Waitresses, Restaurants, and Age

Yesterday we went Olive Garden. I was greeted by a nice young guy and told him 6 in the party and non-smoking. Then I watched the waitress pick up 5 menus and 1 child menu. J was 12 yesterday and I know that this particular restaurant you have to be under 10 to get a child's menu. I whispered quietly to the waitres (or server), "We don't need a child's menu."

At some restaurants, such as TGI Friday's, the server would try to guess S's age. The lowest age to get their child menu was 12. So the server was sizing her up and asked me about a child's menu for her. I shook my head no that she couldn't get one. When we got to the table S would growl under her breath, "Don't I LOOK older than 12? What do I have to do to look OLDER?" S did look older. She was nearly as tall as me (when this happened), the server was a poor guesser. Now she's a little taller than me and no longer gets a child menu. But J, still hasn't got his growth at 12 and the server always sizes him as way younger. Once we had a waiter who said, "Hey buddy! How 'bout a refill on that drink?" It made him feel like a little boy of 9 or younger. Because the waiter certainly wasn't his buddy! Or he hates it when they call him "sweetie" or "partner." Waitresses should realize this that boys do not like this at all.

I like the servers who ask if we need a child's menu or not. Very polite and very professional in their manner, I would like to tip these people.

Although there are times when we DID want to pass them off younger than 12 or 10 just to get a cheaper bill. I remember times when I was younger going to the movies and how I passed under a certain age. I would get in the cinema and laugh. I pulled a fast one on them! It cost a whole lot less. Then there are times, I remembered being older and I didn't look eighteen. I had to whip out some identification. I remember going to the State Fair where they had a "guesser." He could either try to guess your weight or age. I opted for the age and he guessed me younger than I really was! I loved it!

Speaking of age, often times I look for that "senior citizens" discount wondering how old you have to be for certain service to kick in. For instance, when we go to a hotel, I try to get a 50 plus rate on the hotel. Someday we will be pushing 60 and will want to take advantage of the "benefits" of being older. But then again do I WANT to look older at 60?

I think when you are over 12 you want to look older. But if you are 60 plus you don't want to look older. Funny, how that works out! ;)