Can we all take a moment to gather hands and send out some positive energy to Annie who went to Applebee’s only to have her lunch totally ruined? It seems that while she was there, she witnessed something that disgusted her and I’m not even talking about that sandwich of pulled pork, ham and bacon that she was trying to cram down her throat. The TV was on, as it usually is at Applebee’s, and playing on it was the TV show Bones. As that show is wont to do, it had a scene of an autopsy happening and, as is often the case in autopsies, the body was dead! Yes, Annie was forced to watch actors pretending they were performing an autopsy on a fake dead body and it was so upsetting to Annie that she hardly noticed that the fried onions on her sandwich looked slightly like a plate of intestines. To make matters worse, it was afternoon! And there were kids in that restaurant! Clearly, Applebee’s should only have the TV on the Cartoon Network. Consequently, Annie claims to have barely touched her food, but in all likelihood, she ate every last bite of that Triple Hog Dare Ya Sandwich and classic fries and topped it off with three or four Diet Cokes. She ends her Facebook post with “Have to wait till I get home to get the images out of my head” which leads me to believe that she was writing that status while still in the restaurant.
Umm, Annie, here are a few suggestions for you:
- Try eating in a restaurant that doesn’t have large screen TV’s all over the place. Those types of restaurants do exist.
- If you do find yourself in a restaurant that has large screen TV’s all over the place, don’t look at them.
- If you can’t keep your eyes off the large screen TV’s and you see something that you think is unsuitable for Applebee’s customers, ask someone if they can change the channel. This, of course, will require you to actually communicate with another human being instead of typing your complaints onto your cell phone.
- If they say they are unable to change the channel, don’t look at the screen.
- If your eyes are constantly drawn to the screen like a bird is to a shiny object, maybe you should sit with your back to the large screen TV.
We can only hope that Annie made it home unscathed and was able to get those images out of her head. Maybe she turned on her own television to the calming scene of Guy Fiery stuffing fried pork down his gullet and that erased the more disturbing images of the fake autopsy. Be strong, Annie. We servers only want what’s best for you.
konandi
That’s nothing. With all the NCAA basketball games being on not “sports” channels I’ve had to run across my restaurant to change the channel from some not appropriate moments. Favorite so far has been of a guy holding a donut in one hand and a hot dog in another. You can imagine what came next.
Kate
The customer probably could have dealt with the situation better, chances are the staff didn’t even realize that show was on their TVs. However, it’s completely valid to be grossed out by something like that while you’re eating. She is correct in saying that the show shouldn’t be on the TVs in a family friendly restaurant. The easier answer was to point it out to staff, but there’s no need to be rude to her for being squeamish about dead bodies… most people are.
freewhitebaby
We were at Chili’s one afternoon and we were seated right by the big-screen tv. The channel was tuned to some hunting show, and it was damn gory, with multiple deer being shot and gutted, all close up. It was gross. I waited for the waiter to come back by and politely asked him to turn the channel. He looked at what was on and just said “ok, no problem” and turned the channel. Not nearly as glamorous as pounding away on my cell phone, but quite effective.
Siobhan
I have to amit. For the first time in one of your posts i kinda agree with the customer. Im super squeemish myself and shows that i know are all fake gore like bones still have that stomach turning queasy effect that will put me off my food every time. Although i dont agree with the way she went about complaining. I dont really like people who complain about minor things over social media. I mean minor things like this that can easy be solved by talking to any member of staff. Generally if anyone asks me to change the channel in work its not a problem unless its sports and other people are in to watch it.
stanley hatfield
I have been to the applebees here and the service got very bad so bad I believe whats been said here we me and my wife just stopped going not worth it. the one we went to here has closed down the place got so bad you should not have to wait 5 to 10 min just to be seated when the place is dam near empty. then again just to get order taken .
dead_elvis
Great story, Stanley! I especially like how you include a lot of detail, like where “here” is. Your impeccable punctuation makes it particularly readable & compelling.
Gertrude
I don’t think this was a matter of “safe spaces” at all. Applebee’s is advertised as family friendly and as much as I love crime shows, it’s not appropriate, especially in the afternoon.
Stephanie
I love bones! But I also don’t have to live in a plastic bubble of security and do realize that sometimes not everyone likes the channel the tv’s are turned to. At least it wasn’t fox news, then I would truly feel sorry for you. Did you ask for your meal to be comped? Because your delicate senses were so overwhelmed?
Annie
No i did not finish my lunch. It’s here in my fridge. I shouldn’t have to find someone and ask to turn it off. There should of never been a decomposed head on the tv screen in the first place. All the waiters and waitresses were hanging in the back instead of being out front. No one was at hostess desk either where I tried to complain.
Mike
Haha, there’s no way this is the actual Annie, but on the off chance it is, you’re the worst kind of customer. Don’t eat out at restaurants, please.
Truth be told
Omg I love this story and the responses! If Annie only knew just how awful she really is and how much servers, bartenders, management and hosts were grossed out by a) her disgusting behavior, b) how out of touch with reality she really is and c) how we all wish people like her NEVER go out to eat let alone go to a place where any of us work, she probably would have kept her shitty little comments to herself. Annie do us all a favor and go play hide and go fuck yourself