After working in the restaurant business for the past 3 months, I feel as if I'm a professional in knowing what type of customer people are going to be. And I have also learned what type of customer I never want to be. So to help some of you out who have never worked in the restaurant business, I'm here to tell you how not to act while eating somewhere. Please take my advice and try to implement it into your everyday life style. K, thanks.
**Please note that there are a few exceptions to these scenarios I'm about to tell you about. However, they are very few and far between.
1. The customer who tips less than 15% for a big bill (or any amount of bill for that matter). If your server just did anything and everything in their power to make sure you and your party had a great time at the restaurant, please make sure to tip them at least 20%. There is no excuse to not tip them that much. They had to deal with you and your large party and do not deserve anything less. Even if they sucked, try to put yourself in their shoes.
2. Sitting at a table for more than an hour. Like I can turn a table in less than 45 minutes sometimes. Which means if I'm working a 5 hour shift and you sit at my table for 4.5 of those hours, then you are taking money away from me. Now if you're going to tip me really well then whatever, but if you're only leaving me $4 for you to sit and do nothing but just talk to your date or whomever it is then you need to take your butt somewhere else. I could have had at least 4 more tables in that amount of time.
3. The super stuck up table. Please do not come into a place of business and act like you are better than any worker there. We are people too, in case you weren't aware. When you're ordering please look at me (this also helps me hear your order better). When I ask you a question please answer me. If I ask if your food is good the least you can do is hold up a thumbs up or something instead of ignoring me. You don't have to have a full out conversation with me or anything, but please remember that I'm just trying to do my job.
4. The customer who tries to get their meal for free. We all know these people, they complain about anything and everything. They send their steak back 3 times because they ordered medium rare but really wanted it well done and when it's finally up to well done, it's too done for them. So then they get their $20 steak for free, which brings their bill down a ton. Which means their tip percentage really comes down a ton, even though the server just did ten times more work than needed. I understand if you order your steak medium or medium well and it comes out medium rare or rare that you'll want it cooked more, but when you order something medium or medium rare and it comes out that way please do not send it back a million times. Or try to learn how you like your steak cooked first.
5. And on that note, the customer who comes in with 3 coupons and a gift card. Awesome, you just got your appetizer for free and your kids meals for free. I understand everyone is on a budget, I'm a broke college student. But as a server I just did the exact same amount of work as I would have had you not had those coupons, so please think about that before you write down a $2 tip.
6. Finally, the one I'm sure you all knew I was going to write about. The customer who doesn't tip at all. Servers really are only living off of their tips, so when you don't tip them you not only made them work for free, but they are paying for part of your meal when it really comes down to it. I have to tip out a percentage of all of my sales, so if you don't tip me anything then that tip out is coming out of my own pocket. It is extremely rude and ignorant to not tip your server at all. They just worked hard to ensure that you had an enjoyable evening out and they deserve a tip. And personally if someone doesn't tip me it really affects my mood the rest of the night. It makes me feel as if I did something wrong (which normally isn't the case) and it just dampens the rest of the night. I'm not saying you have to leave a huge tip but at least leave something.
Thanks for listening to my rant. Good night.
