by Lenna Gonya

Created on: February 04, 2010

Waitresses are people too. They are wives and moms and, sometimes grandmothers. They are there because they need the money, and, they put up with unimaginable stress throughout the day. You should treat them with the same respect you would treat a friend or co-worker.

They are not in charge of the quality of the food, or how it is prepared. They are not in control of the menu, or the prices.

They have as many problems as their customers, and all this is coupled with the fact that they get less than minimum wage. A law allows employers to do this, since they receive tips, if they are lucky.

During the day, they put up with customer's questions, complaints, and long involved stories about their latest surgeries. They often make several trips to the same table, make every effort to produce special requests, find something to entertain a screaming child, and, in the end find a quarter tip on the table when the customer leaves.

Taking all this into consideration, and the fact that most customers want a friendly, helpful, and attentive waitress, it is a good idea to try and be an accommodating patron.

Do not ignore the waitress when she comes to take your order, or when she greets you. She is not a piece of furniture. Stop your conversation, or your phone call long enough to say hello, and tell her what you want. She probably has other customers and can’t stand there all day.

Try to remember to tell her everything you would like right off the bat. Don’t send her back and forth ten times because you have just thought of something else.

When your food arrives, say “thank you”. It’s not that hard. You might want to say please once in awhile too. Waitresses appreciate good manners.

If something is wrong with the food, don’t take it out on the waitress. Ask her politely if she can take it back and get you something else. She will be happy to help you out.

Do not snap your fingers or yell, “hey you” at your server, while trying to get her attention.

If you need a reason other than common courtesy for being polite to your waitress, remember, you will ultimately get better service from someone who is happy with you. No one wants to voluntarily come back and deal with someone who is difficult or rude.

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