post off: what’s your restaurant pet peeve?
I love to eat out, but in the winter I often find myself aggravated by my fellow restaurant goers. You see, I just don’t understand it when folks coming into a restaurant stand in the doorway letting the heat rush out and the blustery cold rush in. It drives me insane. I am a firm believer that upon entering a restaurant in winter, you step quickly inside, shutting the door behind you. What’s your restaurant pet peeve? — Erica P.
Photo by Aaron Murphy
February 4th, 2010 at 6:38 am
I can’t stand it when a waiter or waitress squats down to table height or sits at the table/booth to take out order. Hate it!
February 4th, 2010 at 6:45 am
Good one – I HATE when people stand in the door and invite the winter cold in! That is my #1 pet peeve – I can’t stand it! I also don’t like when people in the entry or at the bar are on their cell phones. One of my favorite places in the village has a very strict no cell phones policy and it does a lot to maintain a really nice atmosphere.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:55 am
i dont like when you (the server) is taking a table’s order and the next table over is trying to get your attention and you have to stop your introduction of the specials to address their rudeness. same goes if your the diner and your neighbors are trying to push onto your time with the server. i hope that made sense.
February 4th, 2010 at 7:04 am
Windexing the tables near me. I have asked them to stop.
February 4th, 2010 at 8:09 am
I went out to eat yesterday at a local Chicago sports pub/brewery and was livid when I got the bill. They charged me $3.50 for a soda!!!! And no free refills on top of that so my 2 sodas were $7!!!! Insanity! It’s my own fault for not asking about price and refill policy (neither of which were listed in the menu- red flag) but my cheeseburger on special was only $4- how can your drink be twice the entree price and non-alcoholic!? Everyone else at the table was drinking $2 beer and I was the chump who had the $7 Pepsi. Ugh- I’m getting angry again just thinking about it!!!
February 4th, 2010 at 8:45 am
I have a lot…
Dirty silverware on the table. In fact, silverware on the table before I get there. I think the waitstaff should bring it, or it should be wrapped up in the napkin.
Dirty water glasses. In fact, glasses on the table before I get there. When I order a drink, then you can bring it to me. I don’t want water poured into a glass that’s been sitting on the table for who knows how long.
Waitstaff who want to be too friendly (such as sitting down in the booth with you to take the order) and especially those who joke around too much (i.e., when you ask for a refill or something and they say “how badly do you want it?” or “No…..just kidding”). There’s being friendly and then there’s being TOO FRIENDLY/JOKEY. Just give me my damn refill.
I’ve never been a waitperson, and I know it’s a tough job. People are demanding and rude and you’re on your feet all day, etc….so I have a lot of respect for them generally. I am always polite (and make sure my kids are well-behaved) and I tip well.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Kids at nice restaurants. I know that is a totally mean peeve, but on the rare occasion that we pay a baby sitter and go out for a nice dinner, I want to be surrounded by adults. There are plenty of great family restaurants to take kids to. I’ll leave it at that.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Uh-oh, I am predicting an influx of angry waiters at any time now. My husband worked for a long time at a restaurant and his pet peeve was also people on cell phones — he said it was amazing how they would come up to the deli counter and say things like, “And a slice of cheese?” and he would say, “Okay, what kind of cheese?” and then they’d get all ticked off like, “I wasn’t talking to YOU.”
Anyway, related to the door issue, mine is people who are waiting for a table for brunch and instead of standing outside (if the weather is nice) waiting for the host to call their name (the place I’m thinking of, that’s how it works) they crowd into the narrow space next to tables, have loud conversations, loom over my table, or worse, turn around and make me look at their butts. That’s not how I want to enjoy my breakfast!
February 4th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Parents who change their infant’s diaper at the table. Yes, I’ve seen this happen. Twice. And at nice places! Soooo disgusting.
Also parents who let their kids run and howl throughout the restaurant and expect the staff and other diners to be cheerful about it.
I also loathe dining with bad tippers (never dine with them twice and always cover the difference) and people who treat their waitstaff poorly.
February 4th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Parents who bring their children to restaurants without training then in proper public etiquette.
Parents who don’t remove their child to a rest room or take them outside, or as a last resort leave with them when the child throws a tantrum – I recently sat through a 45 minute tirade (whining, yelling and screeching while the father and mother begged the child to behave!) in a rather fancy restaurant. Worse yet was that the staff did nothing to calm the atmosphere for the other diners.
Restaurants that sit you before they have cleared and wipe to table – I can wait the extra 5 minutes
People who use their “outdoor voices” while “indoors” and then are insulted when asked to bring it down a notch
Staff that chat amongst themselves while on the “floor”
But of course there are so many more things I love LOL
February 4th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Waiters or waitresses who touch my husband’s shoulder. A lot. Unnecessarily. Trust me, your tip is not going up.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
I have about a million peeves.
First, from a server’s standpoint- When people are talking on the phone at their table (hate that to begin with), I don’t want to return the rudeness by interrupting their conversation. When they do hang up and I go talk to them, they’re pissy with me for not having served them more promptly. It’s a two-way street, pal.
