Something that really got on my nerves while I was a server was hearing people ask for “leaded” and “un-leaded” coffee in the mornings. Please, just ask for regular, or de-cafe.

I would hear this for what felt like hundreds of times a day, and each time the customer thought he/she was the only one to ever think of such a clever request.

The worst part was that I needed to force a small laugh to make the customer feel like a regular comedian, and tip happy each and every time.

Submitted by: Rob from MD

Worst. Meal. Ever.

If you’ve ever been a server, you’ve definitely experienced this situation; A customer will eat his/her entire meal, lick the plate clean and then complain about how terrible it was.

Usually you can tell they’re just shooting for a free dessert or a comp. on the check, which makes the whole ordeal that much more infuriating.

This is the ultimate “swallow your pride” moment when you need to apologize for a meal they clearly enjoyed, and grovel for their forgiveness all in the hopes of still getting a tip.

One of the million horror stories I possess of the restaurant world I will never forget is a recent occurrence involving a very unhappy family.

A family of five (two parents and three young children, one of which was still a baby the other two maybe six or seven)came into the restaurant one night and I was their waitress. I went up to the table and introduced myself and asked if they would like to hear our specials. “Of course not” was their reply.

I asked what they would like to start off with for a drink and they said just bring some waters for the kids for now. So I went to the kitchen and poured waters and brought them back to the table at which point, the parents decided they wanted waters as well. I poured two more waters and as I was setting them down the baby (whom the father was holding in his lap) grabbed at the glass I had in my hand and yanked it onto his father’s lap.

The man- thinking I had done it on purpose- stood up, the wife screamed and for the next three minutes he berated me and then demanded to speak to the owner about his apparently racist employee who should get fired.

They rallied for another waitress to take care of them. Who, of course, they didn’t tip.

Submitted by: Erin

Years of carrying plates that could rival the surface temperature of the sun has resulted in two things:

1. No identifiable fingerprints
2. The right to laugh at any guy who picks up a hot plate and says “ouch”

Submitted by: Sarah from GA

When I worked at a restaurant in my 20’s, I would sometimes have people order Hamburgers without buns, which just really irked me for some reason. I mean, if you’re going to eat a hunk of ground meat, why not just get a steak?

I understand its probably part of the pack your stomach full of bacon Atkin’s diet, but if  you’re a man, and you are eating a hamburger with a knife and fork, I’ve instantly lost all respect for you.

Submitted by: Brian from VA

The Toasted Oat Enemy

I always hated when I would be semi-busy and a family with several young children came in. This meant a few things:

1. Scrambling for a highchair.
2. Cleaning said highchair.
3. Preparing for a barrage of cereal on the floor.

There is something about cheerios especially that makes babies love to throw them all over the floor. Seems like parents are always totally unaware that it is happening too.

I’ve walked up to many tables that looked like a Cheerio A-Bomb went off with mass casualties. Of course what usually happens is, the party leaves, and none are picked up. So that means I’ve got to pull out the sweeper, and lose some precious dignity by crawling on the floor.

But of course they leave an extra tip for the additional cleaning involved, right? WRONG!

Submitted by: DJ from PA