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Dear Helena,
Restaurant work is not exactly my vocation (I am a nursing student), but I've been a server for a few years and think of myself as fairly professional. Currently, I work part time in an Italian café. The other day one of the cooks threw together a quick cheese panini for me to eat on my break. It was pretty quiet so I took it behind the counter so I could talk to the other girl who was working there. A customer came up and placed his order. Then he gave me a strange look and said it made him "uncomfortable" to see me eating a sandwich in a place where food is served, and he wanted to give me a chance to explain myself before he posted a "negative online review." WHAT????? I don't get why he made such a fuss.
—Low Blood Sugar
Dear Low Blood Sugar,
You messed up. As a server, you shouldn't eat in front of customers, for the same reason you shouldn't talk on the phone or reapply your makeup in front of them. These activities are bad for the ambiance and are potentially unhygienic. The customer sees this and may think: "Yuck! That server may not wash his hands after eating, and may leave cheese grease, crumbs, and microscopic traces of saliva on my cutlery!"
I understand that you have to eat on the job. If you're on your feet for six or seven hours, carbo-loading at the preshift family meal isn't going to carry you through to the end of the night. But you should take your snack out of customers' sight. Max Belkin, a server with 25 years of experience and creator of the blog Waiternotes, says even when the kitchen is an open one, "every restaurant has places [customers] would never see, like … where they wash the plates." One former restaurant cook told me that when he worked in an open kitchen, he and his colleagues crouched down behind the counter rather than let customers see them eating.
Many restaurants let their employees eat unlimited amounts of certain foods, like bread, salad, or soup, says Belkin. But many customers have no idea that servers sometimes also help themselves to diners' leftovers. Some are squeamish about this, but according to Belkin, there has been at least one scavenger in every restaurant he has ever worked in. As with many areas of food hygiene, people vary wildly in how fastidious they are. Belkin knew one server who, rather inexplicably, "would only eat off a woman's plate, never off a man's plate." Geoff*, a server in Chicago with seven years of experience, says that many waiters will help themselves to a half-finished plate of finger food, like fried mozzarella sticks, but would shudder at the thought of eating food that a customer's cutlery had touched. Then there are people like former server Michael Jones-Morales, who admits that when he worked in high-end places, he wouldn't think twice about helping himself to half-finished "$40 filet mignon."
Geoff says that even when he and his coworkers were scraping leftovers into a doggy bag, "we would grab a forkful here and there." Now that's something you definitely don't want the customer to see you doing.
*He did not wish his last name to be used.
Pinehurst is right! If you weren't spitting crumbs everywhere and making a mess of yourself- what gives them the right to say that- especially if you were behind the counter!
A guy I know used to work at the restaurant in a fancy Westwood, California hotel -- I won't name it but it's name is just one letter.
He used to eat off customer's plates before he served the food. That's right. Someone might order a sushi appetizer and he'd eat one, figuring the customer would never know if the appetizer should have had six pieces of sushi roll instead of seven. Or he'd eat...+READ
A guy I know used to work at the restaurant in a fancy Westwood, California hotel -- I won't name it but it's name is just one letter.
He used to eat off customer's plates before he served the food. That's right. Someone might order a sushi appetizer and he'd eat one, figuring the customer would never know if the appetizer should have had six pieces of sushi roll instead of seven. Or he'd eat a few french fries.
Obviously, he never took a bit out of someone's burger (only because that would be obvious) but he'd help himself to stuff that he thought wouldn't necessarily be missed.
I don't know him anymore, we stopped hanging out.-COLLAPSE
Unless you were masticating like Cookie Monster and spewing saliva soaked nibs on other diners' panini, Low Blood Sugar, you're in the clear. In fact, I probably would have asked for a cheese panino if yours looked good. It's a cafe, ostensibly with counter service. Chill.
LBS should have told that prissy nancy boy to shove it and ate the sandwich in front of his face. How pedantic do you have to be to concern yourself with what goes on in the back, and to post an online negative review about it? I guarantee even the yuppie trash on Yelp would laugh him right out of town for making a post like that.
