Restaurant Vent

What in the world is going on with restaurants these days? If they're not yelling at you as you walk in the door (a blog for another time), the waitrons are trying to become your new best friend.

Yesterday, daughter Kate and I were having lunch a local steakhouse. It's the second time we've been to this restaurant - great food but a bit of a service problem. Anyway, the waiter comes up, tell us his name (OK, they've been doing that for years), then asks our names. 'Scuse me? Why? Why ask our names? Now, this happened the first time we ate there, but we thought, well, must be a one-off. Oh, no. So (as the first time), we both ignored the question. It's none of the waiter's business what our names are.

Unh-uh - this guy was having none of it.

"No really, what are your names?" "Betty and Wilma." "No, you're making those up." Finally, poor Kate broke down and told him our names just to get him to shut up. Then this waiter proceeded to call us by our first names every time he came to the table (which was about every 13 seconds), constantly interrupting our conversation. To top it off, the manager came up and did the same thing, plus left his business card! His business card? What was that about?

Geez, all we wanted was a nice bit of red meat and a chance to catch up with each other. Guess we'll need to find another steakhouse. Ah, me. (Do people who meditate find these things irritating too, or are they able to just rise above it all?)