The first thing I’ll do after quarantine and this pandemic mess is go to a restaurant. I want to see how it feels to be welcomed, seated, asked ‘what would you like to order?’, be showered with ‘excellent choice,’ poured a glass of Chardonnay, and make up my mind what to get for dessert.
Most importantly, it’s the opportunity to be smiled at and smiled to, joyfully and with ease, like nothing else exists in this world except that restaurant, the food, your companion… and the server.
But this is where it gets tricky. In such a lovely environment like a restaurant, servers still have to deal, time to time, with a fair share of serial a-holes. And it’s not a-holes per se that annoy the heck of them, it’s their a-hole behaviors that refuse to abide by unwritten rules.
For those who’re wondering what the unwritten rules actually are, I’d say it’s half common sense, half being polite, patient, and understanding. But let’s hear from the servers themselves who shared honest responses to the “What unwritten rules do restaurant servers wish patrons would abide by?” question posted on Quora.
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Crying Children And Adults Who Ignore It
When children cry and cry and cry and cry in a restaurant, other people find it annoying. Please, take your child outside for a moment to calm him down.
Snapping Your Fingers At Servers
Don’t ever snap your fingers at a server, bartender, anyone. Ever.
I was at a restaurant in Munich with maybe 10 friends and friends of friends. One of the friends of friends drank a little too much of the strong Munich beer before dinner and started snapping her fingers at the server. We were mortified and apologized to him. He was gracious and laughed at off. A few minutes later, he asked her what she wanted to eat. When she didn't look up, he snapped his fingers at her. She got mad. We all thought it was hilarious.
Flirting
Don’t hit on waitresses. Don’t touch waitresses. I’ve cooked in bars where my job included removing such people from the establishment with force.
Also, don't assume that a server smiling at you and being nice to you means they like you. Being. Nice. Is. Their. Job.
Touching Their Servers
When people touch their server. I'm not to be touched. I don't like it, and I'm not your pet. I'm not your buddy, baby, friend, or lover.
The reverse is also true: waiters please don't touch your clients! (Much, much more rare, I know, but it happened to me once. It was just my lower arm, so no sexual intentions, but still not appreciated.)
Coming In Minutes Before Closing
If Google says that the restaurant closes at 11, the right time to order is not three minutes before closing.
The staff are not people willing to work every single day overtime like they had no lives of their own.
They are people with loved ones and hobbies as well.
In the Netherlands you can order all you like, but when the kitchen is closed, the kitchen is closed.
Being Impolite
Please, get off your cellphone when I’m taking your order
I've seen servers just walking away if the customer was phoning and ordering at the same time. I'd always tip these servers extra.
When People Go And Sit At A Dirty Table
PLEASE DO NOT HELP YOURSELF TO A SEAT AT A DIRTY TABLE.
First of all, it’s gross. Why would you sit yourself down in someone else’s mess?
Second of all, if it’s not clean, we aren’t ready for you at that table yet. Now someone has to awkwardly bus the table and wipe it down while your impatient ass just sits there being all in-the-way.
Does this happen frequently in most countries? Because in the two countries I live in, customers usually wait at the restaurant's entrance until a server attend to them. Except for fast food restaurants, but usually all the tables are not dirty because customers normally clean after themselves.
Ordering Something That's Not On The Menu
Do not order anything that isn’t on the menu. I’ve run into so many situations where customers want to make up their own dish that isn’t on the menu (ordering fish and chips at an Italian restaurant). Perhaps it’s because they don’t know how to read, and therefore can’t understand anything the menu says. That menu is there for a reason. Read it. This is not a private chef service
A good restaurant will have waiters who are able to explain the menu, and they will be able to advise in case a customers has certain allergies or disliked. Simply ordering something that is not on the menu is rude, **asking** for something that is not on the menu is just fine in my opinion. Asking for example whether a certain ingredient you do not find in any other dish is available should just be fine – an example would be particularly hot peppers in a place that does not regularly have so spicy dishes. If asked politely, you will just get a polite answer, sometimes even met with gratitude for real interest in what the place can offer.
