Comments on: The New York Times Offers Tips For Restaurant Staffers

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:38:55 +0000

I like the ‘don’t interrupt’ rule. Practically every restaurant I go out to violates this rule. I’ll be in the middle of a conversation, and the waiter will interrupt mid-stream just to ask how the food is. So annoying.

By: St Petersburg accident lawyer

St Petersburg accident lawyer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:45:06 +0000

My daughter is a waitress so I’ve become a lot more considerate as a customer. I’ve noticed other server’s behavior as a result of this and a lot of them just aren’t patient enough. Maybe they are used to working lunch rushes or they think people are in a rush. I like how Red Lobster servers ask if you are in a rush or taking a leisurely lunch when you sit down.

By: Kat

Kat — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:35:06 +0000

Wow, the comment about providing the recipe is totally insane. If they love the food, they’ll come back, or possibly inquire about the recipe. That doesn’t mean they want to make it at home, nor has the chef/restaurant agreed that the recipe is part of the diner’s purchase of a meal.

By: laura

laura — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:31:30 +0000

I agree that most of this list is over the top… but I really hate being asked “Are you still working on that?” I am a slow eater and this makes me feel like I’m being rushed to finish my meal.

By: Zac

Zac — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:58:04 +0000

A few gripes, as a waiter and someone who’s also been in management. A lot of these seem like they’re only rules for the highest end places. For instance:

7. Do not announce your name. No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness.
Since when? Most customers at an upscale, casual place adore when you engage them with all kinds of jokes, flirtations, and “cuteness.” If you don’t, you end up lacking personality.

43. Never mention what your favorite dessert is. Itâ€™s irrelevant.
I assume he means “without first being asked.” It’s irrelevant? This writer’s tone is so condescending. Since when is the waiter’s opinion of the food irrelevant? People ask what to order all the time.

85. Never bring a check until someone asks for it. Then give it to the person who asked for it.
This is debatable. Often when asked if I can bring them anything else, a table will respond simply “no thanks.” They didn’t ask for the check, but they are implying they want the check at some point in the next 10 minutes. I’d say 20% of the time people don’t specifically ask for the check; it’s implied in some way.

97. If a guest goes gaga over a particular dish, get the recipe for him or her.
I second KevinB’s comment. Is this guy crazy? What chef in the world would allow this?

Generally speaking, however, there are a lot of good rules in there. Some need an asterisk next to them saying “when applicable,” because depending on how a restaurant is laid out, or the size of a table, it’s not always possible to follow all sequences of service without bending the rules a little bit.

By: KevinB

KevinB — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:59:47 +0000

Ask the chef for the recipe in the heat of a busy service? Is this guy freakin’ kidding? I would have been attacked with a cleaver if I tried that. The entire kitchen staff are concentrating on getting meals prepared properly, timed properly, garnished properly, and picked up promptly, and I’m suppose to ask for the recipe? I’d suggest, politely, that she write and request it, but the chef does not keep a list of recipes available for distribution.

This guy was a restaurant owner? I find that very hard to believe; sounds more like a spoiled brat customer masquerading as one.

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:11:13 +0000

Agree with Laura… waiting tables is an incredibly hard job.

Give your server some slack here people. I went out to eat over the weekend and counted the number of things my server did that was on this list (I read it last week): 11 things. You know what though? I still enjoyed my meal just fine and I thought the service was okay.

This list encourages complaining patrons in my opinion.

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:39:37 +0000

I work in a restaurant and I can attest to the fact that someone will always complain about something. Customers are just looking for a reason not to leave a decent tip. If one person considers their refills too frequent, another will consider it too infrequent, etc.. This will never end. (and I love my job) Just use common sense. There should be a list of rules for patrons.

By: Haylee

Haylee — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:22:18 +0000

I’d say the author is pretty spot on with that article, there is nothing worse than being rushed out of a restaurant because the waiter wants to “get off work”..
Thanks for sharing!

By: food techie

food techie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:23 +0000

2. “Do not make a singleton feel bad. Do not say, â€œAre you waiting for someone?â€ Ask for a reservation. Ask if he or she would like to sit at the bar.” – Who cares if I’m dining alone??!

34. “Do not have a personal conversation with another server within earshot of customers.” – This is very VERY annoying.

62. “Do not fill the water glass every two minutes, or after each sip. Youâ€™ll make people nervous.” – This one happens unnoticed but still it’s a good one.

97. “If a guest goes gaga over a particular dish, get the recipe for him or her.” – Is this necessary?? Or even permissible??

It is a very insightful list, and it should be good training material for a restaurant’s service staff. I bet they are A LOT of people in the F&B line who overlook many of the things in this list.