Help w/ our research..list your peeves.....

[Rella Bella]

I appreciate having my drinks refilled regularly but:
-- Please don't refill my coffee without asking, when I get the balance of cream & sugar just right I'd usually rather not have to do it again until the cup is empty, however sometimes it gets cold so don't assume "they use cream so won't want more until it's gone".
-- Thanks for bringing me another coke but please don't grab the one I'm drinking and take it away half finished!

Look around at your tables every few minutes. Sometimes I'm trying to get the wait-staff attention & they bring something just a table away but never even look to see I am waving at them.

Thanks for being friendly but please don't tell me your life story because you having nothing to do. I came to eat with my friend/family/husband and I'd like to talk with them.

Leave your troubles at the door. There's nothing worse than wait-staff walking around with little black clouds over their heads. We all have bad days but use work as a place to forget about your troubles for a while.

When I sit down I expect a good experience. My DH & I have a mental "tip-o-meter". It's starts at 15% and goes up or down depending on service & attitude. We were both wait-staff earlier in our lives; we understand what can happen that you don't have control over and what you are responsible for. If there's a problem in the kitchen apologize. If you forget something apologize. Whether it's your fault or not if you let me know you noticed and you are disappointed you didn't (or couldn't) give me better service, I will not only feel better about my experience I will tip better.

Always assume I want all the change back... don't ask if I need change because you don't want to walk all the way back to my table. And make sure there area several ones in the change... I tip well, if you ask to keep the change you may be shorting yourself.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Here's a big one of mine, and it's happened every single place I go, and I go out to eat frequently. I enjoy water with lemon. I don't really like plain water so much, unless it's bottled. So, every single time they ask me if I want a refill, I get back the same class, with the same squeezed out already used lemon, and some water topped off. Yet, if you order soda, you get a new glass most times. I understand that it's a free drink, but I hate having to ask for more lemons all the time, and so most of the time I don't even ask. I don't drink it because I'm cheap, I drink it because that's what I like to drink, and most times I'm also getting an alcoholic beverage or coffee with it, that I am paying for.

 

[MoniqueU]

Personally I am not one who likes to linger after dinner. So waiting the extra minute to take my CC after I put it in there would be nice. I whip it right out and have it ready as soon as the check comes. And also staying on top of drink orders. IF you wait to long to ask if I want another cocktail my dinner might be over.

 

[pearlieq]

I always knew I could never hack it as a waitress! There's just no pleasing everyone:

--Be friendly (but no small talk, and watch even the smallest thing you say--if you greet me with a benign word I happen not to like, no tip for you!)
--Get my order right (but don't crouch down so you can hear me)
--Refill my drink (but don't disrupt my perfect tea/sweetner balance)
--Offer me dessert (But don't try to sell me anything I don't want)
--Bring my check promptly (but don't rush me out because I like to liger over a meal)

Sheesh!

It's not that there aren't things that annoy me, but I never really appreciated until now how hard it's got to be to please people who think they own you for the cost of a tip. It's like people are drunk on the power of the $5 they might leave the waiter and see it as justification to pick at the tiniest things!

 

[va32h]

The flip side of disappearing is hovering...

I appreciate when servers inquire how we are doing or if we need anything, but they always seem to pop up when I am in mid-chew, or in the middle of a conversation.

I think popping by twice during the meal is plenty. Otherwise, I feel like I am being hustled out of there.

If there's some kind of crisis going on at the restaurant - short staffed, one of the ovens isn't working, truckload of kids menus and plastic cups never arrived, whatever, please let us know upfront. Most people can be understanding, if they just know what is going on.

 

[debloco]

I've waitressed so I know how hard it can be. That said...

Greet your new tables within a few minutes of them being seated. I really don't like sitting there for anything over 5 minutes with no acknowledgement from our server. Most restaurants have a standard for this and it's usually between 3 and 5 minutes. Meet it.

Keep the water/drinks refilled.

If you check back or we get your attention and ask for something for the food (whether something was missing or whatever), bring whatever was asked for promptly. The customer is waiting to eat their meal or that part of their meal until you come back with whatever was requested.

Don't disappear.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I always knew I could never hack it as a waitress! There's just no pleasing everyone:

--Be friendly (but no small talk, and watch even the smallest thing you say--if you greet me with a benign word I happen not to like, no tip for you!)
--Get my order right (but don't crouch down so you can hear me)
--Refill my drink (but don't disrupt my perfect tea/sweetner balance)
--Offer me dessert (But don't try to sell me anything I don't want)
--Bring my check promptly (but don't rush me out because I like to liger over a meal)

Sheesh!

It's not that there aren't things that annoy me, but I never really appreciated until now how hard it's got to be to please people who think they own you for the cost of a tip. It's like people are drunk on the power of the $5 they might leave the waiter and see it as justification to pick at the tiniest things!

Agreed! I'm shaking my head in amazement at this thread! I wonder if people use all this stuff to justify not tipping well--ya know, "If they crouch down at my table and introduce themselves, I'm gonna cut their tip by 5 percent."

