Winter Rudeness............ (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Miami: sales, buy, casino)

[khuntrevor]

When I first moved here in the 90s, I came in May and started golfing a lot. Almost became an advance beginner. Green fees were low and there was never any pressure to go faster or get out of the way. It did get pretty hot, but having originated in Miami, I was OK with the heat. Then the Winter rolls around, and by February they were charging 5 times more to play, and if you were one minute late for your T time, you would hear about it, and there were bad shots going in all directions. So I started thinking that the Summer was actually a good thing. I noticed this in restaurants and bars, too. The places I had been regularly going in the slow season would seem to forget about me in the Winter. Service and quality went down to the point that I was glad to see all the snowbirds leave. They were just overwhelmed with the crowds, etc..

Last Friday, it was dejavu. I went to George and Dragon's (near my house), for the third time in a month. Ordered the same thing: One Anchor Steam. Had been 2.50. Last Friday, she says 3.75, I ask if it is Happy Hour, she says yes. I said they were 2.50 8 days earlier, and I would show them my cc bill if they liked. She stomps over to the register, pushed some buttons, and comes back and says just give me 2.50. She didn't apologize, she didn't ask me if I wanted to run a tab (the other 200 times I had been in there over the years I did), and gave no explanation. The owner (A Brit) was standing right there. I drank my beer and left zero tip and walked out. I've even posted on this forum that I thought G & D was a good Happy Hour, even though the food is as bland as a Swanson's pot pie (for 12 X). It was Friday at 18:30, and it was only half full, with zero attractive ladies at the bar. I will never step foot in there again.

Do you think this was an isolated incident, or has anyone else observed the Winter Rudeness in Phoenix?

Tomorrow I'm going to do the 5 Dollar Prime Rib on 7th Street. I will let you all know how it went.

Sorry for the borderline rant, but I like to be a friend of the partying consumer.

[TootsieWootsie]

I doubt it was winter rudeness that was the fault. Sounds like you got someone who just has a nasty attitude, and they are all over. Non illigitum carborundum (I think that's the correct Latin) which means "Don't let the bastards get you down." So, don't....cause they usually are not worth your time, it isn't personal as they are probably nasty with everyone and karma is a booger. You be the nice person you are.

[Finger Laker]

Or it could be timing - sounds like supply/demand as much as anything

I know a lot of bars that have regular pricing & weekend pricing .... luring people in with cheap drinks during the slow times and then charging more when the people are going to be there anyway

same with golf ... a lot less people wanting to play in the summer, so you can get more free reign and it's generally more laid back ......... in the winter things get a little more busy, so they want to ensure pace, timing, etc .... they have a lot of people wanting to pay and a lot of people paying good money so they need to do their best to keep everyone happy

although, i have gone out in the winter on a course that wasn't busy, received a steeply discounted rate and had a fun round without the crowds .... was actually kind of common last winter

i do notice some slip in service when people get overwhelmed .... kind of stinks, but you just have to kind of roll with it sometimes

[khuntrevor]

There was no dispute about it being Happy Hour, like it had been for the last 15 years Mon-Fri from 4-7.

[Ritchie_az]

I don't think there is such a thing as "winter rudeness" in Phoenix. "Summer rudeness", maybe....

[khuntrevor]

The waitresses in Laughlin told me that some of the Snowbirds regularly leave a 15% tip--of course, they are having the 99 cents breakfast special.

[henry1]

yes i did notice that when i lived out there about the summer and winter time prices on things ... i started to love the summers when i lived there because of the prices on some basic things in the places where i went for lunch or out for a night in the summer time was alot cheaper than the winter time when going out to places..

one of the local watering holes that i went to basically after work some of the people got togerther and told the owner of the place if he raised his prices on the food and drink in the winter time because now of the socaller tourist trade was around that they would stop comeing into his place because it us who came in when 110 degrees outside in the summer time and kept you alive dureing the socalled summer months and it worked for the prices stayed the same price all year round..

[henry1]

Originally Posted by DixieWrecked

15% is pretty low-end for a tip, I am surprised they tipped at all I was a server for years here in Phoenix and snowbird would only tip $0.50 usually all in coins.

Originally Posted by khuntrevor

The waitresses in Laughlin told me that some of the Snowbirds regularly leave a 15% tip--of course, they are having the 99 cents breakfast special.

most the socalled snowbirds are hated by the people who work as servers because of there tipping habit or lack of tips as one person who talked to about..one of the things get me about the socalled 99.cents special that they have and then leave a nickle or quater tip and think it a good tip..

when i hit the specials i try to leave at least a buck for the tip to the server and i think it funny when you try to tell the socalled big tipper say that they are leaveing a good tip when they say they left a 50.cent tip on a 99.cent meal there in some of the casino in Vegas and Laughlin areas ..

[azriverfan.]

It's absolutely true. And to be honest, the service in the Phoenix area was much worse when the economy was stronger particularly in restaurants. One of the few perks of the poor economy was better service since restaurants and stores actually fought for your business. My wife and I were talking about this the other day. I remember going to Best Buy in 2005-2007 and you couldn't find anyone to help you. All the sales associates were busy helping others since the stores were so crowded and if you tried to ask for help, the sales associates would give you an evil stare like "How dare you bother me." I remember going there in 2009 and the sales associates would chase you down and offer to help. Dining in Scottsdale was awful during the strong economy. Servers were rude knowing there were more people waiting for a table and wanted to rush you to get someone else seated. These past few years, you can go to a trendy restaurant in Scottsdale and the server is extremely polite and wants to ensure you had a great experience.

Anyway to answer the OP's post, yes, there is absolutely "winter rudeness" in the Valley. One of the things I look forward to in the summer is the improved service and less congestion at restaurants and stores. You will notice improved service particularly at bars in the summer and most definitely on the golf courses when even Troon and TPC will be very cordial and treat you like you are the President. The same clubs will act like you are a peasant in the winter time when the snowbirds and tourists roll in. It's so typical.

The best way to get back at rude servers is to expose them. If they work for a chain restaurant or bar, go to their website, provide a formal complaint about the employee but do so in a professional and tactful manner. Notifying the manager of the restaurant is worthless because they often provide lip service and then protect their employee. If you notify corporate, the manager gets called out and then he or she has to discipline the rude employee in some manner. To expose a rude employee at a local restaurant or bar, post your experience of the restaurant on Yelp and state the server's first name. You can also send a formal letter to the owner of the pub.

[Donna in AZ]

Originally Posted by DixieWrecked

The rudeness is often caused by the higher number of snow-birds in town, driving under the speed limit and creating aggressive drivers.

Had to drive or C R A W L through old town today.

Lost my cool 1 or 3 times.

Canadians drive fine, it's the mid-westerner's. Ugh.