Hassled

[Scunner]

I also tend to like listening to some ingenious methods used to charm people in. Without force, abuse or hassle in any way, some are very, very good at it. We went to Rushie's during the summer and his method is not the most ingenious but difficult to get around.

It starts with a question (I heard the question about 70 times during one meal)...

Do you remember me?

Answer 1: Yes (whether the do or not!) - and he's in.

Answer 2: No - "I am Ian Rush, the footballer, remember me now?" - and he's in.

[Piscoe]

I tend not to get a lot of hassle but what I would term as hassle is perhaps not the same as others opinion. Yes of course I get asked if I would like to stop and drink or eat something but my stock response is always a "maybe later".

Like Scunner I quite like the banter and enjoy the new novel ways of getting you in. The market is the same of course but personally I find it hilarious. I recall one year when there was three of us (blokes) wanting to buy a pair of sandals so we decided to have a bet on who could get the cheapest pair of Prada's at the same store. The store owner couldn't know we were together so we took it in turns. When we had made our purchase after hours of haggling we decided on the winner (I came second by 3 lira) and then returned to the store owner to ask for a discount down to the cheapest price.

He saw the funny side of it and of course we gave him a big tip. Ever since any time he sees me he hides and shouts "Go away I am a poor man !!"

The moral of the story being that these people who we sometimes deem as hassling mean no harm. In fact you can have great fun with them.

Pete

[Scunner]

I think probably the best (and there has been stiff competition) was one night we were at Serkul 1, they were very busy but Serkul 2 next door was completely empty. Just human nature, it could easily have been the other way round but there comes a point in the evening where an empty restaurant really has it hard to get anyone in. The waiter sat on a chair just off the prom with his feet up on another. A family walked past, saw nobody in and naturally looked away and walked on. The waiter didn't stand up and he didn't even take his feet off the other chair. "The reason you walk past" he shouted "is because you think my restaurant is empty so it must be rubbish!". After a moment of complete shock, they protested that they hadn't thought anything of the sort and they were sure it was anything but rubbish and that his food would be as good as anyone else's, possibly better. 30 seconds later, he had them all sitting down with menus

The method is superb, as covered in Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people" - that being, if you want to sell something to someone and can't, get them to sell it to themselves. Classic.

[june]

Yes I like that Scunner....

I have to say I have never been hassled along the front, asked obviously, and my reply is either we will eat with you one of the nights....and we do, as if I say that I do it....they never forget!...if I say No then its a polie No thanks...meaning I will not eat there.....there are only a very few that I will not eat at and thats because of my own reasons.....

I have never had anyone pulling at me to go in and quite honestly I would stand for that anyway.........

Everyone has always been exremely polite and of course there are so
many that we know from going over the years so they are just like friends anyway and accept that you are not fgoing to eat there all the time.

A week today and we will be there.....fantastic....love the place..

[julesbob0303]

I think a lot of the staff recognise you if you visit the area regularly, and are happy to accept your reply of "maybe later" or "maybe another night".  We never get hassled, though often stop for a quick chat/bit of banter as we walk along the front.

I think it's the newbies they aim for!  [)]

[Highlander]

Would generally agree Julesbob, but one particular fellow got right up my nose when we were over, especially when he started a sentence "I know our prices are dearer but let me explain". I never did hear the end of that sentence.

[Scunner]

Can we all have a guess?

"Next year's rent is due" [?]

[puma]

ours was from the chinese breeze why do you not come in my restuarant ( we did eat there one time )
easy, we like serkul one better

[susie-q]

I have been going to Calis for 6 years, and I have always enjoyed the banter from the guys in the restaurants...(no comment from you please Scunner!) The "maybe later"s, "not tonight thank yous", and polite "declines" did not work for me this year.  I dont know maybe its just me, but I found this year to be particularly annoying.  One guy actually said to us - "whats wrong with you people?"..just because we didnt want to stop and look at his menu...that is not banter thats just plain rude as far as Im concerned.

[tiddly winks]

I remember our first night walking along the front. Was a pretty funny night.

We tended to walk along nearer the beach and use other groups as buffers for us. Though by the end of the holiday we kept stopping for chats with some of the guys as well.

Me and my sister are gonna send our friends down the front themselves and seee how they cope with it!