I see it.
RIP Fredro’s.
My friend and I decided we were going to open a bar in Jamaica with exotic snakes in glass cages in the walls at each booth. We convinced ourselves it would be amazing for at least two years in college. It was going to be called Fredro's.
My entire family made fun of me for it. Once we got out of college, we realized it was not feasible and joined the office grind. We're also two white guys with no ties to Jamaica.
Talk about cringey.
I wore a top hat with an anime pin on it for around a year. Met one of my current best friends while wearing it, idk how he could bear to speak to me after that.
My weirdest phase was probably when I insisted on wearing knee-high rainbow socks to school every day. But honestly, I don't regret it. I rocked those socks, and I wish I still have a pair.
To all the people out there cringing over their past selves, remember that you were just a kid, and to be easy on yourselves. After all, we've all been there
Yet, too often, manufacturers who oversell their products fail to deliver what is promised and are inevitably left with angry customers who want their money back.
Whether the merchandise was defective or ridiculously overpriced, strangers online shared some of their worst purchases when Redditor BooksMcGee asked:
"What is the worst product you ever paid money for?"
Short Life Span
"This NERF gun that's supposed to shoot tennis balls for your dog. I bought it cause I thought you could load 3 at a time and shoot them far, but it's just one and it's super loud and the gun broke after like 4 shots (reading reviews later, this was a common issue)."
Lame Pets
"There were these toys called squiggles when I was a kid and the commercials made it seem like the toy was alive. It looked like you would get this crazy little fuzzy worms as pets that would follow you around an so sick tricks and listen to your every command. It was really just a piece of fluffy string tied to another piece of string with googly eyes on it. People may say that it was supposed to be a magic trick but they should also explain that to a 5 year old who really wanted a pet."
Card Value
"Not their fault, but I paid $70 for a Yugioh card hours before it was limited to one copy. Probably dropped to $20 by the end of the day."
These purchases were bad for your bum.
"A bicycle that literally fell apart before I made it out of the parking lot."
Not Worth Sitting On
"Joybird brand couch. Was so terrible, we returned it. Still hard to believe, we returned a freaking couch."
Going Nowhere Fast
"A 2000 VW Beetle (used)."
"Biggest piece of sh*t that literally had to have just about everything replaced before 100k miles and would still break down every time you left the driveway to the point where the tow-truck driver knew us on a first-name basis."
Expensive Lemon
"An Oldsmobile Achieva from one of those buy here pay here places. I should have known better, but I was young and thought I was getting a good deal. I had the thing for about 5 months, I drove it for maybe 3 weeks. The rest of the time it was either in the shop, or in my driveway waiting until pay day so I could afford to fix whatever broke on it this week. Eventually told the dealer just take it, I'm not paying for it any more. He said nope, and I will make sure your credit is ruined. I said well you sold me a lemon, do you really want to go this route? He came and took it. Never reported anything to credit. I heard he got sued by several other people who sold sh**ty cars too and eventually went out of business."
"Always amazes me when I see them driving around still, I can only assume there's enthusiasts who just love repairing horribly designed cars."
– zerbey
These Redditors were not convinced what they ingested was edible.
Bad Cereal
"A box of plain Cheerios. Thought they were honey nut, poured a bowl, was very disappointed."
"If I wanted to taste cardboard, I'd just eat the box."
– gor8884
Space Pizza
"A burnt frozen pizza at the air and space museum cafe in DC. I Don't wish that experience on anyone. There are some amazing restaurants in DC, don't settle."
– Alseids
The following electronics just gave off a bad charge.
"Asus Transformer Pad TF700"
"This was one of those early 'high end' Android tablets that was grossly underpowered, and it showed. Thing was slow as sh!t in no time flat. Rookie mistake investing into shiny new tech while they were still working all the bugs out. Think I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $350-400 for it..."
– Luke5119
Bad Apple
"macbook pro 2018 13" touchbar. 2 years old and dead (battery). they're asking $300-$400 to change the battery. malfunctioning keyboard with double presses and missing presses. that's a lot of money for bad design."
Chilly Reception
"Past winter my old room heater broke down and I had to buy a new one. Went to a store nearby and somehow got convinced to buy a very costly heating device.. It's also my fault, since there were some sligthly cheaper options around, but nope. I wanted the expensive one thinking it will make my small room a volcano with little to no effort/cost (that's also what the seller told me). Long story short the device wasn't doing ANYTHING. No significant temperature changes, too much space, a weird noise, and was doubling my previous device in utility cost. I still gloom over those 80 euros.."
Some of my disappointing purchases was clothing, but only because I purchased them online. Unless they are a brand I'm familiar with, I'm usually fine with buying new jeans off of their websites.
But when it comes to graphic tees only available on specialty shops, an M-size shirt is not necessarily the same size as those found in other reputable stores.
I bought a medium sized T-shirt from a boutique store online because I loved the look of the design. But when it arrived, the supposed medium fit me like an XL.
At least I gained a fierce cleaning rag from this impulsive purchase.