Most of Our Customers are Great. And Then, There's These Folks...

[sms001]

It's not optional. It's part of the bill.

Exactly. And it's done differently elsewhere ---the entire price is all people see. Listing the taxes separately is a courtesy, really. Those are the patrons taxes, not the restaurant's to pay, the establishment is just a middleman.

So should swearing and abuse be acceptable (or even de rigeur) at sporting events or not?

I was actually thinking of this while reading J's post. A group of friends and I used to attend Mizzou baseball religiously. And we'd sit behind the opponents dugout and heckle them. (And Blue, occasionally.) Only thing is, we worked completely clean. Maybe a little because there were occasionally children at the games, but mostly because of the challenge, and because the of the gratification of getting under some guy's skin WITHOUT using a single cuss word. But to answer your question, yes. Anything where people get caught up in the moment is probably going to evoke swearing - it's probably a good opportunity to learn that "Words don't hurt" (in that context, at least) and "Different people express themselves differently."

[PepperElf]

Yes, that is what should happen. But as I often tell one of my managers, there is a major difference between "should" and "is."

I got quite a "drop dead" look once for that... I was probably being a bit of an SC but the girl wasn't doing her job properly. (she wasn't making my phone account the right way which prevented it from working)

had a space-a room and the woman wasn't setting the phone account up right, so it never worked. she told me "it should be working" and my reply is "'should be' and 'is' are two different things".

Her: *death glare*

(i eventually had to borrow someone else's account numbers to get it to work, which also proved it was her fault and NOT my computer breaking fuses.)

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Here's a question - what sort of language do people expect at a sporting event?

Well, if you're at a Wisconsin Badgers football game, expect the salty language to start up when the PA plays "Swingtown" by Steve Miller.

That's the cue for all the students to start yelling "Eat shit!" and "Fuck you!" at each other.

[WIphone_lady]

Flabbergasted is sad that it is not considered an f-word.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Better be careful around flutter... flutter can turn into a right bitch if either provoked or Discorded.

[Jester]

I cannot comment on futter or furrin, only on flutter, as flutter was the f word that cornered me in the bar, after 2 Foster's, 5 glasses of fume blanc and 3 shots of Fireball (a most appreciated f word these days!) and cried to me for over an hour about how much no one appreciated them. Flutter is probably hungover as hell, but definitely not in the best emotional state. Though I am sure they are not the only f word feeling so flat these days.

[dalesys]

... and "flutter" feels severely unappreciated.

Are you sure you don't mean "futter"? And "furrin'" referring what the furry folks do?

[Jester]

I think your friend Popcorn apologized because he probably had a moment of guilt around the elderly.

Pretty much this. And the fact that he was hammered. Because trust me, his guilt is no more; it truly was a moment. But yeah, the guilt came from the fact that he was hammered. Which is also where the original nasty comment/tone came from.

For the loud wi-fi mooch, you might be able to use a trick I use when my sons have been on the net too long, or are getting annoying about it: unplug the router.

Don't need to even do this much. The boss has the ability to simply turn the wi-fi off. (Or make it unavailable to the public; I don't know the technical details, but you get the idea.) And he thought about it. And since we weren't that busy, it probably would not have impacted too many people. But I have to admit, I do like his very direct approach. No second-guessing what the message is there!

That being said, turning off the wi-fi would not have solved the main problem, that being that the guy was TALKING WAY TOO LOUDLY ON HIS PHONE. Sure, he might have complained or asked about the wi-fi being down, but since he had time off from the ship, I am sure he was quite content to just sit there and goof off, AND TALK REALLY LOUDLY, rather than go anywhere else.

And that last group--those people should go home and cook their own food. Then it will be just exactly the way they want it to be, and they won't be out in public pissing people off.

Yes, that is what should happen. But as I often tell one of my managers, there is a major difference between "should" and "is."

JESTER: "Dude, we're out of Crown."
MANAGER: "We should have three bottles back there."
JESTER: "Yes, we should. We DON'T, but we SHOULD."

Those people SHOULD cook their own damn food if they are going to be that picky, and they SHOULD stay home if they are going to be that nasty, rude, and unpleasant. But, sadly, they DO come to our place, they DO order our food, and they DO act like assholes in public.

Out of all the English words that begin with the letter F, "Fuck" is the only word that is referred to as "the F Word"

Makes you wonder how many of the other f words have developed an inferiority complex. I've heard a rumor, for example, that "fern" is quite depressed and lonely, and "flutter" feels severely unappreciated.

There are people who don't pay sales taxes. They're called diplomats and have cards exempting them from paying sales tax.

I don't think that guy was one of them.

Since he never said he was a diplomat, nor displayed any card to such effect, I would say you are correct.

With the sales tax guy, would it have been right to take the bill back and tack on a service charge to compensate for the lack of sales tax?

In no way can I see that as being right. First of all, the restaurant STILL has to pay that tax. Secondly, that is in a way giving into the guy buy taking off the tax, something that we not only can't do legally, but we shouldn't do ethically. Just because someone complains about something doesn't mean we have to bow to their whims. Sales tax is a standard tax that you see in most places and most situations involving purchases. It is nothing new, it is nothing sneaky, and it is nothing hidden.

As far as the old couple, that's a tough one.

I would expect there to be a little bad language heard here and there, but not every word spoken either.

Not tough at all. We were at a sports bar, at the bar itself (not at a table), there were no children anywhere around, and it was about 8 pm. We weren't cursing up a storm, but we were watching a hotly contested sporting event that both of us were passionate about and had a rooting interest in.

Had we been at a quiet wine bar and yelling and cursing, they would have been well within their rights to tell us to knock it off. We weren't. We were at a sports bar, watching sports. When I go to quiet wine bars and family restaurants, I check my loud adult mouth at the door. When I go to a sports bar to watch a game, I am going to speak freely and say what I want. And people who don't like it can get the fuck out and go the fuck somewhere else.