Also, if most of you even knew 5% of what really goes on in the...+READ
LBS should have told that prissy nancy boy to shove it and ate the sandwich in front of his face. How pedantic do you have to be to concern yourself with what goes on in the back, and to post an online negative review about it? I guarantee even the yuppie trash on Yelp would laugh him right out of town for making a post like that.
Also, if most of you even knew 5% of what really goes on in the backs of most restaurants then there'd be an uproar.
That customer should be more concerned with the "microscopic traces" of rat and cockroach fecal matter that are probably permeating the entirety of his house.-COLLAPSE
Something that needs to be clarified: the letter writer never stated that SHE specifically took the order, only that the customer placed his order.
I feel just like mizducky when I go to the "homier" Chinese restaurants here in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles -- it is a common sight for the waiters (or the family members of the restaurant owners) to be eating together and working together at a table right in the restaurant. It feels like a version of chef's table to me -- I love seeing the "behind-the-scenes" operations. I've never...+READ
I feel just like mizducky when I go to the "homier" Chinese restaurants here in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles -- it is a common sight for the waiters (or the family members of the restaurant owners) to be eating together and working together at a table right in the restaurant. It feels like a version of chef's table to me -- I love seeing the "behind-the-scenes" operations. I've never found it unappetizing in the slightest -- it makes me feel at home.-COLLAPSE
It's a service industry job, if you can't deal wit that, go mine copper in Wyoming with a teaspoon!
If the person was taking an order for a customer that is not being on a break, that is eating while attending to a customer and it is not good business. If you are on a break (meaning you have no tables or customers and someone else is working instead of you) then you can remove your tell tale waiter things and eat your meal in public (esp - as in most cases, if there is no break room). We used...+READ
If the person was taking an order for a customer that is not being on a break, that is eating while attending to a customer and it is not good business. If you are on a break (meaning you have no tables or customers and someone else is working instead of you) then you can remove your tell tale waiter things and eat your meal in public (esp - as in most cases, if there is no break room). We used to have people eat at the bar or at a deuce in the back. No one ever balked, but then again we were not fancy. But generally, servers did not get real breaks unless they were splitting or doubling. They ate their meals standing hidden from the customer in the server window/prep area whenever they caught a lull.
I have never seen anyone eat off the plates of customer's leftovers. Ever. I have seen them pull meat off for their pets (prime rib bones mostly).-COLLAPSE
I think people are being too judgemental. In Asian restaurants, it's commonplace to see the staff eat a meal in the dining room, off to the side. In other restaurants like Chez Panisse as was mentioned, staff meals are also routine. I would only object if they're being non-hygenic i.e. eat with their hands and then serve food immediately afterwards, tasting with the spoon, and then dipping back...+READ
I think people are being too judgemental. In Asian restaurants, it's commonplace to see the staff eat a meal in the dining room, off to the side. In other restaurants like Chez Panisse as was mentioned, staff meals are also routine. I would only object if they're being non-hygenic i.e. eat with their hands and then serve food immediately afterwards, tasting with the spoon, and then dipping back in, etc. but tasting the food before sending it out is the de riguer of any chef. I would just expect that to be sanitary practice. If you're truly worried about sanitation, you should just eat at home because frankly, you have to have a little faith that they're being clean behind the kitchen doors.-COLLAPSE
This happened to me once! Not as the server eating, but as a customer. I wasn't peeved, but I didn't know what to think. It DID make me uncomfortable to look over to another table not far from ours and see my server (who was not on break!) eating the same exact dish I was. I kept glancing at him in disbelief, not sure what to think (never seen this before!) and I think he realized his mistake...+READ
This happened to me once! Not as the server eating, but as a customer. I wasn't peeved, but I didn't know what to think. It DID make me uncomfortable to look over to another table not far from ours and see my server (who was not on break!) eating the same exact dish I was. I kept glancing at him in disbelief, not sure what to think (never seen this before!) and I think he realized his mistake because he looked guilty and stopped eating so much, more rather picked at his sandwich and tried not to make eye contact but knew I was aware. It was WEIRD.
