Restaurant pet peeves

[DarthKTrava]

Just gotta say that I thought this was an American thing; here at home the response to "thank you" is simply "you're welcome". I don't think I've ever heard it while traveling stateside.

"You're welcome" is the correct response. Not sure when "no problem" came about.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Ugh...can't edit. Meant their.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I know of many buffets that do not allow children to get there own food. I was actually yelled by a server because I allow a couple of my children to go to the dessert section by themselves. The manager came over and told me that the rule was twelve and up. This was Golden Corral a couple of years ago.

That's because small children are gross at the dessert bar, sticking their hands in the gummy bears, licking a serving spoon, etc.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

They were picking up plates if slides cake, but I get your point.

 

[goofyintoronto]

THIS! Or when they come back to ask what you ordered again? Write it down!

Seriously! no kidding right?

I understand some restaurants dont allow servers to write down the orders, but i've never come across a restaurant like that in my area. All the restaurants ive been to in my neck of the woods, i've seen servers write down orders. It just so happens that a few times i've been, my particular server decided to trust their memory...which was obviously wrong because s/he kept screwing up my order! for petesake, write it down! Is it so hard? I dont think it is. Take pen, and a pad of paper, and start writing!

 

[cluvsdisney]

Seriously! no kidding right?

I understand some restaurants dont allow servers to write down the orders, but i've never come across a restaurant like that in my area. All the restaurants ive been to in my neck of the woods, i've seen servers write down orders. It just so happens that a few times i've been, my particular server decided to trust their memory...which was obviously wrong because s/he kept screwing up my order! for petesake, write it down! Is it so hard? I dont think it is. Take pen, and a pad of paper, and start writing!

I never heard that servers at some places are not allowed to write down orders before this thread and I certainly never noticed it in real life. But what a dumb rule - I am sure the ambiance or mood mgmt is going for will mean nothing to customers who are served incorrect meals.

Although, when I was kid, we used to go to a local restaurant and one waiter in this place never wrote down the order. It wasn't a rule, it was this waiter's preference. It didn't matter if it was 2 people or 8 ordering...appetizers, entrees, some with special orders, etc. He would nod and say un-huh after each person told him their choice. My father asked if he wanted to write it down and he said "no, it's ok." It became a joke between them. But he NEVER got one thing wrong. It was amazing.

 

[iheartdisney]

Mine are all drink related.
I hate having to get to the bottom of my soda before getting a refill. The tip gets an automatic bonus if I can get a refill when my coke is only 2/3 empty!

And I hate when a waiter/ waitress hands you your drink holding it from the top. I use a straw anyway, but don't like the idea of someone's fingers touching the rim.

 

[crashbb]

"You're welcome" is the correct response. Not sure when "no problem" came about.

Probably not where it came from, but I do know some French speakers who use "no problem". The general way to say "you're welcome" in French is "de rien", which is litterally translated into "of nothing" (but the meaning is "it's nothing"). So, it is much closer to "no problem" than "you're welcome".

There is a more formal form in French (je t'en prie/je vous je vous en prie) which is more directly translated into "I beg you" (I've never understood how that became "you're welcome", but I tend to hear "de rien" more often (in Quebec).

 

[Heidict]

One time my husband, father, stepmother and I went to some buffet. Can't remember the name of it, but they have since closed down. They were known for having these wonderful fresh form the oven rolls. They were out, so the waitress said she would bring some buy when they were ready.

About 10 minutes later, as we are all sitting at the table eating, she comes over with some rolls. I don't know what she was thinking, of even if she was. Instead of bringing a pair of tongs or something from the kitchen, she takes my husbands fork, the one he has been eating with and proceeds to stab each roll and give it to each person at our table.

I thought my stepmother was going to hurl right there.

 

[lovin'fl]

So tonight at Chipotle I noticed something that bugs me on the patron end (instead of the staff end). It irritates me when a person goes to Chipotle (or Subway...a place where they build your meal as you tell them) and has a list in their hand of all their family members' orders. They end up taking up the whole counter as they build each and every meal for their family who is at home. It backs the line up. When my kids want Chipotle or Subway I make them go to get their order...I may pick up for just 1 other person (like DS if DH and DDs are at softball, for example) but I would never try to pick up for all 5 of us on my own. Tonight the line was nearly out the door and it took us about 25 minutes or so to get up to the counter and a couple ladies had their lists to pick up for their family. Chipotle even does take call in orders, which is what I would do if I had to pick up on my own.

