Anyone who's worked in food service can tell you it’s no walk in the park. Every now and then, workers have to deal with entitled customers, their weird preferences, and ridiculous demands. It’s just a part of the job. But thanks to social media, people can share their criticism online and enlighten others about their lack of common sense.
Recently, TikTok user Bobbi Swan created a couple of short videos where she asked her coworkers to share their "biggest pet peeves as a server." While the group knew the inner workings of the restaurant industry, they revealed just how annoying customers can be.
From snapping their fingers to interrupting the staff, some complaints they raised seem almost unbelievable, and others prompted quite a discussion in the comments. Scroll down to find out what grinds servers' gears the most.
TikToker Bobbi Swan asked her coworkers what their "biggest pet peeves as a server" are
Restaurant workers started airing their grievances
You can watch the full video right here
The creator later continued with Part 2 of the series
Watch the full video, which got over 1.7M views, right over here
When the creator posted the videos on the platform, they sparked quite a debate in the comment section. Many followers shared their own pet peeves and started discussing restaurant etiquette and what working as a server is all about.
However, some were confused why ordering "water with their fountain drinks" was considered an annoying habit. Bobbi posted another clip, explaining that it was not meant to make people feel bad. She said it’s only a little annoying because most people don't drink the water. So when she has to bus tables, she can’t stack those cups together and it just takes more time.
It’s common for people who never worked at a restaurant to not fully understand what a thankless job it is. You see, not getting properly tipped by customers is just the tip of the iceberg. A server's job is high-stress by nature—they have to get used to the fast-paced environment and juggle different customer demands while keeping a smile on their face.
Of course, not all customers lead to nightmarish experiences. There are plenty of great diners who respect their servers and appreciate their efforts. Yet, there’s also a fair share of people with non-existent food allergies and privileged attitudes that can truly push servers over the edge.
According to Food & Wine, customer entitlement at restaurants now is extremely high—and restaurant workers are at their limit. The pandemic has worsened customer behavior, often making the staff feel unsafe and unvalued. Many servers report "impatience regarding wait times, name-calling, frustration over limited seating and menu options, and disregard for safety protocols."
Ever since the pandemic began, there seems to be a trend of people forgetting how to be nice to and understanding of each other. One server told Food & Wine that they need to provide customers with above-and-beyond service, even if they are offensive: "It makes us feel like we are not allowed to have the expectation of being treated like a person."
Sometimes, diners throw temper tantrums when the service does not meet their expectations. But if the management does not stand up to it or, even worse, encourages such behavior, the restaurant industry might begin to seem like a one-way street.
According to Alexander Kjerulf, the author of the Chief Happiness Officer Blog, if companies encourage the "customer is always right" attitude, it can lead to bad service. One reason behind it is that it makes employees feel unappreciated and gives annoying clients an unfair advantage.
In our previous interview, he told us that "in America, there's been an increase in entitled belligerent jerks who think they can get whatever they want if they yell loudly enough about it." Yet, "Employees finally have online forums where they can share their stories and support each other."
After all, if you choose to work in the service industry to make a living, that does not automatically mean that others have the right to walk all over you. Hopefully, the grievances this group of servers aired will help many people to become more self-aware of their behavior when dining out.
People had a lot to say about this and were quick to share their own pet peeves
