After a pleasant day out shopping with my sister, we decided to have lunch at a Big Chain Burger joint. We were seated mere feet away from the restrooms (this is key). We ordered our food and began to enjoy. About half way through, I heard a violent coughing begin at a table behind me. At the same time, my sister who was facing that direction turned completely gray, promptly dropped her burger and declared she was done. I asked her what was wrong as I turned in my chair, she grabbed my arm and said DON’T. Apparently, a girl who was about 14-15 years old, began to cough so hard she was THROWING UP all over herself and the table. Her family (Mother and Aunt) quickly abandoned their seats in the booth and just stood and watched her. She had pauses long enough to make her way to the bathroom, but didn’t bother to move, resulting in an even larger mess for the poor wait staff to clean up. During the entire episode, she whined about it coming out her nose.
After she was all done, the mother went out to the car, retrieved a shirt that had been purchased that day and sent the daughter to change in the restroom. The girl’s complaint? “I don’t wanna wear that! It hasn’t been washed yet!” Honestly! One would think that by 14 years old, one would know to at least attempt to make it to the restroom when such things happen. We asked for the bill and left a huge tip for the waitress, knowing she would be one of the people who had to clean up and haven’t eaten there since.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Have you EVER been sick? Like, ever? Seriously.
| 08.15.09 – 8:01 pm | #
If that would have been me, I would have felt sorry for the girl. How embarrassing it must have been to vomit in front of all those people–and in a restaurant, no less. She probably felt too bad to run to the bathroom, and her humiliation must have risen even more when her mother handed her the shirt, which was why she snapped at her. Oh, and "whining" about the vomit coming through her nose? Uh, to quote GottaLoveIt, have you ever been sick? Do you know how horrible and icky it feels to have thick, warm, barf oozing out of your nostrils and restricting your breathing? It isn't pleasant. Nothing about barfing is. But of course you have to complain about how a stranger's illness ruined your meal as if she were sick on purpose. I'm sorry if the incident made you lose your appetite, but you could have been more sympathetic and understanding.
People aren't at their best when sick. Sure by 14, I would expect her to try to get to the bathroom, but hey, we all have bad days. As far as not being back there since…WTF??? It wasn't the fault of the restaurant. I hope this never happens to you, and if it does, I hope no one decides it needs to be written about as you did.
OMG how gross! And wow what nasty comments to you. LOL I guess you could've been nicer about the sick child. But hey, vomitting is a dinner from hell story to me! lol
Why haven't you eaten there since? Thought of it still grosses you out?
ok no doubt this girl was sick..and really when someone is sick they can't be blamed…but her mom and aunt, should have tried and get the girl to the bathroom.
Also seeing someone throw up while you are trying to eat def. qualifies your meal as dinner from hell!
After a pleasant day out shopping with my sister…..
I like stories that start like this, because I know the whinging starts in the very next sentence.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
It was a dark and stormy night.
…I really like this one (winner of the 2009 bulwer-lytton award):
Folks say that if you listen real close at the height of the full moon, when the wind is blowin' off Nantucket Sound from the nor' east and the dogs are howlin' for no earthly reason, you can hear the awful screams of the crew of the “Ellie May,” a sturdy whaler Captained by John McTavish; for it was on just such a night when the rum was flowin' and, Davey Jones be damned, big John brought his men on deck for the first of several screaming contests.
I think I might actually like the story that could follow.
Your story, not so much.
This site is for dinners from hell, and having to listen to, and smell the vomit behind you, qualifies. So, why the griping about someone posting about it?
And, yeah, I've been sick, had vomit come out my nose, and been miserable. Still don't want it happening next to me while I eat.
Why would a customer's inability to make it into the bathroom to throw up make you never want to return to the restaurant it happened? Unless the story was really about yourself or your dining companion, I fail to see why you would punish the business for a customer's, a teen aged child at that, unfortunate incident.