The Regular Customer, The Usual Order

[Micawber]

My usual
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[czack]

Doesn't speak well for me buy my drink is in my hand before I sit down.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

For the past few weeks, I've been going to this place called "Love Birds", that makes great sandwiches from scratch. Even the bread is made. The order recently has been a chicken salad sandwich on wheat, because for a little over $6 is what I can afford right now, so why not eat a good meal at a cheap price?

 

[dostacos]

You've seen the scene. Man enters a joint, pops up a chair at the counter and says....."Hiya, Al! I'll have the usual"

So what's a "joint" that you regularly tread, where everybody knows your name, or at least some of the employees, and what's your usual?

well at the cafeteria at work all the staff call me DOCTOR PEEPER [best way to write it with their accent ] I might be rolling around anywhere in the hospital and hear it's :eusa_doh: DrPepper

 

[jamespowers]

For the past few weeks, I've been going to this place called "Love Birds", that makes great sandwiches from scratch. Even the bread is made. The order recently has been a chicken salad sandwich on wheat, because for a little over $6 is what I can afford right now, so why not eat a good meal at a cheap price?

Cheap and healthy. Usually those two don't exist together.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Not only that but they are made from scratch. No microwave.

 

[dhermann1]

Jimbo's in Harlem

My office is on Lenox Ave and 125th St, in Harlem, USA. When I want something quick and easy I pop down to the corner to Jimbo's a burger joint that's a destination in itself. You'll see the real Harlem in Jimbo's. I always order a Cheeseburger "con todo", NO fries. Sometimes a chocolate shake. The guys behind the counter are all Mexican, they work their asses off, and get a lot of guff from the customers. Tough crowd, but friendly in their way. Recently they were shooting a movie in Harlem starring Russell Crowe. He tried to slip in and get a burger, but after he'd been there a few minutes he was recognized. "Yo! Gladiator". "Glad - e - ator!" He grabbed his burger and dashed out, very bummed. The guy stood at the door and yelled "Hey! Yo! GLAD - E - ATOR!!!" at him as he dashed down the street.
Anyhow, when I walk in the door now they know what I want without asking. Good burgers, better than Mickey D's and cheaper. Can't go wrong with Jimbo's.

 

[Ande1964]

I've been lucky enough to become good friends with a couple of great bartenders here in my small home town. I do change my drinks sometimes, but more often than not, they see me walk in, give me a big smile, and start pouring my Jack and Diet Coke.

Anj

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Any more?

 

[Diamondback]

At Panera (yeah, I know, "chain" *crowd turns up noses*, but they're both good and healthy, if "not cheap"): Italian Combo (roast beef, salami, ham, Swiss cheese) without pepperoncinis but with olives added, and chicken-noodle soup in a sourdough bread-bowl. Best chicken-noodle I've had yet...

 

[KY Gentleman]

I am a huge creature of habit so I generally go to the same four or five places every week for anything I may need. I enjoy being recognized and being "a regular". I stopped in a place I had not been in for a week or two and the guy behind the counter yelled "hey, where have you been? Did you go on a diet or something?". Since I work with the public I try to remember peoples faces or names because I like the way I feel when this happens to me.

 

[Smuterella]

My usual
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good choice

 

[ContinentalOp]

Bukowski's Tavern, Boston. It's been a few years since I've been there, but it got to the point where it didn't matter what time I went in there because the entire waitstaff knew me. They would have an opened Corona in front of me as soon as I sat down, ready to take my order for a burger and fries. Once I ran into the manager at Dunkin' Donuts and she bought me a Coolatta drink.

I've been a regular at a number of different sandwich shops in various parts of the country. A few establishments would actually start making my sandwich as soon as I opened the door.

I gotta say, it's a nice feeling.

 

[Feebeeps]

My usual was once a turkey sandwich at the Roxy deli in Times Square during the day or a plain slice of cheesecake after a show. They knew me pretty well there so it wasn't a problem saying "I'll have the usual".

If I tried that type of thing here they wouldn't know what to put down, even if they knew me and my usual likes.

 

[Pink Dahlia]

I wish I had a place like this! I can't even get recognized at the grocery store I frequent 2 to 3 times a week! (Maybe the employees would recognize me if they would stop $#%^ing talking to each other for a minute).

 

[GeniusInTheLamp]

The local Indian restaurant. Every time I go to the Sunday buffet, the waiter always knows what to get me: Coke, easy on the ice, with a lemon (we are talking Sunday here).

And whenever my father and I go to the nearby Giordano's, the waitress always knows to get me a Sam on draft and him a Jack on the rocks.

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

Mmm....

My better half and I are regulars at a local Chinese buffet called Hunan. Yes, it's a buffet, so, everyone has the same "usual", but there's more. When we go in 95% of the time we have the same waitress, and we are always seated in the same corner booth. She knows our drinks and brings them ASAP, and also knows to bring me a pair of chopsticks. We actually brought the place a Christmas card last season. Unfortunately it didn't get us anything free. Oh well, I can't complain about $4.95 for an all you can eat lunch buffet.

 

[KY Gentleman]

We used to frequent a Shoney's restaurant every Sunday for the breakfast buffet. We always asked for the same server who came to call us "Sweet" and "UnSweet" because of our iced tea orders....

 

[Vintage Betty]

I'm a creature of habit, so I used to go to an Indian restaurant that was family run during college. It was really great, because I had a regular table that they sometimes cleared out people eating there for me. :eusa_doh:

But the best part was that they had two sons my age and felt protective of me. So I would force first-time dates to take me there, and the sons would make sure to watch my table, and when my date went to the bathroom asked if everything was ok and what I thought of the person. :eusa_clap To this day, I regret not ending a first and last date over dinner when that person drank too much and asking one of the sons to call me a taxi.

I also went to a French deli about 3x a week (husband and wife owned deli; husband is a three star French chef and now they've opened a restaurant) and had a regular order. It's nice getting hugs when and freebies when I walk into their locations.

Vintage Betty

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

I also went to a French deli about 3x a week (husband and wife owned deli; husband is a three star French chef and now they've opened a restaurant) and had a regular order. It's nice getting hugs when and freebies when I walk into their locations.

I would definitely frequent a restaurant that distributed hugs to it's regulars. That place sounds great. I'd love to see what a three star French chef can do in a deli.