"The Worst Waiter in History" - An Article about Edsel Ford Fong on priceonomics.com

[FunnyJohn]

Probably a subjective judgment. Maybe "the worst waiter in the United States" is more apt. I guess if my given name was Edsel Ford, I'd have a chip on my shoulder too...

"Past steaming woks and chopping blocks and up a narrow, creaky staircase, Edsel Ford Fong -- the world's most insulting waiter --  greeted patrons with a “sit down and shut up!” Routinely, he cussed out his customers, sexually accosted female companions, and unapologetically spilled soup across laps. According to one diner, he was so malicious that he “made the Soup Nazi look like the Dalai Lama.” '

May 26, 2014 - "The Worst Waiter in History" by Zachary Crockett on priceonomics.com

 

As a side note:  In 7th grade, the Lady who served as the cafeteria monitor used to blow a whistle and scream at the top of her lungs, "Sit Down and SHUT-UP" when the decibel level rose to a certain point.  Her nickname was Frau Bartelmo.

[DonRocks]

51 minutes ago, FunnyJohn said:

Probably a subjective judgment. Maybe "the worst waiter in the United States" is more apt. I guess if my given name was Edsel Ford, I'd have a chip on my shoulder too...

"Past steaming woks and chopping blocks and up a narrow, creaky staircase, Edsel Ford Fong -- the world's most insulting waiter --  greeted patrons with a “sit down and shut up!” Routinely, he cussed out his customers, sexually accosted female companions, and unapologetically spilled soup across laps. According to one diner, he was so malicious that he “made the Soup Nazi look like the Dalai Lama.” '

May 26, 2014 - "The Worst Waiter in History" by Zachary Crockett on priceonomics.com

I suspect there were more subtle winks than this article reports - this guy would eventually get his ass kicked if he was like this to everyone.

Durgin-Park in Boston made their business on this very premise, although what was once genuine surliness eventually turned into Tourist Trap Hell. I remember a magazine ad in Boston, with a picture of a scowling waitress, arms akimbo (rolling pin and everything), and the caption said, "Come eat, drink, and be yelled at!" 

JumpTheShark.com

[FunnyJohn]

Everyone sometimes takes a perverse pleasure in being insulted -- if they know it's coming.  That's why Don Rickles has his audience.

[The Hersch]

 

[The Hersch]

On 6/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, DonRocks said:

Durgin-Park in Boston made their business on this very premise, although what was once genuine surliness eventually turned into Tourist Trap Hell. I remember a magazine ad in Boston, with a picture of a scowling waitress, arms akimbo (rolling pin and everything), and the caption said, "Come eat, drink, and be yelled at!" 

I last ate at Durgin Park in I think the mid-70s, when it was a landmark but not yet a tourist trap. The servers were notoriously brusque, but not known for great rudeness. Sort of like the old brigade of waitresses at the Trio in the late 70s and early 80s. Well, Estelle could be breathtakingly rude at times, but that might have been because she was always drunk. I remember I was there once with a slightly timid little boyfriend who ordered something or other for dessert, and Estelle brought him something completely different. My friend wouldn't speak up for himself, but I said "Estelle, that's not what he ordered". She looked down at whatever it was and huffed "he'll eat it" and walked off.