May 21st is National Waiters and Waitresses Day. As a hostess, I see everything that servers experience firsthand. From the customers who offer compliments to the ones who are just plain rude. From the ones who say, “It’s OK, sweetie” when their server makes a mistake to the ones who make a big scene. From the ones who leave generous tips to the ones who don’t tip at all. Trust me, I’ve seen it all.
Therefore, here are 4 things all customers should keep in mind on National Waiters/Waitresses Day.
1. Servers are trying their best
Most servers do the best they can because they want to keep their jobs and receive decent tips. They also want to give their customers a positive experience. So if they forget your sauce or miss a refill, go easy on them. Your request probably just slipped their mind. After all, servers do have a lot to remember.
2. Serving is harder than it looks.
You may think that waiting tables is an easy job, but there’s a lot involved. Often, waitresses will memorize what each person orders, even if people modify their items. Then, they send the orders into the kitchen and continually check to see if the food is ready. Once the cooks finish the meals, waitresses must balance trays full of food and deliver them to the correct tables. While they do all of this, servers also refill beverages, retrieve more napkins, and do a multitude of other tasks. They may even bus tables, wrap silverware, or clean bathrooms. Waiters have a lot on their plates (pun intended), so try not to make their job harder.
3. Don’t forget to tip!
The Emily Post Institute recommends that you provide your waiters a pre-tax tip of 15-20%. If your server did an amazing job or you’re feeling generous, feel free to tip more! However, tipping less than that is frowned upon, unless you received extremely poor service. Most restaurants’ issues are not your waitress’s fault. Food issues usually result from kitchen mishaps or miscommunications. Many servers rely on steady tips to pay their everyday expenses because their pay is less than the standard minimum wage.
If you’re unsure how to calculate a tip, an easy way to calculate a 20% tip is to move the decimal point over one space to the left, then double it. For example, $15.00 would become $1.50, then doubling that would bring your tip to $3.00.
4. Your servers are people, too.
Perhaps the most important tip on this list: Remember, your servers are real human beings with feelings. They aren’t just a food delivery service. Waiters will sometimes make mistakes, just like everyone else. You should still treat them respectfully, though, because everyone deserves common courtesy. Try to remember their names rather than just saying “hey” or “excuse me” when you need something. When your waiters ask how you are, don’t forget to ask them, too.
Remember these tips (again, pun intended!) on this National Waiters and Waitresses Day, and remember to thank your servers not just today, but every day.
Feature Image via YouTube Screengrab
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