News flash to Ukiah waitresses: just because my dinner cost ten ninety-five doesn't mean I expect you to rush me. Readers, perhaps you've fallen victim as I have? I hope not. On two separate nights, I ordered a dinner that included a choice of soup or salad with a meal. Each time, I thought, let's go with salad, since it's warm out.
I was surprised on the first outing, when the waitress brought both my Ceasar salad and veggie lasagna at the same time. "Oh, can you just keep the lasagna warm for me, please?" I asked politely. "I can't get to both of them at the same time..."
She said sure and took it away. I suspect she hid the plate (I hope it was covered) in an alcove directly around the corner rather than put it under a warmer. It was lukewarm when she brought it a few minutes later.
Rush incident Number Two happened last night, at a "family restaurant" that I had heard good things about from fellow crew members. At least I was almost finished with my salad when the waitress brought my plate of pasta out.
In both cases, I wondered what the rush was all about. The restaurants were far from crowded, and it didn't seem like the kitchen or staff were overwhelmed. It's okay to have a casual feel to service, especially when prices are relatively low. But I'd been on the clock all day, and was hoping my dinners would be a chance to unwind and relax, maybe get in a little people watching. The old adage is true: timing is everything.
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