Working in the restaurant business is something I believe every person should do at least once in their lives. I’ve been in the restaurant business since I was 16-years-old, which makes me an experienced restaurant worker for almost five years. Being a server, waitress, server assistant and even a bus boy can be one of the most demanding jobs on the market. If you are a server then you know my struggle. There are so many things that happen on a daily basis that I wish I could tell my customers, and now I get to.
Here are the things that servers really wish they could say to your face.
1. Hi my name is (fill in blank) how are… “I’ll take a diet coke.”
Oh, you people are my favorite. It is common courtesy as a human to let someone finish what they have to say before you speak, especially if that someone is responsible for bringing your dinner to the table. Please, just let the server get through their spiel before saying what you’d like to drink. When you interrupt, you sound rude and arrogant. Just let us get out a sentence, please!
2. Please choose a dinner from the menu.
Customer: I’ll take a shrimp salad, but no shrimp, add chicken, wait make that steak and chicken, extra pico, no tomato (what??) light on the romaine, oh, wait, can you cut up my salad for me?
Me: Can I scream now?
Here’s the thing, you came to this restaurant because you like what is on the menu. Well, you’re supposed to, at least. Customers who come in and act like they own the kitchen should probably just go home and make the meal themselves. Was that too harsh? Eh, maybe. A simple request to leave pico off your salad is A-OK and not an issue. It’s when you start making up your own plate that isn’t on the menu that servers get really annoyed.
3. Do you really need A1, Heinz, Ketchup, Worcestershire and Barbecue sauce for your six-ounce steak?
If you are going to ask for all of these condiments, please ask for all of them at the same time. Or, embrace the meat, people.
Chances are you aren’t my only table. While I’m standing at your table, all I can think is that table 22 needs more water, table 21 needs to pay, table 14 wants dessert and table 26 is staring me down as if I’m hiding their food from them. Please, out of the goodness of your heart, think off all the things you need and ask for them at one time. I can’t let my other tables suffer because you need something new every two minutes.
4. Please do not come in 10 minutes before close.
5. If you didn’t like it last time, you probably won’t like it again.
There are people, and I believe this strongly, who go out to eat to see what they can complain about enough to get for free. Yes sir, I have noticed you. It seems you get the same thing every time you come in but it never seems to taste any better for you. Then you complain and more than likely get it discounted or for free. Maybe you should change it up! Just a suggestion.
6. Drink. Refills.
I get it, we all get thirsty. It’s a total natural thing to happen, but when you scarf down three cups of sweet tea before your appetizer comes out, I’m going to get annoyed. It’s okay that you drink that much, but for all that is holy, do not shake your glass at me. I see that your glass is empty and I’m working my hardest to get to you and refill your drink for the fourth time. Like I said earlier, you’re not my only table.
7. Parents: Please teach your children restaurant courtesy.
Our restaurant is not a jungle gym. We’re not a daycare, and we unfortunately don’t have the power to tell your kid to say please and thank you. Just teach your kids to be polite, it’ll make our job easier and their service more enjoyable.
8. "I’m so sorry, but can I change my meal to a ___ instead?”
This can go one of two ways. If everything is right in the world then maybe, just maybe, your food hasn’t been started yet and I can change your order for you. However, there is a huge chance that your food has been rung in for ten minutes and is on a tray ready to hit your table right now. What I want to tell you is, “Too bad, so sad.” Instead, I put on my server smile and say “Of course you can!”
Once you change your order, servers have to explain to their manager what happened, then get your food comped off and hope the manager doesn’t accuse us of lying and later make us pay for the said “mistake.”
9. Put the phone down.
I’m a phone junkie, you’re a phone junkie, we’re all phone junkies! I’m trying really hard to give you the best service I can, but when you’re on your phone while ordering and your food doesn’t come out like you think it should, I don’t feel sorry for you. Hint: just put the phone down, order the plate how you want it, and enjoy your food and company.
10. I’m human, I make mistakes.
I will admit it, I make mistakes. Yes, I am so sorry I totally forgot to ring in your eggrolls. Please do not look at me like I am scum on the bottom of your shoe. Don’t roll your eyes at me or get an attitude and want your whole meal for free. I forget things sometimes. I get so caught up in all my tables, my running side work and helping everyone else out that I may have forgotten. I am sorry.
11. Tipping.
Ah, the way that servers make a living. Personally, I don’t think that tipping should be optional. Some restaurants add gratuity to their checks. Check for this! For instance, my restaurant does not. I work really hard for my money just as you do at your job. I am providing you a service. If my service is nothing to be complained about, then there is no reason you should leave me $5 on a $50 tab. The going tipping rate is 20 percent, which means that if your tab is $50, then your tip should be $10. Even though you asked for 15 different condiments and changed your order five times, I smiled through it and got you what you needed.
Parents: please relay the tipping courtesy on to your children. Telling me to keep the change when the change is $0.17 isn’t going to pay my bill or make me want to give you good service.
Hint: The more polite you are, and if you tip like a normal person, the better service you get. Don’t be the table everyone hates. Just don’t.
12. I am your server, not a slave to you.
The customers, who come into my work acting as if I owe them the world really grind my gears. I am your server and I am here to make sure you get everything that you need. However, you are not my boss so please don’t act like it. I am not any less of a person because I work in a restaurant. The stereotype does not hold true, I am not a lowlife or an ex-convict. I am a young woman trying to make her way through college that is currently biting her tongue so that she doesn’t smart off to you.
11. We love you, really.
Even though we have a lot we wish we could say to your face, you are the reason we make money. Thank you for coming back, we want you to! We secretly want to kiss people on the forehead who are happy to be alive when they walk into the restaurant. Oh, you loved your service, me, the food and the atmosphere? Ah! Can I give you a hug? Sometimes all servers need is a compliment (not a verbal tip — a compliment) to help them get through their day. You easygoing customers rock our world.
Servers make an average of $2.13 an hour. The tips we earn from busting our butts for your table is how we pay our bills. There is way more to being a server than bringing you your food. Please keep in mind that we work to provide you the best service we possibly can day in and day out. We work 12-hour shifts, we’re on our feet all day long and we have about 10 minutes to eat our lunch before we start getting tables.
We work holidays, weekends and even sometimes our own birthdays. Please remember while you’re going out to eat this holiday, that while you’re getting to spend time at the dinner table with your family, we’re spending ours at work. I am not saying this to make anyone feel sorry for us, it’s our job. It’s what we do. It’s to make people become aware and respect this industry and for people to respect their server. We are human too.
