Whether you're fine dining or grabbing a quick bite before your movie, be sure to be mindful of these tips. The restaurant, and your server, will thank you.
Business hours are more like a rough estimate.
If you walk in 5 minutes before the restaurant closes, you should still expect to be seated. Likewise, if you arrive before the restaurant opens, just tap on the window and wave! An employee will be happy to stop prepping and go ahead and seat you right away. After all, the customer is always right, right?
Wad, shred, or hide your straw wrappers.
No worries, someone else will clean it up! The staff actually look forward to going on little scavenger hunts for your crumpled straw wrappers in the middle of their dinner rush. Bonus points if they miss one and the next group at that table finds it!
Bring in a huge party without any kind of notice.
Wondering if you're being a nuisance by bringing in so many people without calling ahead? Absolutely not. The waiters and waitresses will love seeing all 15 of your hangry selves walking through those doors at once. The larger the table, the larger the tip!
Let your kids run wild and free.
If your kids have been couped up in the house all day or have been buckled in for a car ride for a few hours, the best place to let them blow off some energy, without a doubt, is in a busy restaurant. Trust me, the staff won't mind at all. They're just happy you're there!
Blame your server for anything and everything.
Overcooked food? Dining room too chilly? Whatever the case may be, it's definitely because of your server. It's their sole job to keep every guest happy, so don't hesitate to let him/her know.
Ask to split your check in as many ways as possible.
Honestly, who needs Venmo when you have someone at your beck and call who gets paid to take your orders? In any case, your server will be delighted to stop what he/she is doing and split your bill for you. Really, it's no hassle.
Leave your phone number or flirty message in lieu of a tip.
This is by far the most attractive, alluring thing you could possibly do to get your waitress's attention and to make sure she feels appreciated by you. Who knows, she might even like you back!
Okay, hopefully you've caught on to the sarcasm by now.
All jokes aside, no matter what restaurant you're dining in, your server is probably working incredibly hard to make ends meet. On top of the stress of keeping multiple tables happy at once, some with 5+ people, the US federal government only requires a minimum server's wage of $2.13 per hour, provided their tips get their wage up to at least $7.25 per hour. That's not a lot, especially when you consider how many hours they'd have to work to make a livable income. Many servers have kids, car payments, phone bills, rent, a mortgage, college debt, etc. Many are working multiple jobs and have a lot of weight on their shoulders. Servers are human, too, so PLEASE, for the sake of all that is good and just, be patient, be considerate, trust that your server is doing his/her best, and leave a decent tip, even if you had to ask for your refill twice.
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