TigerChef

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in the kitchen, and in the minds of the waiters and waitresses, when eating out? We spoke to Michelle H., a waitress in a suburban diner for close to 15 years, who gave us some of the inside scoop on things you should know, or maybe shouldn’t, when dining out.

• Do not wave, whistle or tap your fingers on the table, to be noticed by your waiter/waitress. Oh, and please, don’t walk over to them while they are busy serving other costumers! Wait patiently. You are not the only customer ordering food, and waiting to be served. Every time you seek to grab the attention of your server, it will cost you an extra minute.
• If something is on special, chances are that the item is not the freshest thing on the menu and they are basically trying to get rid of it before it goes sour.
• Say ‘no, thank you’ to the lemon slice that comes with your drink. Lemons are hardly ever washed before they are sliced, and are very often recycled.
• Speaking of ‘thank you,’ please do use your manner when ordering and being served. Even if you are in the middle of an extremely ‘important’ conversation when your food arrives, stop the conversation and acknowledge your waiter/waitress. Put yourself in a his or her shoes and think about how you would like to be treated.
• If you’re going out to eat on a Saturday night or on holidays, don’t expecting quick service. There is just so much you can do when serving large crowds.
• Never ask a waiter or waitress what he/she thinks about a certain dish. It is against the ‘law’ for them to tell you that they do not like it, so they will twist the truth.
• If you don’t like the dish you ordered, say something right away. Waiting to complain until you’re just about done eating will get you nowhere.
• If you’re done eating, the ideal situation would be to pay, say thank you and leave. In the event that you choose to linger around, leave a nicer size tip to make up for the money the waiter/waitress lost out by not serving a new customer.
• Tip, tip, and tip. A waiter/waitress makes money off the tips he or she receives. Can’t afford to tip? Stay home.
• There is nothing more frustrating, and annoying to the restaurant staff than when you show up right before closing time. Everybody is tired and wants to get out of there as soon as possible. Please be considerate!

Looking forward to serving you in the future!

Filed under: How-To • General

Tags: dining out