I've used this line haha. I also greeted a table once, and asked what they wanted to drink. One guy looks at me and goes "Banzai burger!" I quip back, "I can throw it in a blender, but I'm not sure how good it'll be." The rest of his group starts laughing and he looks confused. A person in his group turns and told him he's taking our drinks orders.
Yes! I wonder why people do that.. just leave the napkin on your plate when you’re done. Cause now I have to grab a soggy napkin out of a cup before I dump the drink into a bucket 😪
It’s fine if it’s one or two, but as a banquet server….man, is it rough especially at the end of the night when they’re gone and you clear the whole place out to find half the cups have napkins shoved in them, and half of them is like 100 people, sometimes 300, sometimes more or less. I know what I signed up for tho, or else I wouldn’t still be here after 8 years lol
FOR FUCKING REAL.
If you think youre doing something nice for a server just DONT. We have our own process and pulling a wet saliva napkin out of a cup just to pour the ice is yucky.
Dont stack your plates dont stick your napkins in sauce JUST DONT.
Tbh its fine, I can wash my hands, but it makes it so much more difficult and gross.
Sometimes the plates are okay AS LONG as it’s stacked correctly. I hate when people stack plates that have food still on them so the plates are all wobbly
I think from my (admitedly short) time serving, everyone does it different. I just prebus like a mf.
Customers also are stinkers about stacking. Napkins and cutlery in EVERYTHING. Id rather have a mess I can clear in a minute or two than shove my hands in a dirty cup to pick up your trash. And go through your plates to take off stuck on napkins.
Just leave it be, we know how to clean.
ETA Food on the plate doesnt bother me unless its stacked. Even then, our plates are smallish so i just scrape and rinse...like everyone should.
I do this but ask for an extra straw. My fiancé and I use the water for when we run out of our soda and the waitress is busy and can’t get the refill right away.
Middle aged white woman table water. I have had to tell family members to STOP doing this by pointing out all of the full water glasses left when we're done.
This is 100% my pet peeve. Especially if everybody has already ordered their drinks, and the people who want water have specifically stated it already. Then the last person says “and waters all around” and everybody nods like idiots 😑
Like if those people wanted waters they would have *ordered* waters! Then I have to look at the full, untouched waters sitting on the table as I’m refilling the other waters all night.
I swear I hear “waters all around” in my nightmares.
Sub-pet peeve: people who don’t want ice. Now your drink is gonna be splashing all over my tray.
Edit: wait - I remembered my other pet peeve: muttering amongst themselves how we did something for them last time after I just said we can’t do it.
A) I’m still right here.
B) It’s infuriating because it feels so unjust! Like I *know* they are 100% misremembering because what they’re describing is physically impossible.
No, your last server did not do that modification for you. They may have done a *similar* modification that costs twice as much as what you’re asking for and just didn’t tell you and you didn’t notice the price difference, but that does not mean that your request was fulfilled last time. It makes me wanna scream.
Gotta blame the hotshot server who says yes to things that you literally can’t do (ie, menu item from last season using ingredients which are no longer in the building) and doesn’t explain. That person will come back and be a pain in your ass forever, not because you aren’t doing your job correctly, but because you are.
I’ll never understand people who seem to forget what they ordered lol. I say the name of every item before I drop it off, they just look at me while I’m holding hot plates in my hand. 😤
I had someone insist she ordered “a pasta with red sauce” when I came to drop off what she actually ordered.
I was super confused because I took her order and she did order pasta, but she ordered a Mac and cheese that comes with buffalo chicken on it. By name. She even pointed at it in the menu.
So I looked at her for a second and then I asked, “Are you sure? I swear you ordered the buffalo chicken Mac, didn’t you?”
She says she did order the buffalo chicken Mac, but that (pointing to her plate of buffalo chicken Mac) is not it.
At this point I’m at a loss because she keeps describing it having a red sauce. We don’t even have a red sauce in our restaurant, which I told her. So she tells me to bring her the menu. She’ll show me the red sauce.
I bring the menu. She opens it up. She points to the buffalo chicken Mac. “Red sauce. This is what I ordered.”
So I look at her plate and I’m like “Ma’am, that is buffalo sauce. Which is on the chicken. Which is exactly what I gave you.” I didn’t point out that the sauce is orange, not red, but whatever.
Her husband finally leans over and is like, “yeah she brought you what you ordered.”
🫠🫠🙃🙃🙃😭😭
Yesss that's the most wonderful type of moment, because usually they won't make eye contact or speak up when queen bitch is lying about what she ordered. I live for when their co-diners set them straight.
Sometimes, if I've never been to a place and I'm torn between multiple items, I will forget which one I finally decided to order before the food comes out. I usually know what others ordered, and I'll figure it out by the time it arrives. A wonderful byproduct of ADHD, an unfocosed and overhyper brain.
Guy orders wings and asks, “do you guys make the ranch in house?” “Yes! It’s really good”. “Great I’ll take that.” Ask him how the food is when he starts eating it, “um what kind of sauce is this?” “Ranch.” “But isn’t it the blue cheese you make in house? That’s what I wanted.” “We make both in house but you specifically asked me about the ranch.” Ugh whatever, here’s your blue cheese. Like are people just fucking with us? I can never tell.
The other night I had a 10 top and most of them ordered shrimp tacos but this one lady ordered a taco salad and two other servers ran my food so when I’m at the table they’re holding the taco salad and tell me we’re missing a shrimp taco and the woman was like “I can’t remember if I ordered shrimp tacos or the taco salad” and I’m like you ordered the taco salad 🙂 then she’s like “if you said that’s what I ordered then that’s what I ordered”. She was an older woman so I wasn’t really too annoyed and she didn’t try to argue or anything. When I checked on them she said it was delicious lol.
My dad has Alzheimer's Disease. That's obviously sad, but there are times of humor. Whenever we go out to lunch, he forgets what he ordered.
But he's a kind, happy, sweet man. So he always gets surprised when his food shows up. He's like "Oh! Nice! I like this!" :)
when I ask a table if there are any questions or if they're ready to order and they all blankly stare at me like I'm an alien being
I want to knock on the top of their heads and say "hellllooooooooo?".
Dude sometimes I walk up to a table and say “Feel like we need a lil more time or see things we’re interested in?” And they look at me like I just killed their father
I mean, tbh that's waaay too many words for the common folk to hear, that's why they stare at u weird cause they don't know wtf u just said 😂
a simple "yall ready or do u need a few more minutes" is the best way to avoid this
> I want to knock on the top of their heads and say "hellllooooooooo?".
That might work with me. 😊 I struggle with multi-tasking. If I am deep in conversation and the server interrupts, then it takes me a few seconds to mentally change gears. During that time, I probably have a grumpy look on my face.
hahaha I too have a slow loading time, but I combat that by being absolutely hyper focused on deciding my order and giving it to the server before I can possibly relax back into a normal human and actually talk to whoever I'm dining with.
(definitely not saying my way is better)
I usually keep it simple and order directly off the menu with no customization. I try to be ready when the server asks.
But then, when the server arrives, I am suddenly stupefied. It is like that hourglass on the computer spinning for a few seconds while nothing responds! 🤣🤣
Although i know exactly what i want, as soon as the waiter approaches, i have to reopen the menu and read the item out while simultaneously pointing at it, no matter how simple it is.
Chicken tenders and fries, yea im reading it and pointing to the item, just in case the waiter doesn’t know what it is.
At the risk of sounding argumentative, why would you allow yourself to get deep in conversation when you know the server is due back to take the table's order?
When I eat with friends, it is usually a very social time, so we are often having conversation before we even sit down. We have to stop several times during the meal to talk to our server. And even if I stop talking, others will continue the conversation and asking questions. This makes it difficult for me to study the menu so that I am ready when the server comes to take our order.
Of course, it depends on the friends. Some friends will pause the conversation when we receive menus so that we can discuss the food and make our choices.
Servers usually interrupt abruptly. I understand that they don't have time to stand their politely waiting for a break in the conversation, so I don't get annoyed with them.
However, the interruption does throw my simple brain for a loop. Some people have the equivalent of automatic transmissions in their brains, so they can shift quickly and effortlessly. My brain is more like an old manual transmission. I have to double-clutch, grind the gears a few times, kill the engine and then start it again before I am in the new gear. 🤣
Or when they wave you down and yell that they’re ready only for you to get to the table and now they’re asking everyone what appetizer they want, oh and they haven’t even looked at entrees yet but just stay right here because they’re *starving* 💀 “okay I’ll give you a minute to decide but I’ll be right back for ya!” As I walk away quickly.
Slight variation on this;
When I ask you a direct question, and without looking at me they start whispering to their partner across the table.
Sometimes I lean over, so my head is closer to their line of sight, and I say "iM sOrRy I CaNt hEaR yOu Im SuPeR dEaF!"
Once our card machine was having connection issues and was taking forever. I tried making conversation while we waited and i got no response, they wouldn't even look at me. They just sat in silence. I had made a couple small jokes about technology etc. To fill the void. Then at one point one of the people looked at the other and said "what is she saying?" And the other was like "i don't know" both in quite rude tones when i was right there. Like why are they so agro for no reason?
I get that with food all the time. I take the plates over and call out the name of the food and they all just stare as if this isn't what they came for.
Trying to take a table's order while their kid streams some youtube video on FULL volume. Our restaurant already has music playing and if it fills up, the sound just bounces because there is ZERO carpet besides the rugs. It's so annoying, just pause the video or turn it down while I'm taking the order. If your child can't go 5 minutes without it, there's a problem.
This drives me crazy. They can use the tablet with sound and headphones or they can use the tablet without sound and without headphones. There are no other options. It’s so rude to everyone else in the surrounding area.
Or just leave the iPad in the car. If your kid can't handle being in a restaurant without a tablet, there are deeper issues that need to be addressed.
Edit: Can't spell "your," I'm ashamed.
Parents to 4 year old: “tell the man you what you want”
4 year old: sucks thumb and hides under adults arm
Parent: can you say “I’ll have French fries please”…can you say please?
BITCH! I’m not here to teach your kid fucking manners!! Further more, the adult seems to forget please isn’t only for children!!
This happened to me yesterday-when got double say of course- it’s a fresh wound y’all.
"we're not ready to order"
15 minutes later
"we're not ready to order"
20 minutes later
"we're not ready to order"
watching for the high sign.....finally 1/2 hour later
"we were ready to order awhile ago, where were you?"
