Being a server is no easy job. Given this, it’s understandable that some servers have customer gripes that they’re eager to share on the internet.
Over the years, numerous servers have sparked internet discussion after sharing their on-the-job stories to social media. For example, one server showed how she “gets back” at tables that she does not like; another recounted their experience dealing with a customer who attempted to dine and dash.
Now, another server has a complaint about customers, this time concerning how they order dessert. You might be doing it wrong, too.
What’s wrong with customers’ dessert orders?
In a video with over 95,000 views, TikTok user @housecatchronicles, who has previously made videos sharing her criticisms of customer behavior, reveals another complaint she has about diners: how they order dessert.
“Oh my God,” she begins. “People do this with a dessert menu at my job, and it drives me [expletive] insane. I swear it’s one of my biggest pet peeves.”
According to her, she says that the dessert menu is on the back of the restaurant’s cocktail menu, and so, she frequently leaves it with guests at the beginning of the meal.
While she says some customers are ready with their dessert order by the end of the meal, the rest of them fall into one of two groups.
First, the TikToker says, both groups will not acknowledge her. Second, the customers will stare at each other as if they hadn’t considered ordering dessert. Then, when the TikToker offers to give them more time, they insist they are near-ready to order—then go back to indecisively staring at each other.
The second group, she says, does effectively the same thing, only using their time to stare at the menu rather than at each other.
“In both of those scenarios, I’m supposed to just stand there,” she says.
“And what’s also really [expletive] weird to me, everyone I know knows whether or not they’re going to get dessert while they’re eating or before they’re eating or directly after they finish their meal,” she continues. “This weird behavior of like—they’ve not considered dessert until I ask them and then they have to have the conversation about it—Like, what are you talking about? What kind of weirdos are you?”
@housecatchronicles Replying to @idrkwhat #restaurant #bar #server #bartender #serviceindustry #restaurantindustry #hospitality #customer #customerbehavior #fyp ♬ original sound – not a quick question
Commenters are mixed on the idea
In the comments section, some users agreed with the TikToker, adding their own complaints about customer behavior.
“The ppl who complain abt us ‘taking too long’ to come back don’t realize OTHER ppl get mad at us for coming too often!” exclaimed a user. “We try to find neutral ground, just tell me to come back & ill be there sooner!!”
“The thing customers need to understand is if they are at your table for an hour, and you have say, six tables, that means the max time you have to spend on anything to do with them is ten minutes,” added another.
That said, some said the behavior laid out by the TikToker in the video was totally normal.
“Me and my husband do that look ! Get use to it bc I everybody does it,” wrote a commenter. “Nobody plans for desert it a spur of the moment thing.”
“I think they may be worried that the server won’t be back for 10 minutes and then they won’t want it anymore,” offered another.
The Daily Dot reached out to @housecatchronicles via TikTok DM and comment.
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