Restaurant Pet Peeves

[Tundra]

My number one pet peeve at any restaurant is when the waiter doesn't write my order down, then it comes out wrong....80% of the time they get it right, but that number should be 100% if they'd just write it down.... Here's a few more

The 12 things that restaurants must stop doing in 2016 | Life and style | The Guardian

[kevinpate]

Mine is when the server also has other roles, then zones out and forgets to send my order to the kitchen.
Happened, again, yesterday.

I got over it. Mgr. apologized, comp'd the app, three entrees and all drinks but one beer. Seemed appropriate, and was appreciated.

Other than the slow delivery of the entrees, the service was more than acceptable. Chatted the server/jackalltrades on the way out, tipped him decently all the same and wished him a smoother afternoon.

Fortunately I was not in a hurry yesterday.

[u50254082]

I guess enough people have a preference that it's asked this way, but when I say "coke", I mean give me whatever brown cola flavored beverage you carry, be it RC, Pepsi, or Coca Cola.

[Achilleslastand]

Screaming and unruly kids, and the parent's that{apparently} don't care.

[jerrywall]

If the table isn't "touched" a few minutes after dropping the food off. That's about when we'll figure out we need catsup or something, or something isn't right. Nothing is worse than one person sitting there and not eating for 10-15 minutes waiting for a waiter to come back by.

[Uptowner]

-No touching tables after the expo drops the food is a huge one.
-Apologizing for having pepsi.
-Parents ignoring the screaming infants while they stuff their faces. You might as well leave them in the car with the windows cracked.
-Servers asking for refills...it's free right? Why interrupt someone to ask. The plate is half full and the drink is empty. Of course they want more. Especially water.
-Making hobo bindles out of silverware rolls instead of taking the time to fold the napkin one time and make a proper roll, mexican restaurants always do this.
-Not stating the price of diner special after it's described. I either have to ask and sound cheap. Or order not knowing and possibly buy a $60 slice of flounder.
-Asking "are you still working on that?" It's a delicious dinner not an irrigation ditch. Not work. "Are you still enjoying" is 1000x better.
-Clearing plates before everyone is finished eating. This is especially not okay on a date or if there is a slow eater. The person left with food is made to feel awkward.
-Okay can I start you off with some deilcious artichoke cream cheese dip? Stop asking, it's 2016 no one still eats that!
-Stop pushing the oscar topping on my $50 ribeye...I'm looking at you mahogany.

I could go on. I worked fine dining years ago. And while it doesn't have to be french table service at the applebee's... "ya'll still workin' on that?" and "can I get you some more water?" along with a few simple nuances. It should be standard.

[foodiefan]

". . . . Not stating the price of diner special after it's described. I either have to ask and sound cheap. Or order not knowing and possibly buy a $60 slice of flounder." Amen!!
Plus. . . if you are with someone who is picking up the check and don't know the price of the special, you may order a "known" something less expensive to make sure you don't tap out a friend!!

[Urbanized]

^^^^^
The exception to the refill rule might be tea and (especially) coffee. If someone is using cream and/or sugar they generally doctor their drinks based on a cupfull. If someone comes along when they have say, 2/3 of a cup left and fills without asking it might make their mix all wonky. If a server knows someone is using cream/sugar it is worth asking. If they know they're drinking black coffee, or water or really any other drink, topping it off without asking is preferred.

[rezman]

I was at Upper Crust Edmond this evening, and in the corner table by the window were 4 adult women, and 3 small rambunctious children. On and off throughout our meal, the children were jumping up and down on the seat cushions, climbing on the seat backs and banging on the window.

When I was growing up, we knew not to act like that. My dad was quick to straighten us out if we misbehaved, right there in the resturant in need be.

[baralheia]

I guess enough people have a preference that it's asked this way, but when I say "coke", I mean give me whatever brown cola flavored beverage you carry, be it RC, Pepsi, or Coca Cola.

I worked in foodservice long enough to know that this results in MORE dissatisfied customers than apologizing and explaining that we don't serve Coke. Besides, unless you live in Georgia, Coke is not a generic term for a carbonated beverage; it's a trademarked name for a specific product. Ask for what you specifically want. "Whatever Cola you have" is, of course, fine.

[Throckmorton]

Relevant:

[Jersey Boss]

-No touching tables after the expo drops the food is a huge one.
.

What is an "expo"?

[checkthat]

What is an "expo"?

Restaurant slang for expediter. It is the person who the cooks give the food to clean up and garnish before the server brings it to a table.

[checkthat]

I worked in foodservice long enough to know that this results in MORE dissatisfied customers than apologizing and explaining that we don't serve Coke. Besides, unless you live in Georgia, Coke is not a generic term for a carbonated beverage; it's a trademarked name for a specific product. Ask for what you specifically want. "Whatever Cola you have" is, of course, fine.

Not so sure that this is true. Coming to OK from the east coast, it did not take long to learn that "coke" is, in fact, any carbonated beverage around here. This includes Dr. Pepper and Sprite.

Other linguistic quirks that stood out: grocery carts are buggies and bags are sacks. Pretty sure the first clerk I ran into could tell I was not from around here by the look on my face when she asked "Do you want a sack?". "Uh, no thanks, good with the one I have..."

[Jersey Boss]

https://youtu.be/3RuILIXksqk

[jerrywall]

I worked in foodservice long enough to know that this results in MORE dissatisfied customers than apologizing and explaining that we don't serve Coke. Besides, unless you live in Georgia, Coke is not a generic term for a carbonated beverage; it's a trademarked name for a specific product. Ask for what you specifically want. "Whatever Cola you have" is, of course, fine.