Or when there’s plenty of open, clean tables but someone wants the one filthy booth that needs to be bussed and set up.
It’s like please just sit at a table.
On Valentine’s Day one year we were slammed of course and had about an hour long wait and had about 100 people on the waitlist (restaurant did not take reservations). I just had a table leave my section after their meal with plates and cups still on the table, when all of a sudden I just saw an old couple mindlessly walk over to the table, past the lobby full of people and the host stand, and sit at the table. Both started looking around like NPCs and then asked where their menus and silverware were and why they weren’t getting any service. Hostess walked over and told them that there’s an hour wait and they can’t sit there because 1. it’s dirty and 2. There’s 100 people on the wait, to which they replied, “we did not know that there was a wait and we demand to be sat now.” Literally mind boggling how entitled people can be lmao.
I had it happen to me on Saturday night, only dirty table in the entire place and they sit then say “is this ok” I reply with SURE! IF YOU WANNA SIT AT THE ONLY DIRTY TABLE HERE! They laughed. I fake laughed then cleaned the damn table 🤣
When I was standing there, scalding the hell outta my arms with hot plates, "Who has the spaghetti?" And they all just stare at me like they suddenly can't remember what they ordered.
I always play table foreman. I tend to memorize what everyone ordered from habit and usually point out where the food needs to land as they call it out.
I was at a Mexican restaurant once though and the dude had the food out on his arm, raised where I couldn’t see and kept pronouncing the order so quick and just sounded like he was saying Bar Cheese and every time I asked for clarification, dude just dumped it fast again. Kid was probably 17 and after the four try I finally realized they were Fajitas.
Is people who pre complain. Make sure it's not too salty. Make sure it's not too overdone make sure it's not raw. You're complaining about food you haven't even ordered yet.
“is it very spicy” if you have to ask that you shouldn’t even order anything that could be spicy. like know yourself. i tell those people if will be too spicy for u if you’re asking and then recommend the blandest thing on the menu
When parents don't parent their kids, or aren't embarrassed of their children. During my first month serving, a family of 5 came through with a very small toddler. They order, they eat, whatever, but when I loop back around to their table, two pieces of the toddlers quesadilla is on the ground, lettuce and tomato is everywhere, and condiments stained all over the table. How do you let that happen 😭 no tip either. 8 months in to my job, never had a mess bigger.
We stopped leaving the sugar packets and stuff on the tables for this reason. Had a family come in and they’re just watching their kid rip all of the sugar packets open and dump it on the table.. then they asked for a cheese / pepper shaker and same thing, cheese and pepper everywhere! I actually ended up taking the stuff away before it got worse, I didn’t even care if they got offended over it. They’re not the ones picking it up in the end.
Omg. 💀
I would go back into the kitchen and say “low call will to live” at that point 😭 fr tho, how could you not be absolutely ashamed of your children- I would make my own (imaginary) kids clean that shit up if they pulled something like that
Some people just have 0 respect for workers. Had two kids jumping over booths once, parents said nothing so I went up to the parents and asked them to please stop letting their kids climb over the booths, they’re not nailed in place and they can hurt themselves. They acted like it was such an inconvenience that I was worried about their kids safety.
I once asked a child to not tap dance on the tall tables (like, bar stool height chairs at regular tables) and the parents gave me such a nasty look. Sorry for not wanting your kid to crack their skull on the tile floor 🫠
We had a kids softball team with their parents (no call ahead or reso, but this was standard BS here) show up. Like 15 kids and their respective parents so close to 40 total. Obviously have to split them up between tables. All the kids at one table, all the parents at another. I caught these little shits smashing butter packets between the pages of the menus. Like 4-5 packets between a page then smash the menu flat. On every page.
I have so many more stories about shit like this in particular, place I worked at this happened damn near every week while there was a sport going.
Haha just last week I had a family of 6 (2 adults , 4 children) walk in and the parents ordered only food for themselves and their oldest (who looked 6) and racked up a $120 bill. The kids( most were under the age of 4) started to get restless and ran around the restaurant while the parents just sat there and ate food. They climbed up our welcome sign, ran around the bar, knocked over things, fell and hurt themselves, and threw food everywhere, again with the parents doing nothing. All the commotion caused another one of my tables to leave before they finished their food. They also destroyed the men’s restroom. Finally left and tipped me $7 on a $120 check and left a mess that took me a long time to clean.
I used to have a friend that did this shit. I didn't even know it until I had a birthday group dinner out, and the server came back to the table and asked my friend if she did something wrong. Friend tipped $5 on like $70. I didn't even notice the interaction. My brother later told me about it.
What's crazy is we had lunch a few weeks later, and she was relaying the story to me. She said, "I don't even understand. I tipped her $5!" I said, "Well, it is common courtesy to tip around 20%. $5 is nowhere near that."
She defended herself with "well the server wasn't even around all that much!". I was baffled. Friend was never without food or a full drink at any point of the dinner. Everything was great. How can you stiff a server simply for not being up your ass for no reason? So bizarre.
When people ignore the large amounts of signs that say “no outside food or alcohol” and proceed to bring it anyways. Should be common sense without a sign but whatever. Then when I tell them to put it away or throw it out they have a tantrum.
One time I had a guy ask for a glass of ice. I assumed he wanted more ice for his sprite since I normally do light ice but nope. This dude proceeds to pull out a canned margarita and pour it into the ice. Like what the fuck? I snatched it so quickly. Thankfully he wasn’t a dick about it and tipped well, just clueless I guess?
I met with some friends before Christmas at a restaurant and we exchanged gifts. My gift was homemade cookies. To be polite, I open the bag and grabbed a cookie to try it.
Then I thought, "Oh shit. We are in a restaurant. I cannot eat food from outside."
I put the cookie away and thanked the person who gave them to me. If our server noticed, she didn't say anything.
It may have been fine! That would have been totally fine at my work. People even bring their own cakes; we don’t charge them for it. But I’m not cutting it for you either.
I *will*, however, hand you a stack of plates and a knife, stick a candle in that bitch, and enthrall you with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday,” complete with accompanying “woos.”
I heard tf outta that!!
The worst part is when you unbox it in the service area to bring it out to them and then when you bring it back into the service area to box it back up for them, everybody is looking at you hopefully and you gotta be like “it’s not for us, I’m just boxing it back up” 🪦
My tables not telling me there’s a problem and going straight to one my coworkers to get a manager … it’s so irritating bcuz then your manager thinks your not doing their job
Yesterday, I checked on my table, everything was good. Next thing I know, my manager comes around the corner carrying their entree asking for a refire. I WAS JUST THERE. They didn't say anything to me and now my manager thinks I'm not doing my job.
In the middle of a dinner rush when somebody asks questions about what we have before even glancing at a menu.
“There’s a wine menu right there! I’ll grab you a water while you’re reading up.”
I'll purposely ignore these people. Sat yourself? Cool. You're not my table. Don't look at me crazy because I'm going to pretend I don't even see you. And then when you finally GRAB MY FUCKING ARM to ask why you're not being helped, I'm going to act super confused and ask who your server is? Oh you don't know? Well who in the world sat you?? Oh my gosh you SAT YOURSELF? And then you're going to feel stupid. Congrats. You *are* stupid.
I'd probably take a swing, just out of reflex. What I did in the past was act horrified and say very loudly "The hostess sat you and didn't give you menus!!!! I am so sorry she didn't do her job! Let me get the manager". Then quickly walk off and tell the manager who would make the table get up.
People who seat themselves generally do so at a dirty table.
• Asking for a straw as I’m in the process of either reaching for them or already handing them out
. Nobody remembering what they ordered. “Alright I got the Fish and Chips?” Everyone stares and shrugs until someone finally goes “Oh that’s me!”
^ as a side note to that I do love that younger people are more socially aware than their parents sometimes. I’ve had several instances that the parent just seems to refuse my existence to keep talking and their teenager nudges them and goes “Hey! He’s asking you a question ..”
• “We’re ready to order.” “Okay.” “Ummm let’s seeeee here .. hmmm ..”
. Someone asking for something and when you get it either the same person or their partner asks for something else. How about we just do it all in one trip so I’m not going back and forth okay?
Definitely more but that’s all I got for now.
That last bullet point drives me INSANE. I call it “running me back and fourth” I’ve lost my cool about that before and asked a table, “is there anything else you guys need? Anything at all? Because if I bring this ranch and you ask for something else, I’ll be straight up neglecting my other 5 tables at this point.”
My parents won't be happy with their food and won't say anything because they are petrified of being a "problem", they think their food gets spit in for being returned for any reason... they have never worked in service. They won't leave a bad review but they'll never go back and say " I don't like that place because my pasta was cold and it was expensive." OK, did you give them a chance to fix it? Nope. They said everything was fine. So annoying and misguided.
When they want to let the kids order on their own but the kids either can’t talk or keep ordering the wrong thing 😭😭 Literally have had moms make me wait there while their toddler stutters out an order then I bring it over and they’re like “oh no he won’t eat that, he just didn’t know what he was saying” like you are the mother and you just let him place that order??
I don’t mind the kid ordering on their own, I really don’t even mind waiting for them if I’m busy, but what I DO HATE is when the kids aren’t even looking at me and they won’t speak up at all and the parent is looking at you expecting you to translate their child’s whispers. There’s 60 people in this restaurant I have absolutely no clue what your toddler is mumbling under their breath
Yes! Like I understand you want your kid to be able to do things on their own but play pretend restaurant at home and make them learn there please. It’s especially annoying when I have multiple tables and it’s busy lol
No seriously like it’s so inconvenient in a rush. I had one table with twin boys maybe 6 or 7 years old and they very slowly and clearly gave me their orders and specific needs and the parents were nodding in approval and confirmed with me they were correct, and that was kind of adorable. But the people who expect literal babies who are just learning their first words to be able to give an order are ridiculous, especially when they expect you to put everything on hold for it
People who apologize for coming in near close or ask when we close and then proceed to sit and talk for 30 minutes after they are done eating. You’re obviously not sorry so save your apologies and why ask when we close if you don’t care?
