10 most irritating types of restaurant patrons

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

http://consumerist.com/2010/04/10-mo...t-patrons.html

I wholeheartedly agree with #7 and #8

[BookstoreEscapee]

2. People who stuffing tiny bottles of jam into their pockets or purse.
3. People who bring their own salt.



Who the hell cares if someone brings their own salt? Why would you even notice something like that? I'm not likely to notice someone stealing condiments, either. And if I did, again, who the hell cares? How does it affect me? (If I was an employee, I'd be annoyed, probably, but this list seems to be addressing fellow customers.)

The way I interpreted it was who gives a !@##% about someone who brings their own salt. Why is it irritating, why is this a problem, who out there is so finicky that it bothers them enough that it makes a top 10 list which mysteriously excludes noisy children?

raydeebug makes a good point.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The reason I'd probably agree with number 2 is because those condiments do cost the restaurant money, and that can be be passed on in the form of higher prices.

But bringing in your own salt? I'm supposed to be offended by that? As opposed to, say, patrons who don't attempt to control their kids? That was conspicuously missing from the list.

[tropicsgoddess]

The reason I'd probably agree with number 2 is because those condiments do cost the restaurant money, and that can be be passed on in the form of higher prices.

But bringing in your own salt? I'm supposed to be offended by that? As opposed to, say, patrons who don't attempt to control their kids? That was conspicuously missing from the list.

The ones that blow their nose...yeah hate that and it's GROSS!!! I just can't stand the loud ones. For the fast food part, I hate the ones that take forever to make their order.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm with you all on 3. Who the hell cares if people bring their own salt? Hell, for all anyone knows, it's not even actual salt but a substitute.

And I see that a large number of the replies are wondering why anyone cares if someone brings there own salt, too.

As well as wondering why "People who don't control their children" isn't in its place.

^-.-^

[PepperElf]

i have to confess i'm #10. not the lipstick part but the nose blowing.
my nose runs when i eat.


i've never seen the salt one but mom does bring splenda along for dad
he can't really use the other substitute ones and not every place has splenda.

[lordlundar]

I'm with you all on 3. Who the hell cares if people bring their own salt? Hell, for all anyone knows, it's not even actual salt but a substitute.

Not to mention not all salt is equal. Most restaurants have iodized table salt which turns some people off (Alton Brown for example). Kosher salt, sea salt (which have several different varieties into itself), and various other types are not uncommon in preference and are never seen at the table.

[fireheart]

Not to mention not all salt is equal. Most restaurants have iodized table salt which turns some people off (Alton Brown for example). Kosher salt, sea salt (which have several different varieties into itself), and various other types are not uncommon in preference and are never seen at the table.

What the heck is kosher salt? o.O

[lordlundar]

What the heck is kosher salt? o.O

It's a larger grain salt than table salt often used in restaurant kitchens due to it taking longer to dissolve so it can do it's work better. (salt is used as much for other purposes like drawing out moisture and enhancing other flavors as it is a seasoning agent itself, and the more time it has to do it within reason, the better) It sits somewhere between table salt and coarse salt in grain size and rarely contains additives, making it the most pure edible salt next to sea salt. (for a fair bit cheaper as well) Any time you see a TV chef putting salt in their dishes, it's usually kosher salt (though they usually use it because it's easier to see on TV than other types)

here's the wikipedia article on it.

[HYHYBT]

What about iodized salt makes it unkosher, anyway?

I seem to remember Grandaddy bringing his own "salt" because it was something called No Salt, which I've never since seen. Why that would bother other patrons I have no idea.

[MaggieTheCat]

i have to confess i'm #10. not the lipstick part but the nose blowing.
my nose runs when i eat.

My husband does it sometimes too...usually only if we eat at Thai places that have spicy food, though. The first time he did that when we were on a date, I just about wanted to slapped him. I have told him it's rather impolite, but he still does it...

I too think that noisy, misbehaving children should be #1 on that list. We went out to dinner last weekend and there was a couple with a toddler (probably around 1 year old) who was perfectly behaved. I didn't even notice the child till we'd been sitting down for about 20 minutes. They got up and left, and another couple with a slightly older child sat down at the same table, and that child was a terror. Making loud screeching noises, batting at and playing with the blinds of the window, etc. All the parents would do is say the occasional "shh" and then ignore the kid. Argh!

[AdminAssistant]

Re: Blowing noses.....if the choice is to discreetly blow my nose (into a tissue, not the napkin) or to sit there for 30 minutes sniff, sniff, sniffing....I'm going to blow my nose. Sorry if that grosses anyone out, but when I eat spicy food, my nose runs.

[lordlundar]

What about iodized salt makes it unkosher, anyway?

Near as I can figure, because of the iodine and other additives in it that were added after, it renders the salt "impure", and unsuitable for koshering, which requires a "pure" salt. Kosher salt is simply the most commonly used type of salt in the process, hence the name.

[Magpie]

I believe that the only issue with nose blowing was that it was being done into cloth napkins.

We have a bad habit of forgetting tissues when we go for sushi, so the wasabi addict (aka my husband) tends to lose his napkin over the course of the evening. However, it's paper. And I make him pack his garbage out.

[Andara Bledin]

I seem to remember Grandaddy bringing his own "salt" because it was something called No Salt, which I've never since seen. Why that would bother other patrons I have no idea.

My grandpa used No Salt, too. I tried it once, and it was nasty.

^-.-^