First Available Opportunity To Complain

(I am a hostess at a very popular restaurant. It’s a Saturday night during dinner hour and since we don’t take reservations the wait time can be extremely long. This particular night has been hard because the wait time we gave the guest is about 30 off (we base wait time on how long it usually takes to eat a 3 course meal and tonight everyone is “camping”). This irate woman storms up to the desk to see what’s taking so long and since I am the head of the desk my coworker asks for my help.)

Woman: “Where is our table?! I’ve seen people being seated who came in after me.”

Me: “I’m so sorry about the long wait. May I have your name, please?”

(She gives me her name and I notice that she has requested outside seating only.)

Me: “It seemed that you asked for outside seating. The people who came in after you requested first available or inside only. It looks like there are a number of tables on their check outside so it shouldn’t be too much longer. I’m sorry about the delay.”

Woman: “This is ridiculous! If people are being seated inside first you should know to put me inside!”

Me: “Ma’am, you specifically asked for outside. If I assumed that everyone wanted first available then I would have a lot of angry guests. I’m sorry about the wait but you’re the next—”

Woman: “Don’t talk down to me! I was a host for 14 years. I know what I’m talking about. You clearly don’t know how to do your job!”

(She storms off to her husband and continues to glare at me.)

Coworker: “What was that about?”

Me: “People are insane…”