Being a server is a pretty tough job. It requires long hours on your feet, balancing heavy trays and dishes on one arm and a whole lot of good customer service skills. And by "good customer service skills," I mean not screaming at your needy, ridiculous table when you have 50 million other things you could/should be doing. It's a tough gig and it's not for everyone, and it definitely doesn't help when you get seated with a guest who has never worked a day in their life in the restaurant/customer service industry. After an extremely long (11-hour) shift with no break, I compiled a list of things that we would love for guests to understand about our job. I'm speaking from experience here, guys--I've been a server for some time now and have worked in the restaurant industry for about two and a half years. Here are 15 things that your server really wants you to know:
1. Don't interrupt your server during their greeting.
If I come to greet you, then know that is exactly what I am trying to do. I want to welcome you to the restaurant and give you my name for future reference. Tell me what you want to drink when I ask you, blurting out your drink order before I can even say a word to you is just flat-out rude. Don't do it.
2. Don't tell me you're ready unless you're actually ready.
If you need a few minutes, then tell me. Don't waste my time by making me stand there and wait for your order; 9 out of 10 times, I have other tables that I either need to greet or get refills on things for.
3. Order additional condiments while I am taking your order.
Don't tell me that you need Ranch, extra dressing, extra olives, crushed pepper, napkins, all the stars in the galaxy, and the bright sun in the sky after I bring out your salad and bread. Tell me beforehand so I know what to get in one trip, if possible. But, if you do order everything in the kitchen, don't ask me where the rest of it is when I only bring out half. Surprise, surprise! I'm not an octopus and I can't carry the whole kitchen out to you.
4. Speak up when you are ordering.
There are obviously other tables around us and music playing in the background. Don't look down at your menu while ordering, look at me and speak clearly.
5. Understand that I don't personally cook your food or make your drinks.
My bartender will make your drink once they get to your ticket. Don't complain about waiting a long time for a drink when you see that we only have one bartender staffed for the night. Newsflash: they run the bar. So when someone sits up at the bar and orders a drink, know that that person is their top priority at that moment. Not to mention, they are also making a million other drinks for a million other tables while also serving the bar tables.
Mistakes happen in the kitchen. My responsibility is making sure your food is rung in properly; after that, I have no control over how the food is made. Trust me, I have my fingers crossed that they don't mess up the order just as much as you, because I don't want to have to come back and fix it.
Don't blame your server for any of these things. We don't make the drinks and we don't cook the food, we just put your order into the computer and get it when it's out.
6. Do not try to call out to me from across the room.
Why would you do that? If you look at me I will understand that you need something. Don't call me or wave your hand at me from across the room, especially if you see that I am with another table. Know that you are not your server's only table and that we do have other tables to take care of. But as I said before, interrupting people is just flat-out rude.
7. If the restaurant is packed, don't expect the same amount of attention as if it were slow.
We have other tables to take care of. We have to make sure our attention is spread out.
8. Guess what? Extras actually cost extra!
Don't ask for a dipping sauce for the bread, and then be surprised later when you find that extra $3 on your bill. It's an extra charge, so of course I'm going to ring it in. I can't get the sauce if I don't ring it in.
9. If you come with a big party, let me know right away how you're splitting your check.
I'd prefer for you not to split the check, but if you have to, then let me know from the start so I can keep things organized and know who ordered what.
10. We make way less than minimum wage.
Servers typically get paid about $3-$4 an hour, and usually that gets eaten up by taxes. So, yes, your tip is everything. Your tip pays our bills.
11. We don't actually get all of your tip money.
A percentage of our tips goes to the bussers and bartenders at the end of the night. So your $3 tip really isn't worth it to me.
12. Try not to leave a huge mess at the table when you leave.
We have to clean that table when you leave. Letting your kid throw spaghetti everywhere doesn't help me, and I will probably hate you. I always appreciate stacked plates when I come by to clean a table.
13. Leave when you're done eating.
Servers only have a certain amount of tables in their section, so sitting there for three hours after your meal is actually costing me money. In those two or three hours you spent sitting in that server's section, they could have had two or three more guests who tipped them decently. Instead, you're sitting there, taking up a server's table, not allowing new parties to be sat there and therefore not allowing that server to make money. If you're going to take up my section, then at least leave some cash before you leave.
14. Keep your kids at the table.
Servers are walking around with heavy trays and hot dishes. A collision is very possible and no one wants that. Keep your kids at the table.
15. Tipping isn't mandatory, but you chose the service.
If you can't afford to tip your server, then you probably shouldn't be eating out at a restaurant. Our income is your tip, and if you, for some reason, can't leave a tip, then don't come out. We are trying to make a living, just like you are.
If you come into restaurants with all of these tips in mind, then I can tell you that your dining experience is going to be a lot more pleasant for both of us.
