Go Bottom Go Bottom

So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-20          156205

Hey guys--here's the deal: I frequent the local Big Boy family restaurant for breakfast nearly everyday.

Two... ahem... "gentlemen" love to sit in the middle of the dining room and run their trucking business from the breakfast table while they gorge themselves from the buffet. All the while they're using those annoying Nextels that beep or chirp after/before a call and they talk as if there's no one around. This will go on for an hour or so.

Then there's the would-be sales Rep running his business from his table in the garden room on the other side being loud and abnoxious too on his phone.

The waitstaff and manager won't or can't say anything to these "gentlemen".

So what would you do? And be honest.


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
nosteiner4me
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 113 ohio
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-20          156206

earthworks....I would order a meal as normal, then instruct waitress if you could talk to manager during the start of your meal, to see if he could do anything about the disruption. If after he/she talks to offenders, and it is still offensive, and still disrupts your meal, i would again ask for the manager. If he says theres nothing he can do, then say sure you can.....take care my check for me!!! ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-20          156209

Honestly? I wouldn't do anything in the restaurant, but I would telephone the trucking company to complain about the rudeness of their people. If that didn't work I'd eat somewhere else. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
Harley3971
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 13 Upstate N.Y.
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2008-08-21          156211

Order a cell phone signal jammer, put in pocket, turn on when you walk in and have a nice meal while watching them trying to figure out why they have no signal. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2008-08-21          156212

EW; Starting the day off in a bad mood seems to ruin the day for me so here is what I would do. I'm not familliar with Big Boy, but I'm assuming they are a chain. The local manager is probably afraid to cause any loss of business by asking the obnoxious people to keep it down but, but he is losing your business along with likely others who don't care for the disruption either. It sounds like you are a "Regular", so I'd eat somewhere else for a few days then go back and mention to the managere that if this keeps up you won't be a regular anymore. Frank. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-21          156215

IMHO, Frank has the right idea.

The manager is likely afraid of the loss of business, so tell them, in no uncertain terms, that if the atmosphere is not to your liking, you won't be back.

Be sure to tell them that you have noticed MANY other people in the restaurant have obviously been bothered by it to, and that they have no doubt said so. If the manager says 'no' then say something like, I guess I'm like a letter writer then, 1 of me equals 30-50 others who couldn't be bothered!!

In the interim, order me a cinnamon french toast will'ya huh? With 'real' (Canadian) bacon.....

Best of luck. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-21          156223

EW, each has given you some good advice. I was told the jammer is not legal but have no idea. Sure have seen the time I would have used one, legal or not.

This is not the problem it was here, not sure why. But it seems certain resturants have more of this than others. Guess it comes down to who patrols it. A letter to the may give them the "firm complaint" the manager wants to have a valid reason to tell people NO use in here. If you are that regular and you know others regulars ask them to complain also. Also as someone pointed out complain to the chain just in case the manager is a total whimp or deaf and letters to the paper and if you have talk radio call in and ask for suggestions if you are able to get the name of the resturant in the pubic on this it will help others complain about it. If the manager has money smarts he knows it is costing him money.

There there is one more suggestion, if you are in there alone...a headset to stop the noise. Not ear plugs but a big headset so it is obvious.

Do check and see if by chance there is any local law on this. Some places have talked about it, not sure any ever passed a law on it.

As I type this I am leaving for a meeting at Shoney's here. There is no resturant in this town I have complained to the manager on issues more. So I have learned to say, I am not paying for ...

Do remember the way you handle this could affect your business, good or bad. kt ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2008-08-21          156228

All this reminds me of why I won't go to movie theatures anymore. Couple years ago the Mrs. bribed me to go to some hit movie. All during the show cell phones rang, people answered and talked for half an hour. The ushers would walk down and ask them to turn it off, a couple of them said "My phone I'll answer it if I want to". Finally the manager told them to leave, so big rumpus, rest of the crowd cheered as they walked out shouting obsenitys, lost our place in the movie. Last movie I've been to. Frank. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-25          156279


I think we have all been there before! It is up to the management and I have been to places that I won't return just like the rest of you! I do like the sounds of the cell phone jammer!

So to speak, there is one in every crowd, just get's more annoying when there is more then one. I find that many breakfast places have a lot of business other then food going on and with the cell phone making it so easy it might just get worse! ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-25          156281

So EW - what did you do?
....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-26          156331

Well...I did like any other self-respecting, well-mannered, civilized person would do:
First I told the waitress to say something to them, to which she indignantly replied that "they were running their business from there (and had the right to do so. HA!)

Not being one to stand down (plus, I sized up their enormous sizes and KNEW I could outrun them should push come to...um...squash).

I gave the first guy---the sales rep with the computer an ass chewing about being so loud. He, as was expected was not embarassed, and forced out "oh, sorry", but did keep it down the rest of stay.

The two mothatruckers, the enomo-twins, I lit into them both telling them they pull this crap being loud everyday and was tired of. The bigger one wanted to know WHO I was telling them to pipe down. To which I replied "I'm a PAYING CUSTOMER"--which was their response. The shortone quietly but firmly says "KISS MY A__". I followed with "F___ YOU". The big one told shorty to knock it off, and I walked away with a gratuitous "a__holes". I went back to my seat on the other side of the place finished my breakfast, and didn't hear a word from them. As they were standing up to leave both got calls about the same time, took them out of their shirt pockets to see who it was and didn't answer either call.

