s/o poll--ridiculous experiences waiting tables

sarabellam

I've never been a waitress, because I'm a bit too cynical and people really do suck. I used to be a 15% tipper, but after marriage to someone in food service, I start at 20%. That has got to be one of the world's crappiest jobs.

SwedishChick2011

I've never waited tables, and now I'm kind of glad, although it probably would have been a good life experience.  At restaurants I try to leave a pretty good tip (20-25%) since I'm sure they get some lousy tips during their shift.  Not that 20-25% is THAT great, but it's probably more than they expect.

[Deleted User]

story 1--Once a guy asked me if he could ask me a personal question and I said ok. He asked if my lips were real or if I had collegian added. story 2---I was closing one night and a huge group came in and ran me for 2 hours. Everything was a little bit off, they wanted lemons and sugar to make lemonade instead of paying for it, they sent tons of stuff back even though it came the way they ordered it, etc. Then they fought with the manager to get items taken off. The bill was well over $200 as there were 20 or so of them, I think they paid about $100 and left NOTHING for me.

SwedishChick2011

Sara - were you reading my mind?

sarabellam

Jinx, coco!

Noron

I waited tables for almost 10 years, so I have too many stories to count. Some notables: I had a regular customer with an imaginary friend.Another regular was a fall-down drunk with a moderate obsession with me.  I would have to hide everytime he came in. Unfortunatley, he ended up buying the restaurant.  I quit, obviously.All-time favorite - a customer was yelling at me because his hands were dirty and I wasn't there.  Wtf?  Do you need my help to use a napkin?

squirrly

I posted 2 of these in the other poll, so if you read them, skip to paragraph 3. . . I worked in an italian chain restaurant for a while, when I lived in Alabama.  These gems are from that experience.One night, we had about 250 kids show up for dinner before their winter ball. No reservations, no call aheads. NUTS! The last group to be seated were all the guys that were going stag. The waiting area is really close to where the servers come out with hot plates. While carrying 4 plates fresh out of the pizza oven, some 17 year old pimple-faced kid grabbed my asss. Complete handfull. And HELD ON. I nearly threw 400 degree plates at him. I found the manager and told him either the boys waited elsewhere or he could wait my tables.I also had a woman scream at me across the restaurant because she was upset our alfredo sauce wasn't veg - she was worried because she'd been eating it ALL HER LIFE at the OTHER italian chain place in town. And I couldn't tell her if that was veg or not. Uh, hello? I don't work THERE. The particular chain I worked in has servers sing Italian opera, if they can.  I wasn't up for an aria, but I did do the birthday song opera style multiple times per day.  One day, a server pulled me over to one of her tables.  A guest there told me she had heard me sing, loved my voice, and would appreciate it if I would sing at her funeral, as she was dying of heart problems.  I've never been so flabbergasted in all my life.  I gave her the restaurant's business card & told her that I hoped she'd get better, but if it would please her, to have someone call the restaurant to get in touch with me.  I never heard back.

squirrly

I cannot STAND going out to eat and having a douchey server.THIS.  FI doesn't get it why I expect servers to not be idiots.  It's not that hard.

beatlesgirl25

Aw, I'm sorry I missed this thread! I served for 7 years, before and during undergrad, in all-night diners and fine dining places. I have a ton of stories, and can relate to a lot of what was said here. So I'll just add two things: 1)  Just as former servers try to be "good customers" when they go out because we know what it's like, there are also always those former servers who are douches for that very reason. They are the ones who are incredibly entitled when going out to eat because they know the "inside tricks" and demand everything. Or maybe it's payback for being treated poorly while they were serving? H has a friend like this, and it's embarrassing going out to eat with her. She's always like, "Don't tell me that can't be substituted, because I used to be a server so I know." We end up apologizing for her all the time.2) If anyone ever wants a very funny read, check out "Waiting: True Confessions of a Waitress" by Debra Ginsberg (it's not related to the movie "Waiting" in any way, which I think is a good thing). Servers and non-servers could totally appreciate this book; it's one of my favorites!

AlexiaANDRobert

As an ex-server, if anything, we're MORE considerate. We ask for extra condiments when we order our food so they don't have to go back to the kitchen once the food is dropped, we ask for two drink if we're fast drinkers (seriously, H is obnoxious. He'll finish his first drink while the server is putting the last one on the table), we NEVER send food back unless it's so wrong you can't even eat it, etc. I don't work my asss off all say just to go out to eat and have you dish me your bad attitude.  Actually, I'll complain to management sometimes.  Whenever I had personal shiit or a bad day, you better believe I fake-smiles my way through the night.

CurlyQ284

I know I'm suuuper late but I had an interview and I had to comment. I never waited tables but I worked at a coffee shop for three years. One summer, these moms decided it was the perfect place for a play-date. Yeahhhhhh. This newbie to the playdate came in and ordered her drink and said "I'll be outside, for when it's ready" umm no biatch. I do not bring you your drink. She whisked out the door before I could say anything, knocking over a statue with her SUV sized stroller. Her drink sat on the counter for maybe 20 minutes. Newb didn't pull that crap again.

saschaduran

My H works at a very high end French restaurant. The miniature intermezzo course spoons they use cost them about $25-30 each. A family of 6 came in and somehow, ALL their spoons disappeared. Then they asked for one more (they must have needed 7). H gave him the spoon to see what he would do. Of course, it disappeared. So he didn't say anything and got the manager's permission to charge them $50 per spoon. An extra $350 on the bill. (The bill was about $1600 before). So the guy would either have to complain about the extra charge or put the spoons back on the table. He must have been embarassed or oblivious because he paid the whole bill and left a $400 tip. And walked out looking very embarassed.

phoeny_moonstar

I have never waited tables either. And hopefully will never have to.