It's one thing to eat on break, I could care less. But to eat at the same time, the same dish, at a table not far from mine, while you're still working... major WTF moment-COLLAPSE
diamond645, are you serious? Real Chinese people eat chicken feet, and a restaurant that serves them is only serving Chinese food. I would be very wary of eating at one that served neither chicken feet or anything else that would be considered strange for my Western palate. And I am Chinese.
As for the family meal being served in the dining room: so that everyone else knows, this is pretty...+READ
diamond645, are you serious? Real Chinese people eat chicken feet, and a restaurant that serves them is only serving Chinese food. I would be very wary of eating at one that served neither chicken feet or anything else that would be considered strange for my Western palate. And I am Chinese.
As for the family meal being served in the dining room: so that everyone else knows, this is pretty common practice in Chinese restaurants and I hope people don't take offense. For a high end joint they might not, but most casual or pseudo-Chinese places will likely do this. This is not out of disrespect. Chinese customers don't take it as such.
Serious Eats writes about eating chicken head and feet here: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/09/from-beak-to-claw-chicken-and-duck-feet-steamed-with-shiitake-recipe.html-COLLAPSE
some people are simply disgusted at seeing anyone else eating; esp. if the other might be less than thin... I've had my share of snide comments, rude stares, etc. as if I should not be allowed to eat anything since i'm already fat, not to mention if i'm eating something particularlt delectible. I am not a slob but people (in malls, etc.) seem to think that what I eat is their business! I'm not in...+READ
some people are simply disgusted at seeing anyone else eating; esp. if the other might be less than thin... I've had my share of snide comments, rude stares, etc. as if I should not be allowed to eat anything since i'm already fat, not to mention if i'm eating something particularlt delectible. I am not a slob but people (in malls, etc.) seem to think that what I eat is their business! I'm not in food service but really! live and let live...-COLLAPSE
Fowler, never took a swig out of a coctail, beer, or glass of wine. Never really ate off a plate before it went out with the exception of said kids' plates. We ate food from plates after the diner was done. Usually that diner didn't want to go box. Perhaps you could consider me eating off a discarded meal theft, and it is absolutely theft that I ate off a plate before it was served. I don't care....+READ
Fowler, never took a swig out of a coctail, beer, or glass of wine. Never really ate off a plate before it went out with the exception of said kids' plates. We ate food from plates after the diner was done. Usually that diner didn't want to go box. Perhaps you could consider me eating off a discarded meal theft, and it is absolutely theft that I ate off a plate before it was served. I don't care. It was a high end joint, I was paid bupkiss, and I can't tell you how many times I was stiffed or undertipped by a bitter wife whose hubbers flirted all night. I was so poor at the time that what I ganked off a plate might have been 1/2 of all the food I ate that day.-COLLAPSE
Tokyomonamour,
If you ate food off the the customer's plate before serving it to the customer most people would consider that theft. Did you also take a swig out of their cocktails?
When I see a server eating on break, especially in restaurants with cuisines I'm not back-and-forwards familiar with, I look to see *what* they're eating and make a mental note to try it next time. Never occurred to me to be grossed out or offended.
I waited tables all through college and off/on post graduation, and I guarantee that most of us ate off the plates. Especially if it's "individual pieces": i.e. fried shrimp, etc. I'd eat a few things off a kids plate before I delivered it to the table b/c that kid was only going to eat a few bites then cuss his parents anyway. When I ate at a nice steakhouse, inevitably the wife or girlfriend...+READ
I waited tables all through college and off/on post graduation, and I guarantee that most of us ate off the plates. Especially if it's "individual pieces": i.e. fried shrimp, etc. I'd eat a few things off a kids plate before I delivered it to the table b/c that kid was only going to eat a few bites then cuss his parents anyway. When I ate at a nice steakhouse, inevitably the wife or girlfriend would order a big steak and eat three bites then proclaim she was full. We'd cut off all the parts that came near her bites and eat the rest. I'd collect all the baked potatoes and rolls and sneak them out of the restaurant to the homeless crew that hung out nearby. The bottom line is that we made $2.13/hour and needed every nickel of our tips for bills, etc. Any free food we could scrounge up, we did. No one saw us but we totally did it. We also polished off any wine left in bottles- always.-COLLAPSE
I think the only real important thing is that if you have any sort of job where you're interacting with customers, you shouldn't eat while you work. Now, the person asking the question says he/she was on break, so it seems odd that even while on break, he/she would take this customer's order. I think the obvious thing here is, if you want to talk to your friend who's working, and your friend is...+READ
I think the only real important thing is that if you have any sort of job where you're interacting with customers, you shouldn't eat while you work. Now, the person asking the question says he/she was on break, so it seems odd that even while on break, he/she would take this customer's order. I think the obvious thing here is, if you want to talk to your friend who's working, and your friend is behind the counter...just sit at the counter and eat your food? I mean, every place is different, but I don't think that at most cafes there would be anything upsetting about seeing an employee sitting at the counter and eating food.
