Restaurant Pet Peeves

Having been a waiter in college, I can be the best, or worst tipper. If there are issues with your meal, know the difference between a problem with the server, or a problem with the kitchen. A waiter that goes out of their way to make a meal pleasant when the issue is with the kitchen, will get a good tip. I may never return to that restaurant, but I will not penalize the server. As a server, people that come in with a party of 30 and want seperate checks (not a big issue, I am not a moron), then order and before they get their food, start moving around the table because then want to talk to different people, then ignore you when you have to start asking who ordered a certain dish.

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.

How can you not see it as asking for a tip when the server is asking "Can I keep the rest of this for my tip please?" That *IS* what the server is doing. It's *ASKING* to KEEP THE REST OF THE CHANGE.

I mean why ask if they weren't going to KEEP the rest of it? How can you not *SEE* it's asking for a tip? The main reason is because they are TOO LAZY to do the 100% FULL COMPLETE JOB. That's why. They don't want to *EARN* their tip ALL THE WAY.

I don't see it as asking for a tip because 9 times out of 10 they haven't even looked at the cash when they ask this question. For all they know there isn't even enough to cover the bill!

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I personally have 4 peeves:

(1) Being forgotten. I mean like staff come over and are surprised to see us at the table. This is actually usually the person who seated us not talking to the servers, or realizing when peoples shifts have ended.

(2) Not allowing minor adjustments to the food. I can understand that the meal is prepared in a certain way, but maybe I don't like avocado or runny eggs; putting it on the side of the plate so I can ignore it if I don't want it and you insist on including it.

(3) Not letting me order off the kids menu if there is nothing else I like. This most often happens at seafood restaurants, since the only food on the menu I like is the chicken fingers. I am willing to pay for it and even give up the soda and dessert; I don't eat fish and that's all I want. And before you say don't go there if you don't want the food, sometimes I get outvoted in the group; should I stay at home because my friend from the Midwest wants fresh lobster? Or should I just drink a lot of beer on an empty stomach?

(4) Waitstaff who complain about their pay when they are making more then I do. I understand that the job is hard, but they seem to enjoy their work for the most part, and have more free time then I do. Sure, you got stiffed by that table, by you still get more overall then I do, and pay less taxes on those tips that you do receive. For everyone who says don't eat there if you don't want to pay so much, I counter that you could always try and get a new job(I know its not that easy, but don't tell me I shouldn't eat somewhere when I 'technically' have enough money to)

That being said, I generally tip roughly 20%, barring a disastrous experience, like being forgotten. Not that I'm nice or not, its just easy to do the math.

I don't see it as asking for a tip because 9 times out of 10 they haven't even looked at the cash when they ask this question. For all they know there isn't even enough to cover the bill!

Why would they give their server not enough to cover the bill? That makes no sense what-so-ever.

It doesn't matter what amount. They shouldn't try to shorten their job. They should be WILLING to do their ENTIRE JOB without asking to shorten it. It's almost saying "Do I have to make an extra trip to get your change for you?" To me, that's like complaining that they have to do WORK.

I hate the once in a good while where I am out with friends, we get good service, and they want to leave a lackluster tip. Luckily though, most of my better friends have had experience in job positions where tips are your largest source of income, so often I don't have to worry about this.

WHY? You can compensate for them. That's what I have done before. I went out with my husband and my friends before, which they cheap so they still are in the 15% mentality for wonderful service(not just mediocre service), so I go by their amount, tip the amount more than what they are to add it to 25% for example. You can put more if *YOU* CHOOSE to. That's up to *YOU*!

Let's say your bill was $40, 25% is $10, but their bill is $30, but they tip $4.50 which is 15%, you can tip the rest of THEIR tip would have been in *YOUR* tip, so your total tip on your tip line would be $13 if you tipped 25% for the total table, because they are taking the other part of the percent ($4.50) in their own tipping. Their total tip should have been $7.50 at 25%, so you pay the $3, they pay the $4.50 out of it. Now you get it? I have done this before. So this way you won't have to feel bad. No one can tell you that you can't tip on part of their bill on your bill. It's your money. I don't see why you feel bad. You sound cheap yourself not to do this automatically. I don't need someone to come up with an idea like this. I am not sure why you do?

Not sure what water has to do with your tip money, but whatever psycho.

Are you dumb? THE TIP IS FOR THE **********SERVICE************, which *IS* part of the service time the server is WASTING, DUHHHH! Not sure WHY ANYONE would have to actual *EXPLAIN* this to you??? I don't want water. I don't want my server wasting my time that they could be getting something *********I*************** want instead. It's MY TIP MONEY, I *RULE* WHAT THEY GET ME, NOT ANYONE ELSE! Just because it's the water is free doesn't mean the service is, DUH!

How do you feel when your server gets you something you didn't want and you were waiting to order something you *DID* want, huh? Not frustrating at all at least a little bit, huh? Especially if you are in a hurry for example such as someone on their lunch break.

:yawn: :yawn: :yawn: :yawn: :yawn: :yawn:

I know! I mean, that two seconds the server might spend filling a glass of water before approaching your table could mean the difference between you finding a cure for cancer or NOT finding a cure for cancer!

It's not just 2 seconds. Why would servers on the internet ALL OVER ***COMPLAIN***** about getting people water that they don't drink? Because it's A LOT OF WORK, IT SURE IS! Especially if you are getting waters for 10-20 people, that's VERY TIME CONSUMING! Where are you getting 2 seconds from? Also servers are complaining about getting a zillion refills, modifications, etc. Yes ANY work is time consuming. Maybe getting extra napkins might be a 2 second action, that's about it.

You seem to be under the impression that I never worked as a server.

You seem to be under the impression that I never worked as a server.

It's still A LOT OF TIME. Go fill to glasses right now in your own kitchen, then think if it was a big restaurant, how long it would take to do this for EVERY customer. That's why in chains they don't do that automatically without ordering anymore. Back in the day, my mom was a waitress briefly and she said she'd get waters for all the tables. That's why when I went to Ruth's Chris they *ASKED*, because a lot of wasting time for NO REAL REASON if the customer doesn't want it. Why waste money like that for the restaurant and why waste time if the customers do not want water? Why do something for nothing?

Just filling the glasses takes more than 2 seconds. Do you not know that for real? Don't you think if everyone wanted water, they would just have it on the table before you even got seated?

Well, my kitchen is 3 miles away at the moment and it's rush hour, so it would probably take me quite a long time to do that, yes.

Children unrestrained by parents who let them run all over the damn place, under the tables, looking over the top of the booth, etc....no bigger pet peeve than that IMHO.

I know people that are pros at getting free food. One little thing goes wrong and they will rip the place apart until they are comped. I've seen it. It's embarrassing and disgusting. It has nothing to do with the situation. It's sport for them.

I find that disgusting too! I will NEVER go back out to a restaurant with anyone who behaves that way.

When you go twenty minutes after being seated and are way past being ready to order and have to go hunt down your waitress, who you find in the back chatting with a co-worker. :-/

Tell us how you really feel tho Springs.

When you go twenty minutes after being seated and are way past being ready to order and have to go hunt down your waitress, who you find in the back chatting with a co-worker. :-/

After 15 minutes, I'd leave the restaurant or after 10 minutes, go to the hostess stand to try to find a server. They have already gotten zero if it's 20 minutes before they even started.

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*

Yep! Worse if someone they know walks in behind you and they rush to greet them while still ignoring you. Definitely walked out.