My biggest pet peeves with restaurant service staff:

[ddeclue]

1) Wait staff that is busy talking to each other or on their cell phone or watching the game or something instead of greeting me, getting me a place to sit or taking my order.

2) Wait staff that hovers over me asking me every few seconds how things are - I appreciate the point that they are paying attention but it can become annoying.

3) Wait staff that takes my food never comes back until bill time and doesn't refill my drink.

4) Wait staff that wants to take me to a tiny uncomfortable table when I am alone instead of giving me a booth.

5) Wait staff that wants to offer me the dessert menu when it is clear that I couldn't finish the food they brought me already.

It's not really the wait staff's fault but rather management that desserts seem to almost be antiquated these days because most chain restaurants make the main course portions so big and charge you so much that you really feel obligated to finish it. Sometimes I'll get the food to go but really they should provide less food and charge less for it.

6) Wait staff that tries to rush me out of the restaurant so that they can turn the table.

What impresses me?

Wait staff that:

1) remembers me
2) remembers my name
3) knows what drink(s) I like
4) knows what my favorite dishes are
5) is pleasant to me, has a sense of humor and talks to me about more than just my order
6) takes my order quickly and delivers it from the kitchen quickly (by this I don't mean to blame wait staff for kitchen staff slowness but I sometimes will see my order sitting in the pickup window for a noticeable amount of time.)

I generaly tip 25-35% when I'm working and 15-20% when I'm not but I always tip at least the 15%.

[annabanana]

1. MY biggest peeve

is that I haven't been able to afford to eat out often enough for ANYONE to

1) remember me
2) remember my name
3) know what drink(s) I like
4) know what my favorite dishes are

[ddeclue]

2. I know what you mean - I spent the last 14 weeks unemployed..

haven't eaten out much since November.

:cry:

[Runcible Spoon]

3. Seriously.

[ddeclue]

4. Does that mean you agree? you disagree?

could you expand upon "seriously"

:shrug:

[Runcible Spoon]

10. It means I've never been affluent enough to maintain a presence at any single restaurant

so that they knew my name and my beverage preference, etc. Well, OK once my friend bartended and we would drink free but that's another story.

I'm more than a little sick of the recent trend of criticism against the service industry. Yet I get flamed in a dentist thread when I don't bow down to their unquestionable wisdom. :shrug:

[ddeclue]

15. I'm being even handed I think.. I mention what I don't like and then what I like..

I used to work retail during high school and college and even after college for a while so I think I can put myself in those shoes quite fairly.

[Runcible Spoon]

18. I seriously doubt it.

There is a psychological disconnect between a career service industry worker and some brat who is saving up for his Camaro.

[Scout]

47. wow, what a snotty comment

perhaps the "brat" saving up for his camaro is also a service worker.

if he was such a brat, he probably wouldn't have to save for it, no?

[hfojvt]

83. I have, even when I was working as a temp

About the only thing I eat from restaurants is pizza. On Mondays they had a large for the price of a medium, so whenever I was in town on a Monday I would get a large pizza. I always got the same kind, and after a while the pizza place knew my order. This was not wait staff though, since I usually took it to go, especially when the restaurant switched from Coke to Pepsi.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. What is this "eating out" of which you speak? n/t

[marybourg]

7. In my household "eating out"

means taking our food to the back patio. I have too many food intolerances to trust harried restaurant kitchens.

[ddeclue]

16. Most of the time what would be called "casual sit down dining"

Chain sit down restaurants: Smokey Bones, Ruby Tuesday, the Dead Lobster , Sonny's BBQ, etc.

I don't normally go to really fancy places where you drop a hundred on dinner because I really don't see anything really worth the extra costs. Those rare occasions are either on visiting my brother in NYC or trying to impress a girl and even then I'd just as soon take her to a more reasonable place like Joe's Crabshack or something.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. When I have money, I go to a number of locally owned restaurants

(rarely to chains).

If you go to a neighborhood restaurant often enough (as I do to the Vietnamese restaurant around the corner or the breakfast and lunch place kitty-corner from my apartment), they do start to know your preferences. In fact, the owner might come around and give you a free sample of something they're thinking of adding to the menu or give you a token of appreciation (a mug, for example) on one of their anniversaries.

[Hardrada]

39. Our favorite local Chinese place has gotten our business for

years and we sometimes get free special goodies that aren't on the menu.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

41. I had one of those in Portland

One day I came in with a cold, and they brought me a plate of orange slices.

