Mini Meltdown in a Restaurant

Mr. Impatient likes to go out to lunch on the weekends.  He usually asks to go “Just me and Mom.”  Today, Tall Guy got home from Jazz Fest in time to go with us.  I like to have more than one of my boys, because the conversation is much more interesting.

We went to a local branch of a major national restaurant.  Mr. Impatient knows exactly what he wants.  At every restaurant we go to.  Chicken strips and French fries.  He likes cheese and bacon on the fries if possible.  No sauce except catsup.  No lettuce or parsley.  We call that “no green stuff”.  We are very specific about how we order.  He orders his drink without ice ever since he wasn’t allowed to chew ice with his braces.

The waitress paid attention and wrote down everything.  She was attentive and kept stopping by.  Could it be because I had two attractive young men with me?

When the fries came out, there was a huge scoop of sour cream on the top and a cup of some sort of sauce.  Mr. Impatient said “it’s a mistake?”   The waitress took them back to the kitchen and brought him an order that was correct.  He munched on some of the chips from Tall Guy’s and my appetizer while he was waiting.

When the chicken fingers came out, another waitress brought them.  They were sitting on a bed of lettuce!!  Mr. Impatient was polite and said “it’s a mistake?”  I, however, kind of had a mini melt down at this point. 

This is a major chain restaurant.  They have already screwed up once.  This is number two on the same child’s order.  It’s not like we asked for extras.  We asked for stuff to be left off.  How hard is it not to put lettuce under the chicken?  How hard is it to leave off the sauce?  Someone in the kitchen just didn’t care. 

I did just pull the lettuce off the plate of chicken fingers.  I was in tears by now.  It basically ruined my “dining experience”.  This meal cost about $70.00 for three people excluding tip.  I tip generously if the service is good.  It wasn’t the waitress’ fault that the kitchen messed up.  It was her fault she didn’t notice.   

The manager stopped by to ask how things were.  I let him have it.  I don’t expect to pay for that kind of inattention.  Thank goodness Mr. Impatient has matured (today a whole lot more than his Mom) and didn’t have a fit.  The manager actually agreed with me, and took the price of the items off the meal.