Also, I think that the idea of threatening your server with "posting a negative review online" is completely uncalled for in any situation. Not only is it rude, but do most servers really care how many stars the restaurant they work for has on Yelp?-COLLAPSE
I can see both sides to this issue; however, people in restaurants watch other people eat all the time. Let's face it, servers probably do far worse things with their hands. I always feel grossed out by how many of them smoke. The thought of having anything related to smoking in my food turns my stomach. As long as people wash their hands, which is something we must all take on faith, then why...+READ
I can see both sides to this issue; however, people in restaurants watch other people eat all the time. Let's face it, servers probably do far worse things with their hands. I always feel grossed out by how many of them smoke. The thought of having anything related to smoking in my food turns my stomach. As long as people wash their hands, which is something we must all take on faith, then why shouldn't they eat? I'm more suspicious when they're not interested in the food.-COLLAPSE
I like your comments mizducky and great examples. I especially like to see servers or pretty much anyone keeping hydrated with a beverage. I want my servers to be healthy and not have a dehydration headache or faint or something.
The doggie bag pilfering is disconcerting. Years ago a waitress helped herself to a quarter of a lovely club sandwich she told me. I was the cashier at the time and...+READ
I like your comments mizducky and great examples. I especially like to see servers or pretty much anyone keeping hydrated with a beverage. I want my servers to be healthy and not have a dehydration headache or faint or something.
The doggie bag pilfering is disconcerting. Years ago a waitress helped herself to a quarter of a lovely club sandwich she told me. I was the cashier at the time and she claimed the customers would never notice. I was horrified. Then about a year ago I got half my pad thai to go and deliberately left myself four shrimp for a terrific midnight snack. Two of the shrimp were missing when it came time to eat my leftovers. I was pretty mad and will not eat at the place ever again. And now I always insist on packing my own doggie bag. Obviously I would not do this at a high-end establishment.
The really disconcerting thing, which I have seen more than once, is when the employees get take-out from another place. Ulp.-COLLAPSE
Most interesting! Maybe this explains why my leftovers seem so much smaller when I get home than when my plate left the table ...
As i read this i can see what some mit have reservations about but if like in the discription is true the waitress was caught off gaurd by a someone who she was unexpected too see she was not purposely eating in front of customers so i will have two seconded the "WTF" moment the young lady had but from then on she probably will not eat in The FOH
I went to a local chinese restaurant and saw the kitchen staff eating their supper with the rest of the patrons. Nothing major...until I saw what was in their plates. Noodles piled on top with chicken head and feet....yes the actual heads with eyes and beaks and the feet with toes and claws....that was just too gross for my Canadian palate!! Hubby and I never went back!