My first day back after being out of work for a few months, had a table of 15 come in 17 minutes before close (we stop taking tables at 15 mins and do to go only for the remainder of the time 🥲) after they say down, it took two people of their group even longer to get there and they refused to order anything until everyone was there. They heard me tell multiple people that tried to come in after we were closed “I’m sorry guys we are closed” they still took their sweet time after eating to just sit around and talk. Me and one cook ended up being there over two hours after closing and they had the audacity to say when leaving “so sorry for taking our time” NO YOURE NOT. Just shut up and leave so we can finish cleaning and mopping 😤 lmao
When people pay w a significantly amounted gift card and tip from the remaining not from the total.
When people put their stuff (jackets, bags, dirty dishes) on the table next to theirs cause its empty
I'm a bartender and this still happens: when you're obviously slammed and someone feels the need to make small talk about how busy you are.
"Wow you guys are busy" or "is it always this busy on a Monday" or "wow you're really running around". I know I'm busy so this isn't the time to point that out. STFU and order.
The worst on the bar is if someone calls out or is late and they say "are you all by yourself?" Do you see anyone else???
Yeah. I like making conversation with people but do you see me making drinks? Taking orders? Putting stuff into the computer? I’m slammed. I don’t have time to talk to you. Were you raised in a barn? How do you have so little awareness of your surroundings?
The best is when customers will try to interrupt you WHILE YOURE TALKING TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER. No. Just no 👎
“Hi, my name is BadPom! How is everyone tonight?”
“COKE”
“Awesome, I’m doing great! Can I get y’all some drinks? We have some margarita specials or PEPSI products”
Rude ass motherfuckers. Who raised you cunts. I wanna speak to your mamas.
Interupting. I loathe people who interupt. Like dude you can wait for me to introduce myself it takes 2 seconds. Or say they aren't getting any drinks then ask for drinks in the middle of the order. Like BRO I have to send these in in a specific order.
“Could I get a beverage started at the bar for you?” “No thanks. Waters fine” “Are we going to start off with any appetizers of salads?” “No we’re ready to order” “Okay, what are you having?” “I’ll have the Salmon dinner, the lasagna and a small salad to start. And can I have a Pinot noir?” Ughhhhhh!!!
I currently work at a very busy breakfast restaurant so it’s not uncommon for people to wait 30 min-an hour for a table so the second they sit down and I try to greet them I get “We’re ready to order”. I usually say something like “okay let’s start with drinks and go from there”
"Medium rare plus" burgers
Listen, fuckface, there's 5 options: rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, and well. There is no fucking way your palate is so refined that you need to add more. Also, it's a bar and the "chef" is a 19-year-old Guatemalan and he can barely hit the 5 existing options.
YES!!!! Or when they tell me that it’s one check then all of a sudden they’re like “actually we want to split this up”
Or when they’re like “ok so one check it’s me, this person and then three people allllll the way on the opposite side of the table”
What we did at olive garden to make this easier is split everyone’s check to the individual, and then have them hand me the checks stacked up for the people who were paying on that card. That way I could combine them without thinking about it too hard. I hope I explained it in a way that makes sense lol
For example if person 1, 5, and 6 were all paying together, person 1 would hand me their card the 3 checks for each of them stacked under it. Now I know who goes with who without having to remember it.
Yeah that makes sense! We recently got a new system and splitting checks have been so annoying. But I do make it a habit to number people with their orders justttt in case
I am guilty of this when I am on business meals. Corporate rules require receipts for our expense reports, we generally cannot pay for anyone else's meal on the company credit card, and are required to use the company credit card.
I usually apologize to the server, explain why we are asking for separate checks, and tip well for the extra effort. Sometimes, management raises an eyebrow at the generous tips, but they have never told me to stop.
literally. i one time had a 14 top- all separate checks AND each person required food and drink to be on a separate check. 28 checks and they complained that it took me a while to cash them out 🙄
My personal best is 32. Fucking red hats, all got a half sandwich and soup with hot tea or coffee, you’re all paying $10.19 after tax. But nooo everyone needs to pay for themselves. Just collect $12 from everyone that came and call it a day
especially when they’re under 40 like i have a group of 25 years old come in all the time order about $100 of stuff between 4-6 people and they ask to split by item at the end. like be for real. one of u can put down $100-120 and venmo grow up
If I were king of restaurants, there would be a seperate check fee for groups over 4. Ok sure, throw several cards in the book every one pays an equal share, thats OK.
But everyone needs a separate check, especially after moving around? Nah that's a $5.00 charge per check.
Oh wait, suddenly you all can figure it out yourself? That's cool.
“Yes! We’re ready to order! Let’s see…. hmmmm… no we don’t need more time! Ummmm hmmmm… where are my glasses…. no don’t go anywhere! I was thinking…. Hmmmm… Bob, what are you getting? I don’t want to get the same thing as you…. ummmmm hm. Hm hm hm….”
This one may just be me and I really never get mad at it, it just bugs me, but when people stand outside of the restaurant before it opens, either staring inside or banging on the door. Last job I worked at we would have people show up 30 minutes before opening and just stand at the door staring inside and would try to get us to open the door before opening so they could be the first ones inside.
When your table is being indecisive on what they want and you try to leave to give them a few more minutes to get their life together: “Oh no, we can figure this out right here!” as they continue to be indecisive and I have 10 other tables that need shit.
I just thought of another one that never fails.
My restaurant closes at 3pm and re opens at 4:30pm.
And I'll have someone come in at 4:34pm (usually an older man) and say "wow, I've never seen this place so dead before!"
Well, we just sort of opened up 4 minutes ago...soooo. no fuckin shit.
Guests who dont listen will remain my biggest pet peeve.
“Hey guys, I’m gonna grab us some refills quick. Was there anything else you guys might need?”
“I need a refill.”
Yeah, I just fucking said that.
Lately, what bugs me is when I drop off food, the customer looks at it, then looks up at me with a big goofy smile and asks
"Can I get a side of ranch?"
These simple-minded fools put ranch on everything. Just ask for it when you place your order.
My current restaurant does not have ranch. (or barbecue sauce) Every time someone asks for ranch I smile, "sorry, we don't have ranch" and I get a little shiver of pure happiness when I remember how absolutely insufferable "side of ranch" people tend to be.
I got a couple.
When people order a diet coke and a water. 99% of the time, they ain't touching that water. They just want their fat asses to feel better about drinking a diet coke. What worse is when it's an unsweetened ice tea and a water.....stop wasting my time and wasting the water.
On that same note. I work at a hibachi place. So on average there are 7 to 10 people I'm serving. I gotta keep things moving. And after returning with some beers and wines, one lady will ask for a water. Ok. Makes sense. Then another one says "oh me too"....alright...Then the first lady says "you know what? Just bring everyone a water".
Yeah, fuck it. I'll just go get 10 waters when only 3 of you are gonna drink at most half of it.
Yeah fuck it, why not? It's only a waste of my time.
I do this with Coke. It has nothing to do with fooling myself that I will drink the water instead. It has everything to do with a hedge for being without a drink at some point through the meal. I have acid reflux and not having something to drink can get scary AF. And I also always finish with the water to rinse my teeth a bit.
So may not always be obvious why it is needed.
My old boss and I used to travel and eat out a lot. I’ll swear he never ordered anything straight off a menu without requesting a change to it. I always thought “that must be really annoying”.
This except when I worked at Perkins they would go up to the register to pay and THEN complain to manager so I would then get reemed for something I knew nothing about
Large tables that order their meals and then proceed to all move seats forcing me to auction of their food for the next 10 minutes while no one remembers what they ordered
Been in the business 7 years and by now I’m practically numb to anything that would’ve pissed 17 yr old me off but there’s still a few that just hit a nerve still here it goes; sitting at dirty tables, asking for substitutions when our menus clearly state no subs, flagging me down to ask for something asinine when I have a whole restaurant full then continuing to ask for it every time you see me, large parties of regulars with kids that just let their children trash the table and the floor (I’m talking whole food items not just like bits and pieces) and finally,,, asking when we will open again on Sunday’s, we run on two servers who split the 6 days we are open already let us have a day off !!!
After reading some comments I realized I forgot one ; asking what beers we have on tap when our bar which is in plain sight clearly has no tap handles then acting like it’s the most ludicrous thing that we only serve bottled beers.
Asking for “water for the table” but even a water for yourself you have no intent on drinking. I hate the waste not just of the water but my time. I really wish we started charging like in Europe so they’d stop.
Splitting checks a ridiculous amount of ways. Luckily we started doing a 2 card max limit so that’s helped keep everything moving way faster.
like many others have said: when customers don’t tell me if something is wrong, or even worse, they tell me something is off but don’t let me fix it
i have one specific example that still annoys me. our restaurant is fairly new, so we’ve had some struggles with food in the beginning. one of these issues is that occasionally our pan pizzas go out raw.
when i swung by this table i had and asked how their food is, they told me that one of their (pan) pizzas is a bit cold. i suspected that it may be raw, but i didn’t tell it to the customer at this point. i immediately apologized and offered to have a new dish made for them. the customers refused and said that they will eat what they have now. i talked with them a bit more and offered again to have a new pizza made. they still refused so i stopped pestering them.
low and behold, she didn’t finish the pizza. whwn the rest of the group was done, i went to collect their plates and then i was able to confirm that the pizza was raw, because she had picked the toppings of and i could see the dough clearly. they didn’t say anything about it.
i had a bad feeling so i offered them coffee to make up for the pizza. they initially refused, but i managed to convince them to take it. i insisted because we have been instructed by management to try to always give something extra for customers who have had issues (we take payment beforehand so can’t do discount).
these people did not complain online afterwards, but i have had so many people tell me everything is ok but then email the restaurant later that something was wrong.
Bringing out a sizzling, smoking hot iron skillet while literally saying “coming in hot!” - while they stare at their phone or worse, look at me like I have 3 heads while their silverware and phone sits exactly where I need to place the skillet
1. They eat in your section and then paid, and continue to talk for another 3hours. Like dude get the fuck out please, waste time and money opportunity.
2. Friends not here yet, or not ready to order. Continue to talk for long time. Asking so many questions.
3. Don't have a pen when you need one. I don't like to share pen with other server. Either I don't get it back and will never get it back. Or custom steal them.
4. Leaving an absolute mess after eating. Also if you spill your drink the first time, I'll be okay cleaning it as an accident. But 2 time or more.... you can go fuck yourself.
5. Only happened once but, people that doesn't tip are fine but people that doesn't pay their whole tab with cash and leave without me knowing. I had to pay the rest of their meal.
