What irritates you the most at restaurants?

[DrRosenRosen]

How do you handle it?

Tip less. They can figure out why. If they think I'm a crappy tipper, so be it. I obviously think the same of their serving skills.

TBH, it's rare this ever comes up. Maybe once a year?

 

[Biopsyman]

Tip less. They can figure out why. If they think I'm a crappy tipper, so be it. I obviously think the same of their serving skills.

TBH, it's rare this ever comes up. Maybe once a year?

When you leave $0 you usually walk out pissed and pleage not to go back...

 

[DrRosenRosen]

On a few occasions when leaving a poor tip with a credit card, I will leave a note on the receipt saying service could have been better.

Probably does nothing but maybe a manager looks through them and notices.

 

[Biopsyman]

On a few occasions when leaving a poor tip with a credit card, I will leave a note on the receipt saying service could have been better.

Probably does nothing but maybe a manager looks through them and notices.

Or write...... here is a tip.. do better next time

 

[Behr]

Or write...... here is a tip.. do better next time

Please tell me you're joking.

 

[Behr]

Tip less. They can figure out why. If they think I'm a crappy tipper, so be it. I obviously think the same of their serving skills.

TBH, it's rare this ever comes up. Maybe once a year?

That's a tough one. Without knowing what the actual problems were, I can't really offer much. But, it could have been the kitchens fault, the hostesses fault, bartenders fault or company policy. Or, it could have been the servers fault, and he/she may not be able to "figure out" why, and by telling no one what the problems were, you did the next guest no favors. Right?

Ultimately its the owners/managers responsibility and I'm certain if you were displeased with your experience enough to not tip, or tip less, they would want to know.

 

[DrRosenRosen]

If the server can't figure it out they are an idiot. If it's the kitchen/manager/etc fault, do what you need to get them in shape. Not my job to manage the restaurant.

I'm not tough. I don't look for reason to dock a tip. But if you half ass your job and things don't pan out very well, I might leave you a crappy tip.

Food is wrong/late/etc and I see the server is actually trying and keeping me updated, we're all good.

 

[Biopsyman]

Please tell me you're joking.

I am dead serious

 

[Biopsyman]

If the server can't figure it out they are an idiot. If it's the kitchen/manager/etc fault, do what you need to get them in shape. Not my job to manage the restaurant.

I'm not tough. I don't look for reason to dock a tip. But if you half ass your job and things don't pan out very well, I might leave you a crappy tip.

Food is wrong/late/etc and I see the server is actually trying and keeping me updated, we're all good.

Spot on.. most are worried only after the after party

 

[NorCalVol67]

Seems like a lot of people are eating at bad restaurants if they receive bad service that often. I rarely receive poor service, granted, I eat almost exclusively at the bar, but when dining at tables the service we receive is usually spot on. I also tend to eat at restaurants that will have more employees that have chosen hospitality as a career rather than just trying to make beer money while in college.

I worked in restaurants for 12 years, so I do have more patience. I can usually tell if the server is just not doing a great job, or if the problem is with the kitchen, bar or it is just too busy for everyone to keep up.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Another thing that really upsets me is when fellow employees price gouge. Trying to sell the most expensive thing without ever giving the person a heads up on the price is a big no-no in my book. My bar has a wall of whiskey and some stuff is a little pricey. If the person isn't looking at the menu and they just ask about a bottle, I think it's the right thing to do to inform them of the price. Hey...heads up, that's $25 a drink. If someone comes in and has a good experience, then finds out that they drank 3 Sinatra Jacks, they're likely to leave pissed off, and it becomes the fault of the person who didn't inform the guest of the cost.

That happened to me recently. I ordered a higher end Scotch and the bartender came back and politely asked if I minded if he told me the price. I appreciated that gesture.

 

[bigdaddy]

I had bad service three times in a row at Copper Cellar. I notified the GM about all three experiences and the trouble with the manager at the restaurant. He wrote me a letter asking me to come back and gave me 50 dollars in vouchers. He also met me personally when I returned. That’s how I handled bad service. Since then I’ve had good to excellent service there.

 

[508mikey]

Please tell me you're joking.

very doubtful he is joking

 

[Charlie Kelly]

Spot on.. most are worried only after the after party

Or maybe they're worried about their 3 kids at home with their mother because they can't afford a baby-sitter. Jesus man, reel it in.

Like Behr mentioned earlier, there are a lot of ways your dining experience can go wrong. From the host/hostess not staggering seating correctly and potentially overloading the server or the kitchen (ie: you will be waiting). To the kitchen cooking your food incorrectly or reading the order wrong on the ticket. To your appetizer not being timed perfectly with your entree (I mean, that has to be one of the most petty complaints I've seen in this thread. Who can't be bothered to eat more than one thing at a time? Pathetic.), which is a lot of times the fault of the kitchen and not your server. POS systems can be tricky and I would only expect the higher end fine dining restaurants (you know? The ones with actual chefs and not an amalgam of random cooks making 9 to 13 an hour like you get at chain restaurants) to get that right every time.

