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You Got Yelped!!!


As my quest to take down Yelp.com continues, I found another Yelper who continually pushes the boundaries of common decency, and deserves to be outed.  So here I go:

Meet Ben P.
Or, excuse me, Ben "Benitos" P.  (Whatever the hell that means!)  He seemed to have found his way into Beverly Hills and expected the red carpet to be rolled out for him because he thinks that he is somebody.  Actually, he claims to be a(n) "Iron Yelper America," as it says on his Yelp profile.  When in actuality, Ben is no more than one of the many disillusioned Yelpers who probably should've gotten his ass kicked a bit more on the playground when he was a kid.  (Again, I don't condone violence, but there is something to be said for somebody FINALLY learning their lesson.)

Wow I knew going in this place was not going to be good.

Right from the start?  How have you made this far in life, Ben?  That should've been the moment for you to turn around and leave.  And not just leave the restaurant, I mean leave planet Earth.

We made reservations for a party of 4 and they seated us all the way in the back corner, next to 3 other tables. I had no space to even breathe or move!

"NOBODY PUTS BENITOS IN THE CORNER!!!"  Well Ben, a restaurant has many tables on it's floor.  What did you expect to be seated next to, a hospital bed?  "We've got a code blue in the dining room--STAT!!!"

As you look around you see everything was crisp white at some previous time but now its all old and haggard.

I brought a bottle of wine and asked the waiter to have it decanted. She came back 10 minutes later and said that it was broken.

Decanters are made of glass, and sometimes they break.  But I can't stand it when customers bring in a bottle of wine, and then want me to decant it and do a song and dance.  If you're buying the bottle, fine.  But if you're bringing in your own wine, just be happy that you're being allowed to drink it.

So she opened the wine and made a round and filled each glass and then went again to completely empty out the bottle! I had a shocked look on my face and I asked her why would you pour out the whole bottle, what if the people we are with don't want to drink all that wine? She said that she usually completely pours out the bottle every time. 

So Ben, you brought in your own bottle of wine, and then argued that it was going to be completely drunk?  Get bent Ben!  And if people don't want to completely finish something, then they just don't finish it!  The server had every right to dictate the flow of wine at the table.  Next time, pour the Jesus juice yourself.

I was disappointed  and I let the manager know. He said he would remove the corkage off our bill. Which in fact they didn't so I had to ask again!

I find it interesting that Ben doesn't mention whether or not he and his guests actually finished the wine or not.  I'm assuming they did.  So now he's a hypocrite, which is appropriate for him since he writes reviews on Yelp.  And a corkage fee is at most 25 dollars.  The wine was poured, they drank it, so shut up.  I'm sure Jesus had a corkage fee at "The Last Supper," and he wasn't complaining about the server pouring out the ENTIRE bottle.  If anything, Jesus should've complained about one of his dinner guests.  But I digress...

The food was bland and came out cold. I had the lamb chops and my friends had the chicken and salmon. 

I think the only people that were there were tourists trying to feel like they were living the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills experience. Definitely not for me. But if you really want to, then go to her other restaurant Sur. Villa Blanca isn't the best place to go, sorry Jiggy!

Ben says that he is not into the Housewives/ reality scene, but somehow pulls references out of his ass that only someone who watches the show would know.  Jiggy?  SUR?  I'm surprised he didn't plug when the next episode would be on.  Needless to say, Ben P.should have the red carpet rolled over him, and then be trampled with a 10 Clydesdale-horse-drawn carriage.  That would give him the experience he's been yearning to have.

Ben P.-- YOU GOT YELPED!!!

Until next time... Server's don't pay their rent with compliments.

"Bitter.  Party of 1?  Your table is ready."

The Bitter Bistro

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER CLICK HERE

Comments

Springs1 said…
The server had every right to dictate the flow of wine at the table."

NO, she didn't, because she wasn't *********PAYING FOR THE SERVICE********* CONTROL FREAK!

"But if you're bringing in your own wine, just be happy that you're being allowed to drink it."

WHO are you to tell us what we can or cannot do in a restaurant CONTROL FREAK, HUH? You want *********OUR MONEY************, so you are at *********OUR MERCY********* as to what to do next, NOT YOU! You don't dictate ANYTHING!

You aren't paying us, *WE* are paying you IDIOT!

WE RULE OUR SERVERS, NOT OUR SERVERS RULING OUR TIME THERE WITH OUR *TIP* WE PAY YOU SERVERS!