Acting Like You Own The Place
This restaurant is not your house. You’re a paying customer. We get that, and we respect that. But do not forget that you are a guest. In addition, you are not the only guest. There are other people here too. So when you request that we turn down the music, turn up the lights, or adjust the heat/air conditioning, you should know that we may not be able to make this accommodation, even if you ask nicely. If you go on to demand such accommodations, you’re not only disrespecting us (because you’re essentially treating the restaurant like your house, and us like servants who run it for you), you’re also disrespecting the other guests (because they may not desire the same accommodations that you desire). This is not your house, and this is a space that you’re sharing with other people - and if you’re the only one asking for something to be changed, we’re unlikely to do it if it will affect other guests.
Helping Without Being Asked To
I hated when customers tried to help me. Don't get me wrong. I appreciated the sentiment, but when a customer took things from my tray or grabbed things from my hand it became dangerous.
Yup, this. I worked in a restaurant for a bit, some years back, and people grabbing things off the tray can really unbalance a heavy tray. If the server removes things from the tray themselves, they can adjust their own balance, but not when people just randomly take things while you're trying to set it down, etc. Especially with lots of drinks. I once had someone plunge their hand into a load of drinks on a tray to get to their one, and they nearly knocked over all the others.
Not Understanding When The Bar Is Full
Understand that when the bar is full, the bar is full. No, I'm not going to go and 'see if anyone's done' at the bar so you can squeeze in for free corn chips at happy hour. I've politely told you you're more than welcome to stand at the bar, but all the seats are taken. And for the love of god, don't try to take other customers' seats while they're in the bathroom.
Being Glued To The Phone
Please do not be glued to your phone, especially if you're in a large party. I work in a tapas restaurant, which means everyone orders small plates to share. We recently had a table of ten do this, ignoring runners and servers that were bringing their food, causing the food to be returned or eaten by different table members, and so the person who ordered the food would finally look up from their phone and start complaining that they never received the food they ordered. Of course, the other table members neglected to tell them they had received it and eaten it. Why? Because THEY were now on their phones. They nearly made a server cry with rude comments about her intelligence and figure (“that skinny bitch probably ate them, she needs to put on weight before her hips cut me”) is just one thing I heard. It's worth mentioning that these were all morbidly obese people.
Not Considering The Hard Work In The Kitchen
Allergies. If the truth is you don't like a food, then just say that. Say you don’t like bell pepper. The amount of work that happens in the kitchen is hardly ever seen in the dining room. Respect the staff by not adding to that amount of work if it’s not necessary.
Clients Who Can't Manage Their Time
Don’t order a well-done steak if your movie starts in 15 minutes.
Being Overly Picky And Making It More Difficult For The Staff
The menu is not a canvas for your wildest imagination, unfortunately. I have come across customers who ask what ingredients do we have, and start building their own portion based on them.
I know the struggle of being a hard customer and not being able to take whatever from the menu due to dangerous allergies, but don’t be picky in vain. The staff is usually crowded with special orders anyway.
Check with the restaurant first perhaps with what they can and cannot do. Leaving out an ingredient isn't always that much of a problem. Let's face it though, if it has a menu where you can't find anything you like or can eat then pick somewhere else.
Disrespectful Behavior
Do not address us as “waiter”/“waitress”, or snap your fingers at us.
This is basic human respect. I will openly ignore such requests for my attention, and you’ll be waiting a while for me to come back.
Wasting Servers' Time
This is a more Spanish restaurant specific thing than anything, but please for the love of god do not order 6 plates and then ask me which are spicy, having me bring back the ones that are. Please. It's a Spanish restaurant, nearly everything is spicy. Stop wasting our time. You wouldn't believe how often this happens.
Complaining That The Food Takes Longer To Come Out When The Place Is Busy
Food takes longer to come out when we’re busy
When a restaurant is busy, it’s usually no secret. It’s loud, it’s full, staff are running around, the whole deal. You can also anticipate when a restaurant will be busy, like on Friday and Saturday nights. If you choose to dine at such times as these, you can expect your food to take longer to come out. Why? More people, more orders, more work for the kitchen to do. So if you’ve just placed your order now, it could take 20, 30, 40 minutes, or even longer than that. If that’s too long for you, none of us have any sympathy for your complaints. You knew it was busy, so you knew it would take long. You chose to dine at this time, so you knew what you were getting into. We don’t care that you’re hungry. Everybody is hungry. That’s why they’re here! What do you think we’re going to do? Bring your food out first before someone else’s, just because you’re complaining? Dream on.
