Restaurant Pet Peeves

KarenJanine

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 in UK, servers still get minimum wage and their tips are considered a bonus on top of that. In other countries, tips will be used to top up very low wages to reach the minmum, so they only take home minimum wage.

willdb76

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

Servers in the UK are subject to the same minimum wage as everyone else, but in the US they take tipping into account when calculating the minimum wage for tipped employees

"Some types of labor are also exempt: employers may pay tipped labor a minimum of $2.13 per hour, as long as the hourly wage plus tip income equals at least the minimum wage". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States

The minimum wage in the UK is £6.31 for everyone. Tips are viewed - rightly IMHO - as an additional reward for great service, not compulsory 'charity handouts' to starving waiting staff.

My restaurant pet peeve is tip-grubbing. Just bring me the food and bill in a timely manner and be contactable if there is a problem (ie do your job!) - don't constantly bother me, fuss around me and continually interrupt the table's conversation or ask 'how is everything' when I have a huge mouthful of food! This isn't great service in my book, and won't get you a tip.

Knowing that a waiter is being extra nice because they are angling for a large tip is actually rather bothersome to me, I'd rather they were simply paid better and were nice because they were... well, nice.

bheathfit

Restaurants automatically adding 18%-20% on top of my bill. If I want to tip more or less, that is my business. Otherwise, charge more for your product and pay your staff accordingly.

Tips are not taxes or a convenience fee, and it should not be my job as a customer to pay your staff! Many a waitress has made less in tips from me due to the fact that the tip was already added to the bill and my bill was $10-$15. You likely would have received $4-$5 instead of $2-$3... When tips are added on top, I don't bother with more unless the service is remarkable...

PatheticNoetic

My restaurant pet peeve is tip-grubbing. Just bring me the food and bill in a timely manner and be contactable if there is a problem (ie do your job!) - don't constantly bother me, fuss around me and continually interrupt the table's conversation or ask 'how is everything' when I have a huge mouthful of food! This isn't great service in my book, and won't get you a tip.

Knowing that a waiter is being extra nice because they are angling for a large tip is actually rather bothersome to me, I'd rather they were simply paid better and were nice because they were... well, nice.

It's a fair gripe I'd say. Any server that knows what they're doing should be able to read a table. Some like lots of attention and dumb jokes.. other tables want to be left alone. You end up being an amateur psychologist.

pixietoes

Assuming the food I ordered arrived hot and the drinks are replaced as often as desired I am generally a happy restaurant customer. My biggest observation in the changes of waitstaff in the past ten years both make me sad. Now they empty the table of plates before everyone is done and now when they pick up a bill with cash instead of making change automatically they ask "do you need me to bring back change". I have tried to explain to some of the better servers I've experienced that their tips would be better, at least from me, if they would simply do their jobs and trust that I will do mine.

Wondergirll

Crying babies.

michellemybelll

This makes me so happy i no longer work in restaurants. lol.

timberowl

Ask for the check when you order your last item.

This. I usually do this myself. If I'm just there for a quick lunch, I usually just ask for the check as they're serving me my food.

Another option is to carry cash, and leave enough on the table and leave.

Myhaloslipped

I hate when I go on a date with a bad tipper. I know it is emasculating to the guy if he catches me, but I will sneak back and add some extra cash to the tip. I used to serve and bartend, so I feel their pain.

timberowl

It's a fair gripe I'd say. Any server that knows what they're doing should be able to read a table. Some like lots of attention and dumb jokes.. other tables want to be left alone. You end up being an amateur psychologist.

lol that reminds me, when I go to IHOP or Village Inn hung over with a headache, if the waitress doesn't bug me again after serving me my food and coffee, I always tip $10, even when my total order was like $8.

judi2653

My #1 is when I hand the server my check and cash and am asked "do you need change?"

How about "I'll be right back with your change," which gives me the option of telling him/her that we're all set.

Why not just ask me if you can keep the change? You're asking for a tip, which is rude.

Disclaimer: I usually tip 20%, but this just sets my teeth on edge.

Myhaloslipped

Restaurants automatically adding 18%-20% on top of my bill. If I want to tip more or less, that is my business. Otherwise, charge more for your product and pay your staff accordingly.

