7 Things You Do At Restaurants That Secretly Annoy The Wait Staff, As Told By An Ex-Server

Ordering drinks and food before the server even says their greeting

One of the rudest things I used to experience as a waitress was greeting a table that would interrupt me and start demanding orders.

I understood that my job was technically to take them, but some patrons wouldn't even say "hello" when I walked up to the table.

A lot of times, restaurants have wait staff to memorize the specials of the day and answer any questions beforehand. So, when customers have a bunch of questions about the menu after they get their food, it can work up the employees.

Asking for a ton of modifications

One of the most anxiety-ridden tasks is going to line cooks and asking if they can modify the meals the chef specifically curated for the restaurant.

If you have more than two things you wish to modify, or if the one thing you're modifying in the dish is the main item, just get something else.

It will make your experience smoother, the employee won't have to run back into the kitchen to make sure the cooks will do it...and the staff won't have to pretend that the kitchen ran out of that specific dish that day. I can't lie and say It hasn't happened before.

Going to a restaurant that specializes in a cuisine that you don't like

I used to work at a seafood restaurant, and you wouldn't believe how many people would ask me, "I don't like seafood, what other items are on the menu?"

Of course, there were items like salads and burgers, but it was always something the customer didn't want, and they were limited on what they could order.

Why even go to that restaurant?

A large party that does not specify there will be separate checks until the end

A server will have to put in everyone's food order under one check.

If it is specified at the end of the dining experience that there are many different checks, the employee will then have to take the time to find each drink, each appetizer, each entrée and each dessert to transfer to separate checks according to who is paying every part of your birthday meal today.

Of course, it's possible, but when you're in a slammed establishment, you don't have the time to sit at the computer and figure it out without your other tables getting annoyed. Don't forget, your coworkers need to put in orders, too.

So, please, save the heartache and do it prior to ordering so your server knows who is paying whose drinks and food items ahead.

Demanding where the food is when you're in a large party

If you have a large group of people coming in to eat, you have to expect that the kitchen will be backed up a little bit to make sure your party's food comes out all at once and the rest of the restaurant is served.

When customers lack patience, it irritates the server, especially when they start asking why the food is taking so long.

Sir, you have a party of 15. Calm down, please.

Dad jokes

Let's face it, they have a time and place. Most of the time, they don't land, the comedic timing is off and, as a server, it throws you off guard when you're super busy.

Here and there, it lightens the mood, but sometimes you just want a normal greeting and a simple food order and get the show on the road.

Sitting at a table after you paid and chatting for hours

Servers make their money by turning tables at most casual restaurants. That means, when one gets up, another sits down.

In my experience, I worked at a beachside restaurant. People would love to finish their meals, get that last margarita and babysit it for hours next to a floor-to-ceiling window that had a view of the beach.

It got to a point where the restaurant needed to have time limits on tables to the establishment didn't lose out on business for long wait times.

If you do this, just get up and sit at the bar.