Similar to another commenter, I have seen plenty of servers at the homey in-the-hood Vietnamese restaurants I frequent taking their meal breaks at a designated employee table in the dining room, in full view of the customers. It's never occurred to me to have a problem with it. Goodness knows these pros are all on-the-go hustle for long hours--why pretend they don't need to refuel after all that?...+READ
Similar to another commenter, I have seen plenty of servers at the homey in-the-hood Vietnamese restaurants I frequent taking their meal breaks at a designated employee table in the dining room, in full view of the customers. It's never occurred to me to have a problem with it. Goodness knows these pros are all on-the-go hustle for long hours--why pretend they don't need to refuel after all that? And how their visibility while dining might imply any lack in their post-meal hygiene totally escapes me. For that matter, I've seen workers in Asian restaurants sit at a free table in the dining room during a slow period with a big bin of produce before them, performing such painstaking prepwork as stringing snowpea pods or removing root-hairs from beansprouts. Often it's been an older lady who I assumed was one of the matriarchs of the family running the restaurant. And sometimes I've seen younger folks, offspring of the restaurant family to judge by the interactions, seated at a corner table eating dinner, or even doing schoolwork. Rather than being repelled by any of this, I have been nothing but charmed at these displays of family life in the midst of "taking care of business." I realize that all of these behaviors would be strictly frowned upon in a high-end restaurant, and that's certainly fine if that's the dining experience one desires. But for me, it's probably just as well that I can't afford such places these days, because my heart is more with keeping it real in the hood.-COLLAPSE
It is actually against health codes in many places to eat from behind the counter, as the shelves below are usually storage for ready to use items like bottled table sauces, clean mugs, and to-go items. It is also discouraged by many chain restaurants, in brand standards to eat in the main dining room, in uniform.
I think it is unprofessional, and I think many customers think wait staff is...+READ
It is actually against health codes in many places to eat from behind the counter, as the shelves below are usually storage for ready to use items like bottled table sauces, clean mugs, and to-go items. It is also discouraged by many chain restaurants, in brand standards to eat in the main dining room, in uniform.
I think it is unprofessional, and I think many customers think wait staff is sloppy to see them sitting there eating, in uniform, too. I mean, if you go to a mechanic shop, how would you feel waiting for some one to help fix your car, you are staring at the only mechanic working on a car and he finally comes over and says, "Oh, sorry, I was working on my car and didn't see you there..."-COLLAPSE
Eating behind the counter, and eating at while seated at a table give two completely different impressions. Most obvious, to me, is that eating behind the counter implies the employee is "working", rather than on a break. I have no problem with seeing an employee eating if the person is seated in the same way as a paying customer. But eating at the counter? No thanks. Take your snack into the...+READ
Eating behind the counter, and eating at while seated at a table give two completely different impressions. Most obvious, to me, is that eating behind the counter implies the employee is "working", rather than on a break. I have no problem with seeing an employee eating if the person is seated in the same way as a paying customer. But eating at the counter? No thanks. Take your snack into the back room, please, or sit down somewhere and demonstrate manners.-COLLAPSE
My boss at a hip pizza joint encouraged us to "get caught" eating, but we made damn sure to wash our hands at the prep bar. There was a back of the restaurant, but we wanted to give the impression all of the food was completely made in front of the customer, like a fancier Subway. Older people would freak out, but younger customers wanted to know what we were eating, and what was our favorite. It...+READ
My boss at a hip pizza joint encouraged us to "get caught" eating, but we made damn sure to wash our hands at the prep bar. There was a back of the restaurant, but we wanted to give the impression all of the food was completely made in front of the customer, like a fancier Subway. Older people would freak out, but younger customers wanted to know what we were eating, and what was our favorite. It was pretty good for business.-COLLAPSE
I can top this...my dining companion and I were actually asked to move from the spot we had chosen at the bar. This was a largely empty restaurant. Imagine my anger when I saw two employees come out of the kitchen, sit at the spot we had been asked to vacate, and eat a meal. Our server didn't understand why I was pissed.
i've never seen a server eat a customer's leftovers at any level. yikes.
snatching a french fry from the bowl the fry basket is emptied into, post-seasoning, pre-hitting the diner's plate... yes. grabbing a forkful before boxing to-go food, no never. i think i once saw a dishwasher grazing off of something that was about to go through the hobart, but he was pretty punk-rock.
it's...+READ
i've never seen a server eat a customer's leftovers at any level. yikes.
snatching a french fry from the bowl the fry basket is emptied into, post-seasoning, pre-hitting the diner's plate... yes. grabbing a forkful before boxing to-go food, no never. i think i once saw a dishwasher grazing off of something that was about to go through the hobart, but he was pretty punk-rock.
it's unprofessional to eat in front of customers unless you are on an obvious break or seated for staff meal, and someone else is taking care of them. i don't really have any problem w beverages, esp the common covered/sports top coffee or water. i don't care if i see my server drinking from a glass or cup stashed near the service station, for example.-COLLAPSE
It is well known that at Chez Panisse, the reason most of these other "fancy" restaurants exist in their current "sustainable" mindset, employees sit down to a family meal, kitchen & all, at the end of the night, while guests are still present. They are people too.
