Restaurant Pet Peeves

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.

QFT. As a host, I get yelled at (YELLED AT) for this. "Well, I count 15 empty tables, why do I have to wait?!" If they were particularly sh*tty, I ask them how many servers they count. But now I just hand out the scheduling manager's business card and tell them he would love to hear their concerns. He was not pleased. So now I just do it when he's not around.

why does it bother you when two people sit beside each other? Ever considered the fact that it may be a couple who rarely just get to sit together? (Yeah, my husband and I do that on the rare occasion that we get a date night.) Does this create a problem for the server?

I 100% FULLY AGREE! I mean, our *****MONEY PAYING OUR SERVER*******, then OUR CONTROL, 100% ******FULL CONTROL********* over WHERE we sit at the booth or table we sit.

Why are you always "yelling" when responding to a comment? I hope that you are aware that caps means yelling in typing lingo; it is annoying and disrespectful so please stop it. You are losing credibility when you do that.

You are not really a ray of sun shine so why did you chose spring as your logging name when you it should be dreadful weather?

I'm nearly certain the post is "Restaurant Pet Peeves". I posted MY pet peeves, like them or not, it annoys me. I don't ask anyone not to sit next to each other or give them LESS service as a result, it just bugs me. I didn't ask for your validation.

2 top sitting next to each other in the booth/table.

Why does this bother you? I mean if that's how they want to sit, it's **THEIR TIP MONEY*, so WHY does that bother you? WHY does that matter? I don't get this at all? I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY don't? Could you please explain? Thank you for your explanation ahead of time.

People who let their kids make a HUGE mess then don't help clean it up (or tip extra for being a huge pain in the *kitten*)

You sound VERY LAZY. I mean, that's part of your job.

Bringing the check before you've even gotten your food

I 100 BILLION TRILLION percent agree with you on that one. It's not the server's right to decide *ANY* decisions about what you want or don't want. Our tip money RULES the show.
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1. It just does...isn't that the idea behind a pet peeve? It's not something that is always explicable, it just is. I don't believe I went through your posts and called you out on the stupid nonsense you don't like, because that isn't the point.

2. Part of my job was to pre-bus a table, sweep underneath the table, clean off the table before the next person sits at it. IT IS NOT MY JOB to clean up your kid's puke. To clean up the handfuls of food they've shoved into the seat. To clean up the entire salt shaker your kid picked up, unscrewed and dumped all over the floor....and that's all in one 10 hour shift.

I'm guessing you've never been a server before.

Edit: wrote "salt" twice

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.

I don't see this as asking for a tip, just a simple question. At least they asked... one time I had a server who just took the money and never came back even though we did need change.

I had this happen to me once, too. My meal was like 10 bucks, and I gave the server (who was absolutely terrible, btw) a 20. She didn't come back until I flagged her down and asked for my change. She said, "Oh, I thought that was my tip. I'll have to go get it." I replied with, "you're kidding me, right? I watched you d*ck around with your coworkers while I was without a drink refill for over 20 minutes. Do you think you've earned over 100% tip for that?" She gave me the stink eye and I gave her no tip. The one and only time. I also had a server sharpie out the gratuity for a large party without changing the total with the gratuity added. I wrote 0.00 on the tip line with an arrow to the blacked out gratuity with a note saying "had you not tried to trick us you would have gotten a tip on top of the added gratuity." NO ONE tipped on that one. But I don't count that because she was already getting 18%.

It's quite different for me to hear about this tipping business. In New Zealand we don't tip at all. I've been in hospitality and you get minimum wage or a dollar above minimum if you have been there a year or more, long hours, rotating rosters so you never know if you are entitled time and a half or a day in lieu if its a public holiday and management who don't know how to motivate staff. hospitality staff are some of the most unhappy people I have met in regards to work satisfaction. You actually cop a lot from patrons if you are new or if there is something wrong with your food even though you are the middle man. It's all about your attitude and work ethic which will get you far in any job.

I also worked at a nail salon and in summer we would get lots of tourists who would tip you if they liked your service. One girl got $20 for a pedicure. We got to keep our tips cause they weren't common really and only happened in summer lol.