 

[trip]

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

This bothers me also. It would be so much better if they would say" I'll be right back with your change". Then you can say no or ok.

 

[Diznygrl]

"Are you still working on that?"

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

 

[CathrynRose]

P.S.

Outback Steaks: They're cooked that way. They're cooked a notch down from traditional steak houses. The server tells you that - as well as it being noted on the menu.

I had plenty of patrons insist on medium, after I explained medium and they looked at me like I was a baffoon, only to have to bring their steak back to the kitchen to cook it more.

 

[cluvsdisney]

P.S.

Outback Steaks: They're cooked that way. They're cooked a notch down from traditional steak houses. The server tells you that - as well as it being noted on the menu.

I had plenty of patrons insist on medium, after I explained medium and they looked at me like I was a baffoon, only to have to bring their steak back to the kitchen to cook it more.

A server at Outback has never told me that their medium is not a traditional medium. I know they describe the steak and I ordered accordingly only to get served an undercooked steak....on one occasion 3 times. They didn't even prepare it the way they claim it would be cooked. If it was once or twice, I could deal with it but it was a pattern so I stopped getting steaks there. It's not worth the aggregation. We only go because DH likes the prime rib and he likes them blood rare so he's never had an issue.

 

[mhsjax]

Mine are all drink related.
I hate having to get to the bottom of my soda before getting a refill. The tip gets an automatic bonus if I can get a refill when my coke is only 2/3 empty!

And I hate when a waiter/ waitress hands you your drink holding it from the top. I use a straw anyway, but don't like the idea of someone's fingers touching the rim.

Just goes to show you that these poor servers can't win. I know a lot of people that hate getting their drinks refilled before they are almost empty.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I have been a server in the same restaurant for 13 years and you just cannot please some people. Everyone expects totally different things for you an unfortunatly you cannot be a mind reader so you just do the best you can and in the end that pleases the majority I have learned that some people come in with an awful attitude and there's nothing you can do to please them so you just kill them with kindness and don't let them get to you.

As a customer my biggest pet peeve at restaurants is servers that leave you sitting there forever before taking your order or clearing dishes. Or when your bill is dropped off when the table is still full of plates.

 

[KimR]

I know it's petty, but I can't stand being served a salad on a warm plate. I like my salad plates chilled and the same goes for cocktails. It's particularly annoying when they serve a cocktail in a glass that is so hot it obviously came straight from the dishwasher.

 

[TifffanyD]

P.S.

Outback Steaks: They're cooked that way. They're cooked a notch down from traditional steak houses. The server tells you that - as well as it being noted on the menu.

I had plenty of patrons insist on medium, after I explained medium and they looked at me like I was a baffoon, only to have to bring their steak back to the kitchen to cook it more.

This makes no sense to me. Why would they feel the need to redefine a medium steak. If a person likes a medium steak and orders a medium steak, why would they then cook a medium rare steak... just to have their own "system"?

 

[kamik86]

This is why my favorite places to eat and the best tips go to some of the places I eat at alot. every other friday we go to the same place and sit at the same table so we have the same server. She is wonderful I know on fridays it seems most her customers are ones that she regularly serves as she knows half of them by name and most of us don't really order (more of "Getting the usual?" "Yep" "Ok I'll put it in") Our drinks are never empty and are sometimes on our table before we get there. Its great!

 

[OceanAnnie]

We are going out to eat less often, so maybe that has some bearing on it. I want a positive experience. I don't really expect a lot. Just some common courtesy and politeness.

The chemical sprays near our table and sweeping bothers me the most. I just don't expect that kind of thing when I'm dining out. The times it's happened it wasn't a table top or floor catastrophe. It was something IMO that could wait. I have bit my tongue. I have been on the verge of asking the person if he or she could wait until we were done. It just wasn't pleasant right next to our table. I wouldn't do that at home near a table of food. I certainly don't expect it when I'm dining out.