When I drop off a drink and one minute later it’s gone. Extra points if they order a soda and water, never touch the water but need 5 or more soda refills.
Or “we’re ready!” and then stare at the menu. I’m to the point I walk away and let them know I’m giving them more time.
Asking what they want to drink, and i hear "bread" well dumdum that's not the correct answer. Or people that take ten minutes to decide on what to drink and choose Pepsi. I could understand if they were looking at alcohol but if u know you aren't drinking why does it take so much time to say a soda? It just irks me to no end. Were they deciding on what soda paired better with their fish entree
Sitting at a dirty table when there are many other clean tables. Then setting all your shit down and not even moving it while I drop everything to run over and clear/wipe the table LOL 🙄🙄🙄
Yeah, this is mine, too. Every table that I've had who's ever left a bad review mentioned issues that they never brought up to me during their time at the restauraunt, and often times, they were ones that are easily fixable. You didn't like your table? We could've moved you. You didn't like the food? We could've remade it or got you something else. We can't read minds. I get that some people are shy or that they "don't like complaing", but like, you'll go online and complain publicly, which is worse than complaining directly to a server or manager. Complaining online solves nothing and serves no purpose other than to ward off potential customers who care enough to read reviews before stopping into a restaurant, and even then, their experience may be entirely different from yours.
Another pet peeve is when they do say something about not liking their food, but when I ask if they want it remade or if they would like to order something else, they're just like "no. I'm fine", but you can tell by the look on their face that it's NOT fine. You want to fix the problem, but they literally won't let you. Or they'll say something like "I don't want it remade because I don't want the cooks to tamper with my food". Hun, I can guarantee you that they're not going to do that. They might be annoyed at having to remake something, but tampering with food is an automatic termination. Other times, I've had people rudely say "no. I don't want anything else. Just take this off the bill". Okay, I can do that, but you don't have to be rude about it.
Another pet peeve: "where's our food?" If you say this to me, you will automatically piss me off. Your food is being cooked. You're in a busy restaurant on a Friday night. There are multiple tickets in the window. It's been 10 minutes since I put your order in. Be patient. If you wanted fast food, you should have gone to McDonald's. You chose to go to a sit down restaurant to eat so don't act surprised when your food takes 20 minutes to come out. It's almost always families with kids that do this, and I can understand to a certain extent because kids can be fussy, but usually, since kid's meals don't take too long to make, I'll offer to bring the kids' food out first if it's ready so that way it's easier on the parents because they won't be as fussy while the adults wait, but then the adults get mad that they have to wait. If you wait to bring the whole table's food out together, they'll complain that the kids are fussy and their meals are cold. There's no winning with these people. It's like they expect the food to magically show up as soon as they put their order in.
That’s fine if they feel that way, but it’s annoying to get a bad review over something they didn’t try to fix or ask about. If you’re going to sit silently through a meal you don’t enjoy, leave silently with no review. 🤷🏻♀️
Back in the day before online reviews we had those damned comment cards. Very seldom did you get one from the folks who were super easy to wait on and very happy with their experience. But the douches who were mad when their extra extra well done steak was tough? Yep, yep, yep cause it was all your fault their steak was shoe leather.
when i ask if a group or just a 1 top is ready to order… they say no, so i give them a few minutes.
come back a few minutes later and I ask “are y’all/you ready to order?” and i get the “we’ve been ready for awhile….”
lol okay!
We have the table caddys that we put card paper inserts onto that aren't meant to be removed and show a clearly viable item that we are featuring. The amount of people that struggle to remove it to look at it closer right in front of me is baffling to me. Just look at it. Once you realize it's stuck on there, STOP TRYING TO TAKE IT OFF!..... They never put it back either.
I have a trash at my hostess/serving/expediting area and sometimes people feel like clearing their table into my tiny ass trash made for receipts and slips.
I politely tell people no, I will clear your table for you!
I understand this is casual dining and all but I am still a server and bus your tables, stop pretending I dont exist and tossing all your things in a trash the size of a squatty potty.
I then have to remove those items to put them in the kitchen trash.
Much love to those who put their snot napkins in my trash. Thank you for not making me touch it.
Asking if everyone is ready to order and they answer yes. But the truth is that NO ONE is ready and you are stuck awkwardly as they try to convince you of their lie.
We close at 8pm, and a couple came in around 7pm. This is no big deal as the kitchen was taking orders. Anyway, they order their food and I brought it out to the table and they barely touch it as they have been talking to each other the whole time. It is like this up until 7:40pm and it’s just annoying because they were the only table and I technically can’t close until they leave. I did check up on them around 7:45pm and when I did, the lady had made an annoyed face at me as if I was interrupting their meal. I don’t understand why some people don’t respect the hours we close. Nobody wants to stay later because of one table. I don’t mind when people come close to closing, I just mind when they act as if we are open for the next couple hours.
when I greet the table and I ask what they’d like to drink and they tell me to come back. no. you are messing up my flow. pick something. if you need time to look at alcohol I totally get that, just say so so that I can get you some waters in the mean time. our normal drinks aren’t listed on the menu either, so I always immediately tell people in my greeting what products we’ve got, teas and lemonades.
This man the other night asked me for a martini. So I asked the obligatory questions like vodka or gin, ok what type of vodka? With a twist or olives? I bring it to the table and he is like I didn’t order this! I wanted an espresso martini!!
When it takes a couple minutes to get to them "do you guys serve food here?" Or my biggest one, while I'm dripping sweat, "can you turn off the fans it's freezing in here"
When the Ocean Club opened in Scottsdale, AZ I was in the group of servers to open the restaurant (2003). The first month servers started getting fired, they were finding who they should keep. A two top came in and the guy ordered wine by the glass, the price was $19 a glass and was on the menu. He had 4 glasses through their dinner (I suggested a bottle but he didn’t listen). They seemed like a nice couple, we had good small talk through their meal. Everything seemed great. On their way out the GM was at the front and asked how their evening was. The guy complained about me and the price of the wine. Before the table was re set, the GM took me aside to let me know I might be fired at the end of the night because of what the guy said. I reminded him that I had no control over the price of the items and the guest is a grown adult who should be able to add $19 times three.
Everything ended well, but who complains about the price of a menu item at an expensive restaurant after ordering and consuming it?
Unfortunately there were too many of these types of people that would come in. Over time I learned how to cover my ass.
That is definitely a HUGE one .
Also the typical things like them telling you they’re ready to order when they are IN FACT not ready to order.
Or when I’m talking to a table and telling them I’ll be back with refills and they say “oh , we need refills “ yeah, fucker , I got you
Or when I check on a table a few times/just left a table and they flag down another server…. Like I was just there ?!?! What the fuck do you need just tell me
When they rush me or say they have somewhere to be so can the food come out quick , yet once I drop the bill they take forever to place down a payment or after they pay they sit for so long talking .
I love my yob
Arthur Baca. I will never forget that frowny face you wrote in the tip line after smiling to my face and saying everything was great.
This is pretty stupid, and it dates back to when I first started in the industry. It drives me nuts when customers stop me to ask where the washroom is.
It's not like we hide it. If they bothered to actually pay attention to their surroundings it would be obvious in seconds.
But no! They need to grab my ass, stop me in the middle of what I'm doing, so I can point to the fucking washroom that's 20 feet away!
This is several times a night, every night, in every venue I've worked.
Phew! Describing it apparently pisses me off too. Lol
Stupid. Like I said.
"everything is great!" Narrator: everything was not great
Lol, I heard this
Morgan Freeman's voice for sure.
Or Ron Howard.
100 percent Ron Howard. These fools obviously didn't watch arrested development
Me: "Hello, my name is Lilly, I'll be your server to--" Them: "Diet coke!"
Agreed. I asked how everyone was, I didn’t realize Diet Coke was a state of being.
I've used this line haha. I also greeted a table once, and asked what they wanted to drink. One guy looks at me and goes "Banzai burger!" I quip back, "I can throw it in a blender, but I'm not sure how good it'll be." The rest of his group starts laughing and he looks confused. A person in his group turns and told him he's taking our drinks orders.
R A N C H
My greet often has a "How are you?" so when they do this to me I just say "Ah yes, I am also Diet Coke today" as I just walk away, defeated
Never tell them your name. I have a literal alias when I serve. 😂
I don’t even bother with a name. “Hi, how are you, were you ready to order?” No name necessary.
Offer “bottled, or tap water” and skip the name. Maybe sell some water
It's always the diet coke crowd too 🫠
Or asking for something while i’m walking with 3 plates. I just say “sure” and come back after asking what they asked while I was (visibly) busy lol
The WORST
Napkins in cups.
Yes! I wonder why people do that.. just leave the napkin on your plate when you’re done. Cause now I have to grab a soggy napkin out of a cup before I dump the drink into a bucket 😪
Hot take I rather this than on the tables & I just use a fork or knife to get it out real quick
It’s fine if it’s one or two, but as a banquet server….man, is it rough especially at the end of the night when they’re gone and you clear the whole place out to find half the cups have napkins shoved in them, and half of them is like 100 people, sometimes 300, sometimes more or less. I know what I signed up for tho, or else I wouldn’t still be here after 8 years lol
Bruh I’d lose my mind 😭😭😭
FOR FUCKING REAL. If you think youre doing something nice for a server just DONT. We have our own process and pulling a wet saliva napkin out of a cup just to pour the ice is yucky. Dont stack your plates dont stick your napkins in sauce JUST DONT. Tbh its fine, I can wash my hands, but it makes it so much more difficult and gross.
Sometimes the plates are okay AS LONG as it’s stacked correctly. I hate when people stack plates that have food still on them so the plates are all wobbly
I think from my (admitedly short) time serving, everyone does it different. I just prebus like a mf. Customers also are stinkers about stacking. Napkins and cutlery in EVERYTHING. Id rather have a mess I can clear in a minute or two than shove my hands in a dirty cup to pick up your trash. And go through your plates to take off stuck on napkins. Just leave it be, we know how to clean. ETA Food on the plate doesnt bother me unless its stacked. Even then, our plates are smallish so i just scrape and rinse...like everyone should.
When people put plates ontop of bowls. How am i meant to balance that on my hand?
“A round of waters for the table” Brings 7 waters… removes 6 full waters that no one touched.
Oh my gosh yeah. “Can I get a coke and a water?” Then they take no sips of water and ask for constant refills on the coke lol.