*WE* get to have things the way *WE* want it for OUR MONEY. If you were paying us a tip, ONLY *THEN* could you have it your way. You have problems with control, don't you that you have to have control even when it's not something you are supposed to have control over?

You should be asking *********PERMISSION********** to fill each glass for each person. You should NEVER give any drink without asking first, especially alcohol.

It's enough you control freak servers pour water and iced tea without asking permission(WHICH YOU SHOULD since it's OUR TIP MONEY PAYING FOR OUR TIME, WE RULE IT), alcohol is even MORE WRONG to pour without asking permission.

"He said he would remove the corkage off our bill. Which in fact they didn't so I had to ask again!"

He should have considered the decanter broke. When you have a mess up, the customers should be financially compensated.

"I'm assuming they did. So now he's a hypocrite. they drank it, so shut up."

WOW you are MEAN! First off, he's not a hypocrite, he RULES how things go with his TIP MONEY. So he can do what he wants. Secondly, they drank it so shut up, SORRY control freak, but that's not how things go. I can't stand even if I want the check when servers bring the check without asking permission first or bring a refill without asking, because it's about that *WE* control things, NOT YOU!

You don't rule ANYTHING, ********WE******* DO as the customers. YOU are there to get us the things we want, NOT there to complain about doing work, because then that makes you lazy.

"The wine was poured, they drank it, so shut up."

But if he didn't want it poured for everyone, that's his right to complain since he's *PAYING* for the service here, NOT their server!

"expected the red carpet to be rolled out for him because he thinks that he is somebody."

I can say the same thing about servers that you think you all are always ENTITLED to 20% or more. WE ALL ARE SOMEBODY! You servers aren't better than us. We are all ********EQUALS**********!

Continued next posts:
Springs1 said…
"We made reservations for a party of 4 and they seated us all the way in the back corner, next to 3 other tables. I had no space to even breathe or move!"

I agree with this complaint in that when you make a reservation, you ALWAYS ask for a specific booth or table you want BEFORE you even arrive. If you don't, you at least ask BEFORE you get seated what you want. That certainly was HIS fault for that one.

"But I can't stand it when customers bring in a bottle of wine, and then want me to decant it and do a song and dance."

So you are LAZY, that's what you are saying? You don't want to *********EARN************ YOUR TIP BY DOING *************SERVICE*********** for the customers, huh?

WOW, you are lazy complaining about work.

WHY are you there if you don't want to do ************WORK************** FOR YOUR MONEY, HUH? Seriously, what is your problem? Are you *EVER* a customer? Doesn't seem like it to me.

In *THEIR* service, they should have things the way *THEY* want it, NOT YOU!

The only thing I agree with you on is his complaint about where he sat, because he should have gotten that straight either when he made the reservation as I do or as I do, *BEFORE* I get seated at the hostess's stand.

The rest of the stuff is you being lazy and wanting to CONTROL things that aren't yours to control. WE ARE PAYING THE TIP, so *WE* get to control it, NOT OUR SERVERS!

What is your deal with control? WHY do you feel a server should pour without asking permission?

With her saying she pours out the bottle every time that wasn't HER CALL to make. Don't you get that she wasn't the person ***********PAYING********* the tip here? She should have asked *PERMISSION* to do that, plain and simple. NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING(this is VERY GOOD ADVICE)! This way you will get it right instead of assuming wrong. It doesn't matter that they drank the entire thing or not, *THEY* get to pace it by doing it *THEIR* WAY for their tip money.
Hi Springs 1
If you understand service, then you should know that a server DOES control the flow of service at the table. If they didn't, then everything would come out at the same time and you would be complaining about that.

You said I was mean, but then you said that "We rule our servers." ?... How is that treating everyone as equals?

Why would you want us to continually interrupt you to ask if we can refill your water or ice tea? Most places don't charge for refills. Unless, you are dining at a lower priced establishment. Even then, it's part of service. Just enjoy it!

And we don't make money off of people bringing in their own wine. The restaurant doesn't make any money off of it, and people, (most people,) tip off the total of the bill. They don't see their server doing wine service for a bottle that they brought in as part of the bill total.

And why does a "mess up" be resolved with financial compensation? If you get bad service or a "mess up" at Best Buy, they don't give you a free Playstation. And getting stuff for free doesn't always make the customer happy or want to return.