Also, I am an employee at Pizzaiolo, another wonderful restaurant following in Chez' footsteps, and we, too, find a row of tables,...+READ
It is well known that at Chez Panisse, the reason most of these other "fancy" restaurants exist in their current "sustainable" mindset, employees sit down to a family meal, kitchen & all, at the end of the night, while guests are still present. They are people too.
Also, I am an employee at Pizzaiolo, another wonderful restaurant following in Chez' footsteps, and we, too, find a row of tables, a section away, but not completely, from guests dining after our closing time, to have our amazing staff meal. The kitchen has to close at a certain point, and that includes our meal, and there is no where else to eat in most restaurants, unless you're ducking in the dish room (which we do during service to raise our falling blood sugar levels), especially as a large group.
As far as during service is concerned, checking in with your table by saying "I'm going to take a quick break but so & so is going to take care of you until I return", let's you off the hook and then they know you will not be serving them during your break. Being in communication like that relieves assumptions and avoids what could be taken as inappropriate action otherwise.-COLLAPSE
It boils down to the basic line between customer and server. People come into a restaurant to PAY for food and service. As an employee, you are there to serve. Yeah, like it or not, that is your job description in any service industry. So, while at work, suck it up and be professional. If you don't like it, get out of the industry.
I recall watching 'older' servers folding linen napkins while smoking. Thinking there was nothing wrong with this ??
Unless it's a fancy restaurant, I just don't see what the big deal is. You're in a restaurant, so I wouldn't think seeing someone eating could make you feel uncomfortable. The only somewhat legitimate concern is hygiene, but if you're really worried about that then you shouldn't ever eat out because whether you see someone eat or not their hygiene could be great or it could be horrible and you...+READ
Unless it's a fancy restaurant, I just don't see what the big deal is. You're in a restaurant, so I wouldn't think seeing someone eating could make you feel uncomfortable. The only somewhat legitimate concern is hygiene, but if you're really worried about that then you shouldn't ever eat out because whether you see someone eat or not their hygiene could be great or it could be horrible and you wouldn't even know.-COLLAPSE
You don't eat in front of the customers, you don't do make up, you don't scratch your butt, you keep discussions brief and only about business at hand, you don't drink or hang out at the bar before or after your shift. Thats the way it's always been. But then again, if it's one of these new type of joints where the boss and the help are wearing jeans with holes in them, logo t-shirts, tatoos and...+READ
You don't eat in front of the customers, you don't do make up, you don't scratch your butt, you keep discussions brief and only about business at hand, you don't drink or hang out at the bar before or after your shift. Thats the way it's always been. But then again, if it's one of these new type of joints where the boss and the help are wearing jeans with holes in them, logo t-shirts, tatoos and piercings everywhere and or caps on bakwards or bandanas, I guess it wouldn't matter anyway.-COLLAPSE
Awe, this guy would be vomiting at a Chinese restaurant, where the waiters and cooks, eat at one of the tables at the end of the night or shift.
Suck it up, its not that bad, who said that person didnt wash their hands after eating? That is a hygienic habit, has nothing to do with eating.
And as Atomica wrote- its take out.
In general it's not a good idea, but it's panini take-out, not fine dining.
whether on break or not, anytime your hand comes into direct or indirect contact with your skin while eating or working, this is an un-hygenic situation, and you should wash your hands thoroughly before handling utensils or food to be served.
Eating in front of a patron or customer in any business is rude. In the restaurantt I worked for, no one on break was allowed near the line or behind the...+READ
whether on break or not, anytime your hand comes into direct or indirect contact with your skin while eating or working, this is an un-hygenic situation, and you should wash your hands thoroughly before handling utensils or food to be served.
