Restaurant pet peeves

[OceanAnnie]

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.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Ya, I dont like that either. I totally agree.

I hate it when the server forgets SIMPLE things that I ask for. Like water, or no cheese on my burger. It happens to me ALL THE TIME. And i dont know why?

 

[MIGrandma]

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.

 

[goofyintoronto]

OMG yes on the sweeping! Hate that! And i think its rude to bring the cheque without asking if you want dessert first. Honest to goodness, that bothers me. Cause most of the time I want dessert! LOL!

 

[MIGrandma]

Ya, I dont like that either. I totally agree.

I hate it when the server forgets SIMPLE things that I ask for. Like water, or no cheese on my burger. It happens to me ALL THE TIME. And i dont know why?

I tend to be more forgiving about asking for things and having it forgotten, since I used to wait tables myself. If you have several people asking for things all at once, something can occasionally be forgotten. Servers are only human. But as far as cheese on your burger and you didn't want it, that's something the server should correct in the kitchen before even bringing it out. I would always check the food against the order to make sure it was right before taking it to a table. If something was wrong, like in your case of asking for no cheese but the cook put cheese on it anyway, I would ask the cook to make another one ASAP and I would go to the customer and explain what happened. 99% of the time they were fine with that.

 

[OceanAnnie]

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 remember not so long ago peole did use table cloths to clean. It just went by the wayside. Convenience took the place of it, I guess. But it was nicer then.

Yes! The sweeping! Oh my gosh. Just as bad.

It's bad enough that it's happening around food for health reasons, but it also takes away from the "up" atmosphere of dining out. Those things are just deflators.

 

[Mariep26]

I remember not so long ago peole did use table cloths to clean. It just went by the wayside. Convenience took the place of it, I guess. But it was nicer then.

The health department often frowns upon reusable clothes for cleaning so many places forego them all together. If they can't appropriately store reusable clothes, I would prefer they didn't use them because they can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

 

[OceanAnnie]

The health department often frowns upon reusable clothes for cleaning so many places forego them all together. If they can't appropriately store reusable clothes, I would prefer they didn't use them because they can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

I didn't know restaurants had a problem storing reusable cloths.

Not sure about the breeding ground for bacteria. Bleach kills bacteria.

 

[PlutosFriend]

Server with yucky fingernails..that is enough to gross me out!
Patrons that let their kids go wild in a restaurant..

 

[mad madam mim78]

When they forget my salad!!!

It's one of my favorite parts of the meal but if they try to bring it out with my entre I won't eat it. Booooo!!!!

 

[lynxstch]

2 things bother me in restaurants the most. The first is 'dirty' clean silverware. I know it's probably a dishwasher washing them, but I can't stand eating with silverware that isn't cleaned properly. The second is a server/waitress calling me or my husband 'honey, sweetie, or darlin'..this must be a southern thing. I lived in MA for 45 years and never had anyone call me that. In MD and farther south, it happens all the time. They don't know me, so they should't be using terms of endearment when speaking to me!

 

[Janepod]

"Are you still working on that?"

"Yes, I am still slaving laboriously through the arduous task of eating."

 

[lorimay]

sWe were having lunch in a restaurant one afternoon and this dude is sweeping the floor he comes up to our table, we are eating at this point and just starts sweeping and is sweeping our feet!

Ummmm...... Hello can you keep the filthy broom off my sandals!
I asked him to stop but he didn't speak english.
We just looked at each other and cracked up when he walked away.

 

[BearcatsFan]

My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when I go to a restaurant that specializes in something and they can't cook it right.

For instance, we went to Outback Steakhouse on Saturday night. I order my steak medium, my husband orders his medium-well. His steak comes out correct, mine comes out rare. When I say rare, I don't mean medium-rare - I mean barely brown and still cold inside rare. I order another steak, the second one comes out rare, too - blood in the plate and all.

Really, if steak is what you specialize in, you'd think they'd know how to cook it!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

The health department often frowns upon reusable clothes for cleaning so many places forego them all together. If they can't appropriately store reusable clothes, I would prefer they didn't use them because they can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

I went to a restaurant one time with some friends. We waited for a table for about 30 minutes. We were seated at the table and the bus person comes by to wipe the table a final time with a reusable cloth. We got up and left when the cockroach fell on the table from the cloth.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Do not stand behind someone who is ordering. Make eye contact. Huge problem for chains, the waiters/waitresses don't like to move for some reason.

Also, do not reach across one guest to serve another. "Pardon my reach", the latest jingoistic restaurant phrase, does not cut it. If it's a very small space and there is no room to maneuver, I am ready for that, but if the restaurant is of a reasonable size and the tables are properly spaced, get your lazy butt around so that you can serve it properly.

 

[Nette]

"How is everything tasting?"

You taste it and let me know.

I went to a restaurant one time with some friends. We waited for a table for about 30 minutes. We were seated at the table and the bus person comes by to wipe the table a final time with a reusable cloth. We got up and left when the cockroach fell on the table from the cloth.

My parents were in a restaurant once and a family at the next table was getting up to leave. Well apparently grandma had had an "accident" in her chair. When the bus boy came by, he wiped the chair down with his reusable cloth, and then the top of the table with the same cloth!

 

[StephMK]

"How is everything tasting?"

You taste it and let me know.



My parents were in a restaurant once and a family at the next table was getting up to leave. Well apparently grandma had had an "accident" in her chair. When the bus boy came by, he wiped the chair down with his reusable cloth, and then the top of the table with the same cloth!

Yuck!

I hate it when the check is brought midway through the meal. It feels as if we're being dismissed and the waiter just wants to be done with the table. Plus it usually means we're not getting drink refills, etc. unless we really catch their eye.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Yuck!

I hate it when the check is brought midway through the meal. It feels as if we're being dismissed and the waiter just wants to be done with the table. Plus it usually means we're not getting drink refills, etc. unless we really catch their eye.

I waited tables a TGI Fridays all through college (back when it was more a bar than a restaurant and the servers/bartenders all wore stripes, hardly recognize the chain anymore tbh) and believe me, some restaurants actually train their servers to drop the check midway through the meal. Seems the majority of diners these days would rather dine and leave quickly than they would sit and enjoy their meals at a leisurely pace. Most simply love having their check sitting halfway through their meal...not my cup of tea, but whatever...

 

[cluvsdisney]

My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when I go to a restaurant that specializes in something and they can't cook it right.

For instance, we went to Outback Steakhouse on Saturday night. I order my steak medium, my husband orders his medium-well. His steak comes out correct, mine comes out rare. When I say rare, I don't mean medium-rare - I mean barely brown and still cold inside rare. I order another steak, the second one comes out rare, too - blood in the plate and all.

Really, if steak is what you specialize in, you'd think they'd know how to cook it!

^^^^This makes me crazy!!!!!!! I have the same problem with Outback. Can't they give the cooks a cheat sheet that can be taped to the wall near the grill so they know how long to cook the steak on each side for rare, medium, etc?


My other restaurant pet peeves:
When the entree comes out 2 minutes after you get the salad or appetizer.

When the wait person offers dessert to the part of the group when other people are still eating their entree.

When the order is wrong and the wait person knows it. On more then one occasion, a plate was set in front of me where the server says "I know this isn't how you ordered it...." Then don't bring it to me.