But I'm glad you asked these questions.
Springs1 said…
"then you should know that a server DOES control the flow of service at the table. If they didn't, then everything would come out at the same time and you would be complaining about that."

That's not what I meant and you know it. I was saying if the customer wants their appetizer with their meal by asking for it, they can have it or have their dessert first or have their check when they get their food because that's how they want it. Understand what I am saying that *WE* get to say HOW we want it?

"but then you said that "We rule our servers." ?... How is that treating everyone as equals? "

Because you are getting ***********PAID A TIP, DUHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Seriously, why do I have to explain this? You aren't paying us, so you don't have a right to say what I want next or how I want it, that's *MY* call, understand?

Like for example, once we had a dessert at Outback. I was still drinking my margarita at the time we ordered the dessert. We got the dessert, still drinking it. Our waiter decides to give us the check. We give it back to him because I want another margarita *AFTER* the cheesecake, but I didn't want to order it at the time since I was STILL drinking what I did have. A caring, DECENT human being would have simply *ASKED* when we wanted dessert if we wanted the check too or would have asked when he brought the dessert if we wanted the check, NOT ASSUMED, NOT CONTROLLED how we wanted things. We weren't ready for the check. You don't do that. That wasn't his call to make to say we are done, understand now? His tip was lowered some because he made us feel RUSHED and made a decision that wasn't his. All he had to do was *ASK* when we ordered the dessert. That's not hard to ask that and I shouldn't have to ONE UP my server to say "We aren't ready for the check yet just because we order a dessert." That's stupid. They shouldn't be trying to control our dining experience by telling us when it's time to go per say by doing things that we didn't say was OK to do. You have to ask PERMISSION from the customer.

Now for the customers that want their check right away, I feel the customers should speak up in that sense since the server's job is to upsell that they have to ask about dessert and to rush everyone else for those people is unfair as well. So to those customers, they should ask for their check when they order their entrées.

"Why would you want us to continually interrupt you to ask if we can refill your water or ice tea?"

Because I switch drinks at times like I switch from dr. pepper to coke to iced tea or even my husband has switched to water after having 2 diet cokes. WHY do you think? It's not an interruption.

Why don't you *ASK* if the customers want that type of service, because NOT EVERYONE FEELS THIS WAY?

A customer may want their check or a bar drink, not a refill. DUH, I don't get why you think that EVERYONE FEELS THE WAY YOU FEEL? EVERYONE DOESN'T!!

"Most places don't charge for refills."

What does that have to do with PAYING for the *SERVICE*, HUH? I am paying for *************MY TIME************** NOT TO GET WASTED, UNDERSTAND? I am also paying to have the decision that's MINE, NOT YOURS! WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S YOUR DECISION when you aren't paying the tip or drinking the drink, huh?

The service isn't free IDIOT! Just because the refills are free, SO? Tap water is free, that doesn't mean I want that.

"Just enjoy it!"

I don't enjoy someone trying to control ********MY MONEY*******! It's OUR MONEY, WE SHOULD GET TO DECIDE IF WE WANT SOMETHING TO DRINK OR NOT OR WHAT WE WANT. Why do you think it's your decision, huh?

Continued next posts:
Springs1 said…
Here's people that agree with me:

www.etiquettehell.com/smf/index.php?topic=19233.15

Hijinks saids: “Usually if they ask, I’ll say I’d like to switch to water please – I’m only drinking full flavor pop while pregnant, to avoid aspartame – because I don’t need all of that sugar. So bringing me another Coke without asking is mildly annoying, but I’ll still drink it LOL”

http://www.planetfeedback.com/index.php?level2=blog_viewpost&topic_id=302338&reply_id=147885

Peter S. said: "recently dined at Gordon Bierch in San Diego. I ordered a Coke with my meal and when asked if i wanted a refill, I requested to have a refill of root beer instead of Coke."

http://www.yelp.com/biz/outback-steakhouse-sterling-2

“I’m an iced tea drinker, so I generally like to finish a glass before it’s refilled. When a partially empty glass gets refilled, it borks my sugar to tea ratio!"

http://diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1089603&page=30

n3w2clO3h said:

“ask me if I want a refill when my glass is empty, please don’t assume I want one…you will waste more this way”

http://1000awesomethings.com/2008/06/30/994-waiters-who-bring-free-refills-without-asking/


“Ashley November 29, 2008 at 11:38 pm I too am a server and as part of training in the restaurant I work at, I was taught to ask before bringing a refill, because although they will drink it if it’s in front of them, some people dont actually want that whole other glass of pop, they might actually want water or an alcoholic beverage… so in asking you always make sure the customer is getting what they want. :) ”

"They don't see their server doing wine service for a bottle that they brought in as part of the bill total."

