I go out to eat all the time, and it wasn't until I started working in the restaurant business that I realized way more time and effort goes into making guests happy than it seems. Here are just a few of the notes I've taken and secrets I've found out.
1. Tipping is key
I never realized the value of tipping until I started working as a hostess. When you tip your server you think the entire tip goes to them. Wrong. They have to tip out their bartender, busser and runner. Also, if your bill is $80, we will definitely despise you for the nine bucks you left us behind. The rule of thumb is 15-20 percent, and it should be known restaurant etiquette. Most servers work for minimum wage or less just because they are getting tips. Tips are a large part of their income.
2. We sat you there for a reason
Just stop with the “This is too close to the door” and “do you have any booths available” type of comments. There is a reason why we walked you all around the restaurant to the perfect table. Every shift, servers are assigned a certain amount of tables, and hosts have to start a rotation so each server gets an equal amount of tables. The trouble the staff goes through when you ask to move your table, or sit somewhere else is ridiculous. There are constant fights between servers and it isn’t fair.
3. It is not always the waiter's fault
If your food is taking too long to come out, or your waiter forgot to bring you an extra fork, don’t yell at them. Most of the time it isn’t their fault. If food is taking too long, it’s the fact that the kitchen is running behind. If your waiter forgot a request, it’s because he’s dealing with seven tables at one time. If you have a real complaint it’s better to go to a manager than talk down upon your waiter, they’re doing the best that they can.
4. We eat off your plates
Sorry to say it. But before your food comes out, the hungry staff in the kitchen are going to pick things off your plate before it goes out. Of course you’re not being skimped of your meal though. After we steal a few french fries, the chef will add a few more so that there are none missing. What else are we supposed to do when we work double shifts with barely any breaks?
5. We make fun of you
If your table has been sitting for over three hours, we are wondering when you will be getting up. If you have a weird accent, the entire staff will know about it. If your children are making a mess, the entire staff will complain about it. If anything about your table is slightly out of the norm, the staff will most likely gossip about how weird “table number seventeen." It's basically high school all over again.
6. It’s not actually a 45-minute wait
On a busy Saturday night when we hand you a buzzer, and tell you that the wait will be 45 minutes to an hour, that is a complete lie. We up the numbers so that customers will be happy when it turns out to be less time, and so that we scare some people off, because it’s too crazy for us.