Not Accepting Where You're Being Seated
Please accept where I seat you. I understand you want a booth. But we only have four, and by dinnertime, I've already reserved them for my six other 6:30 reservations. And if you're a party of two, you're going to get placed at a two top. Not a full-size table.
Sitting At An Empty Table Without Asking
If you see a table with no one at it, that is not necessarily your table! There might be a reservation plotted for your table later that night. The restaurant limits how many people can sit in each time-block.
If it's reserved, shouldn't there be a note on the table saying so? If not, and there's no hostess to sit us down, how are we supposed to know which table is free and which one isn't? *Just mentioning that I said if there are no hostess, I did not say, what if the hostess is unavailable. The post makes no mention wether there is one or not, makes no mention of what type of restaurant it is (fancy or not).
Tipping Is Important
Tipping is not mandatory, but servers live off of our tips.
I think it's the system that needs to be changed - vectoring hate onto a single boss isn't productive. Where's he supposed to get this extra money on razor thin margins? Food costs? Stiff the landlord? Electric company? I feel confident that you've never managed or been responsible for the balance sheet of a restaurant. Am I wrong?
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Not here in Germany; minimum wage by law. A tip is a nice addition but not essential for survival of the service staff
I agree. it's the same in my country, you tip by 'rounding up' the amount on the bill. may add some euros, but more than 10% is already considered generous.
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Tipping culture is so wrong in my opinion. I know that it is expected to tip 15-20% in the USA and I do it because I know that the staff needs it. But how is it my fault that it is allowed to employ a person and not pay them enough to make a living? When I go to a restaurant in the USA I always feel so ripped off, because the price on the menu doesn't include tax and doesn't include service.
I'm an American and I always feel ripped off as well. But that's not a reason to rip off the server.
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In some countries waiters get paid like normal people. Tipping might even be considered rude and/ or is not understood.
Not if you live in a country where employers are legally obliged to actually pay their staff properly, ie everywhere except the USA
only in the USA. in england its polite to tip but servers actually get a damn wage
I've lived in the US my whole life and I still think tipping is ridiculous. How is it even legal? And furthermore as a restaurant owner how can you sit there and think its ok to pay your employees so little that you expect your customers to make a voluntary contribution to their salary just so they can have enough money to pay bills?
Exactly And it's not like the food is that much cheaper anyway, especially not when you have to add the stupid taxes to it. That's another thing: why can't you just print the REAL price on everything? It's not that hard.
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Federal wage for tipped employees here in the US: $2.13. Something's wrong here.
That's what you get when the restaurant lobbyists pay their CONgressmen more than the server's union pays them.
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In Korea, tipping is not a thing. You pay the price that's written. If you give more in cash, you'll have it returned. As the most normal thing. Plus, more and more places have an automated self-ordering system. You wouldn't tip a machine...
Same in Poland, tipping here is very rare. Sometimes there's a tiny tipping jar at the counter but not many people tip. If you'd tip the server with leaving the money with the receipt it could be even a bit odd and you'd have to specify it's the tip
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This is something straight from USA. I've never understood tipping culture and I never will. On abroad I will always think is this too much or way too too little to tip people who service me. We have this thing called minium wage here in Europe (Finn on voice)
Just because your boss refuses to pay you a decent wage, doesn't mean that I'll tip you if the food and service were substandard.
You have a VERY warped idea of how much power a server has. They " have a conversation with the owner and the cook" they get fired. And it isn't easy to just another job. You are literally blaming them for and telling them to be accountable for the actions of others while taking no responsibility for your own lack of empathy or understanding of reality.
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Get rid of the god damn tip system already. I hate it and a server should be paid by their employer, not by the good will of someone who really should have no obligation to tip someone for doing a job they should already be paid to do. It drives me up the wall. Oh, so you would have to raise the cost of your food? By what? 20%? Just raise the prices, pay your staff, and get rid of the tip system.
