Does This Have Pesto?

All waitresses have their usual nightmares, too many needy tables, families with little kids that leave an unbelievable mess, and the usual jerk who doesn't like the way his beer (margarita, jack and coke, whatever...) tastes.

Last Saturday night, I got to witness a new nightmare first hand.

My restaurant has recently added many new items to the menu. One is a sandwich with several items on it and a new "kicking" mayo. So the customer orders it, and all seems to be going fine. So the food comes out, and everyone starts eating. When the waitress came back to check on everyone, the customer with the new sandwich asked her if there was pesto on it. Apparently he was severely allergic to pesto, and thought he could taste it in the sandwich (which does NOT have pesto, by the way). But it is still new, so the waitress said she thought it might, and she would have to check.

At this point, the customer literally jumped from the table and sprinted to the bathroom to try to get the pesto out of his system. (Yes, he was headed to the bathroom to throw up the meal we just served him.) Needless to say, when the waitress returned to tell him that there was no pesto, it was a little too late. I think everyone at the table, and maybe even neighboring tables, had lost their appetite.

So glad it wasn't me! After hearing this story, I took a second look at the new menu to make sure I knew all the details!