Cracked up: A follow up on the Outback story

I didn't want to leave people hanging.. I wanted to explain one of the weirdest dining experiences of my life. The Outback steakhouse--my first time at an Outback, and I like Texas Roadhouse, so I figured I'd like Outback, plus I had a gift card--that my wife and I went to was weird. Our bartender was nice while we waited for a table.. She said to us, "what would you like?" and we answered in kind. It was the way it should be.

Then came the table.. and "Nick" the waiter. He had a nervous twitch, tried to finish our statements before we said them, attempted to explain dinners we didn't ask about, and nervously wrote down our order with a wide-eyed gaze at us and his tablet. He ran away with a frightened look telling us he'd bring our bread. When he did, he shook his head and hands frantically and told us to enjoy. I have to say, though, Nick was a hell of a nice guy. He got our order right, got it out quick enough (a little too quick) and we left a decent tip.

The coke-head serving tables next to us, though, was a different story. He forgot something at everyone's table. He spilled things on people. He bumped his head off of the lights above their table. He was sweating profusely, and running around like a rabbit in traffic. He was dodging back and forth between other servers... And he even tried to take someone's plate while the guy was still cutting his steak!

I think the problem as I posted to this site while I was there was the fact that they were either nervous with the large Saturday night crowd, or there were on cocaine. I think either is a possibility. And also, it seemed that management was trying to use excessive speed to get tables turned. Which I understand. But management's decision to do that can really mess with the head of a nervous person, or for that matter a crackhead.

Would I go back to Outback again? .. maybe. But I won't want to.

As I said before, I like the Texas Roadhouse. For being a chain-type restaurant, the steak is exceptional, even better than some independently owned steakhouses. But it's not as great as a Mexican restaurant in Minersville, PA named Casa de Tellez.. If you're in the area, you have to try the steak.. It will be a little expensive at market price, and it will take some time for you to get your dinner, but it may very well be the greatest steak that is served on earth, and blows any steak from the Final Cut steakhouse or Ruth's Chris out of the water.

As for Outback, my wife and I left the scene of what appeared to be a future crime. One of those crackheads is gonna blow. From blow.