I know how to work hard, in the 5 years i've been doing it, no one can do my job. Most of the time it takes two people to do it, and still not as fast. I know what it's like to work for 18 hours strait. Yes I won't put up with it. I have heard of bosses throwing things at people, etc, I wouldn't put up with it or constant verbal abuse, I have no problem stepping in and telling a boss to cool it. I would rather sit at home for months on end not working then put up with it. If it's dished out to me I give it right back, or if it's bad enough I will just walk away, I have threatened it before. Will not put up with a work environment like that. Absolutely NO reason for it.
With all due respect, 18 hrs on the job ain't that bad. Many yrs ago, a "standard" day was 12-14 hrs, now people gripe if they have to work a full 8. People think today that something like 18 hrs is a miracle, no, actually it was pretty common place to work long hours like that many years ago. Even farmers today put in at least a month worth of 18 hr days at harvest, many of them do this more than once a year.
A boss that is demanding and asking someone to do their job the way their predecessor did it, is not asking too much IMO. Your post above re: old farts and them wanting someone younger to more physical labour is incorrect the way I see it (just my opinion though). The old guys DO have the right to push hard labour onto the younger guys because the "old guys" have already been there, done that for many many many many years. Most of the younger generations now think they should just be able to come in first day on the job, sit down and do the same work for the same pay as the guy who's been there for 30 yrs. We call it "putting your time in". What the younger crowd is feeling is entitlement. Doesn't happen where I work. You put your time in and show that you are worthy of the paycheck, otherwise someone else can do your job. If it means taking your lumps from a bad boss, well... if you work hard you can be the boss one day and treat people differently.
I've done 16 hrs a day for weeks, and know lots of other guys that do, its nothing special, it's just another day in paradise.
The guys in the restaurant probably would have piped down if asked politely. A confrontational attitude usually starts things off on a bad note. I've been in this situation before (actually just yesterday at the bottle depot) and usually a comment along the lines of "hey guys, sorry to interrupt, we're just wondering if you could dial down the exploits of last night and not drop the F-bomb, just for sake of the little one's ears." Most times guys are not that dis-respectful and do not even realize their behaviour is affecting the general population. If you get a bad response no matter how nice you ask, then...well I'm not going to say anymore.