Interfacing with the public would try the patience of Elder Ieronymos Simonopetritis. (Google him, fam.) But perhaps no public-facing job is more trying than waiting tables. Some people’s brains just seem to turn off the moment they walk into a restaurant. Wait tables long enough and you’ll be asked some seriously stupid questions.
A sports bar server recently got a doozy of an ask from a customer. Paige Miller (@4.upaige) says the person ordered a salad that comes with chicken. As in “chicken” is in the name.
When it came out, they were surprised it had … chicken on it.
It’s not clear how they reacted, but judging by her expression in a TikTok about it, it wasn’t good. In it, Miller appears to have been crying.
“Sports bar server life was not for me,” Miller writes in an on-screen caption. In the post’s title, she adds, “The way I was decaying and working 16 hours doubles no break no sleep.”
It’s a relatable moment for anyone who’s ever worked in food service. If you haven’t cried on the floor or at least in the walk-in, you’re probably not a pro.
Miller’s TikTok resonated. As of this writing, it’s been viewed more than 1.3 million times.
Sports Bars: An American Tradition
Dining out gives you the opportunity to eat a fresh meal someone else made in an environment that’s safe, clean, and often sociable. Sure, you can simply grab a bite and bolt, but you can also make it less of a meal and more of an experience.
This is true whether you’re at the finest eatery in town or just breaking bread down at the greasy spoon.
Among restaurants, the sports bar is definitely an experience. A sports bar is an American classic among restaurant archetypes. They’re casual, comfortable, and somewhat akin to a living room crossed with a game room. If they could speak, they’d probably have a Southern accent. Maybe a Midwestern one.
In addition to food and beverages, in most sports bars there’s something to watch, do, and listen to, and, for the randier types, a scantily clad young woman to take your order. (Though Miller’s sports bar appears not to be of this latter variety.)
It’s basically a bar you can take children to without getting a side eye.
The propensity of sports bar customers to imbibe can lead to some unfortunate experiences on both ends of the guest check pad, however. Violence, rudeness, nudity, theft, and grotesque eating habits are de rigueur.
More common than any of these is the stupid question.
Servers Get Asked Such Stupid Questions
Miller’s post became something of a group therapy session for industry veterans.
One recalled a Chipotle customer who was angered by the “little green stuff” on their cilantro lime rice.
Another said a customer asked if the “GRILLED chicken was grilled or fried.”
“Why does the french onion soup have onions in it?” mocked poolsideconvxo.
LexiTorres said a customer once asked if the salsa had tomatoes in it because they were allergic.
Ryan wrote, “Someone told me yesterday her deviled eggs were cold.”
“Real question: ‘What’s the difference between a quarter pound and a half pound burger?’ Ma’am,” Kris wrote, likely sighing at the memory.
One grumbled that the reason people send food back when it was clearly their fault is because managers are too lenient about comping food.
Others advised their fellow servers to react with sarcasm or mockery. (Deploy with caution.)
“I would start being overly cheerful and talk to these kind of ppl like a little kid. ‘Oh! You didn’t realize that a cheeseburger has cheese? That’s ok. We all make mistakes sometimes!'” one suggested.
Andrea offered safer advice, sharing, “Someone once got mad at me because there was bacon jam on their bacon jam sliders. I had to walk away for both our safety.”
Miller did not respond to a direct message sent via TikTok.
@4.upaige the way I was decaying and working 16 hours doubles no break no sleep #sportsbar #server