A doctor has sued the Houston’s restaurant in Miami after he ate a complete artichoke that he ordered, including the spiny and sharp exterior leaves. He subsequently suffered “severe abdominal pain and discomfort,” and a “exploratory laparotomy” showed that the artichoke leaves were jammed in his “small bowel.” His lawsuit claims that he had “never seen nor heard of previously” an artichoke and that it was the restaurant’s fault for not teaching him how to eat it. [More]
dining
Restaurant Bans Screaming Kids, Business Booms
By 9.8.10
The female owner of a North Carolina restaurant has put up a new sign on its front door saying, “Screaming children will not be tolerated.” [More]
Yelp Reviewer Gives 1 Star For Restaurant That Hasn't Opened Yet
By 9.1.10
As with any community-sourced online content, Yelp’s reviews can vary widely in quality. Still, this may be one of the most ridiculously self-entitled and clueless reviews anyone has ever posted about a restaurant: [More]
How Long Is Too Long To Linger After Finishing Your Meal?
By 7.9.10
If you’ve dined out enough in your life, you’ve likely been on both sides of the waiting game… You’re the one standing at the front of the restaurant, scanning the room for diners who seem to be wrapping things up. Or you’re the ones sitting at the table, finishing up dessert or sipping your third cup of coffee, even though people are waiting for a table. [More]
What Happens When You Eject A NY Times Reporter From Your Restaurant
By 5.12.10
Ron Leiber writes the “Your Money” column for the New York Times. On Saturday, he, along with his party, was ejected from a restaurant by the chef. Mr. Leiber wrote about it on the Times food blog and now the restaurant is getting crank calls according to Gothamist. [More]
Loud Restaurants Make You Eat And Drink More
By 4.19.10
It turns out that, at least for smart restaurateurs, making the dining experience ridiculously noisy is good for business: people buy more drinks per hour, and they finish eating and leave sooner. [More]
Is It Ever OK To Walk Out Of A Terrible Restaurant Without Paying?
By 3.1.10
Reader C wants to know if it is possible for a restaurant’s service to be so bad that you are justified in walking out. We’re thinking he means “morally” justified because we’re pretty sure you need to pay if you eat the food. [More]
Secrets Of Waiters
By 12.1.09
Michelle Crouch at Reader’s Digest has compiled another list of secrets that your waiter won’t tell you. Some are just going to make you annoyed, like the waitress who lies for sympathy tips. But there are plenty of useful secrets on the list that might improve your experience the next time you go out to eat. [More]
NYC Restaurant Stops Accepting Cash
By 9.11.09
If you decide to eat at Commerce, an unpleasantly named upscale restaurant in New York City that charges nearly $25 for spaghetti, your cash is no longer welcome.
Eat Out And Save
By 6.30.09
Eating out is one of the fastest ways to burn a hole through your wallet, but with a few tips from Five Cent Nickel, you can still enjoy a good meal without breaking the bank.
Black Bear Diner And The Thrice Cooked, Twice Eaten Steak Of Disappointment
By 3.1.09
The Black Bear Diner in Colorado Springs twice served Jason the same undercooked steak. When he asked for a new steak, the server returned with the same steak cooked for a third time. When Jason told the server that the steak looked unappetizingly familiar, the server responded with “some story about her eating the old steak, and (unprompted) said that she couldn’t bring out the other steak because she had ate it, and got in trouble with her boss about it.”
Sharing Restaurant Dishes Is Becoming Slightly More Acceptable
By 2.28.09
Good news thrifty diners, you’re not the only ones asking to share dishes at restaurants these days. Thanks to the recession, it’s becoming acceptable for everyone to split their dishes, and restaurants aren’t complaining. “Now all bets are off,” said David Pogrebin, manager of the snazzy French restaurant Brasserie. “People are not ashamed of being frugal.”
Help, This Restaurant Won't Accept My Restaurant.com Coupon!
By 2.24.09
Adam bought a gift certificate coupon from restaurant.com, but the restaurant where he tried to use it turned him down: “They informed me that restaurant.com had started selling certificates to their restaurant without the restaurant’s knowledge or approval.” Now he wants to know what to do.
TV And Radio Stations Sell Restaurant Gift Certificates For 50% Off
By 1.24.09
If you’re in the market for 50% off a restaurant gift certificate, consider checking out your local television or radio station. Yes, really. Many stations receive restaurant gift certificates in exchange for air time. They then turn around and sell the certificates to the public at a steep discount. Yeah, it sounds strange to us too, but here’s how it works…
Is It Ever Acceptable Not To Tip At A Restaurant?
By 10.12.08
Society has determined that service at a restaurant is worth between 15%-20% of the final bill, but is it ever acceptable not to tip?
Are Female Diners Second-Class Citizens At Fancy Restaurants?
By 10.8.08
The New York Times has an article today about gender and dining-out. They interviewed Steve Dublanica, author of “Waiter Rant,” and he had some unpleasant things to say about how groups of female diners are treated at restaurants.
California Tortilla Cashier Screams At Disabled Customer Who Accidentally Spilled Tray
By 9.28.08
Update: The owner of the California Tortilla left an excellent response, republished inside in full.
Marcellino Ristorante Won't Let Car Crashes, Storms Interfere With Your Dinner Reservation
By 7.20.08
Marcellino Ristorante owner Sima Verzino wasn’t about to let a three-car pileup or “monsoon storms” stop Gerard Montemurro from keeping his dinner reservation. Sima offered to drive Gerard back to the restaurant, but Gerard demurred. After waiting an hour for AAA, he called back and asked if the offer was still on the table…
