Starting a small business is a scary thing, putting it all on the line to try and create a successful business, which will see you solely reaping possibly unlimited benefits—if you can make it that far. But, hey, you take on all of the risks, you get all of the rewards; that's fundamentally how we've decided things should work in this world… and when it works well for someone, you're not going to see them complaining. However, taking on the risk means taking on the risk. Which is something a lo…

This totally unethical manager is about to go down. Not only was it against policy for the employer to participate in the tip pool among the other servers at the restaurant, but matters were also made worse when the manager suggested that tipping was a “privilege.” Essentially, she threatened to stop allowing her servers to receive tips at all, as if that is not the majority of the money these workers rely on to pay their bills. This thread was posted to Reddit by u/mddnaa , who decided that it…

A career in the service industry is never easy. However, it gets ten times more challenging when someone tells the chef they have dietary sensitivities in order to ensure that they take their dislike of a specific ingredient seriously. The story that follows is relayed by an unhappy server. The Original Poster (OP) is in charge of asking customers if they have any special dietary needs that the chef should be aware of. That's why OP investigated the matter properly when a disgruntled customer c…

Dodgy off-book leave policies are something that you just come to expect after a while of working in the restaurant or retail world. From the first time you go to book leave and are met with the strong insinuation that maybe you shouldn't be taking any leave at all, giving you reasons of being too busy or too understaffed to possibly afford to be a “man down," you're going to be feeling that old resigned feeling of knowing that this is going to be that kind of place. The reality is that you're…

Talk about a humiliating dining experience! This patron had an unfortunate emergency that required a relatively long trip to the bathroom. The trip took so long, in fact, that his server began to think he dined and dashed because he took his things with him. It turns out the customer elected to grab his things because he didn't want his stuff to be “out in the open” while he was gone for what he instinctively could tell would be more than just a minute. Well, the server decided the matter was s…

Servers wait on people from all walks of life, and that includes celebrities. In this thread, they shared the good, the bad, and the ugly. Back when I was a waitress, I didn't meet a single famous person. I guess the diner I worked at wasn't exactly in high demand, and it was also in a pretty rural area, so I doubt most people have heard of it. There was this one time when I thought I had waited on Paul Rudd, but nope, it turned out it was just a look-alike. To be honest, I wish I had him as a…

More often than not, customers tend to completely forget that the servers who are standing in front of them are human beings too. While it is understandable to want to get a proper service for something that you are paying for, treating servers how you would want to be treated yourself is the least you can do. So for example, if you see that a server is taking their much-deserved break, maybe just leave them be. Which is exactly what the customers in this Reddit story should have done, at least…

Serving customers is not always an easy task. Having said that, most people who decide to work in the hospitality sector are people who like engaging with customers and have excellent interpersonal skills. Nevertheless, it should be noted that there is no justification for rudeness or improper behavior on the part of clients. The story that follows is an account of an irritated server. For some time now, the Original Poster (OP) has been employed by his brother-in-law, who runs a Mexican restau…

One customer was absolutely livid when his server did him a 'graceful favor' when his card was declined. The situation evoked quite a discussion on Reddit, where people either completely agreed with the original poster (OP), or totally disagreed and thought that they were in the wrong. So what happened? Well, a very rude customer showed up to eat at OP's workplace, and after serving them, OP came to give them the check. Unfortunately, their card was declined. OP didn't want to embarrass the cus…

Some customers are so particular with their orders one has to wonder why they went to a restaurant in the first place. If you're going to be that difficult, it will be a much better use of everyone's time if you stay home and make your own food. Part of going to a restaurant means choosing from the options that have been presented to you (they call it a menu). It's one thing if you have an allergy or would like to make an easy adjustment to an order. However, it's quite another thing to request…

Some managers need to learn to have some patience. Not every issue is worth the time and energy to throw a tantrum and get on a high horse. There are often far more important things to be done and far more productive ways to channel any frustrations. But when has a manager ever listened to what we have to say over here at FAIL Blog? This manager certainly did not take our advice. She also clearly had some major anger management issues, considering that when she confronted a server about a hash…

It's 2024– everyone's seen a septum piercing. Going back to humanity's days in the caves, the septum has been a bone-in classic for a long time in the body modification department. Sure, it may seem moderately rebellious to put a hoop in your nose like a bull, but it's not exactly a shocker to find someone in public with their nose pierced. Chill out everyone, what's it to ya anyways?

It is usually advisable to stay away from people who are impolite when dealing with staff. Ultimately, the waiters are there to assist you in having a good time and planning your next visit. However, what would happen if your guests mistreat the staff for no apparent reason? They turn an evening that could have been genuinely amazing into a major headache. The story recounts the tale of a frustrated server who found a perfect way to exact revenge on an obnoxious customer. Surprisingly, no elabo…

Working in customer service is, as we often say, both a blessing and a curse. However, I don't believe I've covered the subject of tourists mixed with the pleasure of providing top-notch customer service. The story below is an account of a chef who worked at a popular seafood restaurant for tourists. By then, OP claimed, he had been employed in the food business for around eight years. As a result, he has grown accustomed to dealing with demanding clients. Therefore, when the ultimate Karen sho…

Working in customer service is quite a colorful experience, as you get to meet a whole bunch of people, some of whom are polite, others, not so much. I remember the days when I was a waitress… Actually, I fetched people coffee well into my late twenties until I managed to get a gig elsewhere that was far from the public eye. I was relieved that I didn't have to deal with customers anymore…These tipping stories really capture a couple of moments that I think everyone comes across after working a…

At a certain point, ordering a specific dish without the vital components that make it that specific dish in the first place becomes pretty pointless. For example, if you order a cheeseburger without cheese, it's just a hamburger; and if you order eggs benedict without hollandaise sauce , that's just poached eggs on a bun; and if you order a Ceasar salad without anchovies, you're just going to get a few lettuce leaves and croutons on a plate.