I WANT MEAT AND CHEESE!!!

[Service Staff Steve]

So, I have been lurking on this site for quite a while now but just recently got a job that is more post-worthy. So I thought I would finally become a member. Hello!

Anyway... I work in a hospital cafeteria and for the most part it is a good job, but there are some people that just annoy the hell out of me. The worst ones are the people who order double cheese burgers (we have a grill section in the cafeteria) and look at the plate in horror when I give them their burger with some lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles on the side. I had one woman who tossed the plate back to me and said "Why did you put that on the plate, I just want meat and cheese!". Now, I know that people can make their own choices about health and all that, but we are in a hospital. If someone is eating here it means that a) they are someone who works in health b) a family member of someone who is having a medical problem, or c) someone who themselves is having medical problems. You would think that these people would be a little more conscious of what they are putting into there bodies. But, the thing that made me post was this little exchange:

Me: Cafeteria slave
SP: sucky parent

Me: Here you are sir, 3 double cheese burgers.
SP: *looks at plates* could you take off all the veggies, these are for my kids and I will just have to throw them out anyway.
Me: *twitch* Okay sir...

Come on! The point of being a parent is that you make your kids eat the veggies, you don't throw them out!

The guy was not being an SC per say, but this has just turned into one of my biggest pet peeves and I can't stand it.

[sprocket79]

I think this begs the question, would you rather have them give you back the veggies so you can put them on someone else's plate (this is assuming they didn't touch/sneeze on/otherwise contaminate the veggies) who actually wants them, or just throw them out?

I don't like pickles or raw tomatoes, so I would ask you just for lettuce. If you were too fast for me, I would end up just throwing it out. One of my good friends is allergic to lettuce so if it touched her plate she would need a new one all together. Plus there's the Atkins diet people. Food is a very subjective thing...

[NightWatch]

*Just takes the damn burger she is given and likes it* It's food, you give it to me. I'll eat it. End of story.

[teelaz]

I have found that most sane people will let the people taking their order know that they only want certain things with their burger, if they didn't its because they wanted something to complain about and maybe get some kind of discount. People still think that the person taking the order can read minds.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Come on! The point of being a parent is that you make your kids eat the veggies, you don't throw them out!

Where is the "Bitter, defeated laughter" emoticon?

See, I'd just ask for a lump of mayo. Then I'd toss the bread, pull the salad off, smoosh the mayo onto the pile of salad, and viola! Instant slab of corpse and a side salad! The perfect meal!

[Threesidedorchid]

?? I always assume my hamburger will come with lettuce, tomato, etc... I'm amazed you actually put it on the side rather than on the burger.

So they get *more* than they want... yeah, I'd be complaining about that.

[Aisling]

I think people visiting a hospital should be given a pass on the whole "eat your veggies" thing. They're probably under a lot of stress and need comfort food.

Now, if this is another employee, who does this on a daily basis...yeah, time to start giving them looks.

[Pagan]

Steve! Evil Queen has the cookies. Don't know where the brain bleach has gotten to, but there's plenty around!

I think this begs the question, would you rather have them give you back the veggies so you can put them on someone else's plate (this is assuming they didn't touch/sneeze on/otherwise contaminate the veggies) who actually wants them, or just throw them out?

Except that in most states, once it's served, it has to be thrown out. Health codes. You can't put it back and use it again.

[Lingering Grin]

I agree with the "no raw tomato" thing, tomato tends to over-power burgers and sandwiches.

However, lettuce and onion on a burger = AWESOME!

I don't see how people can eat all that greasy shit and not have some sort of cold crunch mixed in. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE BBQ Bacon Cheese Burgers (which of course come with deep-fried onions on em)... it's probably the most unhealthy burger you can get, but at the very least I always put a layer of lettuce on it. If only to break up the greasy/fatty texture.

[trunks2k]

"Why did you put that on the plate, I just want meat and cheese!"

I don't know about you, but when I order a hamburger I assume it's going to come with lettuce, tomato, and, in most cases, a pickle.

[Gerrinson]

I don't see how people can eat all that greasy shit and not have some sort of cold crunch mixed in.

Hey! Keep your cold crunchy stuff out of my greasy shit! I ordered grease for a reason!

I'm very picky about having any veggies on my burgers. Veggies go in the salad next to the burger, not on my lump of meaty cheesy goodness.

And, re: pickles - I am both allergic to cucumbers and literally nauseated by the smell of pickles. If my plate smells like pickles, I can't eat the food. Knowing this, of course, I always specify no pickles. But then I pride myself on being smarter than the average SC.

[Drakstern]

I love me some tomatoes and pickles, but I can't stand lettuce and cold onions are perhaps the most disgusting thing on god's green Earth. Hot onions are barely better. The less said about mayo the better.

Now if they'd put spinach on burgers, I'd be all for it. In fact, I think I might have to pick up some spinach and try that. I bet that'd be tasty.

[auntiem]

Now if they'd put spinach on burgers, I'd be all for it. In fact, I think I might have to pick up some spinach and try that. I bet that'd be tasty.

Oh, it is it is - esp. if you also add blue cheese and bacon.

For the OP - welcome! When I was a kid I used to visit my Dad for lunch at the hospital (he worked there) so I think I'm one of the very few people that has fond memories of hospital cafeterias. I think my food of choice for a whole year was turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and peas - and my Dad didn't make me eat my peas. I don't remember seeing burgers at all - they served the same three meals offered to the folks upstairs + a salad bar and pre packed sandwiches (think 7-11 quality).

I see your point about the veggies, but I'm also willing to give folks eating in a hospital a pass. Maybe it is for the siblings of a child that has been there for ages and the folks are just not up to fighting the "veggie battle" each day.

I also pre-apologize if you ever get my uncle in your hospital. He tried every trick in the book to get a pie from the cafeteria (including calling the cafeteria and ranting at some poor guy). What was he in for you ask? Getting his foot removed due to a diabeties complication.

[Service Staff Steve]

auntiem, Your story about your uncle reminded me of one customer/patient that we had at the hospital for about a month. He was an older gentleman that would come in every day with his son and ask if we were serving meatloaf. I had to always say no because we do not have it very often (we are in southern California and as such much of our menu is Mexican based). But, about a day after he was discharged we served meatloaf and even though it was kind of depressing I had to laugh at the irony.

PS: thanks for all the welcome everyone. If I have time I will try to post some of the ridiculous stories from my last job (I worked at a Boy Scout summer camp for four years).