You can say the same thing for refills of drinks and bread or even glasses of water even. There's no difference in those, but I sure do take into account if we have had a lots of refills. I account my server's efforts, but I also account for mistakes(also how they are handled) and how long I wait for things in their control.

Continued next posts:
Springs1 said…
"And why does a "mess up" be resolved with financial compensation? If you get bad service or a "mess up" at Best Buy, they don't give you a free Playstation. And getting stuff for free doesn't always make the customer happy or want to return."

It should if you want a good tip, DUHH. This is a VOLUNTARY action in most cases unless you have automatic gratuity added due to a large party or using a coupon that requires it, but otherwise, we don't have to pay you, so YES, if you let's say forgot to put my order into the computer, I sure would appreciate a soft drink off our bill for our inconvenience that I would give you a MUCH HIGHER TIP than if you would not get me a comp or pay for something through your own money. Understand what I am saying that if you show you *CARE* most likely the customers will care about your tip much more, huh?

For example, a waiter forgot to put our appetizer order into the computer. He offered us chips n' salsa while we waited which I told him I'd rather have something off the bill than more food, so he ended up getting us $5 off our bill. He profusely apologized twice for it. I did see why it happened that he had hugged someone at a table I remember him doing during that time as to why this happened. We gave him 16% BEFORE the discounted amount. Now if we had no comp, 10%, understand what I am saying? You show you don't care, we are going to treat you the same, because TIME IS MONEY for the customer AND the server. You make money off of more customers eating and leaving quickly which we are happier which makes you more money when we don't have long waits for our food(which was due to our waiter, he admitted it). So by you caring about our money, you gave us reason to care about your tip more, understand? Now obviously if he wouldn't have said he was sorry at all and acted like he could have cared less with no comp or apology, yes he would have gotten stiffed then. It's simply treating others as they have treated you. If you treat me like a human being that you *CARE*, I will CARE back, but if you act like you could care less, then don't expect me to care back.
Springs1 said…
Once at Red Lobster our waiter decided to get us refills without asking us first, which I had a dr. pepper first. So he comes with the refills, I ask him "Can I get a coke this time?" Instead of saying he was SORRY as he SHOULD HAVE since it was a MISTAKE that he GOT MY ORDER WRONG since he *ASSUMED* by ORDERING FOR ME. No, he doesn't say he's sorry. He just looked pissed, well DUH, you don't ORDER for your customers.

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO **************ORDER***************** FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS, HUH?

It's NOT YOUR RIGHT SINCE YOU AREN'T PAYING THE TIP!

Quit mentioning that refills are free, because that's NOT the issue, it's that I am PAYING FOR MY TIME IN THE TIP NOT TO GET WASTED TO GET WHAT ******I********* WANT FOR ***********MY************ TIP MONEY!

EVERY server should be asking at the greeting if the customers would like refills automatically without being asked throughout their service. That way you know if the customers want that or not.

I guarantee you, most iced tea drinkers HATE just pouring without asking, because it's mixing old watery tea with new tea or just right sweetened tea with new tea.

A good server gets a new glass of tea rather than pouring at the table. I mean if they get a new glass for soft drinks, WHY not tea? I can see water not as much, but iced tea has ice that melts.

WHO ARE YOU TO ORDER FOR ME?
Springs1 said…
Why do you feel everyone has to feel the same way about what they want in their service? Why not just simply *ASK* QUESTIONS? This way if you ask at the greeting you can not interrupt the ones that don't want to be interrupted as far as refills go and give the ones that WANT to be asked that right to be asked. That way EVERYONE is happy. If they don't want that one question, then they should stay home then, because it's one question about refills at the greeting, that's it. Servers can't read minds, so you have to *ASK* not assume.
Okay. So I won't refill your soda.
Server Scorned said…
"Nobody puts benitos in a corner!" I actually snorted at that one! Bahahaha....I hate yelp! And look out now...you are on springs1's radar. Fortunately for me, my blog site recognizes her as Spam so off to that folder her comments automatically go. That's kinda awesome.
Springs1 said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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