I am fairly easy going and have only not tipped once in my life, and I complained to management on my way out the door. I love the food but haven't been back since the service was so horribly bad. Was never great at said restaurant but the food was great. When I wait over twenty minutes before even being asked if I want to order a drink, then when I say I want to order my meal and the waitress says oh well I will be back in a minute :devil: :noway: :grumble: :explode:

And it actually got worse from there.

I am a fabulous tipper, I have tipped over 100% once! and often have tipped 50%. I start at 20% and it can go up or down depending on the service.

As for pet peeves:

Not being asked if I want a refill when my glass is empty or being asked if I want one when it is still half full

Rolling your eyes when my very well behaved very intelligent and polite daughter starts to give you her order, she knows what she wants and how she likes it, yes she knows how she likes her steak thank you very much and she has been properly ordering for herself since she was four, she waits her turn, looks the server in the eyes and speaks clearly.

Not checking to make sure every thing is ok within five minutes of me getting my food

Restaurants who give you humongous soup spoons, I do not like large spoons, I always as for a smaller one ( this would never reflect in my tip just a personal annoyance)

Being brought my bill before checking to see if I want it, especially if I intended to order something else

Putting down your, coworker, boss, management, a competing business, or other patrons to me or even with in earshot so unprofessional

I have never been a waitress but I have worked with the public so I try not to ever be one of those obnoxious self important people. I find I very rarely get bad service and when I do I tip accordingly.

I have a 9-5 office-y career now, but I went through uni serving and bartending, and I worked harder every night of my bar shifts than I ever have or will sitting on my butt in an office going to meetings and stuff. I guarantee I went through more on any Saturday than even my boss does on any day now.

With that in mind, I am pretty forgiving of service in restaurants. If I can see that someone is busy I will accept any service failures outside of actual rudeness. And I can't think of a single example of someone actually being rude to me ever. But I try to treat people kindly and generally get similar treatment in return.

However, I do not like drinks left empty when a server isn't busy. I like cocktails and I don't like waiting.

My biggest pet peeve, though, is when someone doesn't understand my order but doesn't clarify. Like, if I order my martini burnt and you don't know what that is, don't guess! Ask!

I've talked to multiple servers who think if you go out to a run of the mill (lower end) restaurant and order two reasonably priced entrees and your total check (for two people) is $22.50 then you should tip AT LEAST $7.50 rounding it up to $30. That's a 30% tip and yes I'd do it in some situations with extra good service but generally no...I'm gonna leave like $4 and maybe some change. I am told that makes me a "terrible tipper". I have also heard servers say that any tip under $10 is a slap in the face. What?

Wow please stay home and cook if you can't tip properly. :noway:

LOL at this.

Pretty sure the servers who are *excellent* at small local places in my area would be like WTF if they read this since my husband and I are fantastic tippers (30%...or more) when the service is awesome along with the atmosphere, food, etc. Sometimes when my girlfriends & I go out, we'll spend very little and sit there for ages and wind up tipping up to 100% because we have respect for the server's time. And we wouldn't even stay that long if the place was remotely busy, either.

But yeah if I go to a chain with servers who do their jobs with the same tired, ultra fake attitudes and make no effort to provide good service, I'm gonna tip between 15-20% and maybe 14%. Maybe 13%...just to watch your head explode.

Also, most people I know in my age group (30s) tip like I do...and those who are 60+ including a few very rich people, still think 10% is totally fine as a tip unless otherwise indicated on their check.

My #1 is when you have really good service, but then they become Houdini whenever you're ready for the check.

If that happens with me, I stand up and put on my coat . . . and the check arrives, as if by magic!

My #1 is when you have really good service, but then they become Houdini whenever you're ready for the check.

If that happens with me, I stand up and put on my coat . . . and the check arrives, as if by magic!

That's great advice. Servers don't want you to leave without paying because, most likely, they will have to pay out of their pocket.

I could list my pet peeves, but it wouldn't be anything that hasn't been mentioned, so I want to say something positive.

My family and I (a party of 10) went to a chain restaurant on a Saturday night. My first impression was not a good one. One family member called ahead to make a reservation. Apparently, there was some miscommunication because this family member told everyone that we had a reservation at 7:00pm. We arrived to find they do not take reservations and our call was considered a courtesy to the restaurant letting them know a large party was arriving, and a large party had arrived right before us, so we had to wait. The wait was actually very short, only about 20 minutes, and many smaller parties were waiting to be seated.

