Restaurant Pet Peeves

XxQueenMxX

When waiter takes my order, brings my food...and then I never see them again. Oh wait, I do see them again just not helping me! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr OR when there is like a bunch of people in the restaurant and only 1 or 2 waitresses/waiters :explode:

When there's a lot of people in the restaurant and only one or two servers- it might be in the middle of a shift change. Many managers will cut all the servers that aren't on a double when the lunch rush dies down (or dinner rush dies down). Sometimes randomly a crowd of people will show up at a time when least expected. Can't staff for that.

There is a Denny's in my area that does this ALL the time!! last time I was in there (in hopes it was different this time), I just got so annoyed, I asked the waitress and she said, she didn't know, that she was already working like over 8 hrs with no breaks, and had no clue why they didn't hire more workers!!

BlueBombers

Sitting next to a bunch of teenage girls who talk loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear.


Not hating on the teenagers btw...I was one once upon a time.

dumb_blondes_rock

I really hate it when only half of the order comes out and the rest of the table has to wait 10 minutes for their meals. Happens pretty often down here in Aus and it makes me bonkers. Servers here don't have the same incentive to do well as servers in the US do.

Servers in most countries get paid a reasonable wage. In the us its minimum wage, so you HAVE to get tips to make any kind of living. That is also why "foreigners" have a bad rep of tipping "poorly" because in a lot of countries a lower tip is ok since the server is getting paid a reasonable wage.

just_Jennie1

My pet peeve is when they bring me the check and keep coming back to see if there is money in it always following up with a "Oh no. Don't worry about it! Take your time!" If you wanted me to take my time then you wouldn't have brought me the check in the first place! That's why I like the restaurants in Mexico. You have to ask for the check. They don't just bring it to you -- even in crap places like Carlos and Charlie's (who have some of the best burgers ever ) -- and they are ALWAYS watching. You almost never have to flag someone down or go hunt for them.

Then there's the one that happened to us about a month ago. We're in our favorite place that we go on Friday nights. It's always busy there mind you but we have never had an issue with service. We ordered our meals. And sat. And sat. And sat. And watched everyone who came in after us order their meals and get them in a timely manner. We finally flagged down the waiter who came up with some BS about the new computer system and how it's taking a long time for orders to go through. To which my husband said "Um, so how come everyone who has come in after us got their meals BEFORE us?" The guy wouldn't even acknowledge the fact that he obviously forgot to put it in! Needless to say now when we go there we ask for the other two people who bar tend and wait on the people in the bar area.

OR: You order an appetizer and a meal and they ALL COME OUT AT ONCE! If we know that places are notorious for doing this we will space out our orders.

OP: You hit a NERVE with me on this one! :laugh:

nikkihk

When you specify very clearly that a certain ingredient be left off your food (like onions) and sure enough.. there they are.

Or

When fifteen people serve one table. Like who do I tip and why?!

GemmaRowlands

Since losing weight, I only tend to have one course when out (but can then have WHATEVER course I want without worrying about it, so it's more than worth it).

Therefore, the most annoying thing for me is when people I'm with have starters, which take an hour to arrive, then another hour for the main course, then another hour while they wait for their desserts.

Having said that, waiting around between course annoys me even when I'm taking part in them.

FoxBean

When someone you are with doesn't say thank you to the server and/or ignores them

just_Jennie1

When you specify very clearly that a certain ingredient be left off your food (like onions) and sure enough.. there they are.

Or

When fifteen people serve one table. Like who do I tip and why?!

There should be one main person that you're dealing with. When we go to Cancun there are always 3-4 people waiting on one table or just passing by to see if anyone needs anything. We always tip the main person who is usually the one who gather our order and gives us the check.

PatheticNoetic

When waiter takes my order, brings my food...and then I never see them again. Oh wait, I do see them again just not helping me! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr OR when there is like a bunch of people in the restaurant and only 1 or 2 waitresses/waiters :explode:

When there's a lot of people in the restaurant and only one or two servers- it might be in the middle of a shift change. Many managers will cut all the servers that aren't on a double when the lunch rush dies down (or dinner rush dies down). Sometimes randomly a crowd of people will show up at a time when least expected. Can't staff for that.