Tips are not taxes or a convenience fee, and it should not be my job as a customer to pay your staff! Many a waitress has made less in tips from me due to the fact that the tip was already added to the bill and my bill was $10-$15. You likely would have received $4-$5 instead of $2-$3... When tips are added on top, I don't bother with more unless the service is remarkable...

It is strange that they would add gratuity to a small party. All of the restaurants I have worked in only add it to parties of 7 or more, but several times I have just told the table that I would not be adding a gratuity to their bill. 9/10 times this resulted in a bigger tip for me.

OatFloats

Dirty tables
When they leave the door open to be welcoming even when it is freezing outside and the food gets cold really fast
spot lights above the table or booth - it feels like I am in an episode of cops with a helicopter light on me
staring people
horrible acoustics that make it easy to be overheard

Myhaloslipped

There is a theme restaurant called the Vortex back home in Atlanta. They have a huge list of rules posted at the front door, and one of them says, "We reserve the right to add gratuity to your check if you look particularly cheap." lol, I imagine this would piss some people off, but everyone in Atlanta knows that the Vortex is one of those places is where the gimmick is that the servers don't take crap from obnoxious customers. I guess it works for them because it has been a landmark for such a long time. However, they rarely add the gratuity unless a customer is just going out of their way to cause problems.

ScorpionQwean

1. Unfriendly Waiters/Waitress - who never smile! Like they hate their job and take it out on the patrons.
2. Your order comes out and it's half @$$ - meaning - not enough food....lol.
3. Waiter / Waitress never come back to ask how ur food is or just seeing how we are doing... U see them when they bring the check.
Sorry - no tip for you!

jetlag

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

Servers in the UK are subject to the same minimum wage as everyone else, but in the US they take tipping into account when calculating the minimum wage for tipped employees

"Some types of labor are also exempt: employers may pay tipped labor a minimum of $2.13 per hour, as long as the hourly wage plus tip income equals at least the minimum wage". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States

The minimum wage in the UK is £6.31 for everyone. Tips are viewed - rightly IMHO - as an additional reward for great service, not compulsory 'charity handouts' to starving waiting staff.

My restaurant pet peeve is tip-grubbing. Just bring me the food and bill in a timely manner and be contactable if there is a problem (ie do your job!) - don't constantly bother me, fuss around me and continually interrupt the table's conversation or ask 'how is everything' when I have a huge mouthful of food! This isn't great service in my book, and won't get you a tip.

Knowing that a waiter is being extra nice because they are angling for a large tip is actually rather bothersome to me, I'd rather they were simply paid better and were nice because they were... well, nice.

I responded to this:

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.

If the US don't even get minimum wage then that really is balls. I have heard of UK restaurants where the owners keep the tips for themselves.

Either way, I think the waiting staff in every country get a raw deal, mostly because they are the face of the business. If the kitchen is slow, or the floor is understaffed, or the busboy is rubbish... the waiting staff are the one's who lose the tip. My sister was a waitress her whole life and so I know the problems they have. She always shared her tips with the busboy.

laurasnyder411

I really despise when people go cheapskate and think they can leave a bad tip for whatever "reason" they think they can find. Maybe your food was cold because the kitchen had a difficult time keeping it warm while your *kitten* husbands well-done steak cooked. Or maybe your Mtn Dew didn't get filled within 30 seconds of you slugging it down because the new girl bumped into your waiter while he was traying up his other table's dinner and had sloshed sauce into someone else's salad and had to have it remade. Maybe you didn't get your check right away because your server was busy trying to explain to his other table the exact ingredients in an entree and what vegan options his grill house could create. You never know. PS. To those of you complaining that restaurants should increase their food prices so YOU don't have to tip: Right now, it is societally UNACCEPTABLE to not pay someone for their hard-earned service and if you don't like the system, don't go to restaurants with servers. Go protest and write to your congress about a living wage. It is never appropriate to use services and then not pay for them because they are not in line with your beliefs. If you can't afford to tip, don't go out.

nilbogger

I hate it when there's some jerk monopolizing the server's time so you, the reasonable customer, get ignored. Guess what? That person is probably going to give you a crappy tip, so how about bringing me the GD blue cheese I asked for instead of kissing Lord Picky-Pants' behind?

vickidiane13

Kitchen staff that add more ingredients to the meal than it is supposed to have. I will often check the calories and nutrition of a dinner before I go, order it and it arrives with a mountain of cheese on top of the chicken that probably has more calories than the whole dish is supposed to have.