Comments on: 100 Things Restaurant Patrons Should Never Do

By: MsLizzyTish

MsLizzyTish — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:36:53 +0000

Dear everyone,
I did a very short stint in the restaurant industry, not as a server, but as a hostess in a Michelin starred place in Manhattan–it gave me kind of an insider/outsider perspective. I’m also a foodie and love going out to eat.
To everyone going back and forth bickering here, I think it’s pretty simple. The job of the restaurant is to provide the best experience for the customer that they can. However, if you haven’t worked in the restaurant industry, you may not be able to imagine how horrible some people can be–thus, the “it’s your job” comments, while true, might not account for the extremes that people unfortunately encounter.

Not every mistake can be attributed to the server (for example, you found a hair in your food? Gross, and needs to be taken back, but it probably came from the kitchen), and attacking a server’s character because of it is absolutely unacceptable. To scream and someone and berate them is simply not how to treat a person, even if they “work” for you.

On the other hand, yes, it is the server’s job to serve, and to accommodate requests when possible, but, I think the message of this list is clear–if you’re going to ask your server to do something special for you, have the courtesy to treat them like a person.

And remember–server, customer, manager, whatever, everyone has bad days sometimes–just try to leave it at the door.

By: anon

anon — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:07:34 +0000

i thought this was 100 things??

By: SeeYaLater

SeeYaLater — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:24:37 +0000

Springs: While I commend your enthusiasm for condemning the overly self-righteous server, your random all capital words are extremely distracting. They also indicate that you’re very angry, and as someone just now stumbling across this- you should probably seek therapy. I would also have to wholeheartedly agree that you are probably “the nightmare” when it comes to customers, simply due to your seemingly endless desire to damn all servers to Hell. And please, do not quote yourself to disprove me. Frankly, I did not spend the last 4 hrs of my life reading over everything you have posted on a blog, which is obviously directed at restaurant employees. However, I do not feel as though your anger towards this list of customer “do nots” is entirely misplaced. It is kind of insane to bitch about humanities retardation while in the restaurant business. I have been in it for about eight years and it will never, ever change. My job, as a server and a bartender, is to shut up, unless you indicate the ability to converse with such a lowly figure, and give you what you want- agreed. On the other hand, when a customer decides to take that idea to the next level and, for a lack of a better word, become a complete CUNT (shout out to Springs- not so much for the c-word, but for all caps!)- I do get overwhelmed with the theory that I could physically break most of you dickheads in half. Seriously, you’re very fragile. I do not mean to take it to a violent level, but it should be understood that we do not have an anti-riot team on most waitstaffs. Therefore, you would still be really hurt. Jklol. Overall, I will agree with most that have posted on this in saying that treating your server like a human being is all it takes to get good service, if you ever stood a chance at getting it in the first place. There is no reason to take the dining experience (both from the customer and the server’s standpoint) to the seriously insane level it has reached on the few posts I have read. On a side note: I do feel as though some people have the “this is your job” complex- and I just have to say that there are endless reasons why people are working server/bartender jobs. Try not to judge so quickly, we all have a story. Except for ours are probably more interesting than yours!

By: nothavingit

nothavingit — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:37:10 +0000

I understand not wanting people to make your job more difficult, but good God this is a bunch of crap. THIS IS YOUR JOB! If you don’t like the way human beings act, GET OUT of the restaurant business. On top of that, where you’re messing up the most is telling your PAYING customers what they can and can’t do. If I want to come in your establishment and be loud, criticize the employees, send back my order, and stack my plates when I’m finished (If I’m feeling nice) I will because without me, you wouldn’t have a job at all.

-The customer is always right.

By: Springs1

Springs1 — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:54:01 +0000

Nate
“101. Don’t go to a restaurant right when they open”

Sorry, I 100% disagree with that. The best service I find is when there aren’t many customers at 11a.m. on the dot when it opens. You get your drinks faster, food faster, more likely not to get mistakes, and in general, better service.

By: Springs1

Springs1 — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:51:32 +0000

Nate
“102. Quite making special requests like: substitutions, different cooking methods, adding ingredients etc. We cook a hundred dishes every hour and it really backs us up when 5 people order the same thing but each want something different done for their order. We try to cook as many dishes together at once to save everyone time. But when you substitute a sauce for another than we have to do yours individually. You have an allergy? Fine, we can appreciate that. But it’s a pain in the ass for us because your a picky eater. So order an item off the menu as it comes and be happy you don’t have to cook yourself that night.”

We can do order what *WE WANT* for *OUR MONEY*! You sound SOOOOOO LAZY ASS, it’s PATHETIC. You sound VERY UNCARING and SELFISH!!

