I’ve worked at a pizzeria for the past 6 years. I’ve met thousands of customers, those who are kind, those who are appreciative, and, well, those who aren’t. If I’ve learned anything it’s that being in the retail or food industry really makes you learn about the real world, and it helps you develop a thick skin. Despite this, customers need to realize that people who work in customer service are still human, and sometimes it doesn’t hurt to be a little nicer than usual. Here are 7 things you should think about before you yell at your waiter or waitress.
1. You are not my only customer
There have been times when I’m working a shift by myself and have a line of customers out the door. A customer will come up to me, cutting the line to demand their order or ask for something like a cup or a napkin. Please understand that when there is a line out the door, I barely have time to breathe let alone stop what I’m doing and get you a cup. Your order will be out shortly, and I can get you the cup when it comes out.
2. It’s not the end of the world if you get the wrong order
Believe me, I completely understand how disappointing it can be to order something that you’ve wanted all day, only to find out that you got something completely different. Should this happen? No. Does this happen sometimes? Yes, from time to time it does. However, calling us back to scream and yell that you were given the wrong order doesn’t change it. Of course, you can call and explain what happened, and we’ll be more than willing to make the correction or give you a credit, but please remember I’m allowed to make mistakes. Please don’t scream at us for it.
3. I can’t control how long it takes to cook your food
Yes, I completely understand that you ordered your food 25 minutes ago and we initially told you 20. But I need you to understand that I don’t make your food. As a waitress, I’m not in the kitchen, so food timing has absolutely nothing to do with me. Sure, I can go back and ask the kitchen staff where your food is, but it won’t make you get it any faster and the kitchen will get annoyed at ME.
4. I don’t make the prices
The number of times I’ve had customers yell at me saying I overcharged them on a pie (when I didn’t) and demand me to re-ring the order in is insane. I’m just someone who works here, I don’t make the prices and I can’t change them. I’m sorry you don’t like the fact that a pizza with 3 toppings is $27.00, but it wasn’t my decision to make it that price in the first place.
5. Yelling at me won’t change anything
I’m sorry that you were given the wrong order or that your pizza was well done when you asked for it lightly cooked. I really am sorry, but when you yell at me because it was incorrect it doesn’t change or help with anything. In fact, you being mean to me doesn’t make me want to fix the issue.
6. I’m a human being
I’m not really sure what it is about people in the service industry, but customers think that they can be as rude to us as they choose to. I may be behind a counter handing you your pizza but that doesn’t make me any less of a person than you are. I’m just a college student trying to make money for school. I really don’t need you to throw your money at me or glare at me because there was an issue with something. Speak to me as an adult and I’ll do the best I can to make your visit to our restaurant enjoyable.
7. I’m doing the best that I can
I feel like customers tend to forget this most of the time, but we truly are doing the best that we can to make sure you are enjoying yourself in our restaurant. We don’t purposely go out of our way to mess up, but sometimes it just happens. Like I said, we’re human. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what’s going on around us that we mess up, and having you get pissed off at us isn’t helping us at all. Please understand that just walking up and telling us that we forgot something makes our lives so much easier than yelling in our faces.
The moral of this story is to just be nice to your waiters and waitresses. We really do try hard when we’re serving you but at times the job is stressful. Please remember this. It doesn’t take that much out of your day to simply be kind.
Featured Photo via The Cinderella Story Google Screengrab
