Waiters give us first-hand behind-the-scenes details from restaurants

Going out to eat or grab a coffee is a natural part of our daily lives. We usually go somewhere, sit down and wait for the waiter to come and take our order. There is certain etiquette at restaurants for both guest and server that we all usually abide by. However, the men and women in the service industry know a lot that we as guests do not. Several of these servers decided to give us a look into the true nature of serving others and the behind the scenes action that takes place in the restaurants or cafe. We thought that we knew what happened when we walked in a place to grab a meal, whether a fancy restaurant or a coffee shop, but boy was we wrong. We are sure that you will be surprised to learn of what these service industry insiders have to say, coming directly from the horse’s mouth. Behind the scenes of the restaurant industry is far more dramatic and tumultuous than expected, even with more and more documentaries coming out on the subject.

They hate preparing tea

Coffee is one thing, tea is a wholly different other. A waiter in New York City said that when someone asks for tea, the waiter is always annoyed by the detailed job. The process is tedious and they do not like going to get a pot, add water to boil, slice up a lemon, take the honey and collect a spoon and cup.

There are too many pieces to this particular exercise that they do not like it. To be fair, that does sound like a lot of things to remember and we never thought about how much work it takes.

The eggs are actually powdered eggs

Any place with a long breakfast buffet will have what looks like scrambled eggs. There are pancakes, roasted meats, and lots of pastries as well. However, what many people do not realize is that more times than not, the eggs are made out of powdered eggs due to the high volume of mouths that these buffets feed.

A waiter in one of these establishments says that people usually eat between 2 to 3 eggs, so getting that many eggs per meal are just not cost effective for the restaurant, not to mention that it is not space efficient.

Added sugar for the little ones

Ever wonder why kids meals taste better? Well, it seems that major chains like to add more sugar to the meal to make sure the kids like it that much more. The reasoning is obvious, the more sugar the more the kid wants it. One waitress at Chuck E Cheese’s said that they do so to every kid’s meal they have in order to keep their little customers coming back for me.

Luckily, there is a whole lot of playground in the area to get the sugar rush out of the kids’ system before heading back home.

They know about infidelities

In addition to overhearing conversation as part of the job, waiters often know when the person they are serving is not being faithful to his or her wife or husband. One server said that the patron is always nicer to the wait staff when he comes in with a woman who is not his wife!

He knows that they know exactly what is going on and wants to keep everyone happy so they keep quiet about it.

They play around with your credit card

Now, this has to do with finances but not in the way that you think, yet still devilishly wicked. A server in Kansas City that goes by the name of Charity said that when customers are being particularly rude to them, they pretend their credit card had issues and would not go through in order to embarrass them in from of the other patrons at the coffee shop.

There are people out there who forget that waiters and waitresses are just like you and me and should be treated with respect, otherwise, they just might decide to pull a majorly embarrassing act on you.

Washing lemons isn’t a given

Now try not to get too upset about this one. A waitress said that the lemons you get on the side at restaurants are not always washed despite it being handled by multiple people.

It is interesting to think about as we never had the thought before of whether the fruit was washed or not since we do not use the outside usually. Now that we know this, we are certainly going to rethink.

Watch out vegetarians

This is a big one. One server at a restaurant said that they have many times heard that when people who follow vegetarian or vegan diets will ask if their broth is vegetable based and the waiter will lie and tell them that indeed it is when in fact the broth base in animal protein based.

If you are within that category, be vigilant as to what you are tasting in your food, it may not be what you think.

No caffeine after 8PM

Back to Charity, our favorite waitress in Kansas City, she said that many restaurants do not serve caffeine after 8 PM, whether you want decaf or not. The process is that after that time the staff only wants to clean out one pot and therefore pours the decaf into mugs for customers to take and offer nothing but that.

They will tell you it is decaf, though, so you do not get something you do not want.

Homemade is debatable

Homemade is in the eye of the beholder. Many restaurants will write homemade on certain dishes on their menu but those dishes are often put together with premade elements and only topped off with fresh and “homemade” items thereafter.

It is up to the customer at the restaurant to ask for more details and the restaurant knows that as well, so they see it as a bit of a loophole with the language they use on the menu.

Specials may not be so special

Sometimes specials mean that the kitchen wants to impress you. Other times special means that the kitchen is trying to get rid of something that is not selling as well. Ask your waiter as to what makes the special so special and do not be shy to inquire, especially if seafood is involved.

Nobody wants old seafood for dinner, that is just asking for some trouble. The wait staff will likely tell you the truth if you ask ever so nicely.

They don’t carry all types of milk

If you are like many individuals who come to a coffee shop or restaurant asking for skim milk or some other type of milk, you may be told you are getting what you want when in fact you are getting just what they have. Chris, a waiter with some inside knowledge has said that most places do not carry all types of milk as that is wasteful for them.

The next time your latte tastes really good, it’s probably because you’re drinking full-fat milk.

Server tips may be pooled

What that means is that the restaurant may take all of the tips that the wait staff gets and divides them all by everyone, meaning that everyone gets the same amount and the hard work is shared by all.

Many patrons do not know that the large tip that they want to leave for their particular server is not going to work that way and that everyone will benefit from their tip. The reason is to promote hard work by all.

