Ever do anything totally ridiculous in a restaurant?

Eating Out

Ever do anything totally ridiculous in a restaurant?

Posted by Karen Resta, November 27, 2007 at 9:04 AM

I was reminded of the time I walked into a restaurant this one, actually which is described a bit at the end of this topic in the middle of a heavy rainstorm.

At the moment we opened the door to enter, the most enormous clap of thunder sounded and I literally ran into the restaurant shrieking at the top of my lungs.

The entire restaurant burst out in laughter.
Anything like this ever happen to you?

19 Comments | Tags: weird

19 Comments:

It wasn't me, but my date. Very elegant French restaurant in Chicago. Waiters bowed and scraped. The man at the next table was addressed as "Senator". Date was a nice man who really wasn't an eater. But our first courses, my salmon mousse and his soup, were delicious. The main courses arrived, and after a couple of bites, he turned to me. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, one of those sudden drops in the ambient noise level happened, and everyone heard him say, "Why can't you cook like this?" (From the man for whose birthday, I had made coq au vin and marquise au chocolat!)

Well, of course everyone broke up. The senator's wife called to me, "I'm on your side!" And the poor guy, who really was just joking, was as red as a piece of rare beef tenderloin.

lemons at 10:42AM on 11/27/07

Well, I'm not sure if this counts as ridiculous, but embarassing, yeah.

I went to The Melting Pot in downtown Nashville with my husband around the first of the year (he received a gift card for Christmas). While we were at table enjoying our meal, I began to feel odd. I thought at first that maybe I had over imbibed, but upon reflection realized that the one drink before dinner and the one glass of wine I had been nursing during dinner should not be the cause of this sleepy, dizzy, muzzy headedness I was experiencing.

I got up to visit the ladies' so I could splash some cold water on my face/wrists without telling DH how I was feeling because I did not want to alarm him. I really thought it would pass without it being a huge deal. I am a diabetic and sometimes, will have spells of not feeling 100%. I'm kinda used to it, but hubby worries. Sometimes too much.

Anyway, while standing at the sink in the restroom, I fainted. The next thing I was aware of was a lady looking down at me sprawled flat on the floor asking me if I was ok. I have no idea how much time had elapsed. I guess it couldn't have been much, the place was packed. The hostess got my spouse and called the paramedics, who strapped me to a gurney, wheeled me the length of the restaurant and transported me to the hospital.

I was MORTIFIED! I would probably never eat there again.

coffeefrappe at 11:01AM on 11/27/07

Just a collection of "Boy, I'm dumb" moments: does the waiter ever give you meal and say "Enjoy" and then you respond, "You too!"? I do it all the time, and you think I'd learn...in the words of comedian Brian Regan, "Don't know when to use the 'You too' phrase..."

luswim06 at 11:17AM on 11/27/07

First job, boss and wife took us to the most elegant restaurant I had ever seen for Christmas dinner. I had never had an alcoholic drink (was underage), and they suggested a Margarita. I took the first sip and sprayed it all over the gorgeous table and guests. No one warned me that the rim was salted. I was so embarrassed.

Same thing happened when I was a kid at a holiday dinner. Mom put our juice in wine glasses and I accidently got red wine, which I sprayed on the table and her best white tablecloth.

PerkyMac at 11:39AM on 11/27/07

A long time ago I was sitting at the counter in a diner and shook up a bottle of ketchup. Not realizing the cap was loose I splatered a gentleman sitting at the table behind me with a generous portion of the bottle. I was extremely embarrassed and offered to have his suit dry cleaned. He was very understanding and even thought it funny. Needless to say to this day I always check that the ketchup bottle cap is secure.

Colorado Jim at 11:57AM on 11/27/07

Oh boy.
My senior year of college I was on the tail end of three consecutive days without sleep (exams, final projects, my senior art show opening). I was being powered solely by caffeine, nicotine, and the occasional Zagnut that crossed my path. As I finished hanging the last painting for my show, my friends thought it would be a great idea to take me out for a late lunch to celebrate before I passed out from exhaustion on my couch. At that point I was agreeable to anything, so sure! Let's grab some tacos or something.

Long story kinda-short: a waiter rounds the corner with some smoking, steaming,sizzling fajitas. In my barely lucid state, I thought he was on fire - and exclaimed so, quite loudly ("OH S**T, THAT GUY'S ON FIRE!"), while jumping up to help the poor guy (who was so totally not on fire). My friends didn't grab me in time. I made it to the guy in a split second, ready to force him to "stop, drop, and roll," save the day and be a hero. That's when I realized that for someone on fire, he smells delicious!

That's when reality set in, I looked down at his platter and stopped with an "Oh. You're not on fire, are you?" and calmly returned to my seat where my friends (one absolutely livid, the other laughing so hard he was crying). Only then did I realize the entire restaurant, as well as some waiters and kitchen staff, had stopped and were staring our table.

I think I scared that poor kid to death.
They tell me we tipped very well that day.

corycm at 12:10PM on 11/27/07

When I was younger in my twenties I was on a double date to chain mexican restaurant. I was enjoying my margartia and had finished the dinner, we had just ordered the last round and the check.
As I was finishing up my drink we all smelled smoke. It was not the usual fajita smoke. Someone got on the PA and we heard please proceed to the parking lot through ALL the exit doors we have a fire in the main dining room. People starting grabbing their food and running for the door. We were right next to an exit door and ran outside where the fire department was unrolling hoses and then I saw the fire. The pretty paper decorations had caugh fire and was pouring smoke out a broken window. The police told us to get in our cars and leave. We had not even got the check.
I always felt bad about it, the waiter was good, and I was going to tip him (very tan and blond with blue eyes) nicely. I am sure he had to get out of the way for the fire dept too.

JerzeeTomato at 12:39PM on 11/27/07

My Mom and my Sisters and I were eating lobster at a restaurant in NC. It had been an interesting meal already because the place was packed and our waitress had been fired mid shift so it took like 45 minutes to get our food. My sister, Emily was wrestling with a particularly stubborn claw and all of a sudden the claw snapped and the whole thing leapt out of my sisters hands, over her head and right into the lady's handbag who was sitting behind us. We all looked at Emily with our mouths wide open as she said "oh my god what should I do?". We laughed the rest of the meal.

My Dad was shocked when we got home, he couldn't believe we didn't say anything to the woman. I guess it was irresponsible not to say anything, but really what could you say. "Excuse me mam but I think my claw landed in your handbag"?

I just wish I could have been there in the moment she's was fishing around in her bag for lipstick and pulled out a lobster claw.

waterbaby at 3:49PM on 11/27/07

I am rather busty, so finding a strapless bra that fit my otherwise relatively small body was a triumph. For a few weeks, it was tube tops all the way. So, my partner, my best friend, and I are in a large clam/lobster restaurant in Maine that encourages you to feed your leftovers to the seagulls. My friend and I race outside, toss bread and fries with wild abandon, and then walk back in for dessert, my tube topped having rolled down neatly around my waist. Mercifully, I don't embarrass easily and, even more mercifully, the bra stayed put. Got sent a drink or two, as I recall!