You had other options because there are ALWAYS other options. For instance: You knew that Applebee’s would be busy during the normal lunch and dinner hours so you could have gone a little earlier in the evening and avoided that rush and sat just about anywhere you wanted and got the vet’s deal. I explained that to you once before but it’s obvious that again, you just won’t heed good advice. As for me being nuts: I’m not the one who is asking people on a forum of his peers how I should have reacted to a problem that happened 2 days ago. I told you what I would have done which is what you asked for. AND…….since I know that nothing that has been offered as good advice for you to think about for future reference will be paid attention to, I’m not even sure why I or anyone else bothered so for that, yeah, I’m nuts..
We are both laughing our butts of now. The replies in this thread are absolutely hilarious! Have just talked to my BIL (wife's brother) and my SIL (wife's sister) and both totally disagree with all of you. The SIL, who is going on 79, said to me "the forum you are on is pretty insane. None of them ever understand you and my sister and, from what I see, don't like either of you at all." Guess I'll log out now. IOW, simply don't need all of these hassles I've gotten. Yes, hassles and even some "bullying". You folks call me "rude" and whatever, but you folks seem to really have fun criticizing me/us.
If you did indeed carry the conversation to your relatives then I do humbly submit that it is you who is off his rocker and gone totally Karen on us. I’m done with ya Cody…..bye.
@Cody Fousnaugh, you are responsible for what you post here, whether you attribute it to someone else or not. If your wife or your sister-in-law wants to criticize forum members or the forum itself, they can register and become members. Only then will I be able to attribute their comments to them. Otherwise, it's all on you, and I will ask you to please refrain from personal attacks and discuss subjects and issues rather than the sanity of those who you are supposed to be having a civil discussion with. To anyone else, please remember that when you respond to a personal attack with a personal attack, then you are also engaging in a personal attack. If you believe that someone is doing so, please use the report function. Conversely, Cody is introducing a topic, and he shouldn't be ridiculed for doing that. Topics don't have to have universal interest, after all. I don't hesitate to post about trivial stuff that maybe one or two people might have even a vague interest in, and I expect the same from others who have something on their minds. If you're exercising your brain cells over it, give it a shot. It's not the end of the world if no one is interested. I don't expect that everyone here is waiting breathlessly to hear about the latest antics of one of my cats, but I don't let that stop me from posting about it. Maybe it says something about me. No one should expect to be fascinated by every topic here.
Since I used to eat at Applebees frequently and found it crowded at times, I usually went into the bar area which is open and its booths are back to the booths in the main dining area. I am explaining this to all of you who have never eaten at Applebees. Every Applebees I have ever dined is designed the same. Lower is the open bar surrounded by a horseshoe shape with stools. I have never sat on a stool horseshoeing the bar. You will have someone close on each side and most times they are sitting at the bar so they can keep drinks coming. Generally, it is younger folks, especially during Happy Hour. Another reason is I have never found stools, even backed ones, comfortable. To answer the question, being knowledgeable about the Applebees layout, I would take a booth in the bar area as they are just as private and quiet as anywhere in the dining and my back was to the dining area which tends to be noisy, especially if a party comes in. If no booth was available in the dining area or the bar area outskirts (booths), then I would either wait or leave. I would generally leave. I seldom found Applebees crowded because I always was there when they opened at 11 AM or planned dinner for 3 PM. These are my normal dining times so it worked out well. At 3 PM the dining was many times full, but usually, a bar area booth was available. I went with Zek several times on Veteran's Day and since he had done three tours of duty as a Marine Captian in Viet Nam, his meal was free and the hostess always gave me mine for free. We always left a tip for the amount of both meals. A couple of times folks in the next booth asked Zek if he was a Vet and then he asked them to join us since the booth held four and this opened another booth for waiting Vets. On one such occasion, the wife, a retired Drill Sargent, used the word describing female genitalia instead of sissies, and while Zek used such in private and he knew I did frequently, he reminded the lady that gentlemen were present at which time I looked around as if I was searching for a gentleman. That made all laugh but did get the message across except to me as I had to be a smart ass and say that is why "sissies" should be called male genitalia instead of female genitalia because of what Betty White said about the toughness of females. That made all laugh again and the next hour was filled with funny stories. So in short, to answer the question, I would come back later or forfeit the free meal. I am not a patient waiter when I m hungry and have no time for bar stools or unknown folks crowding up close. I am offended by liquor breath, and pick-up lines, much more than I am abusive language unless such language is directed at me personally. This photo has chairs instead of stools at the bar and tables and chairs. surrounding the bar area instead of the elevated semi-circular booths we have in this area.
I had no idea they were all laid out the same. Ruby Tuesday (R.T.) used to be my go-to place because of their incredible salad bar. There is no R.T. near me here, so I've gone to the Charlottesville Applebee's a few times (they are open til midnight, which is a rarity around here.) I'm a late diner, so places are never crowded when I go. Being alone, they will often offer my a seat at the bar to eat, but it's uncomfortable and makes me feel second class...like they can't be bothered to assign me a server even though it's late and it's slow and they got nothing else to do. Regarding foul language in public: it's a sign of immaturity (and is inappropriate around females unless they are inked), but since I was raised around such stuff (see vid), I do have to watch myself (although I don't use The Eff Word.) The other appropriate line from that move is: "My father worked in obscenities the way artists work in oils."
I don't care much for Applebees, and it's been so long since I've been in one that I don't remember why, but I rarely sit at a bar or counter in a restaurant - and wouldn't - unless I were alone maybe, and didn't want to take up one of a few booths or tables available. Since I don't drink alcohol, I'd only waste space at a bar. I'm not particularly sociable with people I don't know, so I probably wouldn't be talking to anyone unless they spoke to me, and then, unless there was some reason for me to be interested in the conversation, my responses would be curt.
I haven't gone to Applebees for a few years because their food went downhill, prices went up. and not much gummer-friendly food. Also, they seem to have a big staff turnover. Besides our local Applebees is a 40-mile trip. I go to rural small mom-and-pop places these days.
I tried to stay out of this thread, but we all see how that turned out. Since I am not a "petite flower" or in any way prone to vapors over hearing an obscenity (and utilize* them frequently when the situation warrants), I probably wouldn't have even noticed the young man's language. We all need to learn that society changes whether we like it or not. I have a lot more important crap to worry about than a random stranger's use of obscenities. And I'd have no problem sitting at the bar. The beer gets served faster that way. * Apologies to @Nancy Hart
I'm the opposite. Dining alone can be a unique experience. I was at my local Mexican restaurant the other day and learned that the young waitress got hired because her brother-in-law is the brother-in-law (actually a distant cousin) of the owner, that she is from Honduras, she lived 100 miles from Atlanta when first in this country (did not like it) and now lives in Charlottesville (kinda likes it.) I found out all that (and more) because she was acting goofy and I quipped "You must be family in order for them to have hired you." She said "Since you guessed, I'll tell you," then sat down at my booth and told me. But that is me. When I was going to IHOP on a regular basis, I knew who was schlepping whom, what the cook had done time for before getting out and making pancakes for a living, and how much the prior manager had stolen before getting fired (but not prosecuted.) It was the same up when I lived up north. The single diner is often someone for the staff to chat with, especially if you're a regular.