Juggling Plates

[Zazu]

Just back from three days at the Vero Beach Resort. Very nice stay, overall, but tonight's dinner server....

Okay, so she claimed the "shellfish paella" was made with tuna (while another server we heard said it was made with mahi-mahi). Confusion happens.

Okay, so she messed up our order and had to put it through again. She recovered nicely with a complimentary sorbet while we waited.

But when she did bring out the entrees -- herself, not via a runner -- she brought them by hand (no tray), plus she had a plate for some other table on one arm, so she didn't have a free hand. Did she use the empty table next to ours to recover from her error? That's right class, she did not. She balanced SWMBO's entree precariously on top of her tiny sorbet bowl!

I wasn't too worried about SWMBO's dress getting soiled, nor even about SWMBO getting hurt by the hot food. No, I was concerned that every other dinner party in the restaurant would need compensation after SWMBO told her exactly how stupid her performance was if the plate did manage to tip over into her lap.

Fortunately for all concerned, our server managed to get the plates back down on the table and the empties cleared without spillage. She knows not how lucky she is!!!

Then she made one final error. She forgot to add the automatic gratuity to our bill (DDE now gets that just like CM discounts).

Yes I did. I did take advantage of that to adjust her tip. She'd earned it.

Then I passed the check to the restaurant manager and suggested it was time for some retraining. :twisted:

[Randy B]

darn, after seeing the subject line I was all ready to inquire if the plates were juggled in a "big circle" or a "figure eight". But I was dissapointed to find it was just some plate on the table juggling. So dissapointing.

Maybe she would have gotten a bigger tip if she HAD been tossing the plates in the air and dealing out the plates as the correct plate came by in the rotation. :D:

Randy

[sean1966]

We love Vero Beach but have not had good experiences with the restaurants there. On our last visit I ordered the grouper. When it came it was literally grouper paste. I have no idea what they did to it but it was awful. Since then we go off site to eat.

[JugglingFreak]

darn, after seeing the subject line I was all ready to inquire if the plates were juggled in a "big circle" or a "figure eight".

"Big circle" is called the shower pattern and "figure eight" is the Cascade (the most common jugging pattern).

I know a little about juggling... :D:

[CelebrationNM]

I'll have to look out for her and bring an extra change of clothes just in case; I'll be at DVBR in another week or so.

Over the years it seems they've been cost-saving a bit...cutting the specialty butters in Sonyas amongst other things. Although, I've been impressed by the Recreation cast there; kids programs are great and take advantage of the unique location.

[Princess Susi]

Not good! Sorry your magical evening was not so magical with a server llike that. She definitely needs some retraining. Ralph would have been furious, service is a HUGE issue with him. Sometimes moreso than the food. It is important not to endanger those dining by balancing food over them! I would not have been happy either!
susi

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Maybe she used to work at a Dennys or a like place?

I remember stopping in PA for a bite to eat on a road trip, and saw a waitress with no less than six plates, three on each arm, serving a family. Impressive, but I wonder how may attempts were made before she 'mastered" the balancing act. (and how many guests got to wear the food!)

[Randy B]

"Big circle" is called the shower pattern and "figure eight" is the Cascade (the most common jugging pattern).

I know a little about juggling... :D:

Thanks, I just leanrned how to juggle, not what the patterns are called. :D:

I learned how with Croquet (sp?) balls. It's amazing how quick you learn when if you don't time the release right your fingers get between two hard wooden balls that are trying to occupy the same space at the same time rather forcefully. You either learn to time the release or you spend all your time bandaging and/or splinting fingers. :D:

Randy

[DisneyMom]

Awwww, you guys just made me remember my Uncle juggling bowling pins many years ago...I thought he was AMAZING! He passed away in 1984 at the age of 42 :( so I'm glad you all somehow made me remember something good :)

[JugglingFreak]

DisneyMom: Glad to have brought back good memories.

RandyB: Yes, pain is a good motivator.. You get the same with clubs and rings.

Rings being the worst, bruises, split fingers, cracked fingernails, and sometimes permanent damage to the scrotum..