A Good Customer?

Question

I see so many questions about what makes a great server/service person,but rarely what makes a great customer! What do service industry people think would make the public more enjoyable to wait on?

Thanks, from a professional waitstaff person.

It sounds like the service industry is similar everywhere. Yea for regular customers that we genuinely love to see!

I hope that people that receive great service from service people read these responses, they are wonderful!

Answer 1

OK, here goes, in no particular order:

1. If you need me to retrieve something for you (sauce, extra silverware, etc.), fine, no problem! But don't you or someone else in your party send me back for another of the same thing. Tell me the first time so I don't have to constantly make repeat trips (Example: You ask for a side of ranch, fine, I get it and return, then another in your party pipes up and wants some ranch, too).

2. GET OFF THE FRICKIN' CELL PHONE WHEN YOU ENTER THE RESTAURANT!!! - Honestly, I've had guests walk in with cell phones glued to their ears, still talking when they order, still talking as they eat, still talking as they pay out, AND still talking as they exit. SO RUDE!!! Is your call THAT important?

3. Please acknowledge my presence when I approach your table. I know you're self-important and all, but I can't help you unless you look me in the eye and actually tell me what you want. If you don't want to be bothered by pesky, low-life waitstaff, GO TO McDONALD'S!!!

4. Don't EVER tell me you're in a hurry, unless the enticement of at least a 25% or more tip is involved! I've actually helped people get in and out, only to be rewarded with less than a 10% tip. Buddy, money talks and BS walks!!! If you absolutely have to have super-fast, it's called fast-food joints; check into them!

5. I don't care what part of the world you're from; if you can't adhere to American tipping customs, then get take-out or schlep it to McDonald's.

6. Don't be a high-maintenance pain-in-the-@$$!!! Period.

7. Don't cut me off when I'm greeting you or explaining specials or dishes at YOUR request. Mama always said NOT to interrupt.

8. If you insist on dragging your offspring with you, please see to it that they are well-behaved and disciplined. Otherwise cough up for a sitter. Having little hellions run around the restaurant getting in everyone's way, throwing food, playing hide-and-seek , screaming at the top of their lungs, etc. is not only embarrassing for you but will certainly piss off the other diners, not to mention the staff. Sorry, but we're too busy to babysit for you while you and hubby are sipping your cappucinos oblivious to what your brats are doing.

9. Being rude from the moment you walk in is not the best way to get good service. The staff will NOT want to be around you. I've seen several guests make waitresses cry simply by being rude, obnoxious, and condescending. Trust me, if you return, you WILL be remembered.

10. What's that? The service was great, but you don't want to tip? No problem! Next time get take-out or go to McDonald's. You think we don't remember the bad tippers and stiffers? WRONG!!! The service won't be so good next time. It's called getting what you pay for!

11. Don't wanna tip on your alcoholic drinks? Uh, NEWS FLASH!!! We have to tip out the bartender on alcohol sales, usually about 10% of said sales. So if you order a lot of alcoholic drinks, it may have actually cost us money to wait on you, all because you didn't want to tip based on the whole check, not just the food! So stop thinking up ways to try and low-ball your waiter on the tip! We don't keep 100% of what you put in the tip line!

12. So we waitstaff should expect our employer to pay us a decent wage instead of having to depend on tips? Sounds good, but it's unrealistic. If our wages are increased to match what we would usually make in tips, get ready for a dramatic price increase on the menu! The fast food industry will experience a major boom when that happens b/c people will flock to them instead of paying increased prices at full-services restaurant!



So bottom line: Come in, be pleasant and display good manners like I know you've been taught (?), treat the staff with dignity and respect, have a good time while you're here, and come back and see us (oh, and don't forget to tip well!). Have a nice day!!!

Answer 2

I think that plain and simple treat others as you would want to be treated.

Customers need to be respectful, kind, and understanding. While you are paying for your food so is everyone else. As a server we try the best to make sure everyone receives the best service possible. Sometimes (actually many times!) it is beyond our control when things go wrong. We work off tips and would much rather see the food get out quickly, taste great, and your drink glass always full.

However, there are times when it is the server's fault or the service and food was far below reasonable quality. I think as a customer the best thing you can do is ask to speak to a manager. They can much better resolve everything. First talk to the server and make sure they can't do anything, then if they can't ask to speak to the manager.

Servers are always happy to see kind and understanding customers and chances are your service will be better because they will be more willing to go out of their way to make sure the food is ready. There is many times I have went into the kitchen and made a salad myself because a nice customer needed it.