Our server was amazing! He was easily found when we needed him. He was polite, funny, and sincere. (As it turns out, he almost died 2 days earlier, so maybe his "glad to be alive" attitude was a boost to his service.) Our table had two servers, but the female one didn't even crack a smile. It was nice to laugh that much with my family. The food was amazing too. Well worth the price.

During dinner, my one aunt bumped her soda and it spilled on my other aunt's food. Not the server's fault by any means, but the server took the plate full of soda to the kitchen to replate it, including fresh rice and a new piece of salmon, and did not charge for it. He did not have to do that. It was very generous.

It is customary (for now) for parties of 8 or more that an 18% gratuity is automatically added to the bill. At least four of us added extra to the tip because this one server was so wonderful (and we knew he would have to split his tip with the female server who helped him). Also, I spoke to the manager to let him know how great the experience was. I explained to him that although the food was good, it could have been horrible and it would still have been a good time because of the service. (Some employees only receive incentives from customer feedback.)

I've talked to multiple servers who think if you go out to a run of the mill (lower end) restaurant and order two reasonably priced entrees and your total check (for two people) is $22.50 then you should tip AT LEAST $7.50 rounding it up to $30. That's a 30% tip and yes I'd do it in some situations with extra good service but generally no...I'm gonna leave like $4 and maybe some change. I am told that makes me a "terrible tipper". I have also heard servers say that any tip under $10 is a slap in the face. What?

Wow please stay home and cook if you can't tip properly. :noway:

LOL at this.

Pretty sure the servers who are *excellent* at small local places in my area would be like WTF if they read this since my husband and I are fantastic tippers (30%...or more) when the service is awesome along with the atmosphere, food, etc. Sometimes when my girlfriends & I go out, we'll spend very little and sit there for ages and wind up tipping up to 100% because we have respect for the server's time. And we wouldn't even stay that long if the place was remotely busy, either.

But yeah if I go to a chain with servers who do their jobs with the same tired, ultra fake attitudes and make no effort to provide good service, I'm gonna tip between 15-20% and maybe 14%. Maybe 13%...just to watch your head explode.

Also, most people I know in my age group (30s) tip like I do...and those who are 60+ including a few very rich people, still think 10% is totally fine as a tip unless otherwise indicated on their check.

Whatever floats your boat cupcake. :flowerforyou:

1) I worked with a guy at the police department, he was a dispatcher and kind of annoying and an *kitten* to everyone. But he would be super nice to me and ask me out. I'd find reasons to not go, but finally relented. We go, and he is a complete $%^& to the waiter. Sarcastic, rude, insulting. I felt so bad for the guy. Needless to say that definitely never happened again. Don't be rude to the staff if they are being nothing but polite to you!

2) I went to Chili's once, and it was busy. I normally give slack to waiters and waitresses when this happens. Not their fault their managers didn't, or couldn't, prepare. But me and my husband order a margarita , an appetizer, and our meal (they had a deal going). OVER AN HOUR later, no joke, we get our appetizer AND food at the same time. But no drink yet. For an hour. When it finally comes, it was sour and disgusting. I should have complained and demanded some kind of retribution. I understand if your busy it takes longer but wow. I'm sure our waiter could have pushed for at least our drinks to come sooner then an hour later.

3) Parents who let their children run around, or throw tantrums. I can take whiny, fussy babies. No way to really help that. But control your toddlers!

[I'm nearly certain the post is "Restaurant Pet Peeves". I posted MY pet peeves, like them or not, it annoys me. I don't ask anyone not to sit next to each other or give them LESS service as a result, it just bugs me. I didn't ask for your validation.

But WHY does it bug you is the question? To me that's STRANGE. Why does it matter if someone sits by someone else on one side of the booth?

[I'm nearly certain the post is "Restaurant Pet Peeves". I posted MY pet peeves, like them or not, it annoys me. I don't ask anyone not to sit next to each other or give them LESS service as a result, it just bugs me. I didn't ask for your validation.

But WHY does it bug you is the question? To me that's STRANGE. Why does it matter if someone sits by someone else on one side of the booth?

I sit next to my husband in a booth. I like to be close, and my voice is quiet and soft. If we are close I can speak softly.