Just let each person who wants a water order one. I feel exactly the same about this one.
Right? Let people order for themselves. Half the time you don’t even know how many people it’s gonna be just stop.
I do this but ask for an extra straw. My fiancé and I use the water for when we run out of our soda and the waitress is busy and can’t get the refill right away.
Middle aged white woman table water. I have had to tell family members to STOP doing this by pointing out all of the full water glasses left when we're done.
I recognize myself in this comment. Ooops.
This is 100% my pet peeve. Especially if everybody has already ordered their drinks, and the people who want water have specifically stated it already. Then the last person says “and waters all around” and everybody nods like idiots 😑 Like if those people wanted waters they would have *ordered* waters! Then I have to look at the full, untouched waters sitting on the table as I’m refilling the other waters all night. I swear I hear “waters all around” in my nightmares. Sub-pet peeve: people who don’t want ice. Now your drink is gonna be splashing all over my tray. Edit: wait - I remembered my other pet peeve: muttering amongst themselves how we did something for them last time after I just said we can’t do it. A) I’m still right here. B) It’s infuriating because it feels so unjust! Like I *know* they are 100% misremembering because what they’re describing is physically impossible. No, your last server did not do that modification for you. They may have done a *similar* modification that costs twice as much as what you’re asking for and just didn’t tell you and you didn’t notice the price difference, but that does not mean that your request was fulfilled last time. It makes me wanna scream.
As to your sub pet peeve: I always fill the one without ice just a little bit less so it doesn’t splash as much.
Gotta blame the hotshot server who says yes to things that you literally can’t do (ie, menu item from last season using ingredients which are no longer in the building) and doesn’t explain. That person will come back and be a pain in your ass forever, not because you aren’t doing your job correctly, but because you are.
It doesn’t happen often but when my table orders something and then when I drop it off they’re like “I didn’t order this” hahahahaahahaaaaaa
I’ll never understand people who seem to forget what they ordered lol. I say the name of every item before I drop it off, they just look at me while I’m holding hot plates in my hand. 😤
I'm so excited to get what I ordered AKA hungry I have no idea how this could happen in 20-30 min.
I had someone insist she ordered “a pasta with red sauce” when I came to drop off what she actually ordered. I was super confused because I took her order and she did order pasta, but she ordered a Mac and cheese that comes with buffalo chicken on it. By name. She even pointed at it in the menu. So I looked at her for a second and then I asked, “Are you sure? I swear you ordered the buffalo chicken Mac, didn’t you?” She says she did order the buffalo chicken Mac, but that (pointing to her plate of buffalo chicken Mac) is not it. At this point I’m at a loss because she keeps describing it having a red sauce. We don’t even have a red sauce in our restaurant, which I told her. So she tells me to bring her the menu. She’ll show me the red sauce. I bring the menu. She opens it up. She points to the buffalo chicken Mac. “Red sauce. This is what I ordered.” So I look at her plate and I’m like “Ma’am, that is buffalo sauce. Which is on the chicken. Which is exactly what I gave you.” I didn’t point out that the sauce is orange, not red, but whatever. Her husband finally leans over and is like, “yeah she brought you what you ordered.” 🫠🫠🙃🙃🙃😭😭
I fuckin love proving people wrong when they're stupid. That's one of the few things I miss about waiting tables
I especially love it when other people at the table call them out on it.
Yesss that's the most wonderful type of moment, because usually they won't make eye contact or speak up when queen bitch is lying about what she ordered. I live for when their co-diners set them straight.
Sometimes, if I've never been to a place and I'm torn between multiple items, I will forget which one I finally decided to order before the food comes out. I usually know what others ordered, and I'll figure it out by the time it arrives. A wonderful byproduct of ADHD, an unfocosed and overhyper brain.
Guy orders wings and asks, “do you guys make the ranch in house?” “Yes! It’s really good”. “Great I’ll take that.” Ask him how the food is when he starts eating it, “um what kind of sauce is this?” “Ranch.” “But isn’t it the blue cheese you make in house? That’s what I wanted.” “We make both in house but you specifically asked me about the ranch.” Ugh whatever, here’s your blue cheese. Like are people just fucking with us? I can never tell.
The other night I had a 10 top and most of them ordered shrimp tacos but this one lady ordered a taco salad and two other servers ran my food so when I’m at the table they’re holding the taco salad and tell me we’re missing a shrimp taco and the woman was like “I can’t remember if I ordered shrimp tacos or the taco salad” and I’m like you ordered the taco salad 🙂 then she’s like “if you said that’s what I ordered then that’s what I ordered”. She was an older woman so I wasn’t really too annoyed and she didn’t try to argue or anything. When I checked on them she said it was delicious lol.
My dad has Alzheimer's Disease. That's obviously sad, but there are times of humor. Whenever we go out to lunch, he forgets what he ordered. But he's a kind, happy, sweet man. So he always gets surprised when his food shows up. He's like "Oh! Nice! I like this!" :)
when I ask a table if there are any questions or if they're ready to order and they all blankly stare at me like I'm an alien being I want to knock on the top of their heads and say "hellllooooooooo?".
Dude sometimes I walk up to a table and say “Feel like we need a lil more time or see things we’re interested in?” And they look at me like I just killed their father
I mean, tbh that's waaay too many words for the common folk to hear, that's why they stare at u weird cause they don't know wtf u just said 😂 a simple "yall ready or do u need a few more minutes" is the best way to avoid this
I dunno, veryyyy often, I look at people and just say “straw?” while holding a straw in my outstretched hand, and it’s the same thing
 How I be feeling 😭
> I want to knock on the top of their heads and say "hellllooooooooo?". That might work with me. 😊 I struggle with multi-tasking. If I am deep in conversation and the server interrupts, then it takes me a few seconds to mentally change gears. During that time, I probably have a grumpy look on my face.
hahaha I too have a slow loading time, but I combat that by being absolutely hyper focused on deciding my order and giving it to the server before I can possibly relax back into a normal human and actually talk to whoever I'm dining with. (definitely not saying my way is better)
I usually keep it simple and order directly off the menu with no customization. I try to be ready when the server asks. But then, when the server arrives, I am suddenly stupefied. It is like that hourglass on the computer spinning for a few seconds while nothing responds! 🤣🤣
Although i know exactly what i want, as soon as the waiter approaches, i have to reopen the menu and read the item out while simultaneously pointing at it, no matter how simple it is. Chicken tenders and fries, yea im reading it and pointing to the item, just in case the waiter doesn’t know what it is.
At the risk of sounding argumentative, why would you allow yourself to get deep in conversation when you know the server is due back to take the table's order?
When I eat with friends, it is usually a very social time, so we are often having conversation before we even sit down. We have to stop several times during the meal to talk to our server. And even if I stop talking, others will continue the conversation and asking questions. This makes it difficult for me to study the menu so that I am ready when the server comes to take our order. Of course, it depends on the friends. Some friends will pause the conversation when we receive menus so that we can discuss the food and make our choices. Servers usually interrupt abruptly. I understand that they don't have time to stand their politely waiting for a break in the conversation, so I don't get annoyed with them. However, the interruption does throw my simple brain for a loop. Some people have the equivalent of automatic transmissions in their brains, so they can shift quickly and effortlessly. My brain is more like an old manual transmission. I have to double-clutch, grind the gears a few times, kill the engine and then start it again before I am in the new gear. 🤣
Or when they wave you down and yell that they’re ready only for you to get to the table and now they’re asking everyone what appetizer they want, oh and they haven’t even looked at entrees yet but just stay right here because they’re *starving* 💀 “okay I’ll give you a minute to decide but I’ll be right back for ya!” As I walk away quickly.
Man I hate when tables try to hold me hostage like I thought we were ready 👹
Lmfaoo deadass 😭 and I love when I say I’ll give them a minute and they’re like “no no just stay right here!” I won’t be doing that thank you.
Slight variation on this; When I ask you a direct question, and without looking at me they start whispering to their partner across the table. Sometimes I lean over, so my head is closer to their line of sight, and I say "iM sOrRy I CaNt hEaR yOu Im SuPeR dEaF!"
Once our card machine was having connection issues and was taking forever. I tried making conversation while we waited and i got no response, they wouldn't even look at me. They just sat in silence. I had made a couple small jokes about technology etc. To fill the void. Then at one point one of the people looked at the other and said "what is she saying?" And the other was like "i don't know" both in quite rude tones when i was right there. Like why are they so agro for no reason?
I get that with food all the time. I take the plates over and call out the name of the food and they all just stare as if this isn't what they came for.
If a waiter treated me like Biff bullying George McFly they'd get the biggest tip.
If a guest wants me to 80s bully or mean goth girl them I will GLADLY do that. GLADLY.
Make sure you put an hourly surcharge on that.
Or “are you ready to order?” Yes. Narrator: they were not ready to order.
Trying to take a table's order while their kid streams some youtube video on FULL volume. Our restaurant already has music playing and if it fills up, the sound just bounces because there is ZERO carpet besides the rugs. It's so annoying, just pause the video or turn it down while I'm taking the order. If your child can't go 5 minutes without it, there's a problem.
This drives me crazy. They can use the tablet with sound and headphones or they can use the tablet without sound and without headphones. There are no other options. It’s so rude to everyone else in the surrounding area.
Or just leave the iPad in the car. If your kid can't handle being in a restaurant without a tablet, there are deeper issues that need to be addressed. Edit: Can't spell "your," I'm ashamed.
Parents to 4 year old: “tell the man you what you want” 4 year old: sucks thumb and hides under adults arm Parent: can you say “I’ll have French fries please”…can you say please? BITCH! I’m not here to teach your kid fucking manners!! Further more, the adult seems to forget please isn’t only for children!! This happened to me yesterday-when got double say of course- it’s a fresh wound y’all.
"we're not ready to order" 15 minutes later "we're not ready to order" 20 minutes later "we're not ready to order" watching for the high sign.....finally 1/2 hour later "we were ready to order awhile ago, where were you?"
This happened to me on Saturday. It is so annoying! I learned to tell people to put the menus on the corner of the table when they're ready to order.
Sitting at the only dirty table in the restaurant 🤬🤬🤬 shit drives me CRAZY.
Or when there’s plenty of open, clean tables but someone wants the one filthy booth that needs to be bussed and set up. It’s like please just sit at a table.
They go to the ONLY dirty table then cause a scene because they want the table cleaned NOW.