Not in Australia, a tip is a bonus. I know most people won't feel this way, but I'd much rather you were nice to me.
Be careful though. In some countries, it's an insult to tip because it means you think the owner cannot pay his/her waitstaff decently.
This is really something to bring up with your manager -- convince them to raise prices, pay you a reasonable wage, and go tip free. You'll never convince low tippers to increase their tips. My dad thought that the 10% standard when he was young is good enough and couldn't be convinced otherwise. When I went out with him, I either convinced him to let me leave the tip, or I'd sneak some extra tip on the table.
20% to 25% is a pretty significant amount to add to a restaurant bill. Also, since the figure seems to be climbing, what's to stop it reaching 50% or higher? Where will it stop?
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For the love of god, tipping is supposed to show appreciation for above-and-beyond behavior. I'm not being tipped at my job, why would I tip a bland waiter? I tip for exceptional food, for exceptional service, good advice, pleasant company, etc. But basic "take-my-order, bring-my-order, bring-my-check"? that's the minimum requirement at your job. Being respectful towards the people serving you is being a decent human, but paying extra for nothing extra should not be the norm. I don't care if you live off tips. Get employed somewhere else. Go on strike, force governments to ensure correct payment. Don't ride my wallet because your manager is crap. I swear i will join and support a strike of servers even though i've never been one, because living wage is normal, tipping by default is not!
If you, as an employer, won't pay your staff enough to be able to have a decent life without having to rely on tips, you should be ashamed of yourselves ; if you then raid that 'tip' pot to pay your staff, you need as seriously hard talking to - or a hard smack in the face by every member of staff you have robbed. Tips are appreciated but should not be both expected or obligatory ......
That is because we feed into it and now the big guys say "why pay a decent wags, they live off tips" But we can't forego the tips to see if we can change the system. I would rather someone get paid fairly because tipping is getting out of hand. We are expected to tip more, many people get angry they werent tipped, not all jobs get tipped, more places are expecting tips. I would LOVE to have childcare employees get tips since we are on the tipping boat (oooh, unintentional pun). To out a tip jar out for parents, oh dear. No, that wouldn't go over well. But maybe one day.
That seems like a bad idea. The children of high tipping parents get cared for well while the children of parents who only give the standard tip get ignored - and the children of parents who tip low or forget to tip... I hate to think.
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And the restaurants that hire you and work you to the bone can’t afford to pay you a decent salary?
Being able to afford to pay a decent salary isn't the issue. It's being WILLING to pay a decent salary.
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Just pay them a decent wage then they won't have to beg for tips. It's a disgusting practice.
A tip should be given for service over and above what you expect. It should definitely not be mandatory. If you are a great server and have made the dining experience fantastic then you deserve a tip. If you've been rude or the food is cold or whatever, you don't.
I often leave a tip in the tip jar, Here in Australia, Tips are not often a done thing.
Only in the US because they don't get paid reasonable wages. Tipping in my country is very optional. During a full busy night, I might have gotten enough in tips to get a big mac meal. And people are fine with that.
Not at establishments like Rustic Bakery and Starbucks. I refuse to tip at places like that. I also don’t tip much or at all if service is poor. If service is exceptional, I tip handsomely.
Tipping should be abolished, and many restaurants are doing so. It is PROSTITUTION.
This is why all servers should make the state minimum wage and the minimum wage should be higher. In California servers make $12.00 an hour plus tips. It should be $15.00 to start and we are working on it, but making the customer basically pay your employees is ridiculous.
No,tip only make us (server/waiter) try to special service to this customer. It's unfair to me. I like tip,but i often pass to other waiter
Honestly I was a server that didn't care about the percentage. If you didn't run my ass into the ground and weren't rude, I was grateful for any tips that were given.
I have said it before and I will say it until the day I die. If you do not earn your tip then you do not get a tip. If you talk nasty to me or anyone in my party, no tip. If you serve me anything that I am allergic to (see bell pepper post), then you get nothing because I will be either at the hospital fighting for my life or dead. If you act like you don't want to be there, wait on us or work period, you get no tip. If our food is cold, not prepared as we asked (think steak or eggs), you will get less of a tip. I am sick and tired of entitled servers who think that just because they are in the industry they chose, that we are required to tip regardless. That is not how it works! I used to work in the server industry and I treated everyone how I wanted to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot. It's called Respect!