[Hardrada]

80. Excellent!

I like our little Great Wall. The owners live above it.

[MindPilot]

5. I don't like it when the servers are all pissed off

because some demanding prick has made their lives hell.

[The Straight Story]

8. I have never had those problems at McDonalds, you should try it and get a happy meal

:)

[dweller]

9. Having worked in the service industry for many years

and currently cooking again, (and i have also worked in the front of the house) your observations are entirely justified. In fact, if you had eaten today in the establishment i'm in now working, i wouldn't be surprised.

I'm going to follow this thread abit, and reply more later with my input perhaps.
dp

[justabob]

35. me too

I agree. I have years of restaurant experience, as waitstaff, catering, and management. It is really hard to get good waitstaff. Typically there are 3-5 people on any given shift, depending on the size of the cafe, that do ALL the work. It is very difficult to be one of the 3-5 "good" people working when you see your coworkers munching on bread, or texting, or whatever when their food is dying in the window, and every glass in that station is empty, and one table has all their dishes neatly piled at the edge of the table waiting to be cleared... You can see the customers getting pissed, but there is only so much one waiter can do. You have to look after your own customers first. It gets to the point that you can't make yourself run that food in the window because you have run EVERY SINGLE PLATE OF FOOD for that server, plus your own, plus sidework like stockng glassware or soup bowls or breadbaskets or whatever. AARGGG!

[lunatica]

11. As an ex-waitress people like you piss me off

You think your petty little likes and dislikes are so damn important.

Waiters and waitresses have what is called their station which is the group of tables they work. If you see a bunch of waitresses sitting around and not instantly jumping to you tiny little miserable table for your prickly party of ONE it's because it isn't their table. Your waitress is probably in the kitchen dropping off or picking up an order for another table, or in the bar getting a customer's drink.

If you don't get a booth for your prickly party of ONE it's because booths are where more customers can be seated. No one can seat a party of three or four at a table for one or two. Do you think they should keep a family waiting so you can spread out in a booth? Then you're a ass hole.

How about asking your waitress what her name is and being nice and talking to her about something besides your order. The last ass hole who sat in that prickly party of ONE table was probably a prick and hates life too and made sure she knew it.

When she brings the bill ask her for another drink if that's what you want. Most people hate it when the bill doesn't come right away.

Remember that everything you hate about waitresses is something someone else loves about them.

[Runcible Spoon]

12. +1

Not sure why there are so many service industry bashing threads lately but it's sick.

[lunatica]

17. It's because service people are an easy target

You can't slam your boss when he/she kicks you in the ass so you go do it to the next people down the ladder. When they finally get home they kick the dog. Next day they kiss up to the boss just like they want service people to kiss up to them.

[Runcible Spoon]

21. Yep, that's pretty much accurate.

I waited tables and trust me the vast majority of the "regulars" were just there to hit on a captive audience because we couldn't outright be rude to them. They would use us to validate their sad lonely existences.

Of course, some regulars were just lovely people. Especially the elder couples. But the midlife crisis having sleazes who think their borderline sexual harassment "flirting" is cute are just disgusting.

[LanternWaste]

22. +2

A few summers of waiting tables at Bennigan's in the mid-eighties was enough for me to see both sides of these particular stories.

Maybe it's my age, or maybe it's just the way some of us see people and allow them the benefit of doubt before we Judge with a righteous zeal usually reserved for Sunday morning televangelists...





As an aside: weirdest tip ever-- three hits of Xtasy the final summer before they were branded as illegal... :P

[Runcible Spoon]

DAMMIT. Why didn't I ever get lucky like that?

[dysfunctional press]

27. +3...but an ex waiter/waitcaptain

in many restaurants, the waitstaff is not responsible for greeting & seating of patrons- that's what the hostess does.
and one other thing that has to be taken into consideration when seating guests is balancing out the various wait-peoples stations- so that one or two servers aren't getting slammed all at once.

[Dukkha]

31. oh I LOATHE the solo booth campers

They're as bad as the ones who got their check long ago, yet continue their little sit-in knowing there's a crowd of hungry people who have been waiting a long time for their table. Not to mention cutting into the wait staffs time with loss tips. I always tip well even for mediocre service knowing how hard their job it.

