Many servers are given far less credit than they deserve. People who have never worked in a restaurant must learn restaurant etiquette. Here are a few things that grind your servers’ gears.
1. Cutting us off when we are introducing ourselves.
Server: Hi, how are you? My name is--
Customer: Can I have a glass of water?
Cutting off your server is rude. Don't do it.
2. Playing with the sugar caddies on the table.
Sugar packets do not need to be thrown on the ground, poured into someone’s water or touched if you don’t need them. Our job is to keep them stocked. Don’t waste them.
3. Sitting at our table but ordering from the bar.
Sorry, but we're here to make money too. If you’re going to order from the bar, sit at the bar.
4. Walking up to us when we're at another one of our tables.
Don’t walk up to us when we're talking with another table. Chances are we already saw you needed us. When we finish helping our other table, we will come help you.
5. Sitting at our table without being seated by a host.
There’s a reason we have a host. If they aren’t at the host stand to greet you, they are probably seating another table. Be patient. They will seat you wherever you’d like in the restaurant.
6. Not knowing what temperature you want your steak or burger cooked.
If you tell us you want your steak medium rare, the center of your burger or steak will come out with pink in the middle. Learn how you want your food cooked so your food can come out correct the first time.
7. Telling us everything came out great, then complaining to our manager two minutes later.
Our job is to make sure your time spent at our restaurant is great. If something didn’t come out the right way, don’t be scared to tell us -- we’re here to take care of it. Not telling us and then telling our manager two minutes later makes us look bad.
8. Making us run back and forth.
When we check up on you during a busy night and ask if you need anything, let us know then. Don’t let us know when we bring someone else a refill and decide you want one too. You could have asked us two minutes ago when we were at your table.
9. Tipping less than 15 percent.
If you don’t have money to tip, don’t go out. Servers get paid $2.13 an hour before taxes; your tip is our form of income.