You are getting PAID for it, so STFU and quit being SO LAZY!!

1% of the time I order things without modifications. I wouldn’t *EVER* go out to eat if I couldn’t modify my food. I don’t like it the way it comes.

WHY should we make you happy, but not us be happy? That’s just selfish and mean.

If you don’t want to do the work, FIND SOME TYPE OF OTHER LINE OF WORK!!

I will do as I please, it’s MY MONEY. I am paying for the food and for the service, so I should get it *MY* way, NOT YOURS!! When *YOU* PAY ME, then I will do it your way, but until then, it’s going to be *MY* WAY.

By: M

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:21:33 +0000

Yes, always ALWAYS keep children under control. I do not understand parents who cannot keep their children in line in public, be it screaming, running around, tossing toys, etc. Kids that act up and keep acting up after one or two warnings should be taken home immediately.

Don’t be the person that comes in at 9:50 at a place that closes at 10:00, then two hours later as someone vacuums under your feet, say, “Oh…you’re closed? When?”

Don’t be the person who thinks that just because you’re paying some money, you’re a king/queen. You have no right to be a douche. If you’re the type of person who threatens to never come back, guaranteed you are a customer nobody ever wants to see again. You’re not that important, get over it. Customers are one in thousands, and stores/businesses/restaurants really don’t care if you take your $30 somewhere else, especially when you sit there and cost them more money than you’re worth by wasting everyone’s time.

By: HotWasabi

HotWasabi — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:23:49 +0000

Please dont let your hyper children run all over the restaurant. It makes you look trashy and negligent and is seriously dangerous for your children. I work in a chain steakhouse and I have lost count of the times that i have come around the corner with 30 pounds of food or drink and almost kneed a toddler in the face. Thankfully I have always been able to back up or stop in time but dropping a full tray onto a 3 year old is probably going to kill them. This outcome can be avoided by parents keeping children by their side and out of the way of people just trying to do their jobs. You may even get your food more quickly if you need more incentive to be a decent parent.

By: Nate

Nate — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:27:29 +0000

Where’s 51-100?

These are well and good but what about the back of the house staff? Like the cooks and dishwashers? I would consider adding:

101. Don’t go to a restaurant right when they open or right before they close. We are still recovering from the busy night before, doing prep, warming up fryers, getting organized etc. And don’t come in 10 minutes before we close cause by then were putting food away, cleaning, shutting down equipment and more than half the staff is gone. Your late night snack could keep us there for another whole hour! Stay home, make a sandwich!

102. Quite making special requests like: substitutions, different cooking methods, adding ingredients etc. We cook a hundred dishes every hour and it really backs us up when 5 people order the same thing but each want something different done for their order. We try to cook as many dishes together at once to save everyone time. But when you substitute a sauce for another than we have to do yours individually. You have an allergy? Fine, we can appreciate that. But it’s a pain in the ass for us because your a picky eater. So order an item off the menu as it comes and be happy you don’t have to cook yourself that night.

103. We are people too!!! For God’s sake this is one that bugs me the most! For Holidays, try being traditional and spend it with friends and family AT HOME! We have to pass on parties, social lives, we work weekends, we work sick, we work double shifts, we come in early and stay late, we work when we’re sore, injured, hung over, all so that you can (insert random reason to eat at restaurant). At least on holidays like Christmas/ Christmas eve, Thanksgiving, Easter, New years etc., stay home and give us a freaking break!

104. Quite asking for foods to be cooked WELL DONE!!! It’s going to take a lot longer for your food to be cooked, it will taste and feel like chewing meat flavored sawdust, it will have barley any of it’s nutrients left and several hours later your going to shit bricks. And if your scared of red meat or a little juiciness than just come out of the food closet and turn vegetarian. Pussies!

105. MAKE RESERVATIONS!!! Especially when there are more than ten people in your party! Otherwise your going to have to stand there and wait for several tables to open and it throws everyone into a mad frenzy to prepare for you! Plus most places only have 4-5 cooks working on a weekend and that is if they’re lucky! Your surprise party of 15+ people is a nightmare for us in the kitchen! Especially when we’ve already got 40+ open menus. MAKE RESERVATIONS!!! Then we can plan ahead for your evening!

By: julia

julia — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:38:26 +0000

as someone who waited tables for many years i applaud someone trying to stand up for restaurant staff. however i think this list would have been much better if kept to 10-15 points rather than 50. i felt like the important points were lost in a lot of things that didnt matter so much.

one thing i outright didnt get (if someone cares to enlighten me that would be cool) but one of the “donts” stated you should never tell your server that “i will take the …..” can someone explain why this offensive? im sure any server can understand that the guest doesnt literally intend to TAKE (as in steal) anything?