Your establishment has to pay that amount to the IRS, so his attempt for his own personal revolution wouldn't stop it from being paid.

I don't think it's the IRS so much as the City, State, and/or County. (I am not an accountant or tax preparer, so don't know where sales tax here goes, nor in what proportion.) But your basic concept is correct: he has to pay it.

I would not be surprised if these persnickety pipsqueaks haven't already been banned from everywhere else on the island.

I would love to know if they have been banned, and where, but as small as this island is, there are so MANY places to eat and drink, it would be hard for me to find out, just as it would be almost impossible for them to be banned from ALL of them. Would be nice, though.

Here's a question - what sort of language do people expect at a sporting event?

So should swearing and abuse be acceptable (or even de rigeur) at sporting events or not?

I expect adult language at a sporting event. But I do understand that there are often children there, and I sometimes try to tone it down if they are within earshot of me.

I would say that some adult language is to be expected at any place where you have guys, beer, and sports. And parents should understand this. Does that mean you have the right to rip the other team with profanity-laced tirades every five seconds, when the entire third grade of St. Mary's is right behind you? No. But to expect everyone around you to act like altar boys at a sporting event is naive and unrealistic.

That being said, when I go to sporting events with friends who bring their kids, I am upfront about the kind of fan I am, i.e., loud, drunk, obnoxious, and profane. My friends who bring their kids to sporting events with me know this.

One of the few times I ever saw anyone complain about another fan at a sporting event (not counting violent altercations), these two people complained about some guys sitting near me. I didn't know them, but we were having a good ole time. And these two yahoos who, sadly, were the only two others in the stadium rooting for my team, complained about the guys being too loud and too profane. Keep in mind that these complainers were sitting about a dozen seats away, were both in their forties, had no children with them, and there weren't any children near them. And anyone with children within earshot had no problem with the guys. It seems these two complainers thought they were in a library. I was actually embarrassed that they were fans of my team.

Fuck them. They should have stayed home and watched it on fucking tv if they're gonna be that easily offended.

[KatherineB]

Here's a question - what sort of language do people expect at a sporting event? I used to work at an AFL ground and there would, of course, be a lot of swearing. However families, often with young children, would come to the game, and the parents would get upset if people around them were swearing a lot.

So should swearing and abuse be acceptable (or even de rigeur) at sporting events or not?

[XCashier]

Only thing I can think of is that your restaurant puts up with their pissy demands. It'd be interesting to know how many other eateries in the area have simply refused to deal with them anymore.

There comes a time in any business when some customers just aren't worth dealing with any more and have to be banned. I would not be surprised if these persnickety pipsqueaks haven't already been banned from everywhere else on the island.

I've had to block quite a few people on my eBay auctions simply because they were being insufferable jackasses. And I can think of one customer at my other job who is on the way to a ban (and I hope it's soon!).

[RootedPhoenix]

You know, I don't like being around drunk people that I don't know...so I don't go to any bars.

It never occurred to me that the answer to my trouble (if it is such a thing) was to walk into a bar and complain about the drunk people being there.

The things you learn, I guess.

[PepperElf]

"I don't pay taxes."

Pretty much what he was doing was stealing from you. Or trying to. Your establishment has to pay that amount to the IRS, so his attempt for his own personal revolution wouldn't stop it from being paid.

If he doesn't want to pay tax on his prepared food he can go home and make it himself.

We're All Adults Here...and So's the Language

It's a free country. Just as she can tell someone that, they can tell her to pound sand etc.

Can You Hear Me Now?

nice. I mean hell he's sucking off the wifi so yeah, your bar your rules. (or your boss's at least)

All of which begs the very obvious question a head chef I used to work with loved to ask: "What about our menu DO you like?"

although i'm not sure they're even close to "real people" either.

[Ashaela]

Why don't people just recognize that the simplest way to avoid exposure to disapproved language is to avoid placing oneself in the locations where such language is the accepted cultural norm? I mean, I don't usually care to hear profanity, but I also don't frequent sports bars during big matches. And what kind of self-centered person thinks that their personal preferences should be able to override....

Oh.

Yeah.

[emax4]

With the sales tax guy, would it have been right to take the bill back and tack on a service charge to compensate for the lack of sales tax? I was thinking it might be do-able to take the bill back and charge a higher rate for the food, but that would be misleading based on the food prices on the menu (if possible).

As far as the old couple, that's a tough one. You don't hear of a patron going into a nudie bar or gentleman's club and demanding that the paying customers act like gentleman. It's not right for someone to just go in and demand a stranger to act a certain way, but. mbmm.. ppht.. BWAA HAA HAA Sorry, I realized what site I'm on now.. hahaha. It's not like the old days where an older gentleman might say, "Watch the language, as there are ladies present.." but cmon. I would expect there to be a little bad language heard here and there, but not every word spoken either.

For the loud wi-fi mooch, you might be able to use a trick I use when my sons have been on the net too long, or are getting annoying about it: unplug the router.

They usually assume the service is down, and go on and do something else.

I just unplug it, then plug it back in. It takes a couple of minutes to reboot and cycle back up, which is just enough time.

Good idea, but you might also piss off other patrons using WiFi legitimately. Hopefully they won't take off and go somewhere else like the offending SC might do.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Wow, swearing at a bar? Who'd have thought it! XD

Reminds me of the time this hag had a go at me and my friends for swearing in a pub. She had brought in two children, who were obviously tired and wanting to go home. Anyway, she told me and my friends off for swearing in front of her semi comatose children. My response, after several vodkas, was to tell her to fuck off cuz we weren't in church, we were in a pub. XD