Only twice in 43 seasons did situations occur wherein customers became angry with me. Both, strangely enough were related to rack of lamb and to personalities given to the notion that they could avoid paying by 'throwing their weight around'.

Case one was a pair of young women who drank too heavily and became loud and obnoxious, complaining about what they ordered (can't remember).. When offered an alternate or anything we could do to please, they selected rack of lamb. It too drew loudly voiced complaints and personal insults at the maitre d' and staff that disturbed other clients. Then when presented with a check charging them only for the main course lamb, comping beferages adn first course in attempt at diplomacy, they refused to pay and continued insulting the maitre d' regarding his girth... They hadn't called the hotel limousine for all of the scene causing. What caused them more anger than their drama was the transportation we called for complements of the City of Palm Springs and the handcuffs.

The second involved Darryl Zanuck's grandson Andre came in alone with a guitar, no case... Solo, long known client (always in with his family) was addicted and impaired somewhat, in a mood to order things, complain, etc., similar to the young women only more braggadocious when presented with an abbreviated check, again out of diplomacy. He refused to pay and in his case, when the 'do you know who I am' routine failed, he literally ran out the door and down the street. I pursued, check in hand, running behind him for about three blocks to the center of downtown; catching up and offering to have the police meet us. In a fit of rage, he took the guitar by the neck and flung it onto the street, cracking it a bit. He pulled a mangled wad of hundreds out of his pocket and handed me one. Told him his change would be back at the restaurant but never say him again. Yup, he was angry too.