I think I've read that in some countries (france maybe?) tipping is eacen considered rude.
That isn't in France. Tipping for good service is fine, not rude.
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As a rule, I tip food delivery drivers: #1 At least 15%, I try for 20% if possible, and #2, (more importantly), I always, always tip with cash. Most, (if not all of the major chains) require drivers to report their tips for tax reasons. I remind the drivers that they *hint* "should drop the money on the floor of their car" *hint, hint*. These people depend on tips, why the hell should they have to pay taxes on every penny? They already get hit for taxes (on their tips), because the delivery outlets make it "convenient" for customers by offering the option of tipping as a part of the credit card payment.
If you're in the US, you should consider tipping mandatory. Figure it into your budget before you head out for the night. If you can't afford to tip the waitstaff, you can't afford to go out to eat at that restaurant.
Or if you cannot afford to pay your employes dont open a restaurant. Lets blame the really guilty people.
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Yes we do. We usually are paid minimum wage because of the tips. So if you get good service please tip us good. If not then don't worry about it
Tip 20%. Easy to calculate, the staff deserves it, and you can afford it, or you wouldn't be eating out.
I've been in the industry for 11 years now. A manager now. But started as a busser and worked my way up. A lot of these I agree with. I think people who snap their fingers for waiters should be thrown out on their asses. But other things like ordering off the menu, remember you are in a CUSTOMER IS KING business. My restaurant, if we got the ingrediants will make you anything and the chef loves a challenge. I think some diva servers forget that they are there to serve the customer. And that's the end of it.
I completely agree with you on this, rude and obnoxious behaviour should never be tolerated but some of this nonsense about "don't call me a waiter" stuff is just idiotic. And especially in the USA where you are not being paid by your employer but by the customers because of the sick mentality business owners have there, which essentially means the customers are paying your salary. I know this explanation seems like overkill but I felt was warranted since some people complaining here seem to not understand the concept clearly.
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Respect goes both ways though. If I (politely) ask for water, just because it's free doesn't mean you can ignore me. I'm thirtstyyy T.T
I wish servers would understand this. Just because I order water doesn't mean that I am cheap and won't tip well. (I always tip good service at least 20% and great service even better). I do not like the taste of alcohol, I drink only diet pop and don't have caffeine in the evenings because it makes it hard for me to sleep. Most places do not have any drinks that are alcohol, sugar and caffeine free other than water, but for some reason when we order water there are some serves that we can see a visible shift in their attitude because they somehow judge us as unworthy of good service because ordering water somehow makes us look cheap and like we will be bad tippers.
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Okay so let's now have a thread on how to appropriately treat customers. We've all had our share of rude staff, terrible food, bungled orders, diva chefs and negligent management. You spent hoards of cash on advertising to get us in the door. Just care about us when we get there
It's worse when you're a server, and you know how it should be. It's where I'd rather go to McDonalds than a nice sit down.
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I agree with all of the above, but will there also be an article about things bad waitstaff do? :)
You probably won't want to read that one. Saying this as someone who has been in the industry for 30 years
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Something I've noticed at almost every restaurant I've ever gone to is when I dine alone, the service is nonexistent and 9 out of 10 times, the server completely ignores me. I'm always courteous and I tip very well, so after this continually happening, I always just sit at the bar and the bartender benefits from my tipping. Servers have a hard job, but them assuming lone diners don't deserve to be treated kindly should think again. It's very frustrating when it happens.
