I was waiting on a table of two that was sandwiched in between two other two-top tables, both of which were seated as well.  The table in the center ordered their meals, and opted to have salads instead of pasta or soup, so I put the order in.  Minutes later, I bring their salads out.  A few minutes into eating them, I inform the cook to begin preparing their meal as the timing seemed perfect.

I’ve been timing food perfectly for the three months I’ve worked at this restaurant and never had an issue.  The food comes out about 10 minutes later, and as I’m setting up a tray stand, I see both the man and woman still have about 1/4 of their salads left.  Oh well, slow eaters right?  Dinner rush, busy kitchen, etc.

I inform the customers their meal has arrived, and the woman slams her fork down, practically throws her salad plate off to the side of the table, and just gives me a look.  While placing the plates in front of each customer, I apologize for the timing being a little off.  The woman snubs me and makes snide remarks.

My others tables are now staring, and I felt the need to defend myself.  In a calm, polite way, I responded “madam, again, i am very sorry for the off timing on your entree.  I unfortunately have no control over how fast the food is cooked, but only when it begins preparation and how fast it gets to you”

She then snaps her head in my direction, and practically screams “EXCUSE ME?  DON’T TELL ME WHAT YOUR JOB IS, I KNOW WHAT IT IS.  YOUR JOB AS A WAITER IS TO MAKE SURE MY FOOD COMES OUT ON TIME, AND YOU HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER HOW FAST ALL THAT HAPPENS, ITS YOUR JOB.  SO DON’T TRY TO TELL ME”

Now standing there dumbfounded like a jackass, i realized my surrounding tables are all staring at me like I suck.  I didn’t say anything else, and walked away.  Needless to say, I received some poor tips shortly thereafter from her table, as well as the adjacent ones who I believe were acquaintances that happened to be seated nearby.

Submitted by: Jesse

So today I was working my second shift ever in the dining room, and I was doing my best work. My manager quickly comes up to me and whispers “You think you can handle the rush alone?” and with a cool “of course.” I get to work.

It is 1 hour into my 6 hour shift and I am keeping track of 8 tables, offering them refills, giving them mints, and cleaning up their sloppy messes. Suddenly an attractive family of 4 walks in, with 2 adults, a son in his early twenties (Older than I am) and a little girl.

They order their food and make their way to one of the nicest tables (freshly cleaned of course). They dig into they food, and suddenly I get called over by the father who nicely says “What is the situation with refills here?’ and hands me his cup, I take it out of his hand with a smile and reply “I am on it.”

After refilling his drink and giving the family their fair share of mints, I ask mid-meal “Is everything alright with your meal? Any problems?” and they ALL reply no, even the eldest son, it ahs been all smiles, and they seem to be very impressed with my service.

As I am helping another table, the father pulls me over again and asks for a pen, and he even remembered my name. I am screaming with excitement inside, the ONLY reason you would need a pen is to write on one of the little suggestion cards on the table. I hand him the pen and he then gives it to his son, who starts scribbling away on one the little cards. I am so excited, they pack up and leave, leaving a significant mess, but whatever… before they are out the door he calls over one of the managers an hands her the card, once again, I was excited.

The next 4 hours I was thinking about what could be on the card, customers almost never write on them, so this is a big deal because the managers always put them on the corkboard for everyone to see, so it there is a big “Clayton was Amazing…” it would be amazing, I am proud to say that dining room was spotless the entire night.

My shift is finally over, and I am checking my hours when I spot the card sitting on her desk, we are NOT supposed to go in there, so I press my face against the window to read…

“I was not very happy with the temperature of the food, it was cold and soggy and I was disappointed that no one was available to assist me…”

Now she is re-thinking me being ready for the dining room, back to garbage runs and restocking bathrooms for me…

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.