Going out to eat is supposed to be an enjoyable experience, but sometimes the customers do not make it that way. Some people who have never worked in the restaurant biz do not understand how annoying and difficult their "small" requests can be or how rude their actions can truly be. There is a specific plan that has to be followed in order to make the guests and workers happy. The demands some guests have can simply disrupt the flow of things. When you go out to eat, just go with the flow and have patience!
1. The Hostess Stand
The hostess is there for a reason, it is the hostess’s job to greet you and seat you. So do not ignore the hostess and do not seat yourself when there is clearly a sign saying “Please Wait to be Seated!!!" Also, when you leave, do not ruin the hostess's smile. They meet, greet, and seat. They are not managers, so they're sorry if you didn't like your food or the server, but ranting to the host and being rude to the host isn't useful and is uncalled for.
2. Seating
The hostess does not seat you at random. Servers have certain sections and when the hostess seats you, it is because it is that servers turn. Some sections do not have a server yet because they don't come in for another twenty minutes. So when you walk in and pick your own seat, you are causing a server to lose money, cut their tables, and cause another server to possibly be overwhelmed.
3. Be Patient with your server.
Servers sometimes have a large group elsewhere in the restaurant or may have patio tables. Due to people changing their seats, some servers have tables spread across the entire place. They run back and forth, so do not freak out if your server took two minutes to greet you. You are not the only person in the restaurant.
4. Do not take things from other tables!
Do not steal items from other tables or at least let your server know! The tables are set up and when you steal a ketchup bottle from one table, then everything gets thrown off. Seriously, just wait until your server comes back, they will happily make sure your ketchup needs are taken care of. Or, at least replace the ketchup bottle after you use some.
5. Do not sit your dirty dishes on clean tables!!
Be patient, your server will be right with you. Do not dirty another table because we will have to clean it all over again and reset it. Also, the hostess has a floor plan showing all clean, empty tables. So when you put your dirty dishes on a clean, empty table, the hostess doesn’t know and will go seat someone at the table, only to be surprised with your half eaten bone-in wings.
6.The waitress’s and hostess’s do not make the prices.
No, we cannot discount anything. Steak is expensive, so is salad. Drinks are pricey too, so make sure you are willing to pay when you decide to eat out. We are sorry you ended up not liking the entrée you ordered, but we cannot not give it to you for free because you ended up not liking it. Stick with the chicken fingers and fries next time.
7. The kitchen is jammed packed.
The kitchen is super small, in most places, with tons of different orders and most of the time, there are only one or two cooks back there. So please remember this when you are at a sit-down restaurant, it may take a few minutes to get your food. Especially, when you order the House Burger but decide you want it custom made into something that we don’t even make, again, just stick with the chicken fingers.
8. Yes, order mix-ups happen.
When you are hungry and see your food coming, it is disappointing when it turns out to be wrong, but please be patient. There are other orders back in the kitchen, it either got mixed up or the order was read wrong. Do not be rude to your server for a mistake that has no one to point the blame at. Especially if you ordered a custom-made item, something is bound to get mixed up or messed up. Just pick it off. However, if you have allergies or are allergic, please tell your server ahead of time!
9. Tips.
Seriously. How long has it been since tipping your server been the norm? Tipping isn’t an option. You just had a server try to please your every outrageous demand, and you leave nothing or close to it? Shame. Even if the service was slower or didn’t kiss your butt playing pretend doesn’t mean they don’t deserve payment for their service. The have more tables to deal with than just yours, so give your server a break.
10. Respect.
Please treat the restaurant as if it was your home. Flush the toilets, pick up your toddler’s fries off the floor, and don’t color on the walls. It's common sense, people. Don’t trash the place. It is not hard to pick up after yourself if you make a major mess. Servers should only have to clean up your plates and drinks, not half eaten food that you drop on the floor or food your kids spit back out on the table. Do not be gross, remember, you are in public and Facebook is sweet karma.
