Shreveport-Bossier, Your Locals Are Why You Will Never Climb Out of Mediocrity

I flew into Bossier last night late, and had my cousin pick me up; It was 10:30, and I was starving after traveling all day so we went to the Outback in Bossier because it was right back the Barksdale gate we exited. I haven't eaten at a chain restaurant in several years, but desperate times...

Our waitress was typical to the region; obese and too friendly/comfortable to the point she forgets she's at work, and not at the beauty parlor gossiping with the rest of the show hogs. I won't even get into trying to order a simple glass of wine from this woman. except to say she went out of her way to show us the wines she thought got you the most drunk. Classy.

The menu was an aberration of ridiculous and assorted 'Australian' dishes, so I went with a 8 oz. steak, which I wasn't expecting to win any awards, but figured should be a fairly safe choice.

I replied "medium," when asked how I liked it cooked. She seemed suspicious, and asked if I was sure. I almost laughed, but quickly remembered I was just back in Louisiana, smiled and said I was sure. She then asks again if I want medium, because 'some people really want medium well and find medium was too rare'. Even though this is a lower-to-middle-class restaurant, I still am astonished this waitress can't take a hint I obviously know what I'm doing. She then goes off on some diatribe about how she likes her's burnt to a crisp; my cousin and I were speechless.

Luckily she left us alone until the food came, but when she laid my plate down, she hovered over me and insisted I cut the steak to see if it was to my liking. How does this woman not have the presence or couth to realize even at a job like this, you can take steps towards a little professionalism.

Maybe the fact we were overdressed to be in such an establishment threw her off; of course, I look around and 2/3 people are wearing camouflage, LSU gear, or even a combination of the two.

We laughed all the way home about the pitiful work pool SB has, and how things will never change. Funny, if you step over into East Texas, it is light years ahead, and I won't even try to compare it to Charlottesville or Oxford.

Why do you think SB can't cultivate decent service industry workers?