Don’t blame your waiter for a delay

Do you know the saying don’t shoot the messenger? This applies here all too well. We have all been in the position where we ordered our food and it has taken way too long to arrive and we get angry with our waiter.

What you do not know is that it is almost never the waiter’s fault but rather a delay in the kitchen and cooking that is creating the issue. The poor wait staff just have to field the tension.

They are not allowed to disclose calories

For the weight-conscious of us out there, sometimes calories matter. A waitress who works at a famous pizza shop said that not only do they not normally know the exact calorie count of their slices and pies but that the wait staff is actually not allowed to divulge that kind of information.

They are told, that if asked by a customer, they should stick to the line that every piece of information is found on their respective website for all to see.

Chris Pratt spills the beans

Actor Chris Pratt who is known for being the mega star that he is today thanks to the film Guardians of the Galaxy, among others, used to work at none other than the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

Once, he was interviewed about his position there are apologizing to the masses for the shrimp he used to eat off of his customer’s plates prior to serving the dishes. We are pretty sure they forgive him now.

Price of a slice is the price of the whole cake

Upcharging is not a new phenomenon in the restaurant industry. Many restaurants get the dessert in question from a local merchant or chain and pay a certain price for it, then proceed to charge the customer the same amount for just a portion of it.

This is how they make their profits but at times it is downright money gauging. A waiter said that his boss would get the cakes at Costco and charge as if they were homemade.

Regulars get special treatment

Being a regular at a local bar or restaurant pays off – you get to know the staff and that results in nothing but good things. Owners notice those who keep returning to their establishment and remain loyal to them too, so the treatment of the regular is that much better.

One waiter said that at his restaurant, regulars often get extra dishes or a nice discount when checking out. Think of that the next time you want to revisit your local watering hole.

Watch Those Tips

It is common courtesy to leave a tip for your waiter, and sometimes, even if the service hasn’t been so great, so will still leave a tip just to be polite. With most waiters making less than minimum wage, it really is the tips that bump up their paycheck at the end of the month. A lot of restaurants put all of the tips together and then split them to include the kitchen staff as well as the front of house staff.

This makes the individual pot even smaller. Allegedly, certain waiters confessed that occasionally, if they feel like the customer has tipped to low, they will make a slight edit on the receipt and give themselves more of a tip and the majority of the time, the customer never notices!

Kid’s Orders

When it comes to dining out with kids, the children’s menu’s are the same at most restaurants. Even when they are not, the little ones tend to always want the same kind of food, from some form of spaghetti (usually a messy kind), chicken nuggets, burgers, pizza or mac and cheese. Family diners are the least favorite customers for any waiter and they have noted they get specifically annoyed at how long it usually takes for the children to make their mind up and decide what they want to eat.

So grown-ups, if you are taking the children out, it is best to check with them beforehand what they want.

The Holidays

During the holidays it is nice to go out to a nice restaurant with your friends and family. After all, when you are trying to relax and forget about work, the last thing you want to do it cook a big meal. The holidays mean that restaurants will be especially busy and that usually means that the food will not be as good as it is on quieter days.

The restaurant owner has one thing in mind, a quick turnaround so they can make as much money as they can. Service and quality of food during these periods is apparently the last thing on their list.

Count Your Fries

We all love a tasty plate of fries and it is one of the most common orders in a restaurant. Some meals will come with a side of fries, and some people will order a plate to share. Being a waiter is a tiring job, and many times, it is hard to be able to take a minute and grab something to eat, so what do they do to curb that hunger?

One waitress said, “I’m a waitress and I totally knock some of your fries off your plate before I bring them to your table so that can eat them when I get back to my section.”

Cup Of Coffee

In the morning, sometimes the only time you have is to run in, grab a coffee and pastry and head to work. If you are an early riser and show up at the restaurant close to opening time, you may not get the fresh coffee you are hoping for. Although it will smell as if they have just made it, your early morning coffee can often be from the day before.

If they are in a rush, to meet demands they will just warm it up. It always best to specifically ask for a fresh coffee, just in case!

It Is Not Low Fat

Sometimes you want to eat out even though you may be on a diet of some sort, or perhaps you are just opting for a ‘lower fat’ diet. If you are, it is better to stay clear of a restaurant, even when they offer ‘low fat’ choices. To make the customer happy, the staff can agree and tell you there are optional low-fat sauces as well as calorie specific meals, but guess what, it is probably not true!

One waited confessed, “When people ask me for low fat ranch, I always give them regular ranch. If you were really trying to diet, you wouldn’t eat ranch at all.” Shocking right?

Intoxicated

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and had a server who you loved because they were super friendly and kind of over the top? Well, they may have been intoxicated! Some waiters confessed that because the job is not overly demanding, and shift times can clash with their social calendar, they will turn up for work in less than an appropriate condition.

It might sound bad, but this usually makes them easier going, lively and results in them getting a bigger tip. The customer walks away feeling like the waiter has made the extra effort and the waiter walks away with a nice tip and a headache.

Ask Again

When asking for something specific, like extra sauce, another drink or anything similar, it is worth asking more than one waiter. During busier times, the waiting staff will tell the customer that they have run out of something. They do this as they say they are to busy to run around doing little jobs when food needs to be taken out.

So, do not forget, if you want some extra mayonnaise, be sure to ask the second waiter.