Restaurant pet peeves

[Breezy_Carol]

My pet peeve is the silverware wrapped in the napkin and no place mat or bread plate. I unwrap the silverware to use my napkin for my drink and there is nowhere to lay down the silverware except on the surface of the table. I will not do that because who knows how clean the table is. I usually ask for another napkin so I have somewhere to place the yet unused silver.

 

[TifffanyD]

I am not going to restate any of the ones already mentioned, although some apply, but add one of my own.

When other restaurant-goers walk by your table and gawk at your food... sometimes even making comments about it. Even worse is when they talk directly to you and ask questions about it. Geez Louise!

 

[wvjules]

When you pay and they ask "do you need change"? That irks me for some reason.

I'm also another one that can't eat my sald with my meal. If it comes with my meal I cannot/will not eat it.

 

[Sam33]

I don't mind when they bring the check early. As long as they don't mind altering it when I decide to get another beer.

 

[Jillpie]

HUGE for me, don't ask me if I want change with that!! OF COURSE I WANT MY CHANGE, THEN YOU'LL GET YOUR TIP, is what I want to say. Why do they say that?? I was a breakfast waitress many moons ago, and never ever asked that.
Servers out there, take our money, give us our change and leave it at that. If you were excellent, you'll get an excellent tip, don't worry about it.

 

[Bob NC]

HUGE for me, don't ask me if I want change with that!! OF COURSE I WANT MY CHANGE, THEN YOU'LL GET YOUR TIP, is what I want to say. Why do they say that?? I was a breakfast waitress many moons ago, and never ever asked that.
Servers out there, take our money, give us our change and leave it at that. If you were excellent, you'll get an excellent tip, don't worry about it.

Some places I go to for lunch always ask that.

They ask because if you need change they'll hurry up and go ring it up and return with your money. If you don't need change they can continue serving others during the busy lunch time. I guess asking is easier than standing there looking through everyones folders.

I also don't mind the check being dropped halfway through a meal. I've gotten angry because I've had to wait for a check, but I've never gotten angry that I didn't have to.

 

[Art 1]

I really can't stand it when people use chemical sprays near me when I'm eating. I know tables have to be cleaned, but often there are empty tables all around. Inevitably the table that needs to be cleaned is near us. I don't like the smell and I don't like the thoughts that the stuff is drifting into our food. Ugh.

I agree and have asked the people to please stop.

 

[bankgirl05]

I also hate the do you want change? One time the waitress got a resounding "YES" with the "duh" tone from both my DH and myself when he paid with a $50 for a $23 check, and the waitress opened the little "folder" and looked at the cash before she asked!!!

I also hate when they don't "break up" your change into smaller bills, like I'm gonna leave you a $20 tip on a $30 check??? My hairdresser does this all the time too!!!

 

[Ceila]

Asking if you want change is presumptuous. The waiter is assuming that they are getting a tip (OK, it's a safe assumption, but not one that should be acknowledged). As for the notion that the waiter is trying to save his customers time by asking, I don't buy that at all. If the customers don't want change, they usually say "it's all yours" or "keep the change." And if they forget to say that and really don't want the change, they can always just leave. No need for the waiter to ask if they should bring change - they just should.

The other thing that I don't like is when the waiter doesn't keep up with drink refills.

 

[shoney]

I also hate the do you want change? One time the waitress got a resounding "YES" with the "duh" tone from both my DH and myself when he paid with a $50 for a $23 check, and the waitress opened the little "folder" and looked at the cash before she asked!!!

I also hate when they don't "break up" your change into smaller bills, like I'm gonna leave you a $20 tip on a $30 check??? My hairdresser does this all the time too!!!

YES!!!!

I also hate when you order another drink and they take away your first one before it is finished. I paid for that one too!!!

 

[mhsjax]

Problem is, with every pet peeve listed here, someone else has the exact opposite pet peeve. These poor servers can't win. Bring a check to early, someone else says they hate to wait. Someone orders another drink and they take the first one away before the person finishes it, someone else gets mad because the waiter doesn't clear off the other glass. someone here (from another similar thread) gets made because the server clears dishes, someone else gets mad when they don't.

