From dealing with messy and noisy customers to living on tips and dodging unwanted advances, being a waiter is easier said than done. It’s one of the most stressful jobs and many people have been one at least once during their lives.
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More often than not, waiters aren't treated with respect and even still, they have to do their jobs with a smile on their faces. We've compiled a list of annoying things waiters can't stand. Have you done any of these?
Flirting With Waiters
If a waiter is being nice to you, they’re doing it because it’s a part of their job, not because they’re expecting to be invited on a date. Flirting with waiters is a huge no-no because it can make them feel uncomfortable.
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It’s even worse when thirsty customers leave their phone numbers to servers instead of leaving the tip. Reddit user Randomlycandy perfectly summed it up when she wrote, “You expect me to call you for the rest of my tip or something? Yeah, you’re exactly who I’d want to date.”
Stacking Plates
People usually stack their plates thinking that they're helping waiters, but it actually does more harm than good. If you want to be helpful, move things to the side. Doing more than that is unnecessary because it makes things more complicated.
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As Reddit user Danam524 explained, “I know it’s done with good intention, but if you hand me a stack of plates there’s almost a 99% chance they aren’t stacked correctly.”
Kid Drama
You may only see your kids’ good side, but not everyone does, especially waiters. They’re happy to serve your kids, but cleaning up their mess, handling their temper tantrums, and stopping them from bothering other guests is a different story.
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It’s your job to control your children and keep them in check when you’re taking them to a restaurant. If you can’t handle them, leave them at home because it’s not the server’s job to also be their babysitter.
Tipping Dilemmas
Waiters rely heavily on the tips they receive from the customers because they often work below minimum wage. You can whine about it all you want, but nothing will change until the system does and they’ll struggle to make ends meet without tips.
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In the U.S. a normal tip is anything between 15-20% and leaving less than that is rude. Even if the service is slow or the food isn't good, don’t punish your waiter by leaving them a bad tip because it’s usually not their fault.
Fighting Over the Bill
If you think “who pays the bill” is a fun game to play with your date, friends, or family, we guarantee that your waiter doesn’t feel the same way. It's a huge waste of time and it adds unnecessary stress to their already stressful job.
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Reddit user Blackdragonking13 has a pretty easy solution to this problem: “Figure out who’s getting the bill before I drop it off. I can’t pick a side because then I gotta deal with the other getting all pissy at me.”
Not Speaking Up
Even if you don’t feel like bothering your waiter once your meal reaches the table, you should speak up if you have any problems. They won’t be able to help you or fix the issue if you wait to address it until you're about to leave.
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Reddit user PinkWhiteandGreen summed it up best by writing, “I hate it when customers don’t complain about something, at least not until after the fact when it comes time for the bill and it’s too late to try and fix their issue.”
