Let me start by saying I love waitressing. I get paid to make sure people leave with a full belly and enjoy their time with family, friends and me! I have so many amazing guests and tables of people, but then every once in a while I get a table who act like they have never been to a restaurant before.
Please stop saying these things to your the lovely servers and greeters taking care of you at restaurants.
1. "Could I have some _________." *waits for the waitress to go to the kitchen & return* "Could I also get some __________." *repeats this process multiple times*.
I would love to get some ketchup for your fries and another beer, but chances are you already know everything that you need at once. Make the experience better for both of us and try to tell me everything you need at once.
2. Blaming your server for something you wanted being out of stock.
I don't stock up the kitchen or the bar, so I have no control over what we are out of. I want to make you happy so please stop being mean to me because the restaurant doesn't have something.
3. "I want a hug. Do it for your tip."
I'm not for sale and I don't want to hug you. Please just tip me based on how well I served you up until this point where I am being uncomfortable and angry because you, a stranger, demanded a hug.
4. Not leaving a tip.
I get it. The kitchen didn't make your food fast enough, you didn't like your drink, you wanted more fries than they gave you, etc. I don't get paid enough hourly to live on, I need your tips to make money. Chance are, whatever made you unhappy enough to not tip was completely out of my control.
5. Leaving a $1 tip, but including your phone number.
If I wanted your phone number I promise I would have asked for it. It takes everything in me not to text you and let you know that leaving a $1 tip is not polite.
6. Pointing to a table and asking why you can't sit at it when the hostess says there is a wait.
The kitchen gets super backed up and sometimes needs a 15-20 minute wait to catch up. We would sit you there if we could.
7. Walking past the hostess and seating yourself.
We have hostesses for a reason. The entire floorpan of a restaurant is very precise and the hostess knows where to seat people and will even accommodate you if you ask the sit in a certain place.
8. Asking super invasive questions.
I'll let you get to know me on the surface, but sometimes its weird explaining things like my entire family history and my great great great grandfathers ethnicity to you.
9. Being rude or mean.
I'm here to take care of you and ensure you have a nice meal placed in front of you. Being mean to me when you speak to me will do nothing for you, but it will irritate me.
10. "What time do you close?"
It's funny you should ask, we actually close in 30 minutes but of course you are still going to order and sit here until I have to ask you to leave because we are locking the doors.