 

[diznygirl]

How come the kids meals have to be served hotter than the surface of the sun???? The first thing my kids are going to do is touch that hot plate, and the second thing they are going to do is try to eat it. If told they cannot until it cools down, they will be horribly cranky cuz they are hungry and they are sitting there looking at food that they cannot eat!

Is there any way to let the kids meals cool before bringing them to the table?

I agree with most of the others:
more napkins
keep drinks filled
Come back right away with the mayo/ketchup/dressing so I can start eating
bring the check promptly

 

[KimR]

Like others have mentioned, I like to at least have a chance to finish my salad before my entree comes out. I eat slowly sometimes, so if I'm not completely finished, that's fine but I hate it when the entree comes out within minutes of (or sometimes even BEFORE) the salad.

I like to have something to drink the entire duration of my meal (especially when it's something spicy) and too often once the food is served, you never see the server again. We were at a Japanese restaurant one evening and our entire table got so disgusted waiting for the waitress to come back that DH actually got up in the middle of the meal and went up to the bar to order drinks for all of us. We love the food and eat there often, but that seems to be a common problem at that particular restaurant.

 

[Daxx]

I have to say that waiting on tables isn't easy! Been there, done that!

Anyway, my only pet peeve is the huuuge sigh some give you when they ask "Do you need anything else?" and I ask for things that aren't at the table (ie: ketchup). It seems like I'm inconveniencing them.

To all the wait staff out there ... keep up the good work!

 

[AuntieM03]

I really hate the new trend of not writing down the order. Many restaurants here in California have the waiters/waitresses memorize the order. It never fails something is messed up. Just write it down, I won't think any less of you.

I also don't like when they sit down at your table or crouch down by you to take the order. They do that alot at BJ's and it gets on my nerves. Just stand up, I can hear you fine.

 

[mantysk8coach]

I always knew I could never hack it as a waitress! There's just no pleasing everyone:

--Be friendly (but no small talk, and watch even the smallest thing you say--if you greet me with a benign word I happen not to like, no tip for you!)
--Get my order right (but don't crouch down so you can hear me)
--Refill my drink (but don't disrupt my perfect tea/sweetner balance)
--Offer me dessert (But don't try to sell me anything I don't want)
--Bring my check promptly (but don't rush me out because I like to liger over a meal)

Sheesh!

It's not that there aren't things that annoy me, but I never really appreciated until now how hard it's got to be to please people who think they own you for the cost of a tip. It's like people are drunk on the power of the $5 they might leave the waiter and see it as justification to pick at the tiniest things!

I agree! I was noticing lots of contradictory statements too. I guess that just shows it's impossible to please everyone!

The only pet peeve I have, and someone already mentioned it, is when they try to take your order without writing it down. I'm not impressed by that at all, and I don't know what they are trying to prove! It makes me so nervous that we have actually ordered less because of this. I'm afraid they are going to forget something, or that I am giving them too much to remember, so I pass on ordering an appetizer, or drink, or something. I know that shouldn't be my problem, but I know the more I throw at them, the more they have to screw up! So in effect, the lost sales because of this last time it happened when we were out.

That is the only thing that really drives me nuts.

 

[Robinrs]

Man! There really IS no pleasing everyone!

Half the stuff mentioned here don't bother me at all. I can't imagine being upset that someone bent over to take my order... OR didn't joke around and have fun with me. I guess to each his own!

We went to a restaurant to celebrate my sister's birthday, yesterday. The waitor was so friendly, so much fun... we truly enjoyed him.

To the waitstaff out there, I salute you all. There is NO WAY I could do your job!

 

[Fionasmommy]

What gets me is when the server brings the check with the food and then disappears, never to be seen again.

 

[MeanLaureen]

#3 "Hi, I'm Amanda, and I'll be your waitress today."

Wow, dude! That's pretty specific! You've got a peeve against people named Amanda being your waitress??

 

[ReggieB]

Pet peeve - If you are busy, please tell me. Just a quick, so sorry, very busy haven't forgotten you type of thing. If you are very very busy, please get a manager (or at least ask for some help from someone) to at least take the order.

 

[daisyduck123]

I waited tables for years in high school/college...so I have a lot of sympathy for them.....I rarely find fault with the wait staff at any restaurant.

One thing I do dislike though.....is being seated at a dirty table.

When I waited tables, I always made sure the table was clean before any guests sat at it.

 

[bubba's mom]

Wow you guys! We all seem to have the same things in common.....This will definately help us with training servers in "customer service"! Thanks and keep 'em comin'.........

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I doubt you will see this one on the thread.

I hate it when people address me through my husband.

"Will she need a booth or table?"
"What would she like to drink?"
"You may want to move her over there."

You get the idea. This happens very rarely but when it does, I am livid.

 

[grinningghost]

I can't stand it when they crouch down at my table and take my order. It makes me feel like I'm a child and they're "coming down to my level".

I've heard it's so they "aren't talking down to you". I don't agree with that - I feel very uneasy when they do that. They are servers, and servers always stood up and took your order - why all of a sudden the need to crouch down? It's a goofy practice.

And be friendly. I don't care if you're having a bad day - you're there to do a job, and if your day is so bad you can't do it properly, then go home. I'm paying good money for good, friendly service - it's the least you can do - even if all you do is pretend.