Yes, they chose this job, but customer service jobs are not always the easiest gig. They require a lot of patience, apologizing for things outside of their control and multitasking. For dining out, try incorporating these little reminders for your next restaurant experience. It might just be to your benefit as well, when you are a kind guest, that server will always remember you and go out of their way to enhance your experience.
Be mindful
Often times, we can get caught up in the instant gratification mentality. Have patience, as there are a lot of things happening at the restaurant outside of you (rolling silverware, running food, helping a coworker, restocking, etc). If you are in a rush, let the server know so they can speed up the process for you.
The menu
Whether you are a picky eater or have allergies, be cautious about food modifications. A couple modifications are completely fine and understandable (after all, they want you to have the best meal possible); however, completely reinventing a menu item is not favorable.
Let the server speak
You may be thirsty and hungry and want something ASAP, but let them get their little introduction in. Cutting them off before they finish their sentence is not only irritating for the server, but there’s a good chance there is valuable information they are relaying to you upon arrival.
Don’t be afraid to ask
If your server is MIA or you need something urgently, don’t hesitate to ask another server or manager. Politely ask and it will be delivered.
Provide positive feedback
Whether it was the meal or the service itself, share gratitude with the server, and even better yet, a manager. The service industry is a lot of giving (with sometimes, little to no verbal appreciation for their acts); a moment of kindness goes a long way.
Tip accordingly
20% is the recommended tip percentage for a bill. Keep this in mind while ordering, because the server doesn’t get much pay outside of their tip money. If the service was not stellar (for example, you felt the server truly did not care about your experience) it is justifiable to adjust your tip percentage.