There may not be any job that has to deal face to face with rude people more than waiting tables. Customers treat getting their extra honey mustard a few minutes late like you just threw their child into that hole in “300” where soldiers vanish forever. Don’t take my word for it though. A group of waiters discussed the worst things customers had ever said to them and it’s completely unbelievable. Be sure to give your waiter a little extra love the next time you go out. It’s a rough gig.
1. Sharkplug
The owner of a coffee shop I worked at came in during a particularly busy rush on a Sunday, which was one of our busiest days. After serving him, he told me he wished he could go back in time and break my parents up so I was never born because it was the worst service he had ever had.
2. CareerRejection
Asked a customer how he wanted his Whiskey River BBQ Burger. We had about 3-4 different types of BBQ-related entrees, so it was easy to mix it up unless you are clear to the consumer. He looked at me kind of funny and said, “Well-done I guess?” I don’t like to deal with questioning remarks, especially when it comes to food (i.e., food allergies, really picky eaters such as myself) so I proceeded to repeat the order back to him. He said it was correct, but I still had my doubts. Bring the food back to the table, he looked at me like I was the dumbest thing on the planet. “I definitely said BBQ Chicken …” I apologized, said, “Oh! I’m sorry about that I thought for sure you had said the burger. That’s why I asked you how you’d like it cooked.” Next thing that came out of his mouth was this, “Oh I just thought you were retarded, so I didn’t really question it.” I was never so mad in my life over something that stupid.
3. RandallFromNb
I was once at the local dog park with my then-girlfriend and dog and we start talking to this guy. He tells us that he works at McDonald’s and earlier that day some horrible middle-aged female customer ate her food and as she went to dump the tray, she accidentally dumped her spare change in the garbage with it. She told the manager that she wanted her money back and the manager made this guy pull the garbage can out and dig through everyone’s ketchup-covered garbage for some spare change. He tried but could not find it.
He was then told by the customer to pull the garbage bag out and dig to the bottom. Still nothing. The customer told him that maybe it would be easier for him to pull the garbage out on to the floor in handfuls as he went. He did. When the bag was mostly empty and his arms were now covered in ketchup and old soda, she reached into her coat pocket and found her spare change. She just laughed and said, “Oh, here it is!” Then she walked out. No apologies. Later that day, I am talking to my mother and she told me that she thought she dropped her spare change in the garbage at McDonald’s earlier and made some employee dig for it. Yup … my mom.
4. Allthesex
“You shortchanged me by a penny, I bet you stole it. You ought to be fired. Let me speak to your manager.” This said after she complained about a tarnished penny I’d given her in her change that I’d switched out for a newer shinier penny at her request. Why would I steal one penny?
5. RyanFromMemphis
“You piece of shit honky” was said to me by a reverend who was trying to skip on a $400 bill.
BACKSTORY: His table was a 12-top comprised of himself and his wife and what I can only guess were his deacons and their spouses. After two hours, I noticed that one by one the people were leaving so I notified my manager. Her response was give him the bill immediately before he runs off. I print the tab and walk out and hand it to him as he is putting on his coat. His wife flashes me a dirty look and he informs me his is not paying the bill, his deacon was supposed to handle that. I inform him that his tab is still open and it needs to be closed if he is leaving. That is when he uttered “You piece of shit honky.” Before things could escalate, my manager swooped in and in her sweetest voice informed the reverend that he could either pay the bill or talk to the police. After he paid, she again ever so politely informed him that he was not welcome back.
6. Justanotherjen
I had a man yell “waitress” across the room at me. The room goes dead silent and all angry eyes are on him as I walk over to his table. He’s completely oblivious to the dirty looks from other customers and I say, “My name is Jen, sir.” He responds, “Jane, Joe, Susanne … I don’t care what your name is. Bring me the damn check.”
7. Clockworkgirl21
When I brought the food out, the little girl said, “Thank you.” The mother responded, “You don’t have to thank her, honey, that’s her job.”
8. Redditgrlfriend
“Am I supposed to pour this myself?” An old grumpy lady who came in with her home health nurse every so often. She had a ton of dietary restrictions, which is totally fine. My restaurant was great with special orders, but she could never EVER remember what those were or what she ordered that was ok for her – and neither did her NURSE!
They both expected us to remember what she could and couldn’t eat. This particular quote was once after I brought her the hot tea she ordered, which as in a lot of places, is served with a small mug and tea pot with hot water. To be clear, she was perfectly capable of pouring it herself, I had seen her do it multiple times, so it wasn’t an old person thing. And either way, if she actually couldn’t pour it, there are a thousand nicer ways to ask.
9. FggyGggls
A 6-year-old girl said, “Don’t talk to me!” Me: “Why not?” She said, “Because I hate white people.”
10. Trillian_42
I work in a country club heard this gem last summer. Waitress knocked over tall pepper grinder on table while putting down food causing a members’ guest’s water to be knocked over. The members’ guest tried to be nice and help the waitress clean it up, but the member said this little gem, “Oh no honey you don’t have to be nice and help her, we own them, this is their job and they shouldn’t have messed up and knocked it over in the first place.”
