Not sure it qualifies as a rant, but it’s a short little story. I’ve been out of the serving game since crushing my ankle in 15 places over a decade ago.

However, there’s one guest I’ll never forget. I was working at Ruby Tuesday (don’t recommend that, btw), which was famous for their salad bar. This gentleman, who appeared to have all of his faculties and wits about him, went up and made himself a salad. That was fine and expected, as he ordered the add-on to his meal. I came back to check on him and fill his drink, at which time he lodged a complaint with me.

The complaint was that there were tomatoes on his salad. It wasn’t a pre-mixed salad with pico or tomatoes in it. It wasn’t a matter of the tomatoes being in bad shape or tasteless. It was that he was upset over there being tomatoes on the salad which he had just made.

I still wonder about this guy. I hope he’s okay.

So I know you can technically order it more than just five ways, but I just had a table of 6 order their waters 5 ways. No ice, no ice with lemon, light ice with lemon, no lemon, and just with a lemon. Ive never had that happen with such a big group before, its crazy.

I'll go first. My first serving job was at this BBQ place and we'd get a lot of families and a lot of them wouldn't leave you shit.

Families would constantly leave toys, stuffed animals behind. If they tipped me, I'd chase them down to give it back. If they didn't, I would hide it and lie if they came back for it then wash it at home and give it to my kids.

My kids got a lot of toys the time I was there.

I served a couple today, mid 40s. They were nice at first, and I have served them once before and the man can be very aggressive and snobbish. Last time I served him he was complaining about the price of things and acting upset but said everything was fine and ate everything. This time 6 months later, he complained about the prices again (he didn’t remember I was his sever lash time too) and acting the same entitled way he was before. I was very nice to them the whole time and quality checked them and everything was good. After he was done his meal, he told me the last 3 times he’s been here his steak has been cooked perfectly but in a very aggressive way and I told him that’s great to hear and I’m glad he enjoyed it. His wife said hers was good too and when I went to clear her plate she had like 2 bites left and said her steak was not good at all. I apologized and let a manager know. He talked to them and took care of their steaks and I dropped off the bill. After dropping off, I went back with a machine and saw they were gone already and left me a 10% tip and shoved a gift card in their booth which I barely even saw or could’ve been thrown out easily by a busser if I didn’t get to the table first. My manager talked to me after my shift and asked what happened with the table because they said that I was being condescending towards them when he complained about his steak and I told him I was glad he enjoyed it then. I told the manager that’s not what happened and that the guest told me his steaks have been cooked perfectly the last 3 times he has been here and my manager said he didn’t actually mean it, he was being sarcastic and he was really upset about his steak. Now I might be getting a write-up just love that!

So a new busser (actually, officially the title is Dining Assistant) was running food and accidentally spilled an entire bowl of french onion soup on an elderly guest. Luckily the guest was not scalded by the sometimes boiling soup, he was very nice and understanding. The meal was comped and dry cleaning arranged. The busser was really shaken and felt terrible. She’s young (18 or so) and it was the first time it’s happened to her. Nobody yelled at her or made her feel worse. I said to take a moment to calm down and then we’ll work through it. She took some time to cry in the bathroom and then…went home.

I guess my manager said she could just…go home.

Maybe I’m getting old and jaded…but I didn’t even know that was an option.

Update: thanks for the feedback. I recognize I’m a bit burned out at the moment and have frustrated with a lack of support and organization on a managerial level which got in the way of fully empathizing and giving her the grace to do what she needed without judgement. She did call out of her shift today (the incident happened last night). I hope she’s okay and either comes back with a clear mind or recognizes that it’s okay to pivot into something else.

Edit: deleted a small but nonetheless unnecessary and unwarranted comment at younger generations. After all we’ve all been there.

I was said "entitled child" in this review. I know it's bs but I still feel weird about it. They sat themselves despite the signs everywhere saying "see a hostess to be seated." i was going to do what we usually do, which is wait a minute or two, bring menus out and explain that you have to see us but a 20 top we had a reservation for came in and I went to take care of them first. It was like 5 minutes, nowhere near 20.

