Having proper restaurant etiquette is as simple as not being a jerk. You can learn a lot about someone based on how they treat their server at a restaurant.
So, now that restaurants are finally starting to return to some sort of limited capacity indoor dining, it’s good to keep in mind that many of the employees are working under stressful conditions due to the pandemic.
I know so many people who wait tables and the stories they tell me are crazy. Maybe the customers are just having a bad day but they could also be entitled jerks who don’t know proper restaurant etiquette. Servers are sharing rules they wish customers would follow while dining.
What unwritten restaurant rules do servers wish patrons would abide by?
1. Don’t show up right before closing.
2. If the bar is full, it’s full.
3. Sit where you’re seated.
4. Put your phone down while talking to your server.
5. Know what you’re ordering.
6. Don’t seat yourself.
7. Especially at a dirty table.
8. Making someone bus your table because it’s dirty.
9. Some unwritten restaurant rules to keep in mind.
10. Don’t ignore the host.
11. General unwritten restaurant rules to follow.
12. Keep the kids under control.
13. Stronger drinks aren’t free.
14. Have your ID ready.
15. Have realistic time expectations.
16. Picky eaters beware.
17. Don’t lie about allergies.
18. “This restaurant is not your house.”
19. “Food takes longer to come out when we’re busy.”
20.”Do not order anything that isn’t on the menu”
21. “The menu is there for a reason.”
22. “If something is wrong, say something!”
23. “Do not address us as “waiter”/“waitress”, or snap your fingers at us.”