I also hate the shoulder/elbow touch, as a server and a patron. From the server side, this is only ok coming from a kindly grandmother type, not ok from the macho business guys who usually do it. As a customer I find it condescending to be touched by my server, even if we’re being friendly/casual.
The list goes on and on.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Employees or other diners who are clearly ill and should be home, not in a restaurant coughing and sneezing all over my meal.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Being referred to as a “guy.”
Like, “What can I get you guys?” or “How are you guys tonight?” This is to my husband or girlfriends and me.
Drives me nuts.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Screaming or otherwise ill-behaved kids and the parents who ignore them. Also- being rude to the waiter and/or tipping badly.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Removing full plates of food without asking if there was any problem.
Reciting a loooooong list of specials without mentioning the prices. Gee, I’m sorry, but had I known the salmon was going to be $55, I may not have ordered it, no matter how deliciously it was lapped in a fragile basil reduction.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Let me add – and I’m childless, so forgive me – but parents who pull out a shopping cart of toys and games to entertain their children at the restaurant and pile them up by the chair. I’ve tripped on this about a dozen times.
Either your children should be trained to eat in public without all the spangles (seen but not heard as my mom would say) or they should be at Chuck E. Cheese – or they should stay home. Of course they’re bored! They don’t want to sit while you make your way through appetizer to dessert. Come on!
February 4th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Sorry, bay…I’ll stop bringing my toys… ; )
February 4th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
dogs.
when people bring their dogs into a restaurant.
hello!
its a dog! leave it at home.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
I hate it when waiters don’t know what a vegetarian is. No, I don’t eat fish. Yes, I do eat eggs and dairy. That’s a vegan. Is it really that obscure?
February 4th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
My pet peeves as a former server:
1) don’t touch me and I won’t touch you
2) don’t snap your fingers at me or yell at my back while I’m at another table
3) if you bring your child and the child makes a mess, clean it up as best as you can. The busser will take care of normal stuff, but try to meet them half-way. And, dirty diapers NEVER belong on a table.
4) a reasonable substitution is fine, but we’re not at a swap meet, don’t haggle with me
5) If I ask your group/kids to quiet down, I’m not trying to ruin your night, I’m asking because others are complaining about you.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Oh… and one more. I hate it when you ask if there’s anything vegetarian on the menu and they say, “Well, we have some salads.” LAME.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Poor service, rude servers (I’m so sick of poor customer service!!!!).
People on their cell phones. Unless you’re eating alone, you are being rude to whomever is with you (and sometimes those around you).
February 5th, 2010 at 9:52 am
I’m sorry, did I just read that children should be trained? They’re human beings, not circus animals for crying out loud!
February 5th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Um, I’m a vegetarian and if I want to know if they have anything vegetarian, I look at the menu. I don’t rely on asking a server because there are lots of people who hold different definitions of ‘vegetarian’.
Also, if they don’t have anything vegetarian, or it’s only salads, that’s not the server’s fault. Servers don’t make menus. I do get irritated at restaurants who have a ‘no substitution’ policy and then I can’t substitute, like, fruit for a side of bacon. I’m trying to work with you, restaurant.
Also, as a diner and as a former server and as a person at large in the world, I find it incredably rude to everyone involved if someone is on the phone at the table. It’s rude to your party, it’s rude to your server, and it makes their job more difficult. If you must use the phone, please go outside, or over by the bathroom/coat check/host stand.
I’m always turned off by bad tippers.
Also, I can’t believe someone saw someone changing their baby’s diper at a table! That’s disgusting! Just go to the bathroom.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:33 am
I LOATHE it when servers put silverware on top of menus. It makes me want to die, and I’m not particularly germ-averse. Just the thought of how many grubby, ecoli-laden hands have touched those things gives me the willies.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I guess it’s more comical than anger inducing, but I can’t stand it when you order a veggie burger and they ask, “How would you like that cooked, sir?” It’s vegetables for crying out loud, just heat the darn thing up already! It’s as if they think vegetarians will feel left out if they don’t get to choose how they want their burger cooked like all the other more fortunate people eating “real” burgers. Don’t pity me, servers. Oh, and I hate it when the server/bartender puts their grimy paws on the rim of my glass, firmly implanting fingerprints and microorganisms all over the surface that will soon be in direct contact with my mouth. Is it that hard to hold the glass by the stem? One thing I do like….venting about what I don’t like at restaurants.
February 6th, 2010 at 5:37 am
People who do not clean up after their kids. I know kids are messy by nature, but it is NOT the job of the server to clean up your child’s crushed cracker crumbs.
February 6th, 2010 at 10:08 am
I think the person who was angry about the ‘kids being trained’ comment misunderstood. EVERYONE has to be ‘trained’ how to behave in public, because every society has different rules. A Japanese person removes their shoes and sits on the floor to eat, while an American would find that behavior eccentric. But kids should understand that they have to sit in their chairs, and not have a fit if there’s not a toy served with their meal.
