What's it like to be an everyday regular in a restaurant?

What's it like to be an everyday regular in a restaurant?

Pretty regular.

you really lowkey want that fpbp eh?

My dad was one, when he was alive. He'd take me to the same local mom and pop diner in the 1980s almost every day. They even served some of our crops.

>what was is like?

Like pure social comfy. Everyone had separate conversations but more often than not the entire diner was engaged in a single big conversation. Someone would come in and tell a story or local news and everyone would listen and comment. There was no TV there, no one had smart phones, local news was by word of mouth only. Not very many read papers since most were engaged in conversation.

Today that diner is gone and so are all the family owned places. Everything is replaced with name brand fast food joints and "family restaurants" which are staffed with Asians and only have a buffet.

>Today that diner is gone and so are all the family owned places. Everything is replaced with name brand fast food joints and "family restaurants" which are staffed with Asians and only have a buffet.
I guess people wanted to fuck off from that diner and similar places as soon as the tech allowed them to.

when i start to get the feeling like I'm a "regular", that means it is time to switch

Only to realize that they miss them once they are gone.

Part of the working-class American dream. The food is simple and greasy but good. It's just a great place for old timers and blue collar guys to shoot the shit before their shift starts

They don't miss them enough to make them viable though.

You never know how good things are until they are gone.

Like right now. We have it pretty fucking good. It won't be like that for long. Things always change and people don't like change.

They can't miss them. All those people are dead now.

>Things always change and people don't like change.
People don't like change yet they wanted to fuck off from "social" diners with regulars as soon as they could. Really makes you think.

Employed or rich.

i get this way too... why the fuck is that?

You've never eaten at a buffet family restaurant have you? It is the same thing, only Asian are serving you and the food comes from all over the world.

It's the same thing yet the oldschool diners you are moaning over have all failed and disappeared. Maybe you are missing something.

it's not the same thing. buffets lack friendly banter with the waitress and they attract more families.

literally the different between eating out of trough and eating live a respectable human

Asians have no qualms about paying off health inspectors.

This. Asians, at least Chinese, are disgusting people.

All Asians are dirty.

MUH

I go to the same bar every weekend with my girlfriend, mom and dad and when we walk in and sit down the waitress comes over and brings us all the drinks she knows we like and we talk for a bit, then three of us order the same food and my dad always orders something different, so we the waitress says he "surprises her every time" and we all have a laugh. Very good time.
We're also regulars at this pizza place that my dad has been going to since the 80's and we walk in and the chef in the back always says hello to us and our pizzas are always nice, and we always get the best table.

If you go somewhere atleast once a week you'll become a regular naturally.

Why do your health inspectors have such low morals?

>grocery store across the street from where I work has a salad bar and dining area
>start going there every day since it is cheap and healthy
>all cashiers get to know me
>realize i forgot my wallet one day and they let me eat for free
>QT cashier writes her phone number on my receipt without me noticing until later
>never went back

Sounds really expensive. Why would I waste my money eating out every single day?

i think some people do it for comfy feels that allow them to make it through the day at their wagecuck job.

in other words, something to look forward to.

>the waitress says he "surprises her every time" and we all have a laugh. Very good time.
Golly gee, Brian...tell us more.

Faggot.

I haven't seen the breakfast club before. Why are you being so aggressive? Who hurt you?

I've been a bartender at a family pub for about 6 years. I've known some regulars who come in almost everyday (sometimes 2-3 times a day). You get to know them pretty well, it's almost comfort thing in my opinion. I already know what they want when they walk through the door.

We actually had a regular pass away just this week, our restaurant donated flowers and hosted the wake with food and drink provided. All the bartenders ended up being pallbearers.

So in that sense, I guess it's pretty cool to be a regular. It's almost like a second family, or their only family in some cases.

Biggest mystery for me is what these guys talk about every day. I see my brother twice in one week, second time around we are completely silent because everything was said the day before.

do the regulars tip differently than other customers?

i knew a guy who moved one block away from a pub, so he knew he would be a regular there. the first time he sat at the bar he tipped the bartender $50 in hopes he would be well-taken care of on future visits. was this wise?

Did you already tell him about your postings on Veeky Forums?

Because they're all foreigners. Seriously, go to New York City sometime or any big city and look at health inspectors. Almost every single one of them is a Nigerian immigrant. I don't think we should have a fucking Nigerian telling us what is and isn't clean. Not that it matters anyways because if you pay them a few hundred bucks they'll look the other way when it comes to roaches and rats and mold. There's a lot of Indians as health inspectors too, kek

I think by the time you get to that age you've mastered the art of small talk and you can literally talk about nothing for hours and not give a fuck

They sit around and bitch about immigrants, mexicans, blacks, atheists, muslims, the university educated, the guv'mint, etc. At least that's what they talk about here in the south.

