Waiting tables is one of the most stressful jobs to have in college. The job consists of doing a bunch of side work, running food, busing tables, all while keeping your table happy, which can be very hard to do. Here are some things that can be annoying to a waitress.
1. Same-siders
This is what we call those weird people who, you guessed it, choose to sit on the same side of the booth. It's incredibly weird and uncomfortable to have a conversation with someone at a restaurant when they're sitting next to you, eating. Why not sit on the other side of the table? This way you can actually have eye contact and not crank your neck just to look at the person you're with. I totally understand wanting to be closer together, but can't you just play footsie under the table like everyone else?
2. Can you tell me what is the best thing on the menu?
Man, I would really love to stand at one table and tell people about each individual best seller item on the menu. NOT. The menu items have descriptive descriptions below them, why can't you just read it? If you want to know if something is spicy, yes, I will answer that for you because the menu doesn't say "Hey, be careful, the chili has a little kick to it." However, I am not going to tell you everything that comes on a burger when it tells you in the menu that you have open in front of you. (Fine, I actually will, and with a smile too, but I won't be happy about it in my head.)
3. Why must you interrupt my friendly, southern greeting?
It's my thing to greet my tables by saying "Hey, how are y'all doin' today? (insert pause to listen if they choose to answer) My name is Marissa and I'm going to be taking care of you this evening. Can I get you something to drink?" Pretty thoughtful in my opinion, but there's always that person that feels the need to cut me off, "Sweet tea". No please? No, "oh, I'm doing great thank you for asking"?
I will not get you your sweet tea any faster by you interrupting me. Odds are it will take longer because when I go back to the kitchen I'll stop to tell my co-workers about how rude you were, prolonging the delivery of your precious tea. Take that.
4. Running around like a chicken with my head cut off... to get no tip?
I work hard for my money, so when a table sends me back to the kitchen more than 10 times to get something they need I do it with a big smile knowing that they may appreciate my hard work and leave a nice tip. Wrong. Most of the time, the people who run you around in circles don't even tip! I wonder if people know I'm making $2.13 an hour and their tips make up the rest. As servers, we rely on tips for a decent paycheck.
5. If you want to make good money you will find yourself "in the weeds".
"In the weeds" basically just means you're super busy. You may need to run hot food, fill drinks at one table, take the order for the next table, and cash out another table all in a timely manner to ensure that good tip. Oh, and while trying not to look crazy or super stressed while doing all of that. If you don't find yourself in the weeds at any point in the night, you probably didn't make good money.
6. Accepting the fact that some people come in solely to piss you off.
It's a fact that some people are just miserable and have a tendency to bring every one down with them. Nothing you do for them will be good enough, and it sucks. This past Sunday I had a complicated table. After all the food went out I made sure everything was alright, and they said it was. I came back five minutes later to refill drinks, and one of the lady's at the table says, "I ain't got no cheese on my salad."
Oops. I apologized and told her I would be right back and she had the nerve to roll her eyes at me and say, "Well, I should've gotten my cheese the first time." I thought to myself, "Wow, she must have a really miserable life to get that upset about some dang cheese."
What makes it all worth it are the people who come back just to see me and who are genuinely kind human beings. I am so thankful for those people
