Additional Coverage:
- 9 ‘Polite’ Things People Do At Restaurants That Are Actually Rude (blog.cheapism.com)
Dining Dilemmas: Accidental Rudeness at Restaurants
You think you’re being polite at a restaurant, but some seemingly helpful habits might actually annoy the staff. Here’s a look at common dining faux pas:
Don’t Seat Yourself: Unless a sign says otherwise, wait to be seated. Seating yourself disrupts the restaurant’s flow and table management.
Don’t Stack Plates: While your tidying instincts are admirable, leave the table clearing to the professionals. Servers have a system for efficiently carrying dishes and balancing items. Your help often hinders more than helps.
Make All Your Requests at Once: Need a refill, extra napkins, and more ketchup? Ask for everything at the same time. This saves the server multiple trips.
Never Snap or Wave: Snapping or waving frantically is disrespectful. A simple “excuse me” is sufficient when a server passes by. They are trained to be attentive to diners’ needs.
Keep Conversations Brief When They’re Busy: Friendly chatter is fine, but avoid lengthy conversations when servers are clearly busy. They have multiple tables and kitchen timing to manage.
Don’t Interrupt the Specials: Let the server finish describing the specials. Interrupting is rude and you might miss out on a delicious dish.
Don’t Take Plates Off the Tray: Resist the urge to help by taking plates off the server’s tray. This can disrupt their balance and is generally considered inappropriate.
Avoid Overusing “No Rush”: While meant to be considerate, repeatedly saying “no rush” can be distracting to servers who are already managing their time efficiently.
Don’t Clean Up Spills: Accidents happen. Simply apologize and let the staff handle the cleanup. They are equipped to deal with spills and broken dishes.
Read More About This Story:
- 9 ‘Polite’ Things People Do At Restaurants That Are Actually Rude (blog.cheapism.com)