Restaurant Pet Peeves

I came across this article at Eatocracy about the pet peeves people have related to service in restaurants. It reminded me of one of the HUGE problems I have experienced in restaurants.... racism.

Now, before I tell you my story, I am going to say that the FIRST time this happened, I assumed it was just a little oversight on the part of the waiter. I did not want to believe that he was INTENTIONALLY behaving in a racist manner. But, after the second, third, and fourth times (in different restaurants, with different wait staff) I realized that this was a pattern.

See, I love to go out to dinner. And, although I am not opposed to going out alone, I do appreciate having company while I dine. Since most of my friends are Black, nine times out of ten when I eat out, the person I am eating with is Black.

Now, normally, when a bill is requested, the waiter either places it in the middle of the table, or in front of the gentleman if it is a single couple. So, I was kind of taken aback when I went on a date with a Black man to Red Lobster one night and the waiter placed the bill RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Just totally ignored the fact that I was with a date, and slapped the bill down on the table right where my plate had previously been sitting. But, I thought that maybe I was just being paranoid. I thought maybe I was EXPECTING the waiter to be slightly sexist by thinking he would place the bill in front of the man I was with. But, if he was trying to avoid being sexist and assuming the man would pay, I would have expected him to put the bill in the middle of the table, so that either of us could grab it.

When my date took the bill from in front of me and paid, I looked at him, and asked him if he had noticed what just happened. He told me he did, but he was willing to give the waiter the benefit of the doubt. But, we both suspected the waiter was giving us the subtle message that since we were an interracial couple, he expected that I would pay the bill. Kind of inferring that Black men are either not financially responsible OR that a white woman in an IR relationship is supporting the man.

Now, if it had just been that ONE experience, I could have let it go. However, this happened on numerous occasions, at various restaurants. It happened when I was with Black males. It happened when I was with Black females. I started realizing that this was common practice, or so it seems.

I would not be offended if the waiter placed the bill in the center of the table. But by placing it DIRECTLY in front of me, it is showing subtle racism. And it makes me mad as Hell!!!