An Olive Garden worker documented how one server at their location decided to let customers know they weren’t welcome. That’s because the patrons decided to show up 20 minutes before closing time.
Zaiah Adams’s (@_.shadowww) TikTok showing the ear-aching maneuver has accrued over 8.1 million views. Additionally, his post sparked a debate on the ethics of walking into a sit-down restaurant right before it shuts its doors.
Vacuum siren
Adams’s video begins with him recording a fellow Olive Garden employee walking toward the restaurant’s seating area. In her hand is a vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, a text overlay in the screen delineates the purpose behind her walk.
“POV: getting a table 20 minutes before closing time. So you use a broken vacuum to get them quickly [out,]” it reads.
Next, a blaring sound emits from the vacuum cleaner she just turned on. She then starts to press the vacuum against the floor of the restaurant. The noise of this machine, coupled with the image of the employee cleaning up the restaurant, will presumably influence the newly arrived guests to leave.
Moreover, if they do decide to dine inside, they will find themselves in a very unwelcoming environment. The Daily Dot previously covered another viral TikTok post involving a food service worker criticizing diners for arriving 20 minutes prior to closing.
In this instance, the server in question was stuck with a table of 15 people whom they described as rude and unruly. Additionally, he described them as being especially demanding. Upon leaving the restaurant, they were also miffed that due to their party size, an automatic gratuity was appended to their tab.
More server woes
Other cases highlighting this phenomena indicates this as a particularly aggravating situation. One server said they ended up staying 45 minutes past their eatery’s closing time. And it’s due to “last call” customers. That’s because workers aren’t allowed to leave until customers finish their meals and close out their checks.
While they can inform patrons that the kitchen is closed and extra orders must be placed, some guests will linger past business hours. Not wanting to upset customers or usher them out of the establishment, workers often must stay behind until diners exit.
Food & Wine penned an article about the etiquette involving restaurant arrival times. The outlet spoke to several restaurant managers/owners to get their opinions. Ultimately, the write-up indicated that there are several factors to consider when it comes to closing times.
Firstly, the type of establishment needs to be considered. If you’re going out for a tasting menu/table experience, you’ll need to give yourself ample time. So showing up 20 minutes before closing isn’t going to cut it at this type of business. Conversely, another owner of a more casual eatery said that they don’t mind if guests come close to its 9:30pm closing time.
However, they did mention that because this is the time the kitchen staff closes up shop, guests should come prepared. They may want to peruse the menu online beforehand or put in their order quickly to ensure prompt service. Furthermore, this gives some level of consideration to staff members, allowing them more time to make their food.
@_.shadowww #serverlife #funny #server #fyp #foryou #olivegarden #viral ♬ original sound – ZaiahAdams
Viewers applaud her tactic
One person who reacted to Adams’ video stated that the vacuum cleaner sounded like an emergency alarm. “Girl I would’ve thought the enemies were striking,” they said.
Another quipped, “Bye I would’ve thought it was the rapture.”
One TikToker thought it was nuts that the Olive Garden employee went through such lengths not to serve a customer. “Setting off the Purge siren because you want to go home early is crazy,” they said.
Another wrote, “I don’t get why some restaurants even serve them. Restaurant is open, but kitchen is closed. We are still open for guests who are finishing their meals not for guests just starting them.”
This was a sentiment echoed by another server on TikTok. “As a former server, the rudest thing in the world is a table not leaving at closing or even before. Do better people.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Olive Garden via email and Adams via Instagram direct message.
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