My pet peeve? As a former server, anyone who is smilingly rude, as though implying that because I am a lowly waitress I should take insults on my personality or appearance as my due. Sorry I can’t afford ‘real’ diamond earrings, dah-rling, why don’t you look at the person and not the price tag.
February 8th, 2010 at 5:02 am
[...] 1) You have just a few restaurant pet peeves. Like, a few thousand! Laura says: “Poor service, rude servers (I’m so sick of poor customer service!!!!). People on their cell phones. Unless you’re eating alone, you are being rude to whomever is with you (and sometimes those around you).” The responses are still coming in here. [...]
February 8th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I’m currently a server/bartender. We’re not all “angry,” Mary T, but sometimes we do have bad days. I DO think some of these angry/bitter waiter blogs take things too far, though.
I’ve never worked in a restuarant – though I’ve only worked in two – where the server was encouraged or allowed to sit at the table with the guests to take the order…or to sit wit the guests, period, while on the clock and in uniform. And I believe the bending down to table height is supposed to be some kind of form of respect from the server to the guest; I’ve worked with some servers who have worked in fancier restaurants and were trained to bend down that way. I won’t do it, I view it as subservient and don’t think of myself in my job that way. Am I uppity? No. I just don’t think that the service nature of my job makes me less of a person than anyone else.
Pet peeves on guests? Cell phones. I’ve gotten to the point where I’ll drop coasters for the guest to let the manager and other team members know that I’ve been to see that guest, but I’ve been burned by way too many obnoxiously rude people to engage anyone while they’re on the phone with someone. Most guests appreciate my not interrupting them.
Pet peeve #2 – No, I will NOT babysit your kid. If you don’t want your kid wandering around the restaurant and going outside, then keep the child seated next to you. No, I can NOT move those bottles of vodka that are sitting on a shelf, behind bars, above your head in order to stop your kid from playing with them. YOU tell YOUR child that they are not allowed to play with them. Also? That ceiling fan cost $1,000, I advise you to tell your kid to stop purposely tangling his balloon up in it. Furthermore, if you leave it to the restuarant staff to ensure that your child does not do something to endanger themselves, the other patrons, or the restaurant property, DON’T get rude when it happens.
Pet peeve #3 – better yet, DON’T get rude for no reason, period. We have a huge group that comes in a few times a month. They call in and say 12 are coming but the actual number is closer to 30. They are rude and condescending for no reason other than they can be, and they pretend not to speak any English unless they want to say something degrading. On top of it all, they do not tip AT ALL and our restuarant does not, and WILL not, add a gratuity into the bill. I always feel sorry for any new server because everyone else refuses to wait on them and the new server doesn’t know any better.
Guests I love? Large parties who ask for only one bill. You have NO idea how much easier this makes my job, seriously. Even a table of 4 who ask for 4 separate checks can set me SO far behind while I’m cashing them out. If you’ve got nothing but parties of 4 and larger all day, you’ll spend your entire shift running around in a panic trying to play catch up. Even if my other teammates help out – and I have a lot of great teammates – I don’t trust anyone to take as good of care of my tables as I do.
I love guests who tip appropriately for the service. When you’re paying cash for your bill and you tell me to keep the change, don’t act like you just handed me a million dollars when you really left me 43 cents on a bill that was over $30. I know when I haven’t been able to treat my guests as well as I’d like, and I know when I’ve given great service.
I love guests who have a sense of humor. Being able to joke with people makes my job fun, but I do “read” the guest first to see if humor is something they can appreciate. If they’re in a good mood and start joking with me, then I give it right back to them. It definitely helps to personalize the experience and it helps me remember that guest when they come back. Regular guests tend to like being remembered/recognized, I’ve found.
February 8th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Michelle, didn’t mean at ALL to imply that servers of any kind are “all angry”! I meant that I thought these comments would make them angry. I figure the bad behavior is usually on the side of the restaurant-goer rather than server (fast food is an exception obviously) but that’s just me.
February 10th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
My friend’s wife is the worst restaurant patron I ever met. She picks fights with the staff over her order, complains constantly and loudly about everything and anything, and never thanks the wait staff when they try to accommodate her. I don’t even know why she bothers to eat out when everyone is “out to get her.” I bet the restaurants around town have her picture in the kitchen with darts in it.
Another friend is one of those permissive parents who lets their kid run wild. I’m sure her daughter thinks I’m a witch when I won’t let her stand on the chair, play with her food, grab food out of other people’s plates, or run around. Eating with them is tiring and stressful.
February 10th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Wink, if you COULD train your child to juggle, it would definitely enhance my dining experience. *wink* Until then, I would be happy if they sat quietly and colored in their wee little books, as opposed to bonking me on the ankle with their tonka truck. Thanks
February 14th, 2010 at 2:14 am
I hate it when the server asks “Do you need change”? Of course I do just bring my change and I’ll decide what I am going to leave. What is there some sort of emergency that I have to tell you at this very second and you can’t wait for your tip. How dare you assume my change is your tip!