You show up at a restaurant happy to receive that food you always get and love. The Caesar salad and for the main course, a good well-cooked medium ribeye. There is only one catch, your service was horrible. The steak was not cooked properly, the server was only at your table twice and his drink is empty. What is your job? There are plenty of people who would walk away with the server or a manager, but as an adult, this is no way to handle yourself. You disagree. Here are some do’s and don’ts regarding proper restaurant etiquette.
YES: From the beginning, sit where the host sits you.
Unless you physically can’t sit there due to disability or too cold so sit near the door, the host operates on a system where they rotate tables so they can even give servers tables. It is widely understood that some people may not fit in the booths and that is perfectly fine. If you’re noticeably upset for some reason, nine times out of ten the message will be immediately relayed to the assigned server, who in certain situations might not want to spend too much time at your table.
NO: Rigidize your server.
In other words, don’t leave a zero dollar tip. Although some services are terribly awful, the staff are working to keep you happy and full while you try to feed your own. The average waitress earns about $5 an hour, which in hindsight is about $40 a week if it weren’t for tips. They make money from tips customers leave. When they stiffen, it’s almost like the whole table and all that energy is a waste of time. If you’re a regular customer who doesn’t tip, you’ll probably notice that you’re getting mediocre service night after night. That’s because in the servers’ minds, it’s not worth your time if you’re not going to tip. They prefer to have the couple in the corner who are newbies who are going to drop a nice couple bucks for the server.
These are just two tips for a current server who doesn’t want to see people coming and going upset. In the world of waiting tables, tips are everything and a happy customer means a happy server. If a problem occurs, talk like an adult with management and remain calm.