What's the point of having vacation days if you're not allowed to use them?

There is nothing worse than watching an unruly customer take their unnecessary frustrations out on an innocent server, as if it's part of their job to deal with abhorrent individuals. In short, it shouldn't be, and nine times out of ten, if you're a bystander in this situation, you can do more than stay out of the fray. Here, we have a kind Midwestern family who went out to a nice dinner at a local steakhouse. Their meal was practically ruined as a result of the family of Karens nearby, who mad…

Whoops… these waiters mixed up their words a little bit! It happens to all of us now and again: we mean to say one thing, then think of something else to say, and then combine the two to make one dumb phrase. It's like that scene in Mean Girls when Cady tries to say “great” and then “cool” and ends up with “grool.” Except that these people were waiters, and they were talking to their customers when they made their mistakes. Unlike other service jobs, waiters work for tips from their customers,…

This is not the first time a customer has refused to listen to reason, and it certainly won't be the last. We understand that people can be particular at restaurants due to dietary restrictions, but if your limitations permit you from the majority of the ingredients in a dish or on a restaurant's menu, it's probably easier for everyone involved if you simply order something more appropriate or to just go somewhere else. It's like that scene in the cinematic classic A Cinderella Story when a cus…

What are the professional rules on “take-backsies”?

Kindness can go a long way, but so can pettiness.

Let this story serve as a friendly reminder to be generous to your servers because you really do not know what shady behavior they have had to deal with on the job. Of course, this includes entitled customers and Karens who make their shifts a living nightmare by starting drama, sending food back and forth, and tipping poorly. However, it does not necessarily stop there. Every server has also encountered shady management at some point as well. In this case, we have a server who worked for a sma…

“For anyone out there that thinks [working in a casino] would be a great job, well, I can tell you right now it's not as glamorous as it seems—especially when you are working in the kitchen.”

“I was asked for a tip at the SELF CHECKOUT at a self service frozen yogurt place. Who gets the tip? Me???”

Servers should get an additional 20% tip every time a customer asks a self-explanatory question. It turns out people are just as ignorant in restaurants as you would think. This collection of questions real servers were asked by entitled customers just goes to show that thinking before speaking is a lost art. Instead, people are asking questions like why the menu did not properly state that the risotto had rice in it. People are asking what the difference is between a 6-ounce steak and a 12-oun…

"If you are the two girls that tried walking out on your hundred dollar tab yesterday, I hope you stub your toe on every piece of furniture you walk by."

It's not easy to forget the people who yell at you for no reason. Those moments become embedded in our memories forever and often inform how we respond or react in future confrontations. No one has to endure more of these confrontations than our servers, so be sure to give them tips and a break if something goes wrong. Here, we have a server who worked the opening night of a brand new restaurant when a Karen customer memorably screamed at her in front of the entire restaurant because orders wer…

“It’s very fun and I’m not gonna stop lol.”

Anyone who has frequented an All You Can Eat Buffet establishment knows that things can get out of hand really quickly. Customers stay far too long, they overeat, they get sick, they eat more, and servers are left to clean up after everyone. It feel like a modern version of Roman Empire mayhem. Sure, it sounds lavish and over-the-top in theory, but in practice, it's all borderline disgusting. When I was in college, we had an All You Can Eat sushi place that once a year, had a Special Discount d…

Rule number one: Never come between someone and their pizza order.

When it comes to the workforce, one thing you will never get promoted out of no matter how high up the ladder you climb is the constant inner battle between being petty or professional.