What I'm getting at is that your average customer, who has never worked in the restaurant industry, typically has no clue how everything works from top to bottom. So they unconsciously blame everything on their server since it is usually the only person they interact with. Not everything that goes wrong is their fault. Servers will rarely, if ever, intentionally give bad service because they know it could potentially affect the amount of money they're walking out with.

Just do me a favor and never sit near me in a restaurant. I'll feel the need to make up for your bad tip.

 

[Caleb59seal]

If the server can't figure it out they are an idiot. If it's the kitchen/manager/etc fault, do what you need to get them in shape. Not my job to manage the restaurant.

I'm not tough. I don't look for reason to dock a tip. But if you half ass your job and things don't pan out very well, I might leave you a crappy tip.

Food is wrong/late/etc and I see the server is actually trying and keeping me updated, we're all good.

You’re a real class act.

 

[Caleb59seal]

I have a question.. has anyone heard/seen a customer being extremely rude to the waiter/waitress and jumped in on behalf of them? Or a cashier period?

 

[508mikey]

I have a question.. has anyone heard/seen a customer being extremely rude to the waiter/waitress and jumped in on behalf of them? Or a cashier period?

yes - have seen stories, also wheather these rude clods know it or not, some places put names and notes in their computers about the incidents

 

[Biopsyman]

Or maybe they're worried about their 3 kids at home with their mother because they can't afford a baby-sitter. Jesus man, reel it in.

Like Behr mentioned earlier, there are a lot of ways your dining experience can go wrong. From the host/hostess not staggering seating correctly and potentially overloading the server or the kitchen (ie: you will be waiting). To the kitchen cooking your food incorrectly or reading the order wrong on the ticket. To your appetizer not being timed perfectly with your entree (I mean, that has to be one of the most petty complaints I've seen in this thread. Who can't be bothered to eat more than one thing at a time? Pathetic.), which is a lot of times the fault of the kitchen and not your server. POS systems can be tricky and I would only expect the higher end fine dining restaurants (you know? The ones with actual chefs and not an amalgam of random cooks making 9 to 13 an hour like you get at chain restaurants) to get that right every time.

What I'm getting at is that your average customer, who has never worked in the restaurant industry, typically has no clue how everything works from top to bottom. So they unconsciously blame everything on their server since it is usually the only person they interact with. Not everything that goes wrong is their fault. Servers will rarely, if ever, intentionally give bad service because they know it could potentially affect the amount of money they're walking out with.

Just do me a favor and never sit near me in a restaurant. I'll feel the need to make up for your bad tip.

Please Let me know the name of the restaurant you work at iand your schedule

 

[dan4vols]

I rarely if ever have bad service from waiters/waitresses. My kryptonite seems to be hostesses. You know the half dozen or so teenagers or slightly older that give you the once over and place you where they think you belong. Once I get past them it's usually great.

 

[RavinDave]

Being held hostage waiting for the server to bring my card back.

Or being held hostage waiting for the check.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

Please Let me know the name of the restaurant you work at iand your schedule

I don't wait tables anymore. I did when I was in college.

Just know that you're the exception and not the norm. I would only have 3 or 4 tables per weekend that acted the way you describe that you do.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

I have a question.. has anyone heard/seen a customer being extremely rude to the waiter/waitress and jumped in on behalf of them? Or a cashier period?

Yes, I've seen it happen multiple times.

I've personally done it once as well. I stopped the server as they were walking away from the rude table, gave them a 10 dollar bill, told them to keep up the great service and glared at the other table on the way back to my seat.

 

[DancingOutlaw]

Yes, I've seen it happen multiple times.

I've personally done it once as well. I stopped the server as they were walking away from the rude table, gave them a 10 dollar bill, told them to keep up the great service and glared at the other table on the way back to my seat.

And then John Quinones came out.

 

[Boca Vol]

Or write...... here is a tip.. do better next time

Does your next meal at that restaurant look something like this?

 

[Coug]

If I'm with a group and someone orders a salad to start, I fully expect to watch them eat their salad.

Yep.
If it's a decent restaurant they'll offer the entire table bread. The non salad eaters can eat that or nothing until their food comes.

Here's a question to others in or near the service industry. What do you do in this scenario? A lady regular who comes in roughly weekly, maybe twice every 3 weeks. She sits at the bar with her friend, they order 2-3 beers each, and sit for about 2-3 hours. Has never tipped more than $0.40 (yes, 40 cents). How many visits does it take before you can no longer treat her needs as a priority over anyone else you are taking care of? And do you communicate with her at some point? Like every bartender absolutely hates her, moreso for taking up prime real estate during the dinner rush than anything

My initial reaction to this is that you are working at the bar and the real money is at the tables so what were you expecting? You could play the slow game and really give them very poor service over a period of time and hope they decide to drink elsewhere. You could find her presence online and anonymously shame her. You could talk to her friend when she goes to use the bathroom, tell her how much you appreciate her business but perhaps she could encourage her friend to tip a little more than just 40 cents.