 

[Deb in IA]

I have the all-time table-bused-too-quick story:

My parents took our kids out to TGIFriday's years ago, when they were around 12 and 8. They sit down, order their drinks. The waitress comes back with the drinks and then takes their food orders. Our habit was to go and wash everyone's hands after that, before the food arrives. When they get back to their table, EVERYTHING was gone. Now, wouldn't you think that a bus-person would see FULL glasses and no food plates, and think, "Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't bus this table yet . . . " But no . . .

Another of my pet peeves is when a restaurant is out of something. Please, do not go through, in great detail, the items on the menu IF YOU ARE OUT OF IT! I hate ordering something and having the waitperson come back 10 minutes later and tell me they are out of it!

 

[mhsjax]

I have the all-time table-bused-too-quick story:

My parents took our kids out to TGIFriday's years ago, when they were around 12 and 8. They sit down, order their drinks. The waitress comes back with the drinks and then takes their food orders. Our habit was to go and wash everyone's hands after that, before the food arrives. When they get back to their table, EVERYTHING was gone. Now, wouldn't you think that a bus-person would see FULL glasses and no food plates, and think, "Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't bus this table yet . . . " But no . . .

Another of my pet peeves is when a restaurant is out of something. Please, do not go through, in great detail, the items on the menu IF YOU ARE OUT OF IT! I hate ordering something and having the waitperson come back 10 minutes later and tell me they are out of it!

Yes, but don't you think that if it took them 10 minutes to come back and tell you, then they probably just found out themselves?

 

[Bob NC]

As for the notion that the waiter is trying to save his customers time by asking, I don't buy that at all. If the customers don't want change, they usually say "it's all yours" or "keep the change." And if they forget to say that and really don't want the change, they can always just leave. No need for the waiter to ask if they should bring change - they just should.

They make money by tips. They aren't trying to piss you off, honest.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

"How is everything tasting?"

You taste it and let me know.

I was w/somebody at Cracker Barrel and a waiter said asked that...I thought it was very creepy.

 

[scrapquitler]

Totally agree with you. When I waitressed we kept hot bleach water in one side of the sink behind the counter and we just rinsed out the table-wiping cloths in that. We didn't spray anything on the tables. The health inspector was fine with that, and we weren't spraying anything in the air to possibly get onto other people's food.

I also hate it when they sweep (with a broom and dustpan if it's not a carpeted floor, and a vacuum cleaner if it is carpeted) right around you as some of the dust can also get onto your food.

I don't like it when they bring the check when you're not even half way through with your meal, and not even asking if you want dessert. We normally don't get dessert, but they should still ask.

I think with a lot of these things, the servers are in a no-win situation. They've got to do these chores SOMETIME. And if the restaurant is always busy, then what? Then someone else will say "they didn't even sweep the floor and there were crumbs under our table", if they have to wait a while after their meal is finished "why did I have to wait so long for the check" My friend is a waitress...she says that people complain either way.

 

[KristaTX]

The response, "No problem", when I say thanks for something. I'm so ready for that phrase to go away.

Even though it cracks us up when the Chick-fil-a people say "My pleasure" over and over, I am so glad they train their employees to say that instead of "No problem". The son of one of my friends always tries to say things that make the employee have to say "Thank you" to him so that he can reply "My pleasure" to them .

 

[pigletgirl]

I have found this to be true especially with chains, is that they're always in a hurry for you to order and eat. I know they're trying to turn tables over, but geez, let us eat in peace! Because of this happening frequently, we hardly visit those restaurants.

 

[Jennasis]

Most waiters I've experienced don't ask if I want change. They simply say "I'll be right back with your change." If i don't need change back I say "Thanks, we're all good."

 

[Tinkerbell58]

The response, "No problem", when I say thanks for something. I'm so ready for that phrase to go away.

Yes, this!! Umm.....I didn't know doing your job to serve paying diners was a problem.