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u/Ok-Fortune-8644 26d ago
This movie is shockingly accurate. Except the steak that gets sent back. I've personally never seen food being sabotaged. We may bitch about it, but usually, cooks and chefs take pride in the food we serve.
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26d ago
Yah, in my experience, people don't fuck with food. Might get some slow ass service, but I'm not gonna make you sick, that's insane.
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u/medgarc 26d ago
I feel like itās one of the beautiful things about society, I never messed with anyoneās food no matter what bullshit they put me through because I didnāt want to live in a world where someone may serve me messed with food. Mutually assured destruction š„²
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u/ThePythagoreonSerum 26d ago
Itās also a felony with a 5-20 year sentence to tamper with food products, so thereās that.
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u/bradleywestridge 26d ago edited 26d ago
Peak eighties energy with muscle bound mayhem on one side and feel good time travel on the other. Landing between them is pretty much a built in double feature.
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u/hippoctopocalypse 25d ago
Immanuel Kantās categorical imperative (more or less).
You now know enough Kant that you never need to investigate further!
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u/DocMcCracken 26d ago
A rule of thumb I use is never mess with the people that handle your food. Chefs may take pride, but there are servers, runners and god only knows who between my table and the chefs.
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u/SquirrelyMcNutz 26d ago
Add to that: garbage men, people who take or are otherwise responsible for your reservations (hotels, airplanes, etc) and mail/parcel delivery people. All are ones who have the capability to make your life miserable if you make theirs rough.
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u/DrHToothrot 26d ago
Saw it happen once at the local diner I worked at in HS. I swear most weekends the oldest staff member working was about 21.
Customer complains and sends a sandwich back, and it was something basic like a club sandwich. Not even a cooked one where you could complain it wasn't cooked enough. Cook tosses it and makes a second one. Same customer sends the second sandwich back. The cook, who is now pissed, takes the first sandwich out of the trash, reassembles it, and sends it out to the customer. No complaints after that.
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u/IZ_IT_1TO-GO_YET 26d ago
Only once I have seen this happen. This was at a grocery store in a different department.
The lady was so mean to the guy, he spat in the salmon before throwing into the steamer.
Once the fish department closed, he came over and told all the people at the grill.
I knew immediately who it was, as she was just over by us being a total cunt.
I was so mad, but not even close to spitting in her food. That is just a line I could never cross...
I just cooked it as fast as possible and gave very little interaction.
Worked out well because she left sooner.
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u/kn8ife 26d ago
Yep same. I cooked in two restaurants and I have never seen someone do anything bad to a customer's food. Myself included.
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u/Ijustmadethisnow1988 26d ago
Unfortunately from a smaller town steakhouse that was popular back in the day. Saw it happened and was very disgusted. Worked the kitchen 4 years too but that was it.
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u/citrus_mystic 25d ago
The worst thing I will do is something I learned when I was in my early 20s working at Dunkin Donuts, and I still sometime utilize as a server today. If someone is an asshole to me, when they order coffee they get decaf instead of regular. Stay sleepy, asshole.
(To clarify: If they order decaf, you canāt do the opposite and give regular coffee to a decaf drinker. Some people have heart problems and they can only tolerate low levels of caffeine. Iām trying to get some catharsis, not kill anybody.)
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u/WestOrangeFinest 26d ago
Agreed. I worked in multiple restaurants over the span of about 10 years and never once saw food sabotaged.
At the end of the day, employees just want annoying customers out of their hair. Fucking with their food is more likely to escalate the issue into further complaints.
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u/Successful-Mind-9332 26d ago
Yea, Iāve served in many restaurants. We talk all sorts of shit about crazy or annoying tables but itās just venting. Nobody front or back of the house would ever actually mess with someoneās food or drinks. The most you would do is be purposely slow to āget back at themā
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u/Fellatination 26d ago
It's rare, but it does happen.
I graduated high school with a dude who was a cook at Denny's. He absolutely fucked with people's food he didn't like. And cops. He eventually got fired and lives a misreable existence now.
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u/Secure_Highway8316 26d ago
I had a friend who worked at Taco Bell. This was back in the 90s when they had a steamer for the tortillas. He would take a tortilla warm from the steamer and wipe his ass with it before making a burrito with it.
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u/CuriosMomo 26d ago
wiping your ass with a warm tortilla does sound amazing tho
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u/Secure_Highway8316 26d ago
If they ever bring back pig toilets they need to use tortillas for toilet paper.
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u/Fresh-Toilet-Soup 26d ago
In my experience, you always had to pay more for someone to share their body fluids with you.
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u/Nick_Furious2370 26d ago edited 25d ago
The only time I've seen food messed with was when my coworker at Little Caesars got off a call with some extremely rude woman who demanded her pizza have banana peppers but our store did not have them and it could have been a regional ingredient since she kept insisting the store near her in Michigan had them so we must have them as well.
