If you’ve never worked in the restaurant business then you most likely aren’t aware of how cruel, degrading and just plain rude so many customers are. Due to being treated like you are equivalent to the trash out back, so many servers and bartenders leave work feeling as if they have been knocked down three sizes.

Servers and bartenders are human and yes, they make mistakes just like everyone else. This is no reason to treat them like they are any less than you. So what if they forgot to bring you a side of dressing or your drink order is taking a little longer to come out than usual. You are not the only customers in the whole establishment. Chances are the server or bartender has to cater to the needs of multiple other tables.

The restaurant business is not an easy place to be and what makes it even more difficult is when tables have you running back and forth the entire time, yet act like you are the worst worker there ever was.

During the summer months while I am not in school, I waitress back home in New York. I always greet my customers with a huge smile and try to accommodate all their needs. Countless patrons will completely ignore me when I try to take their order, never say please, or thank you and then on top of that, leave you no tip. I’ve had tables literally laugh in my face and roll their eyes if I said we ran out of a certain item on the menu. How is that in my control? I’ve had fellow waitresses and bartenders be cussed out by customers over the most simple mistake. Is that really necessary? The worst part is that we can’t even give you a piece of our mind because we would lose our job, and quite honestly most of us can’t afford that.

Moral of the story, if you cannot simply be nice to your server or treat your bartender with respect, order take out.