I always took my cues from the individual. Some lone diners want, even need to be left alone, others want or even need someone to chat with. I really Started doing this after I had my mother committed, extremely stressful experience. Stop at a restaurant on the 4 hour drive back home, all I wanted was quiet to enjoy my steak and escape into my novel, and the waiter insisted on chatting, got offended when I finally asked to be left alone. Never came to my table after that, although he made sure I saw him look at my empty glass a few times. Which was ok, his manager was very kind. I think it may be that most servers don't know how to relate to us lone diners, so they shy away, kinda how like some don't know how to handle when things go wrong, so never go back to the table because they're embarrassed. Which of course just makes it worse
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Suprised there was nothing on people trying to be clever with their order. I had a friend who instead of ordering her steaks 'as rare as they can legally cook it' she would say 'I'd like it to gently moo when it hits the plate', bout 80% of the time they had no idea what that ment and defaulted the order to 'medium'
Kick off its horns, wipe its ass and put it on the plate
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Legit Asian restaurants in the US will make anything they can if a customer requests it. To them it is good business sense. It is also how it works in places in China and Vietnam from my experience. Though the Japanese don't like to deviate from the menu. On the upside, Japanese will always serve what's on the menu, but I've been to plenty of restaurants in places like Beijing, where I'll ask for something on the menu and then another thing, and then another, until the waiter finally nods, saying they can make it
My other big pet peeve is grown adults who take off their shoes in a restaurant (yes it happens). It's understandable when kids do it they don't know better, that becomes annoying when the parents don't make them put them on when we tell them. But grown ass adults walking around a restaurant without their shoes on, it's a major safety issue, not to mention gross!!
Remember the ultimate rule: Don't mess with the people who handle your food!!!!!!!!!
I've worked in a non-chain restaurant for 10 years, from my experiences this whole customer is king nonsense allows some people to be unreasonable and rude. Is it so wrong to want to be spoken to or treated decently? That said, I agree with @Sam Kunz that servers shouldn't be divas. You have to be the bigger person and face down people's rude behavior with professional charm.
I humbly ask servers reading this: my sister stacks the plates on the table when we are all done eating. I ask her not to, and she says that she is "helping out the waitress". Is this a no-no?
If you mean is it the done thing? Not in a posh restaurant no. If you mean is it helpful? Mixed. People don't do the way the staff are trained to. They'll have their own quick systems in the kitchens for getting the plates, glasses and silverware dealt with. I've had to re-order things because it's been done in a way that's just a nuisance. I've not let on because people mean well. People often make things worse and it's just best to let the staff do their job.
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I don’t understand adults being picky with their orders if they know they’re going to a specific restaurant ahead of time. There’s this wonderful thing called the internet, and there’s this wonderful thing called a phone. I’m vegetarian, and I’ve had to go to my share of steakhouses and seafood places for business or events. When I find out where we’re going, I tend to call the restaurant and ask what they can do. They appreciate it because they can prepare, and then I’m not stuck with just a salad.
I have never done any of these. There was this one time my mother yelled at the manager because they were taking food and not letting the kids eat( Me, my sister, and my 2 friends). Yeah my mother was pissed..
Yeah. No. The answer to assholes is not to act like one yourself.
Load More Replies... I've been in the industry for 11 years now. A manager now. But started as a busser and worked my way up. A lot of these I agree with. I think people who snap their fingers for waiters should be thrown out on their asses. But other things like ordering off the menu, remember you are in a CUSTOMER IS KING business. My restaurant, if we got the ingrediants will make you anything and the chef loves a challenge. I think some diva servers forget that they are there to serve the customer. And that's the end of it.
I completely agree with you on this, rude and obnoxious behaviour should never be tolerated but some of this nonsense about "don't call me a waiter" stuff is just idiotic. And especially in the USA where you are not being paid by your employer but by the customers because of the sick mentality business owners have there, which essentially means the customers are paying your salary. I know this explanation seems like overkill but I felt was warranted since some people complaining here seem to not understand the concept clearly.
Load More Replies... Respect goes both ways though. If I (politely) ask for water, just because it's free doesn't mean you can ignore me. I'm thirtstyyy T.T
I wish servers would understand this. Just because I order water doesn't mean that I am cheap and won't tip well. (I always tip good service at least 20% and great service even better). I do not like the taste of alcohol, I drink only diet pop and don't have caffeine in the evenings because it makes it hard for me to sleep. Most places do not have any drinks that are alcohol, sugar and caffeine free other than water, but for some reason when we order water there are some serves that we can see a visible shift in their attitude because they somehow judge us as unworthy of good service because ordering water somehow makes us look cheap and like we will be bad tippers.