Eating in front of a patron or customer in any business is rude. In the restaurantt I worked for, no one on break was allowed near the line or behind the counter. No eating was allowed. If it wasn't paid for, it was stealing.-COLLAPSE
Actually, I'd find the fact that the server was eating there on their break a good sign. I've known a few servers who wouldn't eat in the restaurants they worked in. If she was clearly off-duty and eating a meal prepared in the restaurant, this is not anything to get worked up about.
The eating in front of customers does not bother me nearly as much as the fact of staff eating off of dinners that have been to the table. This is highly unhygienic and not professional, and if the management has a clue, they will discourage this type of behavior. We are not scavengers. I make enough money to buy my own food. I do not feel the need to eat off of customers plates, and I think that...+READ
The eating in front of customers does not bother me nearly as much as the fact of staff eating off of dinners that have been to the table. This is highly unhygienic and not professional, and if the management has a clue, they will discourage this type of behavior. We are not scavengers. I make enough money to buy my own food. I do not feel the need to eat off of customers plates, and I think that this type of behavior lowers the standard of our profession.-COLLAPSE
If a server on break eating offends your delicate sensibilities, it is time for you to get some real problems.
I think he gave you the hairy eyeball because you didn't know the proper term was "panino." I would, too.
I've never been to an eatery that takes my plate, then packages the "doggie bag" for me. They usually bring a container out to me then I unceremoniously dump it in there myself.
I'm lying, I've never had leftovers at a restaurant. Tee hee.
Being seen eating scraps from a plate and eating a meal prepared for you while you're on a break are two very different things. I have no problem with the example in the letter. It wasn't as if she were hovering over customers' tables with a turkey leg in her mouth.
Yeah, I was a server for years, and would never have wanted customers to see me eat or drink, either. I never thought about it before, but this is kind of a ridiculous illusion to maintain... especially if you work in a chain that pays big bucks to air commercials featuring people eating the food!
Having said all this, this customer sounds insufferable. Giving you a chance to "explain yourself"...+READ
Yeah, I was a server for years, and would never have wanted customers to see me eat or drink, either. I never thought about it before, but this is kind of a ridiculous illusion to maintain... especially if you work in a chain that pays big bucks to air commercials featuring people eating the food!
Having said all this, this customer sounds insufferable. Giving you a chance to "explain yourself" in majorly douchey.-COLLAPSE
Long-time RN here. You wouldn't eat in front of a patient, right? (Well, maybe I can see it in certain behavioral-problem clinical areas.) I know, it's got to be difficult. But persevere.
And one of my former staff nurses said working as a server while she was in nursing school was a great aid in learning to deal with patients. Good luck to you.
I'm not bothered if a server has a snack, but helping themselves to a snack of MY food on the way into a to go container?!? That's ridiculous.
I don't care what kind of restaurant it is, if the server is eating behind the bar, behind a counter, anything but standing next to me at my table, I'm okay with it.
In a casual restaurant, or bar, I don't mind the servers eating in front of me, especially if they are being sociable with customers at the same time. My husband has been a chef for 30 years and does not EVER take a lunch break, nor snacks in front of customers.
A good waiter acts they eat ...above me.
I don't want to see a server shoving food in their mouths as they're moving around doing their job, but a server on a break, eating a sandwich? Unless I'm dining someplace fancy schmancy, I don't care.
I would never ever want a customer to see me eating or drinking.... Maybe a sip of water if I'm working behind the bar, but only if I truly cannot leave and I am dying of thirst.
All things like eating, drinking , fixing your hair, makeup, retying your apron, etc should all be done out of sight of customers. This seems like a no brainer.
When I was in college I worked in the cafeteria there that hosted banquets in the hall in the summertime. I remember me & the other dishwashers getting drunk on leftover wine and snacking on leftovers in the dishroom. Our boss turned a blind eye to our fun :)
I remember Ramsay scream-firing a young man for drinking a bottle of water in sight of the customers. So, lucky on you letter person.