Agreed. If I ask for a Coke, and you bring me Pepsi or RC without asking, you might be wearing it (ok, probably not, but I'd be tempted). When I order a Coke, I want a Coke. If a restaurant doesn't have Coke, I'll order something else. Life long in Oklahoma, so anyone who says it's a regional thing isn't speaking for me. I've certainly head the old joke "I'll take a Coke. What kind? A Dr. Pepper." Fine, if you're assuming Coke is generic for soda, then you should be asking for a specific, not assuming the answer.

[David]

My number one pet peeve at any restaurant is when the waiter doesn't write my order down, then it comes out wrong....80% of the time they get it right, but that number should be 100% if they'd just write it down.... Here's a few more

The 12 things that restaurants must stop doing in 2016 | Life and style | The Guardian

Finally something you and I agree on.

When I was a waiter back in college I always wrote down order details. The best route you can take to a crappy tip is to screw up an order in a completely preventable way.

[David]

Regarding Coke versus other colas, they need to ask. I can take Pepsi if that's what you have, but don't bring me a Dr. Pepper instead unasked for.

[macfoucin]

One of my big pet peeves is when the server sets an extremely hot plate directly in front of my three year old who immediately reaches for it.
For the record we try to stick with family friendly places (Chili's, BJ's, Rib Crib,...) that's a little loud to begin with, however we try to keep a tight reign on the little munchkin! Unruly kids and oblivious parents is another pet peeve of mine.

Another obvious one for me is paying a mint for sub-par food. I don't care to pay $25+ per plate if the food is top notch but hate feeling like I didn't get my money's worth.

[Uptowner]

Restaurant slang for expediter. It is the person who the cooks give the food to clean up and garnish before the server brings it to a table.

They also serve the food. If you focus on it. You'll notice that %80-90 of the time it's dropped at your table by the expediter. THATS when it makes a problem for the server not to "touch" the table to see how it came out.

On the "Coke" thing. I just meant not apologizing. Simply saying "Pepsi okay?" Is sufficient. It doesn't have to be a "oh my god! We don't have Coke, I'm so sorry! Can I get you a tissue??" Reaction like someone ran over your dog.

[stile99]

Agreed. If I ask for a Coke, and you bring me Pepsi or RC without asking, you might be wearing it (ok, probably not, but I'd be tempted). When I order a Coke, I want a Coke. If a restaurant doesn't have Coke, I'll order something else. Life long in Oklahoma, so anyone who says it's a regional thing isn't speaking for me. I've certainly head the old joke "I'll take a Coke. What kind? A Dr. Pepper." Fine, if you're assuming Coke is generic for soda, then you should be asking for a specific, not assuming the answer.

Just quoting because this is exactly how I feel, word for word, including the you might be wearing it part. If I order a Coke, you better bring me a dang Coke. If I order a Pepsi, you better bring me a dang Pepsi. If you don't have it, replacing it with something random is NOT an option.

[checkthat]

They also serve the food. If you focus on it. You'll notice that %80-90 of the time it's dropped at your table by the expediter. THATS when it makes a problem for the server not to "touch" the table to see how it came out.

On the "Coke" thing. I just meant not apologizing. Simply saying "Pepsi okay?" Is sufficient. It doesn't have to be a "oh my god! We don't have Coke, I'm so sorry! Can I get you a tissue??" Reaction like someone ran over your dog.

It would have to be a pretty slow restaurant for the expo to have time to run food, too. In that case, it should be easy enough to touch the table after. Even if food runners are taking food rather than servers, the servers should have plenty of time to monitor their guests as they are not busy running any food.

Agreed on the coke thing. It is not the end of the world, for most, and should not be treated as such. As an aside, Coca-Cola has very high licensing fees and expensive product. This is why most restaurants, especially locally owned ones, opt for Pepsi, instead.

[baralheia]

They also serve the food. If you focus on it. You'll notice that %80-90 of the time it's dropped at your table by the expediter. THATS when it makes a problem for the server not to "touch" the table to see how it came out.

On the "Coke" thing. I just meant not apologizing. Simply saying "Pepsi okay?" Is sufficient. It doesn't have to be a "oh my god! We don't have Coke, I'm so sorry! Can I get you a tissue??" Reaction like someone ran over your dog.

I usually handled it by saying "I'm sorry, we don't serve Coke. Would a Pepsi be okay?" Short and sweet, and never got any complaints as to the way it was said. Besides, that was the way that the suits wanted us to say it anyway, lol.

[Bunty]

At the Mexican restaurant I frequent, the host too often seats me at a table with no flatware. Apparently, the host found the bin up front empty of flatware. The host never looks for flatware for me, elsewhere. The waiter, who takes my order, also never notices the problem. So before my food gets out, I gotta hope I can catch the waiter to tell him I need a fork. I sure don't want to ask for a fork when the kitchen help brings out my plate. He will just act pissed, like it's not his job. So in one case, I had to get up and go look for a fork. In a full service restaurant, they should always have this basic detail covered.

[Urbanized]

I think the complaint was that you don't necessarily have to "apologize" for your selection. In other words "I'm sorry, we don't have Coke, we have Pepsi" could just as easily be "We serve Pepsi, is that OK? Or would you prefer something else?" That's the way I would probably handle it, and I'm certainly not above apologizing to customers. It's just not something that rises to the level of apology. I think it can come off as overly apologetic (annoying) OR insincere (worse).