There is a Denny's in my area that does this ALL the time!! last time I was in there (in hopes it was different this time), I just got so annoyed, I asked the waitress and she said, she didn't know, that she was already working like over 8 hrs with no breaks, and had no clue why they didn't hire more workers!!

Well that's just sh1t. For her and for you as a customer. Sounds like a manager needs to be fired.

bethyv1030

My biggest pet peeve has to be when the greeter or host doesn't acknowledge you are standing waiting for them to seat you and continue doing what they're doing. Obviously then you don't need my business if that's the case. *walks out*

bd0027

I get the impression very few people posting here have worked in a restaurant lol.

avemaryama

On Zanzibar,

They started clearing the table while we were half way through our meal. Not just picking up spare bottles or whatever but actually wiping the table down.

Also, if a white tourist/local comes in they will be seated before other people and get quicker service (they usually tip way more than the locals can afford to tip)

RyanJK85

When they bring your food, walk to the table right next to you, ask if they need anything, then turn right back around and ask if everything is ok...well can I get to take a bite first?? drives me nuts!!!

_cauburn

When people you go with get annoyed with the food and try to take it out on the waitress by not tipping her. I have a group of friends that won't tip the waitress if they are unhappy with their meals...I'm not down for that. It's not their fault that the food is not to your liking. I understand maybe if the service isn't great - but either way, you should always tip!

otter090812

I have worked in a restaurant. I don't know if that makes me more or less forgiving of bad service. My pet peeves are as OP said, finishing the meal and not being able to get or pay the bill, and also when they clear one diner's plates while the other(s) is/are still eating. On the other side of the coin, my dad leaves embarrassingly low tips and I sometimes try to sneak a bit more onto the table before we leave!

soldiergrl_101

When they ask you How is everything right when you take a bite and have a mouth full of food lol Its like uhm, num num num num great!

PatheticNoetic

When they ask you How is everything right when you take a bite and have a mouth full of food lol Its like uhm, num num num num great!

That is actually an ancient server trick. Ask them a question when they can't give you an answer. Helps to get out of the weeds.

jetlag

I really hate it when only half of the order comes out and the rest of the table has to wait 10 minutes for their meals. Happens pretty often down here in Aus and it makes me bonkers. Servers here don't have the same incentive to do well as servers in the US do.

Servers in most countries get paid a reasonable wage. In the us its minimum wage, so you HAVE to get tips to make any kind of living. That is also why "foreigners" have a bad rep of tipping "poorly" because in a lot of countries a lower tip is ok since the server is getting paid a reasonable wage.

Nope, servers in the UK get paid crap money, too, we just don't have the same tipping culture. The attitude seems to be that we've paid for the meal (considerably above what you'd pay in the US; everything is so expensive here). It's not our job to pay the staff, too.

But, I'm American too, so I always tip waiters, but more often, service is already included.

I left the US when I was 17 so didn't know you had to tip bartenders too until we went to Daytona Bike Week a few years back and after about our 3rd round of drinks the bartender said, "so, you don't tip bartenders in the UK?". Erm, no, the drink is expensive enough as it is! Hairdressers and waiters, that's it. In the US, you have to tip everyone! When I go home to visit family, I always have to remember to keep dollar bills for our next trip so we can tip the airport bus driver if he's fast enough to get our bags off the bus before we do lol

PatheticNoetic

I really hate it when only half of the order comes out and the rest of the table has to wait 10 minutes for their meals. Happens pretty often down here in Aus and it makes me bonkers. Servers here don't have the same incentive to do well as servers in the US do.

Servers in most countries get paid a reasonable wage. In the us its minimum wage, so you HAVE to get tips to make any kind of living. That is also why "foreigners" have a bad rep of tipping "poorly" because in a lot of countries a lower tip is ok since the server is getting paid a reasonable wage.

I know. I used to wait tables in many kinds of restaurants in the US. About 7 years ago I moved to Australia and I still go mental and the way table service is down here. I'm used to a strict guideline of quality of service. It rarely exists down here.