Food & Drink, June, Special Sections »

Written by Joe Hull

I am a local restaurant employee who wants to give you a few helpful hints on how to most fully enjoy your evening out on the town. Many people aren’t sure of the proper etiquette for a successful dining experience, so I am here to help you out.

First of all, and a very important consideration, is to make a reservation. It is a much nicer way to start the evening. Everyone benefits from this, from the wait staff in the front of the house to the cooks in the back of the house. Casual diners do not usually do this, however, and then are upset when they can’t be seated immediately. Open tables are seen and the question is always asked, “Why can’t we have that table”? It’s because someone was courteous enough to reserve that table, that’s why. If the establishment knows how many to expect, they prepare accordingly, from staffing to food preparation. If an establishment is only aware of X amount of reservations, it doesn’t want to over prepare. That is why when 100 people show up we sometimes run out of food, and that upsets people. It is unfortunate, but a fact of life. Make a reservation!

Another important point to a successful dining experience is asking questions. If for some reason you do not know the answer or are afraid to ask, don’t be. There are no stupid questions. We are more than happy to answer your questions thoroughly and in an informed way. No one wants to disappointed due to confusion that could have been easily taken care of. Servers are our first line of defense. They generally are knowledgeable and more than happy to answer any and all questions about food, wine, preparation etc. they are an excellent resource, but if they are unable to answer a specific question, you can always “politely” defer to a manager or the chef.  Stupid is as stupid doesn’t.

The next point is my personal pet peeve. The menu is not a suggestion! If you do not see a list of sides, it’s because there aren’t any. If that is how you choose to dine, OK, but just go to a chain restaurant. Any one of those establishments will be more than happy to oblige you. If not, you might want to know the kitchen staff worked really hard pairing the meals on the menu, and it kills them a little bit inside every time you make one of these requests. Please don’t try to use whatever clout you think you have to influence to the server into doing your bidding, like you deserve some sort of favor. It just makes you look like an arrogant ass, and yes, we do talk about you. You must like the food, or you wouldn’t “eat here all the time”. However, we are sensitive to food allergies such as gluten and nuts, but I do know what Celiac Disease is and it doesn’t mean you are allergic to vegetables…just sayin. Finally, if you want to make your own menu, learn to cook.

Last and most importantly, take care of the people who take care of you. Take things in stride; there is no reason to be rude. Even though we make a lot less money than you, there is no excuse to treat us like second class citizens. If things don’t work out perfectly, our best efforts will be made to fix it to your satisfaction. Just make sure you remember we wok in a sometimes thankless job. Fifteen percent gratuity is a guideline, but there is no reason if you love your experience, food, drinks, atmosphere, and service that you can’t leave 20-25%. We love that! If we didn’t love making people happy and providing a great experience, we would have become politicians.

Thanks and keep on comin’ out.