Engaging Introduction

I've never been a server, but I've always been fascinated. It sounds like one of those jobs that truly throws you in at the deep end of human interaction. For a lot of these people, it's their very first job—and I can only imagine how hard that must be. You're always talking to people of all sorts, from the super sweet ones to the ones who treat a glare as tip enough.

I used to think I was a "good customer." I was polite. I said "thank you." I tipped reasonably. But after years of dining out and paying closer attention, I realized there were things I was doing—without meaning to—that probably drove my servers up the wall.

A few years ago, I started asking servers I knew what actually bothered them. Not the obvious stuff—rudeness, not tipping, shouting. I wanted to know the small, seemingly harmless behaviors that, when repeated table after table, added up to a really long shift.

Their answers surprised me. Some things I'd never thought about. Others made me wince because I'd done them myself—just hours earlier.

Servers are right in the front line, dealing with it all. And there's that whole "customer is always right" thing… yeah, we all know how true that can be. Although I've never had to wear the apron myself, I've seen it from the other side of the table. And honestly? I have such respect for people who do that job.

So here's a list of 7 annoying things customers do—not to make anyone feel guilty, but to help us all be better diners. Because a happy server means better service, better food, and a better experience for everyone.