Restaurant Annoyances

[Anonymous]

All you rich snobs on this site, there are also DC urban moms also following, who are in the service industry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you rich snobs on this site, there are also DC urban moms also following, who are in the service industry.

Great. Provide better service at your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the problem is you’re going to lowbrow restaurants if you’re expecting free soda refills. No nice place does this anymore. Also, you don’t need more soda. Drink water.

Agreed. I also think soda is a generational thing. I don't know many people my age who drink soda.

Yes I want my water kept refilled.

[Anonymous]

The issue is that even the most basic services are lacking. Referencing the drinks. If you order ice tea. Your glass should be kept filled or when the wait staff sees you at 1/4 you bring another.

And to the poster who listed how some people want things taken away, some don’t. Etc. a good wait person asks. They check in at the table. May I take the empty dishes for you? Can I get you anything else? Would you like another refill?

When they charge $5 for ice tea. I don’t want to sit and not be able to eat because I have to stare around till I find someone to refil my drink.

And the fact that wait staff have blinders on to other tables is poor training too.

Do better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you the lady who needs something really delicious to wash your food down and cannot drink water at a dinner party?

Do YOU drink water at a dinner party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't suck down your mountain dew before I've had a chance to put your order in.

When I "disappear" I'm in the back getting drinks for another table or ensuring my party of ten's order is ready to come out properly.

Maybe you are, but we all see servers on their phones, which along with poor service is unhygienic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you the lady who needs something really delicious to wash your food down and cannot drink water at a dinner party?

Well played 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why serving isnt just a do x or y job. You have to read people. For every person like the OP there is 1 other person who doesnt want the server around unless they want them to specifically do a task. They want to be left alone. They dont want a pitcher coming over to fill water glasses when they are talking, especially business. They dont want hands reaching in to grab their drink from the back corner seat of the booth. They dont want multiple glasses and god forbid you bring a full Coke when they are 1/4 through and try to clear the near empty glass. Its an immediate "Im not done with that". And then theres the complaint following up about how the server didnt clear plates appropriately and it was cluttered.
See the PP above who pours their own wine. Servers are supposed to pour the wine.
For every person who wants their plate cleared as soon as they are finished, there are another group of people who dont want the plates cleared until everyone at the table is finished. For every group that wants to order immediately, there is a group that wants to talk first and then order.
And its funny because you should be placing your silverware in a specific position to indicate you are finished but NO ONE does that anymore. If it was taught and server could rely on it then thered be no need to ask.

I am not saying there arent bad servers or wait staff. I am not saying that they dont disappear but it used to be that you could walk through a dining room and there would be nonverbal signals. Patrons expect servers to read their minds and no one- even at the same table- follows the same cues.

I do this. Always. Ingrained habit from childhood. I don't think most people except maybe at Michelin star restaurants can read this anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the problem is you’re going to lowbrow restaurants if you’re expecting free soda refills. No nice place does this anymore. Also, you don’t need more soda. Drink water.

Agreed. I also think soda is a generational thing. I don't know many people my age who drink soda.

Yes I want my water kept refilled.

Do you think we can see you and guess your age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you the lady who needs something really delicious to wash your food down and cannot drink water at a dinner party?

Do YOU drink water at a dinner party?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you the lady who needs something really delicious to wash your food down and cannot drink water at a dinner party?

Definitely the same person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why serving isnt just a do x or y job. You have to read people. For every person like the OP there is 1 other person who doesnt want the server around unless they want them to specifically do a task. They want to be left alone. They dont want a pitcher coming over to fill water glasses when they are talking, especially business. They dont want hands reaching in to grab their drink from the back corner seat of the booth. They dont want multiple glasses and god forbid you bring a full Coke when they are 1/4 through and try to clear the near empty glass. Its an immediate "Im not done with that". And then theres the complaint following up about how the server didnt clear plates appropriately and it was cluttered.
See the PP above who pours their own wine. Servers are supposed to pour the wine.
For every person who wants their plate cleared as soon as they are finished, there are another group of people who dont want the plates cleared until everyone at the table is finished. For every group that wants to order immediately, there is a group that wants to talk first and then order.
And its funny because you should be placing your silverware in a specific position to indicate you are finished but NO ONE does that anymore. If it was taught and server could rely on it then thered be no need to ask.

I am not saying there arent bad servers or wait staff. I am not saying that they dont disappear but it used to be that you could walk through a dining room and there would be nonverbal signals. Patrons expect servers to read their minds and no one- even at the same table- follows the same cues.

I do this. Always. Ingrained habit from childhood. I don't think most people except maybe at Michelin star restaurants can read this anymore.

Not even a Michelin... dined in one about a month ago and they did not read the "silverware sign" ... the rest of the service was great though, so there is that.

[Anonymous]

I'm with OP. If you want a decent tip, there are only a few things you need to do. Be courteous, take my order in a reasonable amount of time and keep my drink from being empty. You can ask or just refill - and it's no one's business to tell me to drink less soda/iced tea/water. I won't blame you if the kitchen messed up, but will decrease the tip by quite a bit if you leave my drinks empty. I don't consider tips mandatory, they are for good service. In case anyone wants to make a "can't afford a tip, don't go out to eat" comment - I can afford to eat at any restaurant in the DMV and am a fairly generous tipper when it's warranted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you rich snobs on this site, there are also DC urban moms also following, who are in the service industry.

Take the feedback and do a better job. Provide the service for tips you feel entitled to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm with OP. If you want a decent tip, there are only a few things you need to do. Be courteous, take my order in a reasonable amount of time and keep my drink from being empty. You can ask or just refill - and it's no one's business to tell me to drink less soda/iced tea/water. I won't blame you if the kitchen messed up, but will decrease the tip by quite a bit if you leave my drinks empty. I don't consider tips mandatory, they are for good service. In case anyone wants to make a "can't afford a tip, don't go out to eat" comment - I can afford to eat at any restaurant in the DMV and am a fairly generous tipper when it's warranted

Completely agree with this. Now the expectation is a minimum of 20% but you are tipping for service. If you bring a drink at the meal, no refills, or we have to ask multiple times and all you do is hand us the food or a food runner brings it, I'm not tipping 20%. I'm also not tipping on carry out, except a rare occasion as the kitchen staff packs the food vs. plates it and front desk hands me the food. There is no service.