You taken some friends or family members out to dinner and have had a PERFECT dinner.
You got your menu quickly. Your waiter/waitress gave you super-fast service. The food was absolutely superb and you’re anticipating returning to this wonderful restaurant. You’re almost counting the days.
Then you ask for the check. And you wait. And wait. And wait. Some of your friends or family members pass away. A peach on your table grows a long beard. You wave for your check (no check). You subtly tap your fork on the table (no check). You stand on your head (no check). You imitate Tom Cruise on Oprah (they call county mental health, but no check).
Why?
Why do some restaurants wreck perfect service by having you wait a decade or so before they give you your check? Puh-leaze explain this to me………
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.