[LostinVA]

32. +1

[TK421]

33. I don't understand this attitude people get when they go out to eat

where they expect this "Get down on your knees and cater to my every whim" bullshit. I used to get it all the time when I worked in retail. The customer would come in with a chip on their shoulder, talk to the employee like they were sub-human ( knowing they can get away with it ) and make totally unreasonable requests that, if not met by the employee would be met by the manager....as long as the fucking manager gives me my way then all is right with the world. I swear, it's like when people leave their homes and walk into a dining establishment they shed their skin and become this terrible beast...just like people who piss all over public restrooms. Fuck the next person who has to use that bathroom stall...as long as I get to ruin it.

I just like to go in, not give them a hard time, and get what I order. If I don't get a refill the second my iced tea is gone I'm not going to flip out; there are other people there after all.

If my food was cold, waited for over an hour, or got unusually shitty service then perhaps then I would have a valid excuse to complain to someone, but the things listed in the OP are so petty I wonder how I would react if I was the server there.

[Gormy Cuss]

55. I often wonder how attitudes would change if patrons weren't given such control through tipping.

If you're shopping at Target and the staff ignore you or the supermarket cashier is rude, you don't get to walk out for less money. If you have a complaint you need to decide whether it's worth taking it up with management.

I'd much prefer that restaurants paid their staff based on their job performances and priced the meals accordingly, but alas that's not the system we have in place.

I also don't reduce my base tip very often in restaurants -- it's only after extraordinarily bad service that was obviously the fault of the server and not the kitchen or management.

[TK421]

65. It's what I left out of my post..sorry about that

but I usually over-tip...yeah. My friends have even questioned me on that on several occasions. What pisses me off is I don't expect the wait staff to remember my fucking name ( or preferences, for that matter...and yes, I prefer a booth because they are a bit more private ). Usually I am with one or two other people when we go out to eat.

I'm not entirely sure where you were going with your subject line though...were you suggesting that patrons should pay a mandatory tip ( like some restaurants do )? That is, a mandatory gratuity on parties of a certain number of patrons there.

[Gormy Cuss]

75. No. Rather than a service fee, it should just be built into the prices and tipping only for xtras

Rather than have a service fee of 15-18%, raise prices on everything to reflect that as a cost. Rather than a $10 entree, it'd be a $11.80 entree.

If everyone was expected to handle it that way it be far superior to the system we have now, where both managers and customers have a direct say in most of the earnings that the servers get. First off, the staff would have to be paid at least full minimum wage just as they are at Target. Smart management would pay much more than that to the best ones because good service is one of the keys to a successful restaurant. Customers wouldn't feel the obligation to tip for so-so service, but would be free to tip generously for good service -- the way it works in other service industries (taxi drivers, hairdressers, etc.) Customers wouldn't have so much at stake in making up petty complaints to ding the wait staff that way.
The wait staff would have more reliable wages from a much higher hourly rate yet would still have an opportunity to make considerably more if they are good at what they do.

[TK421]

76. More incentive to do a better job, in other words...yes, that sounds reasonable to me

I would hope more businesses would consider this offer to their employees if it ever came to be, but this $2-4 dollar an hour wage seems to be commonplace for waitstaff...I was horrified when I first learned of it.
I also found out the fine dining establishment down the street from me doesn't offer any kind of health insurance for their employees ( who bust their asses,let me tell you ) If I had enough money I would buy the place and gather the employees around to tell them their health insurance is now covered....I would LOVE to do that for these people.

Until I hit the lottery, that is..............


edited to add: I never knew gratuity ( or bar tips ) were taxable...I mean, how can you regulate that sort of thing? The bartender told me that they have to claim on their tips...and I think that is utter bullshit considering their hourly wages!!!!!!!

[Gormy Cuss]

86. San Francisco now requires many restaurants to pay for health insurance for some workers

and rather than raise prices most restaurants added a surcharge of about 3-3.5% There was a lively post on the newspaper's food blog about this. Seeing the separately stated charge some patrons think it's justifiable to lower the tip because the workers are getting the benefit of the surcharge.

Had the owners just increased the food prices to reflect the cost, customers would tip on the whole amount without thinking about it. Waitstaff would have health insurance AND higher wages.

BTW, the West Coast states are among the handful where waitstaff are due the full minimum wage. In the city of San Francisco, that means that wait staff make at least $9.79/hr in wages and in many restaurants also get access to health insurance. The city is still loaded with restaurants, so these higher costs haven't been catastrophic.