When i got back this guy came in and asked why they hadn't been seen yet. I explained they needed to see me first, I thought I was friendly about it but now idk. I sent the girl I was training to give them menus while I put them and the 20 top in the system. She said they were mad and then when I looked up again they had left.

I know i didn't do anything wrong but i still feel weird and guilty about it.

Long story short this lady was rude the minute she sat down, ordered cocktails with “extra whiskey” but didn’t wanna pay for a double, and just difficult all night. She asked for togo boxes and had been done eating for a bit, then got upset when I brought the check and acted like I was rushing her. Had a $150 bill by the end of it and tipped $10.

I’m not that mad about it, customers are difficult like this often, but just wanted to rant abt how stupid she was lol

seriously, i havent been around this much drama since high school. at least im never bored at work lol

Due to the restaurant I work at closing down I’ve been looking for a job for the past month and the first chance I got a job, I took it. They hired me on the spot during my interview so already a weird flag, but I tried to let it pass. On that same interview they “went over the menu” which consisted of them telling me to take pictures of it, along with their specials which was a a whole separate board that doesn’t change (those aren’t specials). I come back and start getting started but honestly not much training is happening, luckily I know the basics of serving so I just followed along and shadowed feeling consistently watched by this owner. First day ends and I haven’t served anyone and for some reason I’m being tipped out half the server’s, who was training ME, tips. So my training is being taken from other servers okay nice. I’m honestly desperate for money so I tried to look past it but it still felt so weird to me now. Weekend comes and my trainer gives me a table and the chef flips shit about how I’m still in training and can’t have a table (1 it ain’t rocket science I worked in a restaurant 2x as prestigious as this place. 2 I didn’t ask for the table I was just given it). Passive aggressive comments here and there, being told not to socialize or “bother” my coworkers when I’m asking questions then being yelled why I’m not asking questions. Tried really hard to like it but just can’t, I can deal with bad restaurants but adding on top that they don’t even have a check out system and the servers have to pay the credit card fee it’s not worth it WITH the anxiety of going in there. Back to the search I guess.

After spending over two years in, probably the most toxic work environment I’ve ever witnessed, we are starting over. Old management is out. Many of our current and former crew are returning. (The good ones!)

Every workplace has a little bit of drama, but I’m really hoping that this environment can be cooperative and encouraging. As we brainstorm the culture, we want to establish, what are the characteristics of some of your favorite workplace?

What did you love about where youve worked?

I had this lady who wins for the most snobbish attitude I’ve ever encountered in my life. I can’t even imitate how snobby it was.

She and her friend order two of the same appetizer. I don’t think much of it and just think they’re each getting their own.

I bring out both plates and set them down on the table. Ms. Snobby scoffs in disgust as if I just did the most offensive disgusting thing in the history of the world and says, “Oh dear this is awkward”.

I’m thoroughly confused at this point. She’s huffing and puffing and asks why are there two plates?? I just say matter of factly there were two orders. She grabs one of the plates and starts moving the food onto the other plate as if she can’t believe she has to do this and it’s so embarrassing.

She thrusts the empty plate towards me and apologizes to her friend. I think her friend is a little confused as well. What in the world? Did I break some etiquette I’m not aware of? This is a nice casual restaurant, but not fancy fine dining.

im gonna try to keep this short and simple bc im worried someone from work will see this. i work at a corporate restaurant with a rewards program and we’re supposed to get a certain number of sign ups every week. my boss tried explaining this to me but she did it in a very condescending way, saying we were having a slow day because i don’t “wow people” with my service. the conversation ended with this exchange. her: you know those $40/hr days? me: yes her: when you aren’t following the steps of service (means getting people to sign up for it) do you think you deserve that money? me: yeah i mean people choose to give me that money because they think i deserve it her: i don’t think you do. it’s been a week and my coworkers and another manager who overheard this exchange have told me to go talk to the GM and the other manager is gonna come with me as a witness and cause im scared lol. am i overreacting to this? what do i even say in this meeting? i just want her to stop being mean to me, there have been other exchanges in the past that rubbed me the wrong way but this one takes the cake.

