Service servers work hard to ensure you have a great time dining out. They smile, take orders, and bring your food with a friendly attitude! But sometimes, people act rude towards them.. They forget that kindness can make them happy and move them to give the best service ever. Whatever you do in a restaurant, avoid these 15 rude behaviors that servers hate.
Making Inappropriate or Offensive Comments
The job of a restaurant server is to ensure everyone has an excellent time. Rude comments can hurt people’s feelings and spoil their mood.Just like we want to be treated kindly, servers also want to be nice to others so everyone can have a happy meal together. We should always be respectful and kind to each other.
Poor Tipping for Good Service
Servers work hard to satisfy your needs, and getting something fair in return is only proper. In many countries, these “thank you” tips for hard work help servers throughout the month. While tipping cultures may vary, it’s essential to be kind and leave a good tip that doesn’t overlook their effort when someone does a good job serving you in a restaurant.
Failing to Mention Dietary Restrictions or Preferences
Neglecting to share such important information can lead to serious health risks for customers, which can result in negative reviews or complaints. The restaurant may also face legal issues, damaging its reputation and creating distrust among customers. Besides, late notifications can lead to food waste and unnecessary stress for kitchen workers.
Failing to Follow Seating Arrangements
Usually, servers work like they’re organizing a puzzle, and when customers disrupt the seating arrangements, the whole picture is messed up! It makes everything chaotic and slows down the speed of work. These seating arrangements are helpful to reduce confusion, optimize space and service, and ensure service quality.
Loud and Disruptive Behavior
Loud customers can make it hard for servers to hear orders and help other customers. They can also mess with the restaurant’s vibe. Servers deal with a lot already, and loud behavior adds unnecessary stress. Plus, it can be annoying and rude to other guests trying to enjoy their food.
Complicated Payment Requests
Complications can disrupt the smooth service process, especially when orders are high. They are time-consuming and challenging to manage because these requests can overwhelm servers. Too many steps take time, causing delays and creating more room for errors.
Modifying Orders Excessively
It should be basic knowledge for customers that servers hate whatever disrupts kitchen workflow, causes delays, and leads to potential mistakes in food preparation. While servers understand the need for dietary preferences, constantly modifying orders can confuse servers and kitchen staff. Also, this attitude may compromise the dish’s quality and slow down service for other tables.
Staying at the Table Long After Finishing
This behavior reduces the turnover rate, leading to fewer tips and potential loss of income because you’re taking up the space other customers should be sitting. It also creates congestion and delays for incoming guests, affecting overall service efficiency. Extended stays may require extra effort in monitoring the table and cleaning up, adding to the workload.
Rude or Dismissive Behavior
Ignoring the Bill
Besides creating confusion and disrupting the payment process, servers hate it when customers ignore the bill because it delays turnover. This attitude is also disrespectful or inconsiderate toward the server’s time and efforts. It may also signal dishonesty or an intention to skip out on payment, which affects their disposition towards the customer.
Making Messes On Purp
Restaurant servers dislike customers making messes intentionally due to increased workload, added stress, potential accidents, and disrespectful behavior. Cleaning up takes up valuable time and resources, affecting service quality for other patrons. Moreover, it can create hazardous conditions for customers and staff, leading to accidents or injuries. Also, this behavior shows a lack of consideration for the hard work of the servers and disrespect for the restaurant environment.
Ignoring Greetings
Servers often welcome customers with friendly introductions and questions, and ignoring them may make them feel unappreciated for their effort to provide good service. It also makes the interaction feel impersonal, leading to a need for more connection between the server and the customer. Likewise, dismissing them may create a negative mood for the entire time.
Snapping Fingers to Get Attention
Snapping to get a server’s attention is disrespectful and degrading, making them feel belittled. This action lacks basic courtesy and can be perceived as entitled behavior. Servers undergo training to attend to customers, and such behavior undermines the professionalism of the restaurant staff. Better ways to ask for service include eye contact, asking for their name, or raising a hand.
Demanding Special Treatment
Customers should understand that restaurant servers are trained to offer the best service, and asking for special treatment beyond the usual feasible puts them in a difficult position. It disrupts their workflow, creates inconsistency in service, increases stress levels, and may lead to unfair treatment of other customers. Asking them to prioritize one customer’s demands over others can make the job more challenging and lead to a negative experience for the server and other guests.
Being Indecisive After Flagging the Server Down
After flagging the server, taking too long to place an order can prolong the process and delay other tables. Indecisive customers may also lead to order errors, creating more work for the server. When servers get frustrated having to revisit a table repeatedly, it disrupts their service flow.