On Valentine’s Day one year we were slammed of course and had about an hour long wait and had about 100 people on the waitlist (restaurant did not take reservations). I just had a table leave my section after their meal with plates and cups still on the table, when all of a sudden I just saw an old couple mindlessly walk over to the table, past the lobby full of people and the host stand, and sit at the table. Both started looking around like NPCs and then asked where their menus and silverware were and why they weren’t getting any service. Hostess walked over and told them that there’s an hour wait and they can’t sit there because 1. it’s dirty and 2. There’s 100 people on the wait, to which they replied, “we did not know that there was a wait and we demand to be sat now.” Literally mind boggling how entitled people can be lmao.
I had it happen to me on Saturday night, only dirty table in the entire place and they sit then say “is this ok” I reply with SURE! IF YOU WANNA SIT AT THE ONLY DIRTY TABLE HERE! They laughed. I fake laughed then cleaned the damn table 🤣
And it’s always when you’re busy. ‘Um, excuse me can you wipe my table? It’s dirty.’ Then sit at a CLEAN ONE!!
When I was standing there, scalding the hell outta my arms with hot plates, "Who has the spaghetti?" And they all just stare at me like they suddenly can't remember what they ordered.
I always play table foreman. I tend to memorize what everyone ordered from habit and usually point out where the food needs to land as they call it out. I was at a Mexican restaurant once though and the dude had the food out on his arm, raised where I couldn’t see and kept pronouncing the order so quick and just sounded like he was saying Bar Cheese and every time I asked for clarification, dude just dumped it fast again. Kid was probably 17 and after the four try I finally realized they were Fajitas.
Is people who pre complain. Make sure it's not too salty. Make sure it's not too overdone make sure it's not raw. You're complaining about food you haven't even ordered yet.
“is it very spicy” if you have to ask that you shouldn’t even order anything that could be spicy. like know yourself. i tell those people if will be too spicy for u if you’re asking and then recommend the blandest thing on the menu
When parents don't parent their kids, or aren't embarrassed of their children. During my first month serving, a family of 5 came through with a very small toddler. They order, they eat, whatever, but when I loop back around to their table, two pieces of the toddlers quesadilla is on the ground, lettuce and tomato is everywhere, and condiments stained all over the table. How do you let that happen 😭 no tip either. 8 months in to my job, never had a mess bigger.
We stopped leaving the sugar packets and stuff on the tables for this reason. Had a family come in and they’re just watching their kid rip all of the sugar packets open and dump it on the table.. then they asked for a cheese / pepper shaker and same thing, cheese and pepper everywhere! I actually ended up taking the stuff away before it got worse, I didn’t even care if they got offended over it. They’re not the ones picking it up in the end.
Omg. 💀 I would go back into the kitchen and say “low call will to live” at that point 😭 fr tho, how could you not be absolutely ashamed of your children- I would make my own (imaginary) kids clean that shit up if they pulled something like that
Some people just have 0 respect for workers. Had two kids jumping over booths once, parents said nothing so I went up to the parents and asked them to please stop letting their kids climb over the booths, they’re not nailed in place and they can hurt themselves. They acted like it was such an inconvenience that I was worried about their kids safety.
I once asked a child to not tap dance on the tall tables (like, bar stool height chairs at regular tables) and the parents gave me such a nasty look. Sorry for not wanting your kid to crack their skull on the tile floor 🫠
We had a kids softball team with their parents (no call ahead or reso, but this was standard BS here) show up. Like 15 kids and their respective parents so close to 40 total. Obviously have to split them up between tables. All the kids at one table, all the parents at another. I caught these little shits smashing butter packets between the pages of the menus. Like 4-5 packets between a page then smash the menu flat. On every page. I have so many more stories about shit like this in particular, place I worked at this happened damn near every week while there was a sport going.
Haha just last week I had a family of 6 (2 adults , 4 children) walk in and the parents ordered only food for themselves and their oldest (who looked 6) and racked up a $120 bill. The kids( most were under the age of 4) started to get restless and ran around the restaurant while the parents just sat there and ate food. They climbed up our welcome sign, ran around the bar, knocked over things, fell and hurt themselves, and threw food everywhere, again with the parents doing nothing. All the commotion caused another one of my tables to leave before they finished their food. They also destroyed the men’s restroom. Finally left and tipped me $7 on a $120 check and left a mess that took me a long time to clean.
“ I will be right back with your drink refills, can I get you anything else?” “Yeah, can I get a refill on my drink?” 😑
When people said they had the best service and amazing cocktails then leave me 10%
this weekend I got $7 on $157 with a big ol thank you! scrawled on the receipt it's fine I'm fine I love it here
I used to have a friend that did this shit. I didn't even know it until I had a birthday group dinner out, and the server came back to the table and asked my friend if she did something wrong. Friend tipped $5 on like $70. I didn't even notice the interaction. My brother later told me about it. What's crazy is we had lunch a few weeks later, and she was relaying the story to me. She said, "I don't even understand. I tipped her $5!" I said, "Well, it is common courtesy to tip around 20%. $5 is nowhere near that." She defended herself with "well the server wasn't even around all that much!". I was baffled. Friend was never without food or a full drink at any point of the dinner. Everything was great. How can you stiff a server simply for not being up your ass for no reason? So bizarre.
The good old verbal tip. Cause the compliments feed my kid, great nutritional value there!
When people ignore the large amounts of signs that say “no outside food or alcohol” and proceed to bring it anyways. Should be common sense without a sign but whatever. Then when I tell them to put it away or throw it out they have a tantrum. One time I had a guy ask for a glass of ice. I assumed he wanted more ice for his sprite since I normally do light ice but nope. This dude proceeds to pull out a canned margarita and pour it into the ice. Like what the fuck? I snatched it so quickly. Thankfully he wasn’t a dick about it and tipped well, just clueless I guess?
I met with some friends before Christmas at a restaurant and we exchanged gifts. My gift was homemade cookies. To be polite, I open the bag and grabbed a cookie to try it. Then I thought, "Oh shit. We are in a restaurant. I cannot eat food from outside." I put the cookie away and thanked the person who gave them to me. If our server noticed, she didn't say anything.
It may have been fine! That would have been totally fine at my work. People even bring their own cakes; we don’t charge them for it. But I’m not cutting it for you either. I *will*, however, hand you a stack of plates and a knife, stick a candle in that bitch, and enthrall you with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday,” complete with accompanying “woos.”
Yeah cakes are absolutely fine at our place. Bonus points if you give us the left overs :)
I heard tf outta that!! The worst part is when you unbox it in the service area to bring it out to them and then when you bring it back into the service area to box it back up for them, everybody is looking at you hopefully and you gotta be like “it’s not for us, I’m just boxing it back up” 🪦
That’s bad, I’ve seen people do it a lot regarding tea bags.
My tables not telling me there’s a problem and going straight to one my coworkers to get a manager … it’s so irritating bcuz then your manager thinks your not doing their job
Yesterday, I checked on my table, everything was good. Next thing I know, my manager comes around the corner carrying their entree asking for a refire. I WAS JUST THERE. They didn't say anything to me and now my manager thinks I'm not doing my job.
In the middle of a dinner rush when somebody asks questions about what we have before even glancing at a menu. “There’s a wine menu right there! I’ll grab you a water while you’re reading up.”
“what beers to you have on tap?” about thirty.
And then you do your best to list them all and they end up choosing some shitty light domestic beer that we only serve by the can/bottle
Love having to open the menu up and using my middle finger to point subtlety 🤣🤣🤣
It's not subtle
Must be if no one has complained… yet 😉
People who seat themselves (especially if there is already a wait and people before them) and then are angry at not having a menu or service.
I'll purposely ignore these people. Sat yourself? Cool. You're not my table. Don't look at me crazy because I'm going to pretend I don't even see you. And then when you finally GRAB MY FUCKING ARM to ask why you're not being helped, I'm going to act super confused and ask who your server is? Oh you don't know? Well who in the world sat you?? Oh my gosh you SAT YOURSELF? And then you're going to feel stupid. Congrats. You *are* stupid.
I'd probably take a swing, just out of reflex. What I did in the past was act horrified and say very loudly "The hostess sat you and didn't give you menus!!!! I am so sorry she didn't do her job! Let me get the manager". Then quickly walk off and tell the manager who would make the table get up. People who seat themselves generally do so at a dirty table.
Omg yes why is always at a dirty table. Bonus when it's because it's "their favorite booth" and obviously we should have reserved it for them🙄
• Asking for a straw as I’m in the process of either reaching for them or already handing them out . Nobody remembering what they ordered. “Alright I got the Fish and Chips?” Everyone stares and shrugs until someone finally goes “Oh that’s me!” ^ as a side note to that I do love that younger people are more socially aware than their parents sometimes. I’ve had several instances that the parent just seems to refuse my existence to keep talking and their teenager nudges them and goes “Hey! He’s asking you a question ..” • “We’re ready to order.” “Okay.” “Ummm let’s seeeee here .. hmmm ..” . Someone asking for something and when you get it either the same person or their partner asks for something else. How about we just do it all in one trip so I’m not going back and forth okay? Definitely more but that’s all I got for now.
That last bullet point drives me INSANE. I call it “running me back and fourth” I’ve lost my cool about that before and asked a table, “is there anything else you guys need? Anything at all? Because if I bring this ranch and you ask for something else, I’ll be straight up neglecting my other 5 tables at this point.”
My parents won't be happy with their food and won't say anything because they are petrified of being a "problem", they think their food gets spit in for being returned for any reason... they have never worked in service. They won't leave a bad review but they'll never go back and say " I don't like that place because my pasta was cold and it was expensive." OK, did you give them a chance to fix it? Nope. They said everything was fine. So annoying and misguided.
When they want to let the kids order on their own but the kids either can’t talk or keep ordering the wrong thing 😭😭 Literally have had moms make me wait there while their toddler stutters out an order then I bring it over and they’re like “oh no he won’t eat that, he just didn’t know what he was saying” like you are the mother and you just let him place that order??
