muriel
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posted on April 13, 2001 03:51:47 PM new
Ok, you and your significant other go to a nice restaurant. You're seated, and your server comes to your table and says "Hi, how are YOU GUYS doing this evening?". Does anyone else resent being called "you guys" when you're clearly not both guys??
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bunnicula
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:02:58 PM new
Nope. "Guys" has slipped into common usage as referring to a group of people (male, female, or mixed). It is a versatile word because it can also be used to mean *just* males.
What annoys *me* in a restaurant is to walk in by myself and have the a waiter or waitress say "just one?" Just one? As if being a single diner is somehow a step down on the scale from a couple or group? Not worth wasting table space on? Really gets my goat...
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zilvy
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:04:17 PM new
OH GAWD I can't believe you brought up my pet peeve! I HATE that phrase!!
My first answer was....."Well, I've heard of UGLY women but not That UGLY! (I am a pleasant looking older woman with hair long enough, even from the back to look feminine!
Reaction: ooooh, errr, no offense!
I am very sorry. Male waiter.
Another time, because, she was a wonderful
attentive young waitress and I told her this as I was handing her the tip. I also suggested quietly that when dealing with older people she might want to say something like "How are you folks this evening?"
She said gee I never thought it didn't sound
right! I asked her, would you call your grandparents GUYS? No never.
Another time (I gotta get myself to more upscale restaurants) I said US GUYS IS GREAT HOW ARE YOUZE GUYS DOIN?? My husband nearly
fell out of his chair.
By the way these were all high end restaurants not a bar & grill.
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zilvy
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:08:04 PM new
Bunni Oh that's another one, as a sales representative on the road and out of town many times I would go to dinner alone and be asked, (as I stood there in all my singular splendor)How MANY?? Many times I would answer One and a half!! Or the peons will not be joining me this evening.
Try the one and a half sometime and watch the
expression!
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kcpick4u
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:11:09 PM new
All right all of you Gals what is wrong with "being one of the Guys"
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Borillar
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:12:32 PM new
zilvy: My favorite response to that question is: "Fourty-two -- we like to change seats every few minutes!"
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bunnicula
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:16:10 PM new
Zilvy: Oh yeah, How Many? -- that's another one. Last time I was met with "How many" when I was on my own, I looked behind me and to both sides, then looked at the waiter as if I wondered about him and replied "one"...
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Powerhouse
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:20:43 PM new
In defense of the 'how many' question - it is not uncommon to have a group meet where one or two arrive before the rest.
I think it is acceptable to ask an arrival how many due to the frequency of this occurence.
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muriel
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:20:45 PM new
Oh now, YOU GUYS, sometimes a group of people will meet at a restaurant, and even though only one person is there at that moment, they might be expecting 12 more. The first person to arrive at the restaurant is the "scout" and he/she warns the hostess that there will be another 12 in the posse. (Just call me "Devil's Advocate".)
Edited to say "Like minds think alike!"
[ edited by muriel on Apr 13, 2001 04:22 PM ]
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Powerhouse
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:23:46 PM new
LOL! That truism can be a very scary thing, Muriel.
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RainyBear
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:31:44 PM new
I like the expression "you guys" and I use it, regardless of the gender of the people I'm addressing. It's a great all-purpose casual greeting.
And yes! It's never safe to assume that one person alone is the only person who is going to show up. I worked at movie theaters when I was in school, and I always had to ask how many tickets to punch up because one person often bought for a group. Sometimes someone is dropped off at the door while another parks... there are lots of different possible scenarios.
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scrabblegod
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:50:06 PM new
On more than one occasion, when my wife and I have been out to dinner, the waiter/waitress will walk up from behind and ask "How are you ladies this evening. Pay more attention when you speak. Just because my hair is down to my butt does not mean it is 2 women. Bye Bye tip.
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bunnicula
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posted on April 13, 2001 04:59:25 PM new
scrabblegod:  I can sympathize. I wear my hair very short and often get called "sir". Doesn't offend me. You've got to pity people walking around with eyesight so bad that they can't see the 40D's adorning my upper body...
edited cuz "you've" only has one "y"
[ edited by bunnicula on Apr 13, 2001 05:00 PM ]
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sugar2912
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posted on April 13, 2001 05:39:15 PM new
Bunnicula, Braggart! Me and my li'l 37B's are quite offended! {and jealous!}
Back on topic, around here we say things like "How are all y'all doin t'night?"
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femme
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posted on April 13, 2001 06:24:47 PM new
Au contraire...having breasts is no guarantee of gender.
I had a male(married and a father) piano tuner who was taking hormones in preparation for a sex change.
It's a looonnnggg story.
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yeager
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posted on April 13, 2001 08:34:03 PM new
Isn't "you guys" primarliy a northern saying? As opposed to "ya'll" which is often spoken by the people from the south. I once met a woman who said the first time she heard "you guys" she didn't know what was being said. Similar to over yonder or yonder instead of over there.
I agree with the poster who remarked that when someitmes a waitperson says, "just one?" it's sometimes said it a certain down tone in the voice. Which to many indicates a lesser position.
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BlondeSense
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posted on April 14, 2001 12:34:52 AM new
I think you're right yeager. I grew up in Illinois where "you guys" was commonly used. After living in Texas for 20 years I pretty much deleted it from my vocabulary. Now when I visit family up north and say "y'all" I get strange looks.
Jist cain't win.
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spazmodeus
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posted on April 14, 2001 02:11:25 AM new
Bye Bye tip.
For THAT? C'mon, are you serious? Does it matter that the person waiting your table works their ass off to provide good, friendly service -- would you still withhold the tip for a harmless mistake? Waiters and waitresses depend on tips to survive. To withhold a gratuity for something so ineffectual seems silly.
Btw, my hair's only halfway to my ass and I get called "ma'am" too sometimes. But I don't get offended. Besides, enjoying the embarrassment of the person once they realize their mistake is well worth it.
femme,
I want to hear about the piano tuner!
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femme
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posted on April 14, 2001 04:40:29 AM new
I'm not at all bothered by "you guys". I've been known to use it myself.
Really hate the word "gals", though.
In my neck of the woods, we say "you'ns" in place of y'all. (I've never put it in writing, so I don't even know if that is how you would spell it).
I've really tried to break myself of the habit over the years, but I'm sure it still slips out.
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scrabblegod
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posted on April 14, 2001 05:32:44 AM new
No, the remark about the tip was more of a joke. The look in their eye is enough.
On the suject of tips, how much do you think most people leave. I most times leave 20% unless the service is bad. I do not punish the (waitstaff)? for the kitchen staff either.
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spazmodeus
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posted on April 14, 2001 06:31:59 AM new
20% at least. I worked in a restaurant through high school. It stays with you, and you're reminded of it every time you go into a restaurant for the rest of your life.
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Muriel
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posted on April 14, 2001 08:20:21 AM new
GALS! UGH! I hate that word. I work for a financial company in a small town and I am a Personal Trust Administrator. It just grinds me when my two co-workers and I are referred to as the "PT Gals". 
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zilvy
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posted on April 14, 2001 08:32:06 AM new
Muriel What would you want to be called?
A. Girls?
B. Them?
C. Old Crones
D. Women??
c. Those Guyz?
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Muriel
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posted on April 14, 2001 08:36:10 AM new
"Horny Broads". Heh heh.
I would like to be referred to as the "PT Administrators".
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zilvy
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posted on April 14, 2001 08:41:45 AM new
Tsk tsk tsk....if the foo s**ts wear it!
PT = Pretty Tractable?
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