Ten rudest things servers and bartenders do to guests to make them wish they'd never come in

By Sean Kenyon Thu., Jun. 14 2012 at 5:22 PM

3. Bitching about guests.
The service well is often the hub of griping. Servers bitching to each other about their tables, bartenders bitching to the servers about their guests.... Negativity is a magnet. If a server is in the well complaining, three other servers will stop by and listen and pile on their own stories. If a server is standing there talking about what a great night they are having, everyone will just keep working around them. The biggest problem is that most service wells are still at the bar, with guests in close proximity. There is no magic sound barrier to prevent them from overhearing your bitching. It makes the guests wonder what you will say about them when they leave.

2. Greetings/Salutations.
I referenced this in number six, but it drives me crazy when I walk into a restaurant and the first thing out of the host's mouth is "Two?" It makes me feel like I am just another notch on the cover count. Whatever happened to "Hello"? "Welcome"? "How are you"?

1. Snobbery.
My dad would always tell the story of the $10-an-hour jewelry-store clerk looking down his/her nose at people browsing jewelry that they couldn't t afford. Many bartenders/servers in high-end restaurants have become that person. Order the wrong wine with the food? Oh, my. Order a shaken Manhattan? Holy hell. Order a filet mignon well done? Might as well call the police. Ladies and gentlemen, we will never know more than our guest about what they enjoy. Let them enjoy it without judgment.

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Tags:

bartenders, guests, late diners, Lori Midson, servers, texting

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zipto44

CHECK!

I hate it when my table has been cleared and then I'm sitting for ten minutes waiting for the check. Why does it take forever to get someone to take my money? Once in Boulder I had this experience when after waiting for the check in an almost empty diner it was delivered with no pen. I got up to find a pen and found the server and a busboy huddled in a corner by the bar.

I got a pen signed my bill and left no tip. Being a waiter is not that hard. Pick up the plate, take it to the table. Watch your tables and attend to the guest. Simple.

Chaichichi

Having been a former server in two restaurants many years ago, I understand fully well what happens behind the front of the house. A waiter/waitress who is adept and professional at their job is always appreciated and I know how challenging it is to appear to have it all together. There is so much going on in paying attention to your customers, their special requests, the high maintenance customer, food, returns, etc., that it's mind boggling to most people who haven't a clue as to what it takes to be a good server. My biggest pet peeve is when a server fails to return to the table after serving your food, and it may not be to your liking, or the dish is under/over-cooked, etc. I have sat there for over 10 mins while trying to get a server's attention. A server should be scanning the room at all times, except when waiting on a customer, for those customers who need them. There is a Vietnamese restaurant on the corner of Federal and Alameda which I used to frequent, but no more. Despite the many times I've gone there, the servers still do not come back to the table. This suggests that they 'think' their food is just fine, however, it's courteous and necessary to check in w/the customer to be sure they're okay w/their food. There's nothing worse than having to get up and find your waiter to tell them you need something. If I'm going to resort to that, I may as well stay home. I also don't like being interrupted several times during the meal and/or having my dish taken away before I'm done. I tend to be a slow eater and I don't gulp down my food, so it may appear as if I'm done, but I'm not. I would only take the plate/s off the table if they were empty, otherwise, I would only ask once and that would be after awhile and it would be presumed that the customer was done eating.

allen

I love how these lists complaining about bad service always boil down to the whining, self-absorbed foodie drivel it really is, especially compared side-by-side to lists about bad customers. Oh, and prefacing your article with the "I'm in the industry" speech? Mm! Très magnifique! That's some good bullshit.