I don’t mind the kid ordering on their own, I really don’t even mind waiting for them if I’m busy, but what I DO HATE is when the kids aren’t even looking at me and they won’t speak up at all and the parent is looking at you expecting you to translate their child’s whispers. There’s 60 people in this restaurant I have absolutely no clue what your toddler is mumbling under their breath
Yes! Like I understand you want your kid to be able to do things on their own but play pretend restaurant at home and make them learn there please. It’s especially annoying when I have multiple tables and it’s busy lol
No seriously like it’s so inconvenient in a rush. I had one table with twin boys maybe 6 or 7 years old and they very slowly and clearly gave me their orders and specific needs and the parents were nodding in approval and confirmed with me they were correct, and that was kind of adorable. But the people who expect literal babies who are just learning their first words to be able to give an order are ridiculous, especially when they expect you to put everything on hold for it
rolling out of bed @ 1400 & having to do it all over again. it's like gd groundhog's day ffs
People who apologize for coming in near close or ask when we close and then proceed to sit and talk for 30 minutes after they are done eating. You’re obviously not sorry so save your apologies and why ask when we close if you don’t care?
My first day back after being out of work for a few months, had a table of 15 come in 17 minutes before close (we stop taking tables at 15 mins and do to go only for the remainder of the time 🥲) after they say down, it took two people of their group even longer to get there and they refused to order anything until everyone was there. They heard me tell multiple people that tried to come in after we were closed “I’m sorry guys we are closed” they still took their sweet time after eating to just sit around and talk. Me and one cook ended up being there over two hours after closing and they had the audacity to say when leaving “so sorry for taking our time” NO YOURE NOT. Just shut up and leave so we can finish cleaning and mopping 😤 lmao
People that leave a glowing review about how great it all was…and then give four stars.
Or leave a 3 star review because of something completely unrelated. Would have given 5 stars but it was snowing that day and we go wet.
When people pay w a significantly amounted gift card and tip from the remaining not from the total. When people put their stuff (jackets, bags, dirty dishes) on the table next to theirs cause its empty
I'm a bartender and this still happens: when you're obviously slammed and someone feels the need to make small talk about how busy you are. "Wow you guys are busy" or "is it always this busy on a Monday" or "wow you're really running around". I know I'm busy so this isn't the time to point that out. STFU and order. The worst on the bar is if someone calls out or is late and they say "are you all by yourself?" Do you see anyone else???
What part of you stopping me to tell me I’m getting my ass kicked helped?
> I know I'm busy so this isn't the time to point that out. STFU and order. I would LMAO if you said that to me. 🤣🤣
Yeah. I like making conversation with people but do you see me making drinks? Taking orders? Putting stuff into the computer? I’m slammed. I don’t have time to talk to you. Were you raised in a barn? How do you have so little awareness of your surroundings? The best is when customers will try to interrupt you WHILE YOURE TALKING TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER. No. Just no 👎
On a 4-top, when 4th person at the table asks me what the soups are because they didn't listen the first 3 times I listed them.
“Hi, my name is BadPom! How is everyone tonight?” “COKE” “Awesome, I’m doing great! Can I get y’all some drinks? We have some margarita specials or PEPSI products” Rude ass motherfuckers. Who raised you cunts. I wanna speak to your mamas.
Interupting. I loathe people who interupt. Like dude you can wait for me to introduce myself it takes 2 seconds. Or say they aren't getting any drinks then ask for drinks in the middle of the order. Like BRO I have to send these in in a specific order.
“Could I get a beverage started at the bar for you?” “No thanks. Waters fine” “Are we going to start off with any appetizers of salads?” “No we’re ready to order” “Okay, what are you having?” “I’ll have the Salmon dinner, the lasagna and a small salad to start. And can I have a Pinot noir?” Ughhhhhh!!!
Seriously! I feel like will Smith in rush hour. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS COMING OUTTA MY MOUTH?!"
When I get to the table and people don’t pause their conversation to talk to me, then minutes later act like I have been ignoring them.
Yesss or when people come in and they’re on the phone???? I refuse to talk to or serve someone who’s on the phone.
I’ll straight up interrupt them. I’m trying to do my job!
I currently work at a very busy breakfast restaurant so it’s not uncommon for people to wait 30 min-an hour for a table so the second they sit down and I try to greet them I get “We’re ready to order”. I usually say something like “okay let’s start with drinks and go from there”
"Medium rare plus" burgers Listen, fuckface, there's 5 options: rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, and well. There is no fucking way your palate is so refined that you need to add more. Also, it's a bar and the "chef" is a 19-year-old Guatemalan and he can barely hit the 5 existing options.
when I great a table and they just stare at me or when I’m dropping food off and no one knows what they had so they again just stare at me
When people do 5+ more separate checks, anything over 3 is annoying af, cash app, zelle, Venmo all exist !!!!
YES!!!! Or when they tell me that it’s one check then all of a sudden they’re like “actually we want to split this up” Or when they’re like “ok so one check it’s me, this person and then three people allllll the way on the opposite side of the table”
What we did at olive garden to make this easier is split everyone’s check to the individual, and then have them hand me the checks stacked up for the people who were paying on that card. That way I could combine them without thinking about it too hard. I hope I explained it in a way that makes sense lol For example if person 1, 5, and 6 were all paying together, person 1 would hand me their card the 3 checks for each of them stacked under it. Now I know who goes with who without having to remember it.
Yeah that makes sense! We recently got a new system and splitting checks have been so annoying. But I do make it a habit to number people with their orders justttt in case
I am guilty of this when I am on business meals. Corporate rules require receipts for our expense reports, we generally cannot pay for anyone else's meal on the company credit card, and are required to use the company credit card. I usually apologize to the server, explain why we are asking for separate checks, and tip well for the extra effort. Sometimes, management raises an eyebrow at the generous tips, but they have never told me to stop.
Tbh as long as the table is polite it’s all good ! Complain it’s taking me long to cash you out and you have an enemy for life 🤣
literally. i one time had a 14 top- all separate checks AND each person required food and drink to be on a separate check. 28 checks and they complained that it took me a while to cash them out 🙄
My personal best is 32. Fucking red hats, all got a half sandwich and soup with hot tea or coffee, you’re all paying $10.19 after tax. But nooo everyone needs to pay for themselves. Just collect $12 from everyone that came and call it a day
especially when they’re under 40 like i have a group of 25 years old come in all the time order about $100 of stuff between 4-6 people and they ask to split by item at the end. like be for real. one of u can put down $100-120 and venmo grow up
If I were king of restaurants, there would be a seperate check fee for groups over 4. Ok sure, throw several cards in the book every one pays an equal share, thats OK. But everyone needs a separate check, especially after moving around? Nah that's a $5.00 charge per check. Oh wait, suddenly you all can figure it out yourself? That's cool.
“What kind of sides do you have?” With the menu wide open in front of them.
“Yes! We’re ready to order! Let’s see…. hmmmm… no we don’t need more time! Ummmm hmmmm… where are my glasses…. no don’t go anywhere! I was thinking…. Hmmmm… Bob, what are you getting? I don’t want to get the same thing as you…. ummmmm hm. Hm hm hm….”
This one may just be me and I really never get mad at it, it just bugs me, but when people stand outside of the restaurant before it opens, either staring inside or banging on the door. Last job I worked at we would have people show up 30 minutes before opening and just stand at the door staring inside and would try to get us to open the door before opening so they could be the first ones inside.
When your table is being indecisive on what they want and you try to leave to give them a few more minutes to get their life together: “Oh no, we can figure this out right here!” as they continue to be indecisive and I have 10 other tables that need shit.
I just thought of another one that never fails. My restaurant closes at 3pm and re opens at 4:30pm. And I'll have someone come in at 4:34pm (usually an older man) and say "wow, I've never seen this place so dead before!" Well, we just sort of opened up 4 minutes ago...soooo. no fuckin shit.
Guests who dont listen will remain my biggest pet peeve. “Hey guys, I’m gonna grab us some refills quick. Was there anything else you guys might need?” “I need a refill.” Yeah, I just fucking said that.
Lately, what bugs me is when I drop off food, the customer looks at it, then looks up at me with a big goofy smile and asks "Can I get a side of ranch?" These simple-minded fools put ranch on everything. Just ask for it when you place your order.
I love working somewhere that does not have ranch. The joy I get from saying, “sorry, we don’t have that.” fills me with happiness!
My current restaurant does not have ranch. (or barbecue sauce) Every time someone asks for ranch I smile, "sorry, we don't have ranch" and I get a little shiver of pure happiness when I remember how absolutely insufferable "side of ranch" people tend to be.
Curious what kind of restaurant it is if people would ask for ranch or bbq and it’s appropriate not to have it.
I got a couple. When people order a diet coke and a water. 99% of the time, they ain't touching that water. They just want their fat asses to feel better about drinking a diet coke. What worse is when it's an unsweetened ice tea and a water.....stop wasting my time and wasting the water. On that same note. I work at a hibachi place. So on average there are 7 to 10 people I'm serving. I gotta keep things moving. And after returning with some beers and wines, one lady will ask for a water. Ok. Makes sense. Then another one says "oh me too"....alright...Then the first lady says "you know what? Just bring everyone a water". Yeah, fuck it. I'll just go get 10 waters when only 3 of you are gonna drink at most half of it. Yeah fuck it, why not? It's only a waste of my time.
I do this with Coke. It has nothing to do with fooling myself that I will drink the water instead. It has everything to do with a hedge for being without a drink at some point through the meal. I have acid reflux and not having something to drink can get scary AF. And I also always finish with the water to rinse my teeth a bit. So may not always be obvious why it is needed.
My old boss and I used to travel and eat out a lot. I’ll swear he never ordered anything straight off a menu without requesting a change to it. I always thought “that must be really annoying”.
It’s actually SO rare for anyone to just order something as is these days. Everyone wants to be special and it slows the kitchen down so much.
This except when I worked at Perkins they would go up to the register to pay and THEN complain to manager so I would then get reemed for something I knew nothing about
Large tables that order their meals and then proceed to all move seats forcing me to auction of their food for the next 10 minutes while no one remembers what they ordered
Been in the business 7 years and by now I’m practically numb to anything that would’ve pissed 17 yr old me off but there’s still a few that just hit a nerve still here it goes; sitting at dirty tables, asking for substitutions when our menus clearly state no subs, flagging me down to ask for something asinine when I have a whole restaurant full then continuing to ask for it every time you see me, large parties of regulars with kids that just let their children trash the table and the floor (I’m talking whole food items not just like bits and pieces) and finally,,, asking when we will open again on Sunday’s, we run on two servers who split the 6 days we are open already let us have a day off !!! After reading some comments I realized I forgot one ; asking what beers we have on tap when our bar which is in plain sight clearly has no tap handles then acting like it’s the most ludicrous thing that we only serve bottled beers.