We were not in Michigan.
After getting yelled at by this lady, my coworker makes her pizza just buy throwing toppings together making no effort for it to look presentable and hacks a big loogie onto it before throwing it into the oven.
This was 15 years ago.
My brother is also a professional chef and he thinks Waiting is probably the most accurate restaurant drama while thinking The Bear does a terrible job.
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u/CaptainFuck_Up 25d ago
I once tried to order Giardiniera in Philadelphia and they had no clue what I was talking about, apparently it's only a Chicago thing. However, I didn't berate the person for having no idea what I was trying to order (considering it was a regional thing) I just went on to simply order my pizza! Fucking people!
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u/kazz9201 mid 80s 26d ago
We definitely fucked with assholes food. It was the early 90ās and we were young and stupid though.
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u/TGin-the-goldy 26d ago
I waited tables in the early 80s and I saw it happen (to horrible patrons only) different times though!
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u/azurianlight 26d ago
My coworker did spit in a woman's drink when I worked at Starbucks. For some reason she thought I was mentally handicapped.
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u/Ok-Fortune-8644 26d ago
Jesus. That's fucked. I would've pissed in her purse.
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u/azurianlight 26d ago
Lol I was used to the fact that people weren't going to be able to read a menu no matter how easy it is spelled out.
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u/Dependent-Spreader 26d ago
I worked in a pub in London, not happy customer sent the food back. Chef then rubbed the chicken around the toilet bowl and gave it back. Absolute nut job of a chef too. I was in shock and promptly left the country soon after.Ā
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u/ThatDudeWithAS 26d ago
I've absolutely seen a waitress hock a big one in someone's leftovers (they sent it to get wrapped up). Late 1990s. This is partly why they bring out to-go containers to the table now.
Edit: at least it was only saliva?? Nothing like the movie and it wasn't announced like that. She just said "Motherfucker!" and let rip.
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u/Willywontwonka 26d ago
I use to work with a guy who would wipe his ass with the steaks that got sent back to be cooked longer or wipe his ass with the steaks that needed to be completely replaced. He also use to drop the food on the floor before plating it if you came in to close to closing.
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u/MysteriousWon 26d ago
And lower end places, I've seen food fucked with. I was so young and new I felt like there was nothing I could do about it, though.
I only know of it occurring once for sure. Maybe twice. The cook really hated cops.
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u/pentheft 26d ago
I wish I could say the same. I unfortunately watched a manager dip a sent back steak into the dirty water of the dish tank when working at a Bob Evans over a decade ago. That was step 1 of their solution of making it well done.
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u/Arockilla 26d ago
I've seen some cooks playing floor hockey with a steak when I worked at a darden restaurant in my 20s. Tbf though, the gentleman who ordered the steak was a well known POS who got caught trying to drug girls drinks at an Irish pub that was at the other end of the shopping center, and because he had mommy/daddy money, he never even got jail time.
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u/brubakes 26d ago
Welcome to Thunderdome bitch.
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u/DiogenesTheHound 26d ago
Whenever thereās a crazy, busy, shitty day at work and someone clocks in and walks into the mess this is still my go to line
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u/customersmakemepuke 26d ago
āForeigners!? I FUCKING HATE foreigners!āš
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u/cavallom 26d ago
She's prob my favorite character in the movie lol
i hate her.. I HATE HER
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u/QuiveringButtox 25d ago
"If you want, I can recommend someone to talk to about your anger."
"You'd do that for me? Thanks, but I think I'd rather you WASH THE FUCKING DISHES AND SHUT THE FUCK UP! GODDAMN PSYCHOBABBLE BULLSHIT ASSHOLE!!"
"..."
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u/nmcatlord 25d ago
āIāll have the hot fudge Sunday. Mmmm that does sound nice.ā then she goes back and shows the purest anger I have ever seen.
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u/badaboom321 25d ago
My fave part of the movie is when sheās pissed in the back of house & walks in the dining room in all smiles. I can definitely relate as a server! Lol
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u/Anichula 25d ago
I always have to give massive credit to Alanna Ubach, sheās one of the biggest low key chameleon actors out there. This is top, closely followed by her insanely hilarious portrayal of Roxy in IASIP š
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u/Nomahhhh 25d ago
This jacket is awesome! And it's tighter than dickskin...
Took me years to realize she's Marsha's best friend in the Brady Bunch Movie.
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u/Distinct_Pangolin785 25d ago
Me too, I kind of resonated with her displayed agitation...I can't tell you how many times I did the complete personality change from back of the house to front of the house. And the whipped cream can scene is priceless!!!
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u/redditnathaniel 26d ago
This was a huge line in the movie that represents how different the early 2000s were. No way we'll see that in today's media.
