The Waiter Is Unsweet, Too

I live in the big city now, but I’m originally from the deep south of the USA. Even after several years, I still have a bit of my southern drawl. My mother and her best friend have come to visit me in the city, and their drawls are even heavier since they still live back home. I decide to take them to one of my favorite restaurants in the city for brunch. I don’t know at the time that it’s come under new ownership with an almost completely new staff.

Waiter: “And what will you be having to drink?”

Mother: “Just tea for me, thanks.”

Friend: “Same thing for me, too.”

I know they both only drink unsweet tea and add the sugar substitute. I also know the restaurant has a list of hot teas along with their coffees. So, I turn to the waiter and add:

Me: “Oh, the both of them want iced, unsweet tea, please.”

The waiter gives me an unnecessarily judgmental look and scoffs.

Waiter: “This is [City]; we only have unsweet tea.”

First of all, um, no. I’ve definitely found sweet tea in [City], thanks. Second of all, your own menu has, like, seven types of tea on it! And third of all, thanks for just assuming that I haven’t lived here for seven years just because I have an accent.

The food ended up not being as good as it used to be anyway, so between declining quality and condescending waiters, I haven’t been back since.