[scrinmaster]

37. If you want them to leave you a nice tip, then their likes and dislikes are pretty damn important.

[LooseWilly]

38. Some people tip crappy no matter what.

After a while on a job that involves part of your income coming from tips, you get to be pretty accurate (never 100%... but higher than 75%). What's the point of wasting your time fawning over someone who isn't going to tip worth a damn anyway? Get them in, get them out, and hope you can forget about them.

[lunatica]

40. If you're a shitty customer you're likes and dislikes aren't important

[JerseygirlCT]

43. Why should the waitstaff be justified in judging one customer

based on another? I don't get that rationale, at all.

"the last ass hole who sat in that prickly party of ONE table..."

Your current customer is not the last asshole. And if a waitperson decides to be pissed at the last guy and take it out on the current customer, they sort of earn what they (don't) get.

[lunatica]

44. if it's the OP he is an asshole

[Scout]

58. if you were my server, with that crappy fucking attitude you're damn right

i would leave a crappy tip. every post of yours in this thread is full of crappy attitude--i bet your customers can pick up on that attitude--perhaps that's why you think they are so shitty.

it's your JOB to give service to the customer ... if you have a problem with that, why do you work with the public?

now come on, tell me what a shitty customer i must be, what a whiner, and a lousy tipper. oh yeah, and i must be a rich snotty brat too, otherwise how could i afford to eat out?

:rofl:

[lunatica]

59. If you're a shitty customer then that's your problem

I couldn't care less. For someone who claims to have read all my threads, you sure missed the one where I said I'm an ex-waitress. Have been one for 40 Years.

[Scout]

67. i never claimed to have read all your threads

and i'm not a shitty customer

but you just keep making shit up.

[JerseygirlCT]

61. It's awfully tough to run into people who really, really hate what they're

doing. I feel badly for them, but then again, it's not my fault, either, and shouldn't be taken out on me.

I haven't waited tables, but I've worked in a front line position with customers. And the most fun part of the job could be taking on the challenge of turning around an unhappy or unpleasant customer. Often, by the time I was through with them, they were apologizing for being crabby, and leaving with a smile. It was part of what made a potentially dull job interesting.

[Scout]

68. same here. kill 'em with kindness ... just 'cuz they are in a crappy

mood doesn't mean i have to be. my day doesn't go by any faster if i'm a bitch to customers than if i'm pleasant.

customers can have bad days too, just like the wait staff can.

[JerseygirlCT]

70. LOL. I remember breaking down in angry tears

years ago during my first pregnancy when the grocery store didn't have my ice cream. I was glad for a sympathetic cashier then!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

88. Hear Hear!

:applause:

[LeftofU]

91. Glad your an ex-waitress...

You don't sound like you where a very good server.

[global1]

13. I Wonder How Many Of The Financial Bonus Boys Don't Tip When They Get Less Than.....

desirable service. I bet they don't care that their waiter/waitress relies on tips to augment their salary - just like they rely on bonuses to augment their salary.

We got less than desirable service from these 'bonus boys' yet we paid them bonuses.

These are my biggest pet peeves about these wall street and insurance company bonus boys:

- lied to us and took our money
- provide us with all kinds of disclaimers to justify losing our money
- spend our money on their luxuries


If they get less than desirable service from the wait staff - they stiff them. After, they say, all it's their job to wait on us they say.

[rucky]

14. This is becoming more controversial than circumcision

What do DU-ers have such a hard time with tips?

[Toucano]

50. I don't know. Perhaps not tipping circumcised Olive Garden waiters would be the trifecta

of DU controversy!

[CreekDog]

23. I hate it when the server tells the cook to kiss her grits

at one place, that crap went on for a few years. :wtf:

[tabbycat31]

24. you expect waitstaff to know your name?

i was at a restaurant once for my birthday, and the waiter carded me for a drink. He didn't notice it was my birthday.

[ecstatic]

25. Remembers your name?

Remembers your favorite dishes?? Is this satire?

You can't be serious. It's not their job to befriend you... so your requests have gone too far!

[Sal Minella]

30. I didn't get service that good eating at my mother's house.......

that post has to be a joke, certainly.

[DiverDave]

26. Check out this site

http://www.stainedapron.com/

some real sounding story's, some obvious bullshit.
But it's entertaining tho.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

28. Some people don't finish their entrees in order to have room for dessert.

I've done that on occasion -- take a portion of the meal to go and treat myself to dessert. I've waited tables -- it's a balance between mind-reading and not making assumptions and I imagine you'd be complaining if you weren't offered a dessert menu.

