Going out to eat can be a fun time—but if you’re a customer who always does things like sending their food back or let your kids roam free, you’re probably unintentionally pissing off the people who work there.
Don’t believe us? BuzzFeed compiled the top complaints that restaurant workers have about their customers. Here are 13 of them:
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Parents Who Forget They Have Kids
“Hands down, it’s parents who sit down and forget they have children. They let them run through the restaurant — not only making it difficult for us servers to do our jobs, but also destroying other guests’ meals.”
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People Who Don’t Know What They Want
“I HATE when customers don’t know what they want and say ‘Surprise me!’ Well, buddy, you’re getting the most expensive thing on the menu, and I don’t care if it isn’t to your taste — make up your own mind next time!”
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Not Tipping on Go-To Orders
“I understand that tipping for takeout is uncommon and certainly optional, but when I worked at a takeout restaurant, I would feel a little salty toward people who would put in HUGE orders and never tip. We would have their order ready in record time, all boxed up neatly, with all these free sides, condiments, and silverware, and would offer to carry the whole thing to the car for them, and they wouldn’t even so much as drop their change in the tip jar. That always bugged me.”
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Complaining About Extra Payments
“The ones who ask for extra of an ingredient and are surprised you have to charge them for it.”
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Not Paying Attention to Hot Food
“When I put hot plates down in front of guests, but they have no idea because they’re balls deep in their phones — my hands are burning while they’re just Snapchatting about the food they don’t even have yet!”
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Adults Ordering Off the Kids Menu
“When grown-ass people come in and order off the kids menu.”
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Complaining About the Food Yet Clearing The Plate
“When they eat 80% of the meal but demand that it be taken off the bill because it was disgusting — then ask for a to-go box for it.”
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Snapping to Get Your Attention
“There is nothing worse than a guest snapping, whistling, or grabbing me to get my attention. I’m not a dog. I’m a human being — please treat me as such.”
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Giant Groups at Busy Times
“When you’re in the middle of the lunch rush and have a giant group come in during their break and say they need to be out in 45 minutes. Like, what?!?! You and your giant-ass group should have gone to McDonald’s!”
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Forcing the Menus Back
“When people force their menus into your hands while the rest of their party is still ordering. It’s just another thing that I have to juggle while I try to get everything written down correctly!”
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Know-it-Alls
“Customers who work in a restaurant themselves and constantly correct you on the things you’re doing wrong.”
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Entitled Customers
“People who say they know the owner. Anyone with access to Google can figure out the name of the owner. If you’re really such a dear friend of the owner, the owner would have alerted us that a friend would be dining in the restaurant. You ain’t special.”
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Overstaying Their Welcome
“CAMPING AFTER THE BILL IS PAID. It’s fine to sit around for a few minutes after the meal is over, drink your coffee and such, but if it’s the middle of the dinner rush, move your ass! I’ve got another table of 20 waiting to be seated!”
Do you do any of these quirks when eating out?