Category: Guests

Our restaurant allows patrons to book reservations online. Pretty simple–your type in your name, phone number, time, how many in the party. An option also exists called “Notes to the Maitre’d.” This past week, interspersed with the “It’s my friend’s birthday” and “Need a booster seat” comments, were these notes: * “This is a very…

Customers let me know how many people are in their parties several ways: * They speak: “Three, please. No reservations.” * They gesture: Three fingers, no words. * They offer a combination of the above. Now, the way people gesture the number of guests in their party is, I believe, directly related to: * Their…

First came daughter. “I am waiting for two other people, no reservations. Is there a wait?” “No, I have a booth in one of our downstairs dining rooms. Would you like to be seated and we’ll send your other guests back when they arrive?” It’s almost noon, and if I don’t seat the next few…

Now and then I have time at work (usually on a Tuesday afternoon between 2:07 and 2:22 p.m.) to reflect on the rude customer syndrome. It’s quite the hot topic in the media these days. Is this a new phenomenon? Are there really that many more rude people in the world? Or, are the numbers…

No, we don’t have mints. Why don’t you have any mints? many customers ask. Here are some very good reasons why my restaurant will never have mints, as long as I am the maitre ‘d here: I do not want to spend countless minutes during my shift picking up half-eaten globs of candy stuck to…

Friends and family often ask me, after reading a post: “Are people really that awful?” Actually, yes. Every story I write is based on something that happened–usually that day, always that week. Church bells will ring out all over my city (after the pigs stop flying, of course) the day EVERY customer who walks past…

It was “Administrative Assistant Week.” This used to be known as “Secretary’s Day.” Now, however, the term “secretary” is moot and the day of acknowledgment has stretched to a week. My take on this? Give your assistant the money you would have spent on lunch and/or flowers. He/she will appreciate this far more than having…

Surliness. Arrogance. Narcissism. Borderline personality disorder. Basic stupidity. Restaurant Gal deals with them all–all in a day’s work. Today, however, two polar opposites crossed the threshold of my foyer, giving me hope that human beings are basically, well, human, and that all are not so very terrible. Ms. “I Want to Do Right” came in…

When you approach the podium and say, “I am meeting other people who have a reservation,” please know the name of the people you are meeting. Come on, Restaurant Gal, you say. How could someone not know the name of people they are meeting? Trust me, it happens every day. “I don’t know who they…

I recently read a post by Waiter about the arrogance some patrons display when they arrive a few minutes before closing and expect a full meal with all the trimmings. And like an idiot, I smugly smiled to myself and thought, “At least I don’t have to deal with THAT.” In response, the this-will-teach-you-to-be-smug police…