Here we are, 2017!  Who would have thunk it? Way back in 1967 even the year of 2000 seemed like an unimaginable number. Do we even remember what the year of 2000 was like? The only significant fact of that year was that the Russians were the only ones in 1999 who could not afford to reconfigure their computer systems for the turning of the year 2000, so they did not bother with the adjustment. Of course nothing happened and the Russians saved big cash! The 1999 fear of computing disaster was there though and was felt world wide.

I have a new fear, or perhaps it is only a trend. Nelly and I have visited Winnipeg numerous times this year, we are visiting our grandson. In Edmonton we always park in a lot near the airport. We are picked up by a 10 seat bus and taken to the airport. The drivers’ never help us with our bags, that to me is a part of the service the driver needs to provide if he expects to get a tip.

This time, on our early return trip from Winnipeg, we stopped at an airport restaurant for breakfast. We seated ourselves. Our waitress came in a timely manner and gave us menus and brought us coffee. We asked for more sugar, the waitress took 2 bags from another table and threw them on our table. Only 2 bags? What if we wanted 3 bags, then we would have to bother her again, or get them ourselves from a nearby table.

Our waitress took our order, the meal came in a timely manner. I ordered 2 eggs over easy, hash browns and sausages. The hash browns were tater tots and had been deep fried. I would call that menu deception. The sausages were also deep fried. It is difficult to misrepresent eggs over easy, they were cooked as asked for. The coffee was strong and to our liking.

Tater tots are not hash browns! We did not protest. Should we have protested? Not wanting to make a scene we remained silent. Most breakfast plates have a little garnish but this one had nothing. Usually the waitress will come by and ask us how the meal is going, this did not happen either.

The 4 waitresses were buzzing around, tending to the 9 other tables of customers. There was a bus girl cleaning tables too.

Upon finishing our meal we waited for the waitress to come by and ask us if we wanted something more, she did not bother. We waited for the bill, it did not arrive either so I went over to the cash registers to seek our waitress. After several minutes she showed up and I paid the bill and gave her a tip.

At that tipping point, I was waffling over whether or not to give her any money, there were after all, good points with the meal, it wasn’t a total disaster and we didn’t protest earlier.

I think this particular restaurant has a manger who is dollar oriented instead of customer oriented, or is this the trend in the industry? Where there are men and women serving customers, there should be a certain level of service, throwing 2 bags of sugar on the table is not good service. Giving tater tots instead of hash browns is not good service.

When do we protest this kind of behavior? Or do we protest at all?

Look at the food service on the BC Ferries. All cafeteria style presentation. We have always found the food to be good and we don’t expect to be waited upon because BC Ferries does not generate that kind of expectation.

As a consumer, I don’t believe that I have unrealistic expectations, for I have been trained by the businesses that provide good service and good products with caring staff.

I hope the Winnipeg airport eatery is only an anomaly and not an industry trend, for if it is a trend, then the job of serving staff is going to be extinct. I know we can survive without staff serving us, but do we want to? I enjoy being waited upon by skilled and caring staff and I’m prepared to tip accordingly, how about you?