Yesterday I waited on a table of teenagers, two guys and one girl. For the most part the meal went well, they only ordered two appetizers. When it came time for the bill, there wasn’t a tip left for me, but there was a phone number.

You would think that if a customer was going to leave me his number he would at least have the courtesy leave a tip.

Submitted by: Sam

I’ve only been serving tables for about a month now, but I went into work today feeling that I really had the hang of it.

I had a table of three come in, I payed close attention to them, always making sure their drinks were full (of course without ever hanging over the table,) made friendly conversation when they addressed me, and sold two of our most fancy desserts. Everything went smoothly. I was quite pleased with myself.

But at the end of $75 bill, no tip. I kept playing it over in my mind to see if I went wrong somewhere, but that was the most efficient table I had ever served. I understand this kind of thing happens sometimes, but it can be disheartening. The rest of my shift was pretty lousy after that.

Submitted by: Michelle

I waited tables for over 10 years, and it seems everyone I’ve ever worked with has a slightly different variation of the Server Nightmare.

It’s been five years since I’ve worked in a restaurant, but to this day, when I’m stressed, I will dream about waiting tables. My usual nightmare is that I have a million tables to put orders in for, but I can’t figure out how to work the computer. It’s like all the buttons are in the wrong place and the menu items are in Greek!Then I go back out to my station, and I’ve been seated six or seven brand new tables while I’ve been held up at the computer.

One server I worked with dreamt that his station was at the bottom of a steep hill, but the kitchen was at the top. So every time a customer wanted a side of ranch or a drink refill or whatever, he had to walk up the giant hill to get it! Now I work in corporate finance, but when I get stressed out, it’s not numbers that haunt me, it’s that damn Greek Aloha system!!

Submitted by: Akers

The article below is a definite must read for anyone who works, or has worked in the restaurant industry. Without giving too much away, it is based on the interviews of a dozen or so servers from the Long Island region of New York. It summarizes all of the people in their “server nightmares” into categories such as the “Serial Drinkers” and “Whine Whiners”.

Here is short selection from the article:

There’s another point of view. Just as inexperienced or arrogant waiters mar a few meals on the Island, so too are waiters’ nights occasionally ruined by customers who are unfamiliar with the conventions of dining out, or who have somehow gotten it into their heads that the money they’re spending on a good meal entitles them to misbehave. These are their stories… Read the rest here.

Original article source: http://www.nytimes.com/

So i bar tend in the restaurant I work at, One morning i had a gentleman sit around the bar at the wood as opposed to a table, of course when this happens i usually try to make some sort of small talk with the person at the bar, but this time it was a huge mistake!

This ugly, creepy, 50ish man would not leave me alone, always had to be talking to me, at the end when it was time to settle the bill he asked for a pen even though he paid in cash (10 dollar tip on a 12 dollar bill) He decided he would give me his phone number (i am in no way at all gay) It was the joke of the week at the restaurant of course, however the next week the same man came in again, pretended like he knew me from somewhere (he knew damn well he gave me his number) end of the bill same thing leaves me his number, So he comes in again a few days later, this time he wrote on the cheque “are you ever going to call me?”…

This creepy old pr*ck has asked other servers what days and times i worked! i finally told him that if he harassed me at work again i would have to kick his ass.

Submitted by: Murray

I had a table of 2 redneck men the other day, as most of us all know these are the tables that usually drive you crazy. They both order steaks with steamed vegeatables and mushrooms on the steak. The meal gets to the table and one of the men yells for about 5 minutes about not getting a roll with his meal, apparently he has always gotten one every time he has eaten here.

Our restaurant does not have rolls and never has! The other man then complains that he did not get enough mushrooms on his steak! the mushrooms cost 99cents and there were actually more than usual on the steak, He yelled that he refused to pay for the mushrooms and 5 dollars was too much to pay for the mushrooms (which were 99cnts). 70 dollar bill and no tip.

Submitted by: TY

I was working the closing shift one evening, and about 5 minutes before close a couple walked in and requested a table. Of course this is a defeating blow to any server’s moral, but I figured I might as well make the best of it and make a few extra bucks.

They proceeded to order full meals, act quite rude and then sit around for an extra 45 minutes after their meal.

My reward was a $3 tip on a $40 check.

What a life.

Submitted by: Samantha from PA

It was my first week of working at a new restaurant, even though I’ve been in the industry for five years. I was walking behind another server and carrying about ten drinks on a tray. The server I’m walking behind (also our bartender that day) stops abruptly, I step back so as not to run into him, and ONE of the lemonades I was carrying tipped over.

Didn’t drop the glass, only spilled on myself and the tray, blah blah. The guest at the table next to me – about 45, business man, suit and tie, grey hair – proceeds to JUMP UP from his table and start GRABBING AT MY CHEST. No napkins, no nothing. Just saying, “Here, honey, let me help you with that!” While I’m telling him, “No thanks, I’ve got it, I’m fine.”

I go drop the drinks off at my table and pass his table again on the way back to the bar. He and his friends are laughing. The best part? The bartender was doubled over at the bar, laughing too hard to say anything except “That guy totally almost got to third base with you!”

God I hate people.