And just out of curiosity, do you expect a roomy booth when the restaurant is busy and parties of 2 or greater are waiting? If it's an off time and I'm led to a small table, I speak up and ask for something more spacious (to spread out with computer or newspaper), but not when it's busy or there's a wait.

[Toucano]

53. That and sometimes people just want to clear the pallet with something sweet. n-t

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

84. Exactly

My mom always says....save room for dessert.

[Butch350]

29. Would you like a beverage refill, maiestas?

[fishnfla]

34. Boy you are full of yourself. Go on an ego diet

Jesus how many times do you you refer to yourself in this post?
11 "me"
11 "I"
and 7 "my"

There is nobody that can give you more attention than yourself, apparantly

[-..__...]

36. #2 is the only one that bugs me.

More often than not, it's usually when I've barely had time to take a first bite or two, or when my mouth is full.

[JerseygirlCT]

42. I've noticed a new one in the past few years, and I can't figure it

the waiter brings the check. Then absolutely disappears. And there you sit, waiting for change, or to have things run through if you're charging, and they simply behave as if you no longer exist. Walk right past, etc.

I would think at that point, especially, they'd want to keep things moving and be attentive. You're leaving their tip, and I'd assume they'd be happy to turn the table over, too. We've had to go looking for someone countless times recently. Very odd.

I will say that your list of good stuff is what we often find, as we frequent the same places often - usually not the chains. They know us, they even, laughingly, recite our usual orders. The owners have come to know us and often come over to say hello. We're treated like friends, and we tip like friends, and it makes the whole evening a nice experience for everyone involved. That's how it ought to be.

[NeedleCast]

51. Have you indicated you've paid the check?

When I was a waiter I'd leave the check in a certain position on the table unless someone clearly indicated they wanted it, that way I'd know if they moved it (and had thus probably put money or a credit card in it). If they bring the check in a bill holder, make sure your card or cash in peaking out. Lots of servers wont touch a check fold unless you've indicated you're ready for them to take it because some people feel it's rude to ask and some customers feel they're being rushed if the server asks if they can take the check/fold.

[JerseygirlCT]

60. Oh yeah. And tried very valiantly to catch his or her eye!

The other closely related one is when you simply cannot get them to come bring you the check. It's like once the food is delivered, you're off the list.

But as I said above, that doesn't happen in the places we usually frequent (not really an accident - you go where you have a good experience). There's even one chain near us where the manager obviously works hard at training his waitstaff - they vary from pretty good to really, really good. Interacting with them is a pleasure. And I do also get a kick out of the places we've been going so long, the owner recounts my first pregnancy - my oldest is now 19!

[NeedleCast]

45. Oy...okay

First, there's a fine line between your #1 and #2

You don't want the staff standing around yakking with each other, you don't want the staff being overly attentive. However, it's the job of the staff to figure out which one of these you are, and they have to do this with pretty much every table.

3. See a manager

4. Yes, because the servers are working for tips and sitting one person at a four top booth in their section sucks. If you want a booth, find restaurants that are not as busy or go to them on night they're aren't packed.

5. Most resturant GMs/owners have very strict rules about these things. Please take that into consideration. Staff is instructed to offer you desert in about 4 out of 5 chain places and many non-chain places. They're not going to risk a write up because you didn't finish your entree. Plus, it's polite to ask you anyway. Is saying no thanks, just the check, that hard?

6. See a manger or, better, become a regular that tips well. Its very unlikely you'll be rushed in the latter scenario. Please have some understanding that, for better or worse, servers make money off turning tables. If you're going to linger, over-tip.

And see look, you've got some contradictory shit there at the bottom. Your 5)bottom list says "is pleasant to me, has a sense of humor and talks to me about more than just my order seems to counter your 2) which says you appreciate the attention but don't wany anyone hovering over you becasue it's annoying.

[xchrom]

46. you don't want them to 'hover' - you want them to know your name -

and remember your favs -- you don't want them to rush you -- but you don't want to be forgotten.

:eyes:

[NeedleCast]

48. Yup, post full of contradictions

Don't hover around me, it's annoying, but learn my name, and my favorite drink, and how I like my steak, and tell me a joke...NO, TO MUCH HOVERING, go away!