So I've been a server for 7 months now and they keep filp flopping and saying I'm on thin ice and then going back to praising me the next month. My hours have been cut twice now (magically when I was sick and here again when I demanded my card tips and 1 weekend off). They keep saying I get complaints on Google but my customers and tips show otherwise. I also have yet to find any such reviews.

Y'all were right. It's been a complete shitshow. Opening week was one disaster after another. After one month, we've had some semblance of control, but not enough to which I'd say I am satisfied with the service. I hate taking money from customers knowing they've been waiting an hour for their meal, I hate not being given notice that half of our ingredients are gone, and telling doordashers we are no longer accepting orders because it's 30 minutes past close. Not only does it affect the atmosphere of the restaurant, but also our reviews, tips, etc. The only good thing to have come out of this was my good relationship with my coworkers lol.

Hi all! I have 10+ years experience serving in higher end, privately owned restaurants in Southern California and Dallas. Currently living in Austin and have been applying to professional, high end spots recently. I stopped serving at the start of COVID, got sober and haven’t served since. Since 2021, Ive worked with kids as well as with the homeless. I recently went back to college and want to serve again. I miss the fast paced nature, meeting so many people, and working on a team.

I’ve applied to several places, had a few interviews, but haven’t heard from 90% of the restaurants I’ve submitted my resume to. I finally got feedback from a manager on my resume. They said “we see you have a lot of experience but it looks like you haven’t served in several years. We want someone who has recent experience”. If they’re thinking this then I’m sure several others are as well.

I can’t think of how to address this concern in a cover letter/resume. Does anyone have any tips? At the very least I want to be landing interviews!

How do you guys feel about training new servers? What types of protocol does your restaurant have for trainees?

I’m training a new girl at my job (the place just opened so we’re all fairly new in a sense) and man I am not a fan. This isn’t the first person I’ve trained here, however after this person I can tell you I don’t want to be the designated trainer. Like I said we’re new, so we’re getting gradually busier and busier which is ultimately a good thing. However it makes it hard to have an efficient training system when everything is chaotic. This girls first shift was a Friday night and every time I turned around she was gone. If I am drowning yet am supposed to be worried about what you’re doing as well, there’s gotta be communication. If it’s your very first night, I’m not expecting you to go off on your own without warning..

We were so busy there wasn’t time to go find her and express in a healthy calm way that this wasn’t working for me lol.

They have me training her all of her training shifts. Including tonight, a Saturday and our busiest night of the week. I don’t want to do this, I feel like it’s beneficial to work with other people and get a taste for different quirks we have as servers in our restaurant.

I’m just wondering what your experiences have been training people and how your restaurants organize training. Is it chaotic? Is there usually a designated trainer who trains everyone?

Today a guest said her soup was too cold. I brought her a hot soup the head chef personally made for her. I checked on her table at least twice after that. When I asked about dessert she told me the 2nd soup was served too hot and she couldn't eat it and wanted it off her bill. I saw red a little, took the soup off the bill, and suggested that it would be more helpful to know while she is still eating that the 2nd soup was also not right.

I had a woman adamant on this certain type of pasta and was perplexed when we didn’t carry it, asking multiple times to have it costume made.

I had another guy at the bar I worked at who was very offended we didn’t have this super expensive whiskey and wouldn’t order anything else if we didn’t have it.

I’ve had costumers straight up ask for things not on the menu, usually some type of beer even thought they all get beer menus, or wings even though why would an Italian place have wings?? I understand wings and pizza but come on

Or I forget the absolute worst, when they insist the restaurant had it last week on the menu.

I just got my hired today at Iron age, a korean barbecue place but the manager kept saying how it’s significantly harder than working at a regular restaurant bc it’s unlimited food ofc. I have been a host for 3 years and he gave me a chance because they really really need more staff, he also tried to get me consider being a host there as well which i’m so sick of hosting tbh. But any tips for a first timer?

I’ve worked in fast food before as a team member and a shift manager before, but never a real restaurant.

