Snowbirds Shorten Vacations

[seacliffes]

Perhaps each snowbird should invite a local to a northern locale where restaurants compete on quality and excellence of cuisine.....not on volume or big parking spaces for pickup trucks. Most restaurants in Walton would not last 90 days in more competitive communities.[/quote]

Perhaps if it is so bad here maybe you should stay home. I have traveled all over the world in a variety of situations for over 40 years and I have always found that common courtesy goes a long way. People who work in restaurants are human beings and should be treated as such. Patrons are not superior to workers and this concept of trashing someone who is put in a personal servitude role makes me sick. I have patronized restaurants all through the "North" and I can tell you that from my perspective they are not as great as you must think they are.

 

[bdc63]

Quite a love/hate relationship between locals and vacationers/snowbirds.

The locals LOVE the off seasons because there is less traffic, they can get into any restaraunt, etc. But the locals NEED the prime seasons because most of their businesses depend on visitor traffic.

It seems like a bit of a generalization to imply that all snowbirds are rude. Likewise, it would be a generalization to call locals rednecks.

Maybe a "truce" is in order?

 

[Rita]

Quite a love/hate relationship between locals and vacationers/snowbirds.

The locals LOVE the off seasons because there is less traffic, they can get into any restaraunt, etc. But the locals NEED the prime seasons because most of their businesses depend on visitor traffic.

It seems like a bit of a generalization to imply that all snowbirds are rude. Likewise, it's a generalization to call locals rednecks.

Maybe a "truce" is in order?

Logical people know that the restaurant "scene" described by Rapunzel happened to be "snowbirds" in this instance but is repeated throughout the country by many sorts of people, though I would hope not often. Usually it is how the situation is handled as much as anything.

I agree with the "truce" and realize that people often speak (type) in generalizations that are easy to take wrong.

.

 

[Smiling JOe]

After having worked in the food/bev industry for a long time, I may not be as quick to send back orders if they are slightly under or over cooked, unless I order Tuna and it is cooked beyond medium, but I am smart enough not to order Tuna at questionable places.

Food is not always prepared correctly as ordered. However, some people don't know the correct degrees of doneness on steaks. If a steak is not cooked as ordered, the customer has every right to send it back, even three times, in order to get it right, no matter how long it takes. Frankly, if I were the one who sent it back three times, I would be a little upset. As a manager of a place where the customer had legitimate complaints about the food preparation, depending on the situation, I would probably buy them a bottle of wine, round of drinks, or desserts, and maybe even give them a discount card for their next visit so that I can have a chance to make them leave happy, and spreading the good word of mouth about the attention they received at my restaurant.

I have walked out of several restaurants after sitting unacknowledged for 5 minutes. I don't care if you can't take my drink order immediately, but at least look me in the eyes and let me know that you see me and that you will get to me shortly. However, I would never make any comments like, "did you send the cook out to catch the fish?," although I hear that quite often. I want to keep my server happy so that he or she remains attentive. When you are mean to the server, forget about that server checking on your table often. There is something about sticking one's finger in a light socket that just turns them off. ;-)

There are many types of snow birds, just as there are many types of regular joes who live here year round.

Respect your servers, tip well, be patient when a restaurant is busy. If you don't have time for patience, cook your own meal at home. Remember that the server doesn't cook your food, so be kind and win them over. Your kindness to them will get you results. ;-)

 

[Paula]

Yup, I agree with SJ, always respect the servers (unless they are horribly rude in which case you don't have to be disrespectful, but yo also don't have to reward that behavior). I was fired as a waitress -- It really was hard work and I just couldn't figure it out.

Regarding snowbirds, I like being around "older people" and very much hope to be one some day. I also want my children to seek out and enjoy "older people" -- I wonder if it's a U.S. cultural thing to speak of older people in negative stereotypes. As someone whose parents died before they reached real old-age, I look at older people in restaurants and supermarkets and other places through special eyes (somewhat longingly) and perhaps more appreciatively, wishing I had older people sitting at my table more often. One of the things I love about SoWal is that it has all ages -- from the youngest young and I hope to the oldest old.