I'd bet a good tip on a 100 dollar check that OP is giving off mixed signals that no server would be able to interpret.

[xchrom]

49. who could figure it out?

i waited and bartended for many years -- and couldn't figure that out.

[mix]

63. +1

[KoKo]

64. Maybe "The Help" is kinda distracted these days like many of the rest of us...

no? It will get better as more "upscale folks" go "downscale" from "higher level industries being phased out" that they know how to deal with the rest of "us folks" better than those low level folks who aren't used to better. :shrug:

[MissMarple]

52. My main pet peeve is with the phrase "no problem" when I say thank you..

One day I am actually going to respond, "I am so happy that was not a problem for you." Other than that small quirk most of our servers are efficient and friendly and usually pretty smart people. And we tip 20+ per cent. We also tend to avoid chain restaurants and like to explore what the local community has to offer. It's fun to find funky new, or new to us, places.

[iris27]

78. Seriously? I work retail, but I say this ALL THE TIME to customers.

Never would've imagined someone taking offense at it?

[MissMarple]

89. I put it roughly in the same category as "whatever". It may have a place in casual conversation.

But please understand to many of us it sounds a bit dissonant. If one says thank you to a waiter for bringing a missing fork, no problem is not exactly the response one might expect.


http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-people-say-no-problem-in-response-to-thank-you.htm

[RobinA]

97. In My Retail Day

it was customary to thank the customer. We learned that in what used to be training. That was this time when you started a job when they told you how to actually do the job. I realize they don't do that much any more, it not being obviously revenue-producing and all.

[Codeine]

82. The language evolves.

"No problem" is quite honestly meant with the same politeness that "You're welcome" would be; nobody is being a jerk when they say that, it's just current phraseology. What on Earth makes "You're welcome" so much more meaningful to you? I guarantee you're saying "Thank you" out of perfunctory sense of politeness and social etiquette and the server/waitstaff/cashier is replying in kind. These are the verbal oils with which we grease our meshing gears in public.

[MissMarple]

90. Ah huh."No problem" is not quite at the same level of verbal currency as"you're welcome".

I'm sure it has a growing place in the vernacular, but there are some situations where it is not as appropriate as "you're welcome". And there are many ways that peers interact and phrases they use that may not translate as well in other situations.

I accept the response "no problem" in most cases, but when a waiter brings silverware after the food has arrived and he says "no problem"....it is so good to see that providing necessary items has not been a problem for him. I will say thank you, because it is the right thing to say. People get busy and oversights happen. But, there are times when saying "no problem" may not be the best response.

http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-people-say-no-problem-in-response-to-thank-you.htm

[Codeine]

100. But who determines the "value" of verbal currency?

Is there an exchange table I'm missing? Does it fluctuate?

Seriously, I'm completely happy when I get a "No problem" response to my "Thank you." I've acknowledged their effort, they've acknowledged my thanks, and all is right with the world. Getting worried about precisely wording seems petty and reactionary. YMMV.

[MissMarple]

103. Many societies are a collection of sub cultures as I am sure you are aware.

"No problem" hasn't reached a level of acceptance in enough of these to be generally accepted as you are suggesting. As it gains wider use the context that people accept it will broaden. It just isn't there yet. In fact, it may never reach the general level that you are implying. The words themselves still have meaning. I doubt they will ever reach the level of the British use of "bloody", which is considered to be a vulgar phrase. Originally was "by the blood of our Lady". I wonder how many people who say that today actually know its origins.

"No problem" still has a proper context if it to be more broadly accepted. If you are in a service job and you say "no problem" to a customer you are essentially saying that you are being paid by a person for doing a job and you want them to know that is not a problem for you. You are not being imposed upon. Interesting. Now, if what is being done is way above and beyond, "no problem" actually makes some sense to far more people. And that is the issue, communicating with the broader public, understanding that all of our varied ways of speaking have different levels of understanding. "Beeotch," or however that is spelled, is a word I wouldn't use, if at all, with the library lady. Well, actually most library ladies probably know quite well how to take that. Now a minister's wife, not so much.

[smalll]

93. You mean, the language devolves.

Unless you want to go ahead and re-define evolution as well.

[Codeine]

95. How is that devolving?

Unless you have some sort of empirical measurement that determines the worthiness of a particular two word phrase over another then it's a bit silly to declare this a weakening of the language. You may not like that turn of phrase, but it's not demonstrably better or worse than the other, older rote response.

