Terrible: going out to eat and being completely ignored by the staff
Bernadette — ‘Just call me “an angry bon vivant”’ — vents about a restaurant phenomenon that can ruin your evening. ‘You sit down. You wait. You wait a little longer. And then it hits you: you are completely invisible to the staff.’
‘I’m not complaining out of frustration alone, but also with a touch of hope. Hope that, as customers and as the hospitality industry, we can talk about hospitality again. About seeing, listening and responding. They are small things, but they make the difference between an evening to remember and an evening in which you are remembered only as “the blind spot”. As “table 5 that ordered nothing”.’
Invisible, but not free
It’s a phenomenon that surely affects more people: going out to eat and being completely ignored by the staff. It happened to us yesterday. My boyfriend and I went out to eat at La Désillusion (no, that’s not the real name, because I don’t think publicly burning them would be very classy). An evening of enjoyment, or so we naively thought. Full of anticipation, we entered the restaurant. We were completely ready for it. An evening with delicious food, a pleasant atmosphere and a touch of romance. What did we get? A masterclass in being ignored.
We were shown to a table neatly enough, at least. After that: nothing. No menu. No question about whether we wanted something to drink. Not even water. Just a waiter gliding past us with the elegance of a Victorian apparition, looking straight through our souls… and still completely ignoring us. As if we had put on Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. The only shame is that in the end, you still have to pay for it.
We waved. Coughed. Called out. Other tables were served. Yes, even guests who had arrived later. And there we sat. Thirsty. Hungry. Asking existential questions such as: “Do we even exist?”
Bad service isn’t a luxury problem (well, not entirely)
Menus that arrived only after 23 minutes, drinks that came when the main course was already cold, the bill that simply never came (until we stood up and walked away — and spoiler: suddenly they did see us then); it ruined our evening. And really, I get it: staff shortages, being busy, exhaustion. A table in a blind spot. But bad service isn’t just a luxury problem. It turns an evening out into an exercise in self-control. And frustration. Because you don’t go out to eat just for good food; it’s also a form of relaxation. And that relaxation disappears faster than a bread basket on an empty stomach. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to wait a little. But if I have more interaction with the salt and pepper shakers than with the staff… then something is wrong.
Going out to eat shouldn’t be a survival experience. And no, it isn’t too much to ask to be seen when you’re occupying a table and simply… exist. So, to all the hospitality heroes who do pay attention: we see you and we appreciate you. As for the rest? Maybe a menu with a mirror in it would help?’
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Bernadette’s name has been changed for privacy reasons. Her real name is known to the editorial team. Would you also like to share a personal story (anonymously!)? You can email us at info@favorflav.com
