Mike Senker: Bring back the pencil and paper and proper service

A few beach bars where we live have been totally reformed and now look like ‘proper restaurants’ instead of the great-looking places they were before. To be honest, for me, they have lost their character. But worse than that they now all have these little handheld computer thingies to take your order.

Now I’m sure this is very good if it works but in the two or three places I’ve tried so far they don’t and the reason is it’s a computer basically and those things only can do what they are programmed for.

In one place which we always used before the reform, they were always very accommodating. You asked for something and if they had the ingredients you got it – simple. Now out comes the waiter with his little handheld device and starts taking our order. I asked what came with my main meal and he said straw potatoes. I said could I have different potatoes and he said no that’s what it comes with and he doesn’t know how to change it on the computer. So I said go and get a bit of paper and write it down but he didn’t and I got straw tatties.

My friend said he just wanted fried hake and chips. The waiter said fine and pressed lots of buttons and my friend got grilled hake and patatas a lo pobre. It looked lovely but was not what he ordered. And his wife’s didn’t arrive at all because – well actually I don’t know, it just didn’t arrive.

This type of thing has happened to me many times, especially in America where I remember asking for a grilled tomato with my breakfast. The girl said they didn’t have them. Of course, they had tomatoes and a grill but it wasn’t on the computer. I did have a scream up and finally got it. Bring back the pencil and paper and proper service.

If you are going to double park and be some time here’s a little tip for you.  DONT!! OK, just DON’T. It’s ok for a couple of minutes but this week I’ve seen people there for ages and the poor so and so trying to get his car out is just sitting with his hand on the hooter. The right thing to do is if you have to do it just leave a phone number by the windscreen. Then I don’t have to listen to the noise of a p*ssed of driver sitting with his hand on his hooter whilst I’m trying to enjoy my lunch.

Email: mikesenker@gmail.com

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