[RobinA]

99. It doesn't mean

the same thing!!! A waiter or sales clerk isn't doing the customer a favor, hence "No problem," when providing the expected service. When your friend picks you up at the airport (a favor) and you thank him, he says "No problem." You don't say "No problem" when he's there at the luggage pick-up. It's a given that it isn't a problem when you are being waited on, because you are paying for it. The waiter should say "Sorry for that dirty fork, I will bring you a clean one" and the diner says "No problem." Not the other way around.

[Codeine]

101. But it does mean the same thing.

At least now. It really has taken on the same meaning as "Thank You." It's spoken with the same intent, with no rudeness implied.

[RobinA]

98. The Retail Clerk

doesn't properly say "You're welcome" to the customer, no matter what the phrasology of the day is. The clerk says "Thank You," as in "Thank you for giving us your business."

[Codeine]

102. Oh good grief.

Should they grovel as well? :puke:

[MissMarple]

104. No groveling required, well, maybe in the Middle East. They are way behind the times.

Many of us understand what you are saying, I just think you are jumping ahead of the times. This isn't quite a right or wrong issue. Language does change over time, it does so more rapidly in subcultures, and these sometimes take permanent root in the broader culture, and sometimes not. I'm guessing "peachy keen", "swell", "groovy", and "bush" (no political connection) are not part of your everyday vernacular. And while we recognize them they were never a part of the general culture. They enriched it, and added color, but we don't use them much today. I'm just sayin'. :)

[rsmith6621]

54. Go To HOOTERS

....And TIP them 25% of the bill and walk out the door and then turn around and come back in an see just how empty their heads are...."Hello...Welcome to HOOTERS...is this the first time you have been here????"

[NeedleCast]

56. You know, if you're going to stereotype people

and dog out their lack of intelligence, you should probably learn the difference between the words "their" and "there" because you're using the wrong one.

But to simplify this...if you're going to call someone out on being an airhead, you probably should try to spell all the words in your one sentence post correctly.

[mountainvue]

57. You read like a complete pain in the ass.

30+ years in (and out of)the industry here.
The last place I worked had a standards of service code. They had secret shoppers watching you and if you got a negative report you could potentially get fired. One of those standards was to check back within 1-2 minutes of serving the food to make sure it's okay. That explains why they check back when your mouth is full. And the dessert thing? Yeah a lot of places want the staff to increase the check average so they must offer dessert or it's off with their head! Sound like a fun job? It's hell and I can tell why most of the industry goes to work under the influence a fair amount of the time - because no one in their right mind could deal with some of this shit. The staff is there to make sure you get your food and drink. We're not there to be your entertainment or get relentlessly hit on. The most recent dealbreaker for me was when some asshole threatened to pee himself when I wouldn't give him another beer. After that I said peace out.

[KoKo]

62. OMG...You mean the "Help" just isn't doing the job you want them to do

to "enhance your dining experience?" :shrug:

[madmom]

66. I've worked in the service sector my whole life, waitress, deli, and

retail. I learned a LOOOONG time ago a customer can pick up on attitude. If your attitude sucks, then your tips probably will too. When I worked at Walmart deli, I had people tell me they came to our particular store from another town, because we were more attentive and had a better attitude. I've also had customers ask/tell if there was a problem with a particular teller.
I've also had to tell a waitress that I or my dining partner was NOT done eating when they tried to snatch the plate away.Don't tell me I'm eating to slow, I will not gobble my food, and we usually never go to a restaurant during peak hours because I don't like the crowds, so there is really no excuse.
Bottom line if your tips suck a lot of the time, (and I'm not saying in every case because I know better)your attitude probably does too. That being said, there are customers who think they are the only ones who exist.When I was in my 20's I worked in a pub .One of our towns "top" business men came in and was being an ass, loud obnoxious, he bumped my arm as I was passing and I spelled a beer all over his table, He demanded I pay for everything and was extremely loud and demanding. Luckily the bar tender, also my boss, saw everything. She came over picked up his cigarettes pulled out the wet ones, gave him the dry ones, handed him his check and said, please leave now!There are always 2 sides to every fight/argument.

[Stinky The Clown]

69. Those issues are all functions of management, not wait staff.

[ManiacJoe]

71. All of those things affect the size of the tip.

Except for the seating location.