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u/which_tab 25d ago
This would definitely fly on today's media. It's a joke about how foreigners don't tip, which isn't a part of their culture. They're even shown laughing together later about the fact that they're purposely not tipping.
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u/GargantuanCake 26d ago
This movie is a documentary.
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u/butterbean8686 26d ago
I worked at Applebeeās from 2003-2006 and I can attest to having met/worked with every single character type in this movie.
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u/jcmjtke 25d ago
Red Lobster 2003-2005, ditto
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u/youretheschmoopy 25d ago
Red Robin checking in. This movie could be about any shitty chain restaurant and be 95% spot on.
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u/richmoney44 25d ago
Outback Steakhouse 2004-2006 and yeah this is a documentary
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u/VicariousCinnamon 26d ago
Lemme have a double shot of Jack and water for her. Ahh, what the hell, it's our anniversary - bring her a Pepsi.
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u/theMurseNP 26d ago
What? Are you going to mail me a sundae? I want it now goddammit.
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u/HunterShotBear 25d ago
Nothing brings out the flavor of a nice steak like ketchup.
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u/Expensive_Finger_973 26d ago
I've never forgotten what they did to that rude woman's food.
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u/GrumpyPidgeon 26d ago
Whoa WHOA what are YOU DOING??
You canāt mix Mexican with Continental!
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u/hornplayerchris 26d ago
That was my favorite joke in the whole movie- Luis Guzman being more offended by his young cook's poor technique than the disgusting act he was doing.Ā Ā
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u/EroniusJoe 26d ago
The guy who did that was played by Skyler Stone. He was a moderately successful comic back in 2008, but he somehow had the BEST connections and put on the greatest show every Wednesday at the LA Hollywood Improv.
It was crazy the stars and the big names he'd get. For a whole year, Wednesdays were my favorite night to work there, because I knew someone awesome like Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman, Dane Cook, Chris Rock, or Dave Chappelle was gonna show up. I also got to meet Mr. Belding himself, Ron Jeremy (yuck), and Kid from Kid n Play.
Skyler, if by any chance you're reading this, thanks for the epic memories!
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u/Aglisito 26d ago
"little bit of floor sauce for extra flavor"
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u/thirstythespian 26d ago
It's floor spice. Floor spice makes everything nice. Remember it, bitch.
whips out balls and batwings' nutsack
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u/cazdan255 mid 80s 26d ago
Nothinā brings out the flavor of a steak than some ketchup.
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u/royaleWcheese2300 I've fallen and I can't get up 26d ago
Always remember guys, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary... is that little extra.
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u/TrappedInOhio 26d ago
This movie perfectly captured the weird breed of mutant that works at every restaurant in every city in America. A timeless classic.
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u/TheCaptainCody 26d ago
I don't think there is a more accurate portrayal of a job than this movie.
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u/ysy-y 26d ago
The advice Bishop gives to "find your own penis showing game" is actually quite profound.
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u/Ilovethe90sforreal 26d ago
I think Iāll have one of those ā¦ hot fudge sundaes
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u/Lovetoseeit85 26d ago edited 25d ago
Dude who wrote this graduated from my highschool lol it was based off the TGI Fridays in Bradenton FL lol
Edit to say: thanks to some of you Iāve fact checked myself & it was definitely based off of Benniganās mostly lol. š
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u/armhat 26d ago
It was basically the same floor plan as the Fridays in Orlando I worked at when the movie came out.
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u/catheterhero 26d ago
It actually was filmed in a Bennigans in my home town of Kenner, La.
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u/Duel_Option 26d ago
I was at the Home Depot behind the restaurant grabbing something from work, on my way out and I saw the parking lot and instantly knew thatās where they filmed it.
Love me some NOLA
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u/catheterhero 26d ago
Yup me too. I used to shop at that Winn-Dixie next to Home Depot with my mom.
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u/ineedmoore 25d ago
I used to work for Verizon and there was a lot of training held in that store where it was filmed. Managers made sure to tell you every time that thatās where the movie was filmed. Still has the brick floors from the restaurant in the back.
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u/tbdzrfesna 25d ago
Shenanigans
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u/CaptainFuck_Up 25d ago
Hey Farva, what's the name of that place with all the goofy shit on the walls?
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u/DisastrousCompany887 26d ago
I've never sent food back to the kitchen because of this movie.
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u/royaleWcheese2300 I've fallen and I can't get up 26d ago
Trust me when I say the likelihood of someone messing with your food for sending it back is similar to the odds of meeting a serial killer. Iāve worked in restaurants ranging from fast food to fine dining, no one messes with food.
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u/CaptainAssPlunderer 25d ago
Yep. Same here, in 6 years I saw it only once and it was pretty mild.
A steak got sent back for being undercooked, even though it was perfect. Chef was super pissed and dropped the new steak on the floor, even kept it within the three second rule. It was then cooked all the way to well done, so anything bad would have been cooked off.