My waitress avoided me as did the others. And since then the jovial tone with the waqitstaff and even the manager who wasn't there at the time has been less friendly. I have been going there earlier to avoid any hassles, but I'm sure we will cross paths soon.

Would I do it again? Yep. Maybe they'll think twice next time, eh? NOT.

....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-26          156340

Good for you! I hate those situations, and coward that I am that's why I would have done it on the phone. You never know when things will escalate out of control. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-08-27          156350

EW, maybe they own a share of the business thus they have the right.

If this is a good as the resturant wants you probably should find another one. Life is too short not to be able to enjoy it. Now if you want to mess with their mind (but not EW), go back and go to each one and tell them how sorry you were and out of line. You realize it was not proper to ask them to respect other humans and offer to pay for their coffee or such. Then runnnnnnn and do not run in circles either. :) Better to get a cell phone jammer if not illegal or too costly. Most sensible thing, find a decent resturant and let all know why you changed. You are correct, they could look for a way to pay you back. Take Care my little NASCAR tractor driver. kt ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
randywatson
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 109 texas
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2008-09-03          156480

It sure is aggravating how rude some people are, but confrontation is dangerous, ya never know how some jerk will respond.

A couple years ago on Valentines Day I took my wife to a nice steakhouse in Ft Worth, while we were eating a couple knuckleheads came in and were seated across the way, they loudly began to trash valentine day, relationships, wives, girlfriends etc..using profanity not fit for a lockerroom, much less a public restruant.

I spoke with a manager, he asked them to keep it down, pointing me out. An hour later I left to hit the can.

As soon as I was out of sight the two morons approached my wife and gave her a hard time, she took up for herself, gave them as good as they gave her, an the two fled like the cowards they were before I returned,

Lucky for them she was not armed, I was. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-04          156483

I understand where you're coming from--I choose my fights carefully. These two characters I was dealing with can barely walk let alone run. :)

Update: Apparently the waitresses have told them about being on the phones too but they refused to do anything about it. I have since seen these two and they were not on their phones--not once. The several waitresses I spoke to gave me a high-five and thought it was great I stepped up to these jerks.

The manager who turns out to be an owner too avoids me like the plague. I hear he hates confrontation on any level. Too bad--lemme handle it then.

To my mind, like the jerks you encountered, they're banking on the fact that no one will say anything to them.
And you see this sort of behavior with a___holes driving like idiots--cutting you off, no signals, running stop signs.

Enough is enough ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-04          156486

I call those kinds of people democrats! ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-04          156488

YP, I understand. I have a friend from NJ who calls them "demon-crats".

EW, think it was an Clint Eastwood movie where he was treated rather rudly by motorcycle riders and as they left they ran over the whole row of them. But you are not Clint Eastwood nor in the movies. But then you are in Michigan. kt ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-04          156489

We are some tough cookies here in Michigan!

Even our fabulous Detroit mayor is so tough, he is exchanging his $2,000.00 suits for alternating orange and white horizontal stripes. He is a real big boy, so none of the inmates will be playing cho-cho with him. He definitely won't be the caboose for anybody.

I generally stay away from trouble, but if trouble knocks on the door, I greet it with enthausiasm. They usually are chicken for a real confrontation. I'm old enough to know when not to mix it up but generally use gas. Tell'em how it is, be more crude than they can imagine and rip a good fart before leaving. That is force them to leave, not you. You are then the last man standing and have won without throwing a punch!

It is always wise in a restaurant to have something in your hand during the approach like a hot cup of coffee or bottled beer. You can get clumsy and spill it on their crotch or whack'em on the nose with the cup/bottle. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-04          156491

YP, not sure EW needs any help to egg him on here. You may need to find out the time of day and the location and serve as back up for him. Please, try to keep him off of tru tv.

Hey EW, stop at McDonald's for the coffee! :) kt ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-05          156507

The situation you faced is a direct reflection upon today's society, rude, vulgar, obnoxious and thinking that they are somehow "empowered" by electronic devices and relate same to their own self-elevated status.

What I have done and will continue to do in these situations is to get up, go to the closest thing I can find to management and tell them we are leaving due to bla bla bla... And then I or we simply leave and go to a different place.

Then, write a letter to the owner or head office (if a chain). Generally you will receive a minimum of a phone call and usually a gift certificate for your trouble.

....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-05          156509

Cutter I decided to confront them because I knew the manager who is part owner, doesn't have a backbone.

Oddly, writing letters or making calls just doesn't have the weight it used to.

Update: I saw the "gordo twins" today at dinner (man! I eat there a lot--of course having a cutie for a waitress makes it easier to swallow--pun intended). We exchanged glances and I didn't hear the phone once. ....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



So what would YOU do with a loudmouth in a restaurant

View my Photos
cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-09-05          156511

I understand your desire to confront them since that is the "old" me. In today's environment, manners no longer matter. I have learned to be the "victim" in places that are run by people that don't seem to care about what goes on in their establishment, that is all they understand.

The old me would have grabbed the walkie-talkie from the fats and dunked it in their milkshakes.


....

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


  Go Top Go Top

Share This
Share This







Member Login