Some restaurant-goers will never complain about the food or customer service they’ve received while dining out, no matter how bad of a time they’re having. For many, it’s because they follow the age-old adage to never mess with someone who is handling your food.
There are pieces published online, however, by folks who’ve suggested ways diners can “complain better” at dining establishments.
A viral TikTok posted by a Nashville-based server named Alison (@alisonfit) discussed customers would fall into this demographic. The three women she served didn’t like a sushi roll they ordered, and it appears that they let Alison know they were dissatisfied with their purchase in a pleasant-enough manner.
However, after the TikToker went into a bathroom stall during her shift, she inadvertently became privy to a conversation between the diners who entered the restroom, not knowing the employee was within earshot of everything they said.
Alison, who has posted about her misadventures in serving previously, heard what their real thoughts were about the food, her service, and the manager as well, and she relayed the stress she felt while seated on the toilet, not knowing how she was going to face the women as she hoped to avoid an awkward interaction with the diners.
@alisonnfit ♬ original sound – Alison
Alison details that after the women complained about the sushi roll, they were able to comp the item for the table.
“So I had the weirdest f*cking experience tonight at work and I just have to tell you about it,” she dished. I had a table of 3 girls, I work in downtown Nashville, and I guess they didn’t like their food or a roll or something so they asked for a manager while I was going to the bathroom.
She notes, “I’m always in the bathroom avoiding work, whatever,” before continuing, “So what ends up happening is they asked for a manager they said they didn’t like a roll.”
Though they didn’t like the menu item, they were kind to her and told her that the rest of their experience at the restaurant was great and they were very happy with the level of service they received from her.
“And they ended up just telling me, oh, the service was great, we loved everything it just was the roll. Everything was amazing though. You did amazing.”
Then, Alison headed to the bathroom, and that’s when she became an accidental fly-on-the-wall of the group’s conversation: “So then I go back to the bathroom, right, avoiding work per usual…and I’m literally mid sh*t, okay? The girls walk in talking sh*t about … the sushi.”
She conveyed, “Immediately I recognize their voices and they were like oh my gosh that food was f*cking disgusting. There’s like a crack, a big crack in the bathroom stall, so they like we can make eye contact. That’s how big that crack is. So my head’s down, like dude, pinch this sh*t off I need to go, but like how am I gonna? I can’t leave. The bathroom is like literally the size of a half bathroom. It’s small and so there are three girls, one’s in the stall, two girls are waiting.”
While seated in the stall, the server heard the women insult the food in the restaurant, along with her and her manager. She expressed concern in the video, stating that she didn’t know how to go about exiting the restroom without coming face to face with the diners.
“And so like they’re talking crap about my manager, about me, talking about the food how gross it was, and how the girl was like, ‘Oh, thank God, I complained to the manager, we got a discount,’ yadda, yadda, yadda, after they told me like everything was great, right?
“So then I’m embarrassed for them,” she noted, “Second hand embarrassment … I cannot go out right now, have them see me. I don’t even know what I would say cause they’re talking crap and so I’m sitting … on this toilet for like five to eight minutes.”
It’s at this point in the video that one of the women in the group decided to get snoopy and comment on Alison’s presence.
“And the girl, I guess, saw me on my phone cause I had my phone on my thigh I’m like scrolling through Instagram,” as someone might while trying to wait such a situation out. “She goes, ‘Is anybody going to the bathroom in here or are they just sitting on their phone?’ because she saw me through the crack. I’m like, ‘Okay, first of all call me out, fine. But like, you’re literally talking sh*t about me and the restaurant and the food … I don’t even wanna be here, girl. Like I don’t even like it here.”
At this point in the video, Alison said that the two girls waiting around in the restroom decided to leave the area. While the other woman was in the stall next to her, she decided to get up and walk out. When she did, she says she made “eye contact” with the women, greeted them, and went on her way.
“So anyways, so the two girls walk out, and that one girl’s in the stall, like waiting, like going to the bathroom and she’s gonna leave and I’m like, I just gotta go. So I don’t even think, I get up, I walk out of the bathroom, the two girls are standing there. We make eye contact.”
She then said hi and left, and relayed that in spite of their smack-talking, they still ended up tipping her 20%.
One commenter who saw Alison’s video shared how they would’ve handled the situation: “I honestly would have washed my hands really long so they couldn’t because they felt uncomfortable.”
Someone else joked that they would’ve spoken up while they were on the can. “I woulda told them I’m making them a fresh roll rn lol.”
Another said, “I would be soo LOUD and have a field day with them.”
One commenter took issue with the fact that there was a crack in the bathroom stall door, and wanted to know why they exist in the first place.
“Ok but can we address the bathroom stall cracks? Why are they still a thing ?”
One user urged Alison not to worry about the opinions of the guests, noting, “Those kinds people don’t matter, they are snotty little bitches that have no life.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Alison via email.
