by Bonnie Christiano

Created on: July 03, 2010

These days, going out to a nice dinner has become a luxury for a lot of people.  When you are forking out good money to eat some good food and be waited on, the last thing you want is a rude waiter.  So how do you deal with a server who is being less than polite?

Ask for the manager.  If you feel that you are being mistreated by your waiter, it is absolutely appropriate to inform his or her manager.  A good manager wants to know when there is a problem in the restaurant.  And a good manager will make sure that the problem is addressed.  This may be a bit awkward so depending on the severity of the offense, it is up to you whether or not to make your report during the meal or wait until you are ready to leave.

Rude waiters can ruin an evening.  Whether you are on a first date or having date night without the kids, you are entitled to the best service possible.  But if what you get is sub-par, ask to be reseated in a different waiter’s territory.  If you don’t like confrontation, pretend that you just don’t like the particular table where you were originally seated.  If the restaurant happens to be full and no other seats are available, bite the bullet and ask for a different server. 

Some people tend to be more passive in these situations.  If you are just not comfortable complaining about the service, that is certainly your choice.  In that case, finish your meal and leave.  Many businesses rely on word of mouth.  When a customer receives good service, they may tell one or two other people.  If someone receives bad service, they will tell everyone they know.  So not only will that restaurant never get your business again, they won’t get the business of your family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you may so inclined to tell.  Even though you didn’t speak up in the moment, you can still make an impact.

Patience is a virtue.  But no one will blame you if you lose patience when being treated improperly by a waiter.  An effective way to get your point across is to keep your cool and just get up and leave.  If the food has already been ordered, go ahead and ask them to box it up for you.  No sense wasting the meal but at least you can eat it without dealing with poor service. 

Waiting tables is a job.  It may not be the career of choice for some who choose the line of work but that is no excuse to treat customers

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>