1. Campers
Have you ever wondered why some people act like a restaurant table is a campground — except without the tents and the campfire? They’re still there, all long after the meal is over, talking, talking, talking, as though they expect the stars to come out. My server friends complain how these table campers are some serious thorns in their side, especially when things get busy and every seat in town is worth its weight in gold. Believe me, servers love good banter as much as the next guy, but when the room is full, pack up your tent and give someone else a turn.
2. The Indecisive Orderers
“I’ll have the … oh, actually, maybe … well, what’s good here?” Sound familiar? We’ve all done it, but waffling between items on the menu can really try your server’s patience. Even worse when the order finally comes through, only to be switched up at the last minute. My friend had a table that sent food back five times. Five! Can you imagine? At the end of it all, he wasn’t sure whether he was serving dinner or playing a game of culinary, um, musical chairs.
3. The Phantom Tippers
This one’s a classic. Imagine offering high-level service and bending over backwards to make sure everything is just right — and then poof! —the hash pipe disappears in a puff of insubstantial smoke. Not cool, folks. Servers depend on tips as a substantial part of their income. A miserly tip, following on the heels of a well-deserved service, is the equivalent of saying, “You did a good job, but I don’t appreciate it.” And let’s remember to show our appreciation in a way that actually matters.