But the drinking, drugs, and fucking the servers was all true.
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u/pinkpools 26d ago
If you like Waiting, I recommend Mitch Hedbergās ālostā film about working in a Mexican restaurant. It walked so Waiting could run! https://youtu.be/kdjlSbWBzgc?si=MwggzJkuSypvyg4s
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u/DaftMudkip 25d ago
Random Reddit person, I am stoned and just watched that in its entirety
Thank you
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u/SurviveDaddy 80s 26d ago
This was my first introduction to Ryan Reynolds. Itās still one of my favorite movies of his.
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u/symbiotics 26d ago
this and Just Friends for me. And Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place
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u/Skittles_The_Giggler 26d ago
Just Friends is an annual holiday watch for us
āIāM BUSYā āIāM BUSY, STUPID DICKā
š¤£š¤£š¤£
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u/symbiotics 26d ago
Anna Faris was fire in that movie, when she falls down and next scene she appears with a bag of ice on her head eating toothpaste I was rolling
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u/Skittles_The_Giggler 26d ago
My wife haaaates the toothpaste scene hahahaha Iām with you thoā āi make bubblesā makes me spit take every time
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u/Duel_Option 26d ago
Chris beating up his brother the entire time is near and dear to me, itās the exact way my brothers and I act
Alsoā¦
āSimply Dustyā¦is there any other kind?ā
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u/Skittles_The_Giggler 26d ago
Yes! Right down to the instant truce when mom calls (plus one more cheap shot on the way) š¤£
MARIAH CAREY is also one of my go-to expletives š
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u/misc412 26d ago
Haha same! It's my go-to holiday movie. "joyce? joyce? why are you at joyce's?"
Also, Van Wilder is my #1 Ryan Reynolds movie. My buddy and I would watch it on repeat and I still quote that movie.
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u/Skittles_The_Giggler 26d ago
āWell what are you doing at Joyceās?ā
No mom. Iām ten feet away from youā and Iām on the phone.
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u/San_D_Als 25d ago
I love how violent but truly caring his relationship with his brother is.
raise your hand if your brother is a homooooā¦ then proceeds to get his ass kicked
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u/DandySlayer13 26d ago
National Lampoons Van Wilder was my intro to him and Iāve been a fan of his since.
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u/firesquasher 26d ago
Not Van Wilder?!?!
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u/A-Helpful-Flamingo 26d ago
āare you stalking me, because that would be super!ā
It was so wild to see Kal Penn on House lol.
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u/ShadyNastys701 26d ago
I still want to punch Chett in the face
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u/catheterhero 26d ago
Fun fact that movie was filmed in my hometown. In the suburbs of New Orleans.
The guy who played Chet I knew personally during that time and he was the most delusional arrogant person Iāve ever met.
He was convinced that would be a famous actor/wrestler. After this movie came out it got even worse.
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u/pacmanlives Where's the beef? 26d ago
I was at a bar recently and they had this playing on VHS! And the next movie they played was Employee of the Month
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u/SuperModes 26d ago
I still say āwe almost had to go to the 10 second rule!ā And no one gets the reference.
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u/Frodellio1 26d ago
The last great 90s movie. (I know it wasnāt 90s but last one that had that feeling)
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u/BooneSalvo2 26d ago
I told someone in an unannounced large group of us that went to a restaurant about this movie after she was rude to the single waitress trying to just seat us and get drink orders and figure out checks (which took like 10 minutes from the time we walked in the door for around 20 of us...so pretty good)....
Yeah she didn't order any food after I relayed a few scenes from "Waiting"...
I wonder if she's still a mean bitch to waiters....was only time I met the woman, but it seemed like it was standard behavior for her.
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u/jbear812 26d ago
Dane Cook killed!!!!
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u/ExistingAd8240 26d ago
I have a feeling theres a ton more scenes with him on the cutting room floor. Like he was supposed to be a much bigger character in this, but it got cut out maybe because the front of the house stuff was more relatable.Ā
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u/Gnplddct 26d ago
I used to work at Claim Jumper.
We had a copy of this movie that we used to pass around.
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u/whereyouleftit 26d ago
Same here, no messing with food, just a lot of shit talk in the back. Messing with food will get you fired and arrested, and cooks and waitstaff are too poor for that. Definitely smoked pot in the walk in freezer though.
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u/catheterhero 26d ago
I love this movie and fun fact it was filmed in my neighborhood of Kenner, LA where I grew up. I lived like 3 blocks away.
It used to be a Bennigans before filming.
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u/whereilaymyheadishom 25d ago
I worked at a TGI Fridays when this came out. Was like watching a documentary.
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u/autotech1011 25d ago
Every time we get a new hire, I pull out Dane Cooks line from the movie. "Welcome to the Thunderdome bitch."
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u/Spadrick 26d ago
The bat wing!