The only place im a regular at is the liquor store near me.

Like real life Facebook when people knew how to interact in person but nobody got rich off it.

the solve the world's problems with overly simplistic solutions. also the weather and trucks.

Dweeb

Ditto.
I actually rotate liquor stores because I'm too embarrassed to look them in the eye.

yup

>All the bartenders ended up being pallbearers.
It's sad that guy didn't have actual friends/family to serve as pallbearers

I feel bit ashamed showing up ten minutes after any of my four package stores open. But it gos away when I get home.

There's no reason to tip that much, just too well. I normally just tip per drink at my local bar and always get good service and usually a drink on the house out of every 3 or 4 that I buy

I rotate stores and they all still know my face. I have a few back in my hometown and they still remembered me. Places I haven't been for years and the cashier asks where I've been. Fuck it I don't care anymore.

once the staff knows what I'm going to order, I stop going there

I don't know if I'd call myself a regular, but there are a couple of bars I frequent that I know the names of the bartenders and occasionally go alone and just chat and banter with them, or kinda flirt back n forth with some of the girl ones.

I usually end up tipping them better than I would at a different bar or restaurant with a "stranger" bartender. I think they appreciate it cause they're always friendly and it's pretty common to get free shots here and there or a couple beers 'left off' my tab.

I don't think I'd necessarily go and do what your buddy did. Sounds kinda weird, like he's trying to buy his way into the social system instead of playing the game. Just go and be friendly and over time people will get to know you, like anything else, if you're generous to them they'll typically be generous in return.

>local healthy grocery store almost right outside my front door
>check it out one day, interesting food, prices decent
>start going all the time, employees recognize me
>one day girl that works there making small talk while I pay for food
>ask me what I'm doing that night
>I stammer something out
>other girl there says not to bother me
>I quickly leave, stopped going altogether

Happened years ago, still live right by there and walk past the place all the time.

>flirt with some guy that frequents your workplace
>he stops coming completely

Shit I bet she killed herself.

Being a "regular" or a "that guy" is frightening. I hate to have anyone recognize my face and what I like to buy, order, etc.

Then they like to strike up a conversation. There's a place by my house. I went in one day, the waitress guessed what I wanted based on previous visits and engaged in small talk. Why?

Don't be so presumptuous. I don't want to talk. I don't want to know you. I don't want you to know me.

I got what I wanted, left and never went back. It's been 7 months since then. I've quit going to no less than two or three other restaurants or groceries since.

>other girl there says not to bother me

bahaha you have a protector. kek

hello beta cuck

same why would i spend $10 on breakfast every day

Employed here. Fuck that noise. Costs me $40 a week for all of my meals.

You have issues dude.

Some people enjoy socializing and it is worth the extra cost to them. I don't go out that often but I still have my preferred spots and recognize faces when I go back.

I'll know I've made it when I can do what I do now and I don't even have to think about money. Right now, I only let myself go out about once or twice a week but I still gotta budget a little, i.e. decide if I want to go out and have a few drinks with friends or get a case of beer for my fridge for the week. When I don't have to compromise that I'll be happy :)

idk about a restaurant but I'm a regular at the local bar.
when I walk in they automatically know what I want and I don't even have to ask. Pretty nice desu.

what is your average bar bill?

It's weird to read this post and know that you believe you're the reasonable one.

So you're a racist and just want to go somewhere with a bunch of other white people and talk about white people stuff? Then just say that so people could have more easily ignored this thread

It's nice.

You get to know the owner by name. You chat with the servers about tv shows and music and stuff. Sometimes they don't let you pay for your meal. You give them good tips in return. They ask you to help them taste test new menu items. They let you know when they've got good shit in.

It's just nice.

On a regular weeknight normally only around $8-10 depending on what I tip.
On the weekends I normally rack up a $20-$30 tab.

I would eat alone at this little place during the week, but on Fridays there are a group of us at work who go out to eat together. I felt like such a boss bringing in 8 new customers to the restaurant. The owner would hook me up after that.

That sounds comfy as hell.

don't you have a hashtag to be supporting you left leaning parasite?

I do this too and they still remember me and know me as an alcoholic.

Same.

t. Corporate Schill

I know how you feel.

This.