Load More Replies... Okay so let's now have a thread on how to appropriately treat customers. We've all had our share of rude staff, terrible food, bungled orders, diva chefs and negligent management. You spent hoards of cash on advertising to get us in the door. Just care about us when we get there
It's worse when you're a server, and you know how it should be. It's where I'd rather go to McDonalds than a nice sit down.
Load More Replies... I agree with all of the above, but will there also be an article about things bad waitstaff do? :)
You probably won't want to read that one. Saying this as someone who has been in the industry for 30 years
Load More Replies... Something I've noticed at almost every restaurant I've ever gone to is when I dine alone, the service is nonexistent and 9 out of 10 times, the server completely ignores me. I'm always courteous and I tip very well, so after this continually happening, I always just sit at the bar and the bartender benefits from my tipping. Servers have a hard job, but them assuming lone diners don't deserve to be treated kindly should think again. It's very frustrating when it happens.
I always took my cues from the individual. Some lone diners want, even need to be left alone, others want or even need someone to chat with. I really Started doing this after I had my mother committed, extremely stressful experience. Stop at a restaurant on the 4 hour drive back home, all I wanted was quiet to enjoy my steak and escape into my novel, and the waiter insisted on chatting, got offended when I finally asked to be left alone. Never came to my table after that, although he made sure I saw him look at my empty glass a few times. Which was ok, his manager was very kind. I think it may be that most servers don't know how to relate to us lone diners, so they shy away, kinda how like some don't know how to handle when things go wrong, so never go back to the table because they're embarrassed. Which of course just makes it worse
Load More Replies... Suprised there was nothing on people trying to be clever with their order. I had a friend who instead of ordering her steaks 'as rare as they can legally cook it' she would say 'I'd like it to gently moo when it hits the plate', bout 80% of the time they had no idea what that ment and defaulted the order to 'medium'
Kick off its horns, wipe its ass and put it on the plate
Load More Replies... Legit Asian restaurants in the US will make anything they can if a customer requests it. To them it is good business sense. It is also how it works in places in China and Vietnam from my experience. Though the Japanese don't like to deviate from the menu. On the upside, Japanese will always serve what's on the menu, but I've been to plenty of restaurants in places like Beijing, where I'll ask for something on the menu and then another thing, and then another, until the waiter finally nods, saying they can make it
My other big pet peeve is grown adults who take off their shoes in a restaurant (yes it happens). It's understandable when kids do it they don't know better, that becomes annoying when the parents don't make them put them on when we tell them. But grown ass adults walking around a restaurant without their shoes on, it's a major safety issue, not to mention gross!!
Remember the ultimate rule: Don't mess with the people who handle your food!!!!!!!!!
I've worked in a non-chain restaurant for 10 years, from my experiences this whole customer is king nonsense allows some people to be unreasonable and rude. Is it so wrong to want to be spoken to or treated decently? That said, I agree with @Sam Kunz that servers shouldn't be divas. You have to be the bigger person and face down people's rude behavior with professional charm.
I humbly ask servers reading this: my sister stacks the plates on the table when we are all done eating. I ask her not to, and she says that she is "helping out the waitress". Is this a no-no?
If you mean is it the done thing? Not in a posh restaurant no. If you mean is it helpful? Mixed. People don't do the way the staff are trained to. They'll have their own quick systems in the kitchens for getting the plates, glasses and silverware dealt with. I've had to re-order things because it's been done in a way that's just a nuisance. I've not let on because people mean well. People often make things worse and it's just best to let the staff do their job.
Load More Replies... I don’t understand adults being picky with their orders if they know they’re going to a specific restaurant ahead of time. There’s this wonderful thing called the internet, and there’s this wonderful thing called a phone. I’m vegetarian, and I’ve had to go to my share of steakhouses and seafood places for business or events. When I find out where we’re going, I tend to call the restaurant and ask what they can do. They appreciate it because they can prepare, and then I’m not stuck with just a salad.
I have never done any of these. There was this one time my mother yelled at the manager because they were taking food and not letting the kids eat( Me, my sister, and my 2 friends). Yeah my mother was pissed..
Yeah. No. The answer to assholes is not to act like one yourself.
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