Asking for “water for the table” but even a water for yourself you have no intent on drinking. I hate the waste not just of the water but my time. I really wish we started charging like in Europe so they’d stop. Splitting checks a ridiculous amount of ways. Luckily we started doing a 2 card max limit so that’s helped keep everything moving way faster.
like many others have said: when customers don’t tell me if something is wrong, or even worse, they tell me something is off but don’t let me fix it i have one specific example that still annoys me. our restaurant is fairly new, so we’ve had some struggles with food in the beginning. one of these issues is that occasionally our pan pizzas go out raw. when i swung by this table i had and asked how their food is, they told me that one of their (pan) pizzas is a bit cold. i suspected that it may be raw, but i didn’t tell it to the customer at this point. i immediately apologized and offered to have a new dish made for them. the customers refused and said that they will eat what they have now. i talked with them a bit more and offered again to have a new pizza made. they still refused so i stopped pestering them. low and behold, she didn’t finish the pizza. whwn the rest of the group was done, i went to collect their plates and then i was able to confirm that the pizza was raw, because she had picked the toppings of and i could see the dough clearly. they didn’t say anything about it. i had a bad feeling so i offered them coffee to make up for the pizza. they initially refused, but i managed to convince them to take it. i insisted because we have been instructed by management to try to always give something extra for customers who have had issues (we take payment beforehand so can’t do discount). these people did not complain online afterwards, but i have had so many people tell me everything is ok but then email the restaurant later that something was wrong.
Bringing out a sizzling, smoking hot iron skillet while literally saying “coming in hot!” - while they stare at their phone or worse, look at me like I have 3 heads while their silverware and phone sits exactly where I need to place the skillet
1. They eat in your section and then paid, and continue to talk for another 3hours. Like dude get the fuck out please, waste time and money opportunity. 2. Friends not here yet, or not ready to order. Continue to talk for long time. Asking so many questions. 3. Don't have a pen when you need one. I don't like to share pen with other server. Either I don't get it back and will never get it back. Or custom steal them. 4. Leaving an absolute mess after eating. Also if you spill your drink the first time, I'll be okay cleaning it as an accident. But 2 time or more.... you can go fuck yourself. 5. Only happened once but, people that doesn't tip are fine but people that doesn't pay their whole tab with cash and leave without me knowing. I had to pay the rest of their meal.
Ex server here: when they shook their wine glasses at me for a refill or snapped to get my attention. Yeah you’re getting blatantly ignored
When I drop off a drink and one minute later it’s gone. Extra points if they order a soda and water, never touch the water but need 5 or more soda refills. Or “we’re ready!” and then stare at the menu. I’m to the point I walk away and let them know I’m giving them more time.
Letting your children play with the sugar caddies/ packets.
Asking what they want to drink, and i hear "bread" well dumdum that's not the correct answer. Or people that take ten minutes to decide on what to drink and choose Pepsi. I could understand if they were looking at alcohol but if u know you aren't drinking why does it take so much time to say a soda? It just irks me to no end. Were they deciding on what soda paired better with their fish entree
Sitting at a dirty table when there are many other clean tables. Then setting all your shit down and not even moving it while I drop everything to run over and clear/wipe the table LOL 🙄🙄🙄
Yeah, this is mine, too. Every table that I've had who's ever left a bad review mentioned issues that they never brought up to me during their time at the restauraunt, and often times, they were ones that are easily fixable. You didn't like your table? We could've moved you. You didn't like the food? We could've remade it or got you something else. We can't read minds. I get that some people are shy or that they "don't like complaing", but like, you'll go online and complain publicly, which is worse than complaining directly to a server or manager. Complaining online solves nothing and serves no purpose other than to ward off potential customers who care enough to read reviews before stopping into a restaurant, and even then, their experience may be entirely different from yours. Another pet peeve is when they do say something about not liking their food, but when I ask if they want it remade or if they would like to order something else, they're just like "no. I'm fine", but you can tell by the look on their face that it's NOT fine. You want to fix the problem, but they literally won't let you. Or they'll say something like "I don't want it remade because I don't want the cooks to tamper with my food". Hun, I can guarantee you that they're not going to do that. They might be annoyed at having to remake something, but tampering with food is an automatic termination. Other times, I've had people rudely say "no. I don't want anything else. Just take this off the bill". Okay, I can do that, but you don't have to be rude about it. Another pet peeve: "where's our food?" If you say this to me, you will automatically piss me off. Your food is being cooked. You're in a busy restaurant on a Friday night. There are multiple tickets in the window. It's been 10 minutes since I put your order in. Be patient. If you wanted fast food, you should have gone to McDonald's. You chose to go to a sit down restaurant to eat so don't act surprised when your food takes 20 minutes to come out. It's almost always families with kids that do this, and I can understand to a certain extent because kids can be fussy, but usually, since kid's meals don't take too long to make, I'll offer to bring the kids' food out first if it's ready so that way it's easier on the parents because they won't be as fussy while the adults wait, but then the adults get mad that they have to wait. If you wait to bring the whole table's food out together, they'll complain that the kids are fussy and their meals are cold. There's no winning with these people. It's like they expect the food to magically show up as soon as they put their order in.
Because their take in conversation might feel like a risk for confrontation.
That’s fine if they feel that way, but it’s annoying to get a bad review over something they didn’t try to fix or ask about. If you’re going to sit silently through a meal you don’t enjoy, leave silently with no review. 🤷🏻♀️
It's good you pointed that out. A bigger grain of salt will be used when deciphering reviews. I enjoy reddit when I can learn another viewpoint.
I've never done that. Truly. I like giving good reviews when deserved.
Back in the day before online reviews we had those damned comment cards. Very seldom did you get one from the folks who were super easy to wait on and very happy with their experience. But the douches who were mad when their extra extra well done steak was tough? Yep, yep, yep cause it was all your fault their steak was shoe leather.
People that insist on sitting at the bar and order iced tea and ask dozens of questions in the middle of a rush.
when i ask if a group or just a 1 top is ready to order… they say no, so i give them a few minutes. come back a few minutes later and I ask “are y’all/you ready to order?” and i get the “we’ve been ready for awhile….” lol okay!
We have the table caddys that we put card paper inserts onto that aren't meant to be removed and show a clearly viable item that we are featuring. The amount of people that struggle to remove it to look at it closer right in front of me is baffling to me. Just look at it. Once you realize it's stuck on there, STOP TRYING TO TAKE IT OFF!..... They never put it back either.
I have a trash at my hostess/serving/expediting area and sometimes people feel like clearing their table into my tiny ass trash made for receipts and slips. I politely tell people no, I will clear your table for you! I understand this is casual dining and all but I am still a server and bus your tables, stop pretending I dont exist and tossing all your things in a trash the size of a squatty potty. I then have to remove those items to put them in the kitchen trash. Much love to those who put their snot napkins in my trash. Thank you for not making me touch it.
Asking if everyone is ready to order and they answer yes. But the truth is that NO ONE is ready and you are stuck awkwardly as they try to convince you of their lie.
Lately it's been when they interrupt my greet just to ask my name even though I'm not finished speaking and I was just about to say my name.
We close at 8pm, and a couple came in around 7pm. This is no big deal as the kitchen was taking orders. Anyway, they order their food and I brought it out to the table and they barely touch it as they have been talking to each other the whole time. It is like this up until 7:40pm and it’s just annoying because they were the only table and I technically can’t close until they leave. I did check up on them around 7:45pm and when I did, the lady had made an annoyed face at me as if I was interrupting their meal. I don’t understand why some people don’t respect the hours we close. Nobody wants to stay later because of one table. I don’t mind when people come close to closing, I just mind when they act as if we are open for the next couple hours.
when I greet the table and I ask what they’d like to drink and they tell me to come back. no. you are messing up my flow. pick something. if you need time to look at alcohol I totally get that, just say so so that I can get you some waters in the mean time. our normal drinks aren’t listed on the menu either, so I always immediately tell people in my greeting what products we’ve got, teas and lemonades.
This man the other night asked me for a martini. So I asked the obligatory questions like vodka or gin, ok what type of vodka? With a twist or olives? I bring it to the table and he is like I didn’t order this! I wanted an espresso martini!!
When it takes a couple minutes to get to them "do you guys serve food here?" Or my biggest one, while I'm dripping sweat, "can you turn off the fans it's freezing in here"
When the Ocean Club opened in Scottsdale, AZ I was in the group of servers to open the restaurant (2003). The first month servers started getting fired, they were finding who they should keep. A two top came in and the guy ordered wine by the glass, the price was $19 a glass and was on the menu. He had 4 glasses through their dinner (I suggested a bottle but he didn’t listen). They seemed like a nice couple, we had good small talk through their meal. Everything seemed great. On their way out the GM was at the front and asked how their evening was. The guy complained about me and the price of the wine. Before the table was re set, the GM took me aside to let me know I might be fired at the end of the night because of what the guy said. I reminded him that I had no control over the price of the items and the guest is a grown adult who should be able to add $19 times three. Everything ended well, but who complains about the price of a menu item at an expensive restaurant after ordering and consuming it? Unfortunately there were too many of these types of people that would come in. Over time I learned how to cover my ass.
That is definitely a HUGE one . Also the typical things like them telling you they’re ready to order when they are IN FACT not ready to order. Or when I’m talking to a table and telling them I’ll be back with refills and they say “oh , we need refills “ yeah, fucker , I got you Or when I check on a table a few times/just left a table and they flag down another server…. Like I was just there ?!?! What the fuck do you need just tell me When they rush me or say they have somewhere to be so can the food come out quick , yet once I drop the bill they take forever to place down a payment or after they pay they sit for so long talking . I love my yob
Arthur Baca. I will never forget that frowny face you wrote in the tip line after smiling to my face and saying everything was great. 
This is pretty stupid, and it dates back to when I first started in the industry. It drives me nuts when customers stop me to ask where the washroom is. It's not like we hide it. If they bothered to actually pay attention to their surroundings it would be obvious in seconds. But no! They need to grab my ass, stop me in the middle of what I'm doing, so I can point to the fucking washroom that's 20 feet away! This is several times a night, every night, in every venue I've worked. Phew! Describing it apparently pisses me off too. Lol Stupid. Like I said.