Think being a server is easy? Think again. In the bustling world of restaurants, servers master the art of balancing plates, personalities, and (sometimes) patience on a daily basis. But there are certain customer habits that can make even the most Zen-like server want to trade in their apron for a one-way ticket to a deserted island. Wonder if you’re guilty of any? Let’s find out what real servers wish you knew, straight from their own horror stories shared on Quora.
The Top 10 Restaurant Habits That Make Servers Want to Scream
- Drip-feed Orders: Picture this: your server has just put down your last plate, breathes a sigh of relief…and you ask for something else. Kane Mantyla (yes, a real server) says nothing is more annoying than having customers at a table add extra orders one after another, right after receiving the previous course. Imagine running a relay race where the finish line keeps moving. The secret to making your server’s day? Try to ask for everything you need at once—no marathon required.
- Finger Snapping: Yes, the customer is king. But, as servers confirm on Quora, royalty doesn’t mean rudeness. Snapping your fingers to get attention? “It’s just so impolite,” they all agree. There are much better ways: try intense eye contact, a friendly nod, or (gasp) a big smile!
- The Plate Tower of Pisa: At the end of your meal, helping your server by stacking the plates—or, rather, stacking them poorly—lands comfortably in the top three of infuriating behaviors. Good intentions, bad engineering. As Tom Wilson (veteran server) explains, he spends more time reorganizing these shaky plate towers than he’d like, all to avoid a public crash landing.
- Unleashing the Children: Catastrophes aren’t always caused by wayward plates. Sometimes, it’s small humans. While some restaurants welcome kids with play areas, most don’t. As Lemanski (another server) confessed, “I didn’t sign up to babysit.” Commenters pile on: “How many times have I almost tripped over kids running between the tables!” and “Restaurants aren’t a playground…”
- Insisting on the « Best » Table: Tala, a battle-hardened server, raises another classic headache: lots of guests believe they deserve the best table—without thinking about the others who want it too. Servers have strategic reasons for where they seat you. Usually, it’s not just about you, but about what works for everyone, staff included.
- Complaining About the Wait: Servers can only move so fast. Some already-seated diners grumble about being hungry. But as one irritated group chat participant put it, “I’m not the cook—it’s not my fault!” Tala admits the absolute worst are new arrivals losing their cool: “People get upset because they have to wait an hour or more for a table… I can’t make people chew faster.”
- Borrowing (and Forgetting) the Pen: “Excuse me, do you have a pen please?” Servers hear it a lot. Nothing wrong with it—unless the pen never comes back. Next time, channel your inner Boy Scout: always return what you borrow.
- Phones on the Battlefield: When servers bring food but find cell phones sprawled all over the table, it complicates the art of plate placement. Kate, a server, says it becomes “complicated to put down the dishes.” Many admit: they get it if you’re checking your phone before you’re seated but staying glued to your screen while ordering? Not cool.
- The Tipless Table: Let’s wrap things up with a classic. Servers on Quora admit they’re truly “annoyed” when a hard shift ends… and the table is bare of tips. Kevin complains about guests who “demand a lot and give nothing in return. They talk to you, take your time, and then leave nothing… Don’t they know how this works, or are they just super stingy?” Anyone who’s worked in restaurants learns this one the hard way.
Why Do These Habits Sting?
Servers juggle dozens of requests, from the reasonable to the downright puzzling, all while running around during the busiest hours. When customers expect mind-reading, treat staff rudely, or create hazards (unattended children, mountainous plate piles), it ramps up the stress. With every new table, the dance continues: can the server please everyone, keep them happy, and avoid total chaos? Only with a little help—or, at least, a lack of sabotage—from the guests.
How You Can Be a Restaurant Hero
- Group your orders and only ask when your server is present—avoid the never-ending scavenger hunt.
- Attract your server’s attention gracefully. Bonus points for a smile.
- Let the professionals stack the dishes; gravity is serious business.
- Keep the kids corralled—servers are not paid to practice parkour.
- Trust the staff on seating. There’s usually a reason.
- Be patient during peak times. No one has invented a “chew faster” button (yet).
- Return borrowed pens—karma is a thing.
- Clear the tech from the table when food arrives, and be present during orders.
- Show appreciation with a tip—especially if you’ve asked for a lot!
Final Thoughts
Anyone who’s survived a restaurant shift will tell you: it’s demanding, fast-paced, and full of surprises. Next time you’re dining out, spare a thought (and maybe a smile) for the person balancing plates, patience, and persistent demands. Skip the finger snapping and tip what you can—you might just make someone’s shift a whole lot brighter.
Iveta is an aspiring journalist with a passion for storytelling and a deep love for coffee. Always curious and creative, she dreams of sharing stories that inspire, inform, and connect people around the world