I have an interview for a casual breakfast place (chain) on Tuesday. It’s in the afternoon and only scheduled for 30mins so I don’t expect to be asked to perform any tasks. I plan on wearing black yoga pants (fitted but not obnoxiously tight) and a black tshirt - is that okay or should I dress a little nicer? Also, are there any questions I should be asking them? Any red flags to watch out for?

Thank you in advance!

So work now added food runners for everyday and half the days all day now. Before it was one food runners for just Friday and Saturday night so tip out was only 3% and rest of the days only 2.5%. Now on weekdays every day food runner does our side work and closings so every day is 3.5% and weekends 3.5% mornings and 4% night. I went from tipping out maybe 150 a week to now close to almost 300 a week. The fact is it’s not even that busy and now I basically just stand around doing nothing. Anyone else think this is kind of ridiculous or am I over reacting?

This was a first. We were having a decent night until a concert got out at a nearby venue and the entire bar flooded. I was one of two bartenders we have probably 150 people inside the bar. Needless to say we were running our asses off however, we were doing pretty good and keeping our heads above water. One of the ladies at the end of the bar motion at me so I came over they still had half of their drinks and I just saw them do a shot. They asked for three more shots. After I made them I told them that the total was $13.50. One of the ladies gives me some cash and tells me to keep the rest. I’m walking away when I noticed it’s only $13. I told them “Hey ladies I only need 50 more cents.” This lady looks me dead in the eye and tells me to take it out of my tips because the service here sucks (side note: my manager served her first and she doesn’t know if we split tips or not. Because they said they were leaving I just was awestruck and kind of rolled my eyes and walked away (very proud of myself on that) and told my bouncer not to let them back in anymore. If that was their attitude how would you handle the situation?

My first official day was Tuesday, and I really enjoyed my shift. I started out with 2 tables, and then 3 on my next shift, and then a full section of 4 today and it's not nearly as a bad as I thought it would be. I'm even making decent tips too and am slowly getting the hang of carrying trays to tables. I'm really thankful that my coworkers are very helpful whenever I have any questions or go out of their way to help me with heavier trays in case I needed it. Honestly, I wish I started serving sooner because it's actually a lot of fun when in the right environment and has a decent earning potential. I hope I can improve every shift and eventually become a great server, and I'm glad I'm done with hosting.

I'm a manager that started as an expo in the kitchen and then quickly cross trained to FOH before coming into management. I've never served as my only job, but I've definitely had the experience of serving and taking tables due to high turn over in prior years, short staff, call outs, etc. etc.

I started in the kitchen for a reason, because I couldn't do what everyone in this sub does day in and day out. Talking to strangers and interacting with guests is something that I still inwardly struggle with tho I can mask and be professional on the outside.

I have so much respect for my staff, but they've been getting nothing but complaints about bad attitudes and bad service. These are people who have been with me from 4 months to 3 years. Eye rolling, shrugging shoulders, rolling eyes, being snippy. Forgetting salads, rushing the guests out the door.

Now normally I try to always have my teams side and I generally take their word for it that the guest was just being difficult while reminding them to come get me if they feel like they can't control the situation. But the complaints have been so back to back about all of them. I can trace it to when they were here and validate that these are real complaints coming in.

I held a meeting and reminded them they work in service and hospitality, and I expect them to provide good service and for them to make our guests feel at home. That I understand it can be frustrating and exhausting, and that I appreciate everything they do. I always do my best to accommodate whatever they need because they are generally a hard working bunch minus these complaints.

I know they only make 2.14/hr plus tips, and I don't want to not acknowledge that. But something has got to give and they're not getting any better.

I guess the advice I'm asking for is this:

As a server, is it wrong for your manager to expect you to slap that fake smile on your face and drum up the customer service voice for each and every one of your tables?

Is it wrong for the manager to administer consequences if this behavior continues?

Is it wrong to call the server out (quietly) in the moment if they're being noticeably rude to guests?

Is it wrong to send someone home for these same reasons?

How would you want to be approached about this??

I know this all may seem silly, I'm just a younger manager and I'm trying to navigate what's too harsh and what's too soft and thought the best people to ask would be the ones who actually go through it.