Overall I'd say treating others as you would want to be treated is the most important, but also just using common sense helps!

Answer 3

Hmmmm I'll try to keep it short, I have a list that goes on for days, but I'll stick to the most important things!!

1. Manners. using the word please, looking your server in the eye, saying thank you, not leaving a HUGE mess etc...

2. Know what you want and ask for everything at once. Dont have your server get you one thing and then send him or her right back for another. Anticipate your own needs and try to cover it all in one trip.

3. be patient. you are not the only person your server is waiting on. There are most likely 3 to 5 other tables he or she has to serve and they all need things too.

4. TIP!!! A servers wages are what you leave on the table. If you were high maintnence (and you know when you are) tip a little more. If your kids were throwing their spaghetti everywhere...tip a little more. If the kitchen screws someting up dont reward your server with a bad tip..some things are out of their control. a decent tip is between 15 and 20 percent of your tab. If you are super pleased with the service give 25 or 30 percent. Under no circumstances is a tip less than 10 percent acceptable. Even if the service wasnt too great this person still has to make a living!! Remember people make mistakes, its what makes us human!!

Answer 4

My husband and I both worked in restaurants years ago. I always treat my servers with the most respect. They work very hard!! Never talk down to them. But I also hated the guy would acted like my best friend. You know, the one who would read your name tag and call you by your name with sugar dripping off of his words, the whole time him and his party were there.....yuk!
Be ready to order when you tell your server you are ready.....don't just sit there still reading the menu, they could be taking someone else order.
Remember the server didn't cook the food, don't yell and *****!! Be polite!
Mostly...just treat a server the same way you'd like to be treated. Show some respect!!!!!!!!!
P.S. I always leave at least 20-25 % tip, remember, most of the time the servers have to make up their wages in tips!

Answer 5

customer should be kind and be clear of what they order, should not let kids act crazy and annoy the serves or other guests....a simple please and thanks is good for everyone... patience is good when waiting for more service, coffee or drink refills, and a respectable tip is for sure a good customer.
[i know some rude people do not tip at all and that is not right] please tell your co-workers that some people do not tip well, and sometimes it is because they are low income and can not tip like they would like too] i, am one of these people[ i am retired and old, and i go out 2 times per month and can not afford the 15% suggested tip ....i tip what i can afford and i do not mean it to offend the server, of course the servers know me and they know i am doing the best i can. hope your understand this.

Answer 6

One of the key things & I believe most important good manners. I just hate it when customers fail to respond to your greeting, it makes you feel invisible. You also want customers to be appreciative of what you're doing for them, respect for you & the job you're doing. Some behave as though you have to do what you're doing, for them & that they're entitled to the service while being rude to you & that you have no choice but to accept that kind of behavior.
It would also be great if a quite a few of them would ditch the bad habit of not cleaning up after themselves once they've made a mess, like in a store, for example. Last but not least, if those who come in at the last minute would not expect to hurry others along & order others about, because they want to be served now, seeeing as how they're in a hurry & can't wait despite being last to arrive.

Answer 7

I am loving this Q!! Thanx!
A good customer is one who is patient,
comes in regularly, happy to see you,
knows what they want to order,
without an attitude,
appreciates how busy you are at any given moment,
understands when you have time to chit-chat (or not),
remembers your name and treats you like an actual HUMAN BEING,
says good-bye and thank-you when they leave,
and leaves a proper tip.
Notice I say PROPER, not great,fabulous,huge,or fantastic, just proper, because a person who is a pleasure to wait on is no trouble at all.
What is truely amazing to me are the ones who are the MOST trouble(high maintenance) and require the most amount of your time are the crappiest tippers on the planet!! WHY?

Answer 8

Look me in the eye, treat me like a person. Treat me like a fellow citizen. I swear some people don't even acknowledge our humanity. Get off your cell phone when we approach you. Don't pay with $100 bills early in the day. If you are a large party with separate checks sit next to the person you're sharing a check with. Say thank you. Say please. Smile. If you are unhappy with your food, remember that I didn't cook it. Tell me and I'll be glad to try to help you out. None of this sounds hard does it. If you are good to me I will naturally be good to you.

Answer 9

Ok--Wyndhawk has hit it on the head. Everything that was said is so true. I think it should be voted best answer. I've done this work for years and there's nothing I can add.

Answer 10

I waited tables for a couple years, and I said "Hello, my name is Andy..." to every table. Rarely did anyone remember my name, but when someone did I always appreciated it.