How do you feel when you're in a restaurant and the staff sings a birthday song to someone at another table?

I hate it, and always was terrorized as a kid by the fear of them bringing me a birthday cake and singing.

It's annoying.

Other: I am embarrased for the poorbastard.

I ignore it. If it bothered me, I'd stop going to places where they do that.
What's funny is that it's totally accepted and tolerated for the most part, but the guy on a cell phone is looked at with disgust, even though he isn't being loud. Hmmmmm

It doesn't really bother me. There's only one restaurant that I frequent that does this. It's a little mexican place. They come out singing, playing instruments, and put a sombrero on the birthday person. Caleb loves going there on someone's birthday. It does annoy me if they do it to much.

I'm just glad to see someone enjoying themselves. However, I do believe the restaurants could improve their renditions of the birthday songs....lol

It's all good.

I wouldn't go as far as saying that it makes me happy. My reaction is marginally positive.

None of the restaurants where I live (mostly fast food) do this, but I can imagine that it might be really embarrassing to the person having the birthday. I'd be upset if someone did this to me.

Depends on how loud they are.... but usually restaurants that do that sort of thing are the loud, social type anyway. Most of the time, we look over, smile at the sight of the embarrassed birthday person, and then continue our conversation/dinner/pow-wow.

I ignore it. Most of the people on the table are probably embarrassed enough anyway.

I'm happy for them.

It don't bother me when they do it at Applebees. Most places I go though don't do it.

I'm happy, wishing that person a happy birthday.

I find it annoying and am embarrassed for the person.

I tend to avoid resturants where the staff would acknowledge one's birthday.

I just think,"They couldn't pay me enough to do that!"

One time my dad took me out for my birthday. My sister was there also. We had been there 15 minutes when out from the kitchen comes the entire crewscreaming and clapping the happy birthday song and they were headed right for us. I about crawled under the table when I seen they went to the table next to us. My sister and father had these mortified looks on their faces. When it was over, I thanked them for not telling the staff it was my birthday and they totally agreed.

It's been a while since that happened to me, in fact I can't remember the last time. I guess that in that situation I would try to act and look mildly cheerful, but if it was really loud and I was feeling nervous, it might irritate me a bit, but I wouldn't show it.

Ignore it, though its nice gesture

Just ignore them and hope for the best to come

> I hate it, and always was terrorized as a kid by the fear of them
> bringing me a birthday cake and singing.

Happy Birthday' to you Cerealkiller Happy Birthday to you' whoo whoo whoo

My Birthday is Feb.16 , 1956 I am the birthday girl and I will be 51 years old

it's kinda uncomfortable but who cares

I'm annoyed by this, but not because of the noise. I really don't care about a stranger's birthday, but it seems rude not to acknowledge it under those circumstances. It's manipulative, really...

It's nice, but it's better when it's the people celebrating the birthday rather than the staff. Once I was at a restaurant where a choir were celebrating a birthday of one of their members - after singing Happy Birthday in the most beautiful way, they then went to another table to sing Happy Birthday to someone else - and after dessert they just started singing medieval drinking songs. I know, that's not the staff of the restaurant, but it's a good excuse to tell the story.

Me too. When people used to sing happy birthday to me when I was little I used to cry and run away. I still hate it now.

I glance over for a few seconds, allow the song to finish (it's hardly a 3 and a half hour opera) and go on with my company/conversation....never thinking another moment about it. Should I?

Usually I think "that's nice" unless it's TOO loud then "annoyed" is the overriding feeling.

I sing along.

Just as long as it isn't me.

Somebody made it to their next birthday.

I'm glad it's not me, but at the same time I'm hoping the person getting sung to is enjoying it & not being embarrassed too much. As far as I know, there is only one place in town that does this & that's a local ice cream parlor. Our local Denny's used to do this if you requested it, but not anymore. One year we went there on my birthday & my son had them come over & sing Happy Birthday to me. I was none too happy with him over that.