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07-31-2009, 08:30 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Line Cook | | Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 116
| |  what is the worst thing a server can do to make you mad?
just thought I'd share my pet peeves that will net a bad tip or a sour taste in my mouth...
1. Asking me how my food is more than once
2. Asking me how my food is while it's quite obviously in my mouth and I can't answer
3. Not refilling my drink
and 4. when more than one server or food runner takes care of my table so I ultimately don't know who to tip when leaving. |
07-31-2009, 09:13 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Caterer | | Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,015
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#2 - I swear, sometimes they're just standing in a corner and waiting til I have that forkful in my mouth, then run over to ask how everything is!!!
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07-31-2009, 09:31 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 238
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Pulling up a chair and taking my order, like i'm buying a used car. |
07-31-2009, 10:24 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: PALM BEACH FLORIDA
Posts: 2,239
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Walking around useing cellphone.
Avoiding eye contact
Asking me 5 times ''Everything ok here""if it wasn't I would call you!
When you pay check asking "do you want change"?
Always having to ask for ketchup, A1 or steak sauce, syrup for pancakes ,all the condiments that should go with things, and then having to wait while food gets cold,to get them.
Taking plate away before I am done.
Not refilling h20 glasses . 
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CHEFED
Last edited by ED BUCHANAN; 07-31-2009 at 12:53 PM.
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07-31-2009, 10:40 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Pastry Chef | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 176
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I once gave a server $60 for a $42 dollar restaurant bill because that was all I had on me and she kept the change! That aggravated me...if I was a server I would bring the bill and the change back in that little leather pouch thing and leave it on the table discreetly and give the GUEST the option of leaving me the change as a tip.
Even worse I actually WORKED at this restaurat....nothing like a co-worker stealing your hard earned money from you..... |
07-31-2009, 02:52 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Former Chef | | Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 135
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Ditto what everyone else has said, and add:
Failure to disclose the price of verbally described specials. Spare me the phony snob appeal, how much is it?
poorly timed courses. If I want my salad with my dinner I'll let you know.
rushing the check and just as bad, disappearing when I want my check.
I know this is house related and the server can't do anything about it, but I absolutely DETEST having someone put pepper on my salad with one of those ridiculous 3 foot long grinders. It's pepper for god's sake, not gold. I hated doing this 100 years ago when I was a waiter. Nothing made me feel more foolish. Put little grinders on every table and I'll eat with you forever. |
07-31-2009, 04:28 PM
|  | ChefTalk Supporter Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,166
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chefelle  I once gave a server $60 for a $42 dollar restaurant bill because that was all I had on me and she kept the change! That aggravated me...if I was a server I would bring the bill and the change back in that little leather pouch thing and leave it on the table discreetly and give the GUEST the option of leaving me the change as a tip.
Even worse I actually WORKED at this restaurat....nothing like a co-worker stealing your hard earned money from you..... |
Can't understand why you let her keep ur money???
Never met a waiter/waitress i didnt get on with. Truly. Guess i'm just lucky. Only time i worried was EVERY TIME We've been at Bubba gumps and dreaded the "How well do you know the movie quiz" Quiz. I loved the movie, but deny all knowledge when asked
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Last edited by bughut; 07-31-2009 at 04:36 PM.
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07-31-2009, 05:25 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 312
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What really, really aggravates me the MOST is when a waiter brings the hot food and then starts talking to us while the food on our plates go cold. "Are you guys French? (both me and my wife have a pretty thick French accent) Oh sooo exciiiting! I learned French when I was in high school.. but now I forgot everything.. so are you guys visiting? No? You live heeeeere? Great! So what do you do? Computer programming? Greaaaaat! I knew a guy who's cousin was selling computers. His name was Derreck. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blaaaaaaah."
What are we supposed to do? Eat while she talks? Or wait and eat our food cold? 
Worse: the other day at a nicer restaurant, the sommelier started talking to my wife and I in French - problem was, we were with two other friends who don't speak a word of French. And THEY were inviting us. I was so embarassed... every 5mn the sommelier would come back and explain to us, in French, which wine was what and why it was paired with certain food or whatnot. At the end I was kinda ignoring the poor guy to give him a clue, but he was just standing there while we were eating, it was just silly. The worse part is that the guy was extremely knowledgeable, and at another time I would probably have PAID for him to give me a lesson on food/wine pairing. But not when I'm having dinner with my friends!
Last edited by French Fries; 07-31-2009 at 05:29 PM.
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08-02-2009, 06:27 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: I Just Like Food | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Launceston, Tas, Australia
Posts: 1,513
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French Fries - what an awkward situation with the sommelier.
Guess I would have replied in English and ignored the french portion of the conversation. Or said in french to him, as the others wouldn't have understood, "An Anglais, s'il vous plais" (sp?). The guy was showing off I'm sure, and had you been just there as a couple, as you say, it would have been good.
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08-03-2009, 05:03 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Pacific Northwest WA
Posts: 10
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Huge serrated steak knives.....
Being treated like I'm cheap and won't tip well because I'm 19. Just because I'm a kid does not mean I'm an idiot. I always tip very well.
Last edited by C0Ok; 08-03-2009 at 05:46 PM.
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08-04-2009, 08:47 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Sous Chef | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Halifax
Posts: 262
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The worst --hitting on your date /spouse. What do you think you are, a bartender?
--Al |
08-04-2009, 09:07 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Eureka, CA
Posts: 817
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Correct my pronunciation.
If I want to say "a-niece", don't reply "an-iss".
Same goes for "broo-skett-uh" & "broo-shettuh", or anything else.
I'm there to enjoy a meal, not take a test.
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08-04-2009, 06:20 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: At home cook | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 556
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Shoving his ticket folder inside the back of his pants, where it comes into close proximity with his sweaty butt cheeks [or his underwear at the very least]. The idea that he serves food with the same hands that touch that folder, sickens me.
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08-05-2009, 08:03 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chicago
Posts: 113
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AllanMcPherson The worst --hitting on your date /spouse. What do you think you are, a bartender?
--Al |
Exactly...And not refilling your drink.
It took sooo long one time I was at a restaurant to get our order out. We ordered sandwiches, mind you, nothing had to be cooked. So what to do while waiting.....order more drinks, drive up the bill. Clearly our food was ready, they just wanted us to drink more. |
09-06-2009, 09:00 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: PA
Posts: 33
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I dont know if this has ever happened to anyone but it happens to me quite a lot when I get lucky enough to go out on a busy night if I'm not in my kitchen...
but have you ever been somewhere where they're a bit busy and have the server or food runner ask you how everything was when you didnt even get your food yet? I swear it has happened to me over half a dozen times and my answer is the same every time... "I'm sure it will be great"
You have eyes, cant you see my silverware is still rolled and there isnt a crumb on the table?! | | |
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