Bad service = bad tip. (Always leave a tip so they know you didn't forget.)
Good service = good tip.

[Texasgal]

72. ummm wow.

Your an asshole.

I hope no waitstaff ever has to wait on you.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

73. My peeve is

when they refill my iced tea with nothing but ICE ... and also don't ask if I wanted refilled (they only do it when I have it "just-right".

BTW: It does affect their tips.

[BlooInBloo]

74. (gives a cookie to the whiner)

[keroro gunsou]

77. having suffered for years

in the service industry, i am pretty good at spotting bad service. however given my background i am far too forgiving of it sometimes.

the manager of the chipotle i go to rocks. the second i walk in the door, the cook specially grills me up some onions for my burrito, cause he knows i don't care from green peppers all that much.

[Qanisqineq]

79. In a town of 900, where I grew up

the wait-staff knew your name because basically everyone knew everyone else. If you were a daily regular, they might know what you liked to eat and drink. That was in a town of 900 and only if you showed up pretty regularly and ordered the same drink or food all the time. BUT, even in a town that size I didn't expect someone to know my favorite drink and have it on the way to my table as I was sitting down. Even if I went to a restaurant with my best friend waiting on me, I didn't expect her to automatically know what I want to drink or to stand around gabbing.

I worked at a fast food place in college, much bigger city, and we had people that came in several times a week at the same time and order the same thing. If it wasn't busy we might talk to them about more than just the taco they were ordering but rarely. Some of these regulars seemed to think I should remember what they wanted every time they came in and how they wanted it prepared. Give me a break. Or come to the drive-thru and say, "hey, it's so-and-so, the usual" and then drive forward? I hated those people. I'm doing ten different things and serving 50 people in a lunch rush hour and you want me to automatically ring up your order by just looking at you? Those people that expected us to "know" them -- we were nice to them in person but after they left we would roll our eyes.

I never could have actually waited tables. People can be obnoxious enough when they get their drink and tables themselves. If they recognize my face I am pleasantly surprised but I don't expect it.

[Morning Dew]

81. for the last three years - every 2 months or so, I get take out ribs . . .

the owner works the counter and by the 3rd time - when I walked in the door - he asked me if I wanted the usual. By the 5th time or so, he knew my name and reminded me which brand of root beer I had the previous time. This is in a metro area of over 2 million people.

Even if they didn't have the best ribs in town, I'd be touting that business all over. That's service you just can't beat.

I can only get there when my lunch break coincides with proximity to the place.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

85. Why would you expect a booth as a single diner?

I mean, really.......unless you are the only one in the place during a slow time of day....

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

87. Your Points 4,5 and 6 Are Downright Ridiculous.

4. If you're alone, you shouldn't be seated in a big booth. That's common sense. Deal with it.

5. It's a business. Of course they're going to offer you a desert menu. Not finishing your meal does not directly correlate to not wanting desert. How you can actually gripe about that is astounding.

6. If there are customers waiting or it is highly likely that there will be a need; and it is clear that you are finished; then there's also nothing wrong with their trying to get you out quickly. Again, it's a business. You seem to have this arrogance as if the world should revolve around you somehow in relation to restaurants. In reality, your gripes are quite silly.

And your 'impress' list was equally as absurd.

[LeftofU]

92. As a food service manager of 22 years...

This is the MINIMUM I expect from my FOH staff. I guess this is why my staff makes well over the industry average in tips.

[northzax]

94. this is satire, isn't it?

it must be. otherwise you are asking for five star service for one star prices. you'd need to be a massive regular at a place that doesn't have televisions to get this kind of treatment. (to get a booth, have you considered tipping the host?) I'm a regular in a lot of places around my apartment (and it's a pretty big entertainment destination, restaurants and bars alike) people know me by name, etc. when it's slow, I am treated like a king, but in exchange when it's busy, they know I understand. and that's taken me five years of living and working in the neighborhood, and a lot of late nights hanging out in restaurants and bars after closing. and a lot of money.

you're not going to get that at Applebee's, you know. so I'm going with satire. or you are a regular at Le Cirque, and annoyed that Sirio never remembers how much you love the fois gras ravioli.

[JanMichael]

96. ohhh doo poor iddle pumpkin!

I know you have suffered mightily, and I just hate to point out that there are homeless and/or nearly homeless people who read this forum who actually have problems. Real ones. Not "omg, my restaurant experience wasn't ideal."

Get a grip on yourself.