Anyone who has worked a busy dining room knows that a rush can turn a calm shift into a sprint. A sushi server who goes by @myfatherfoundthis shared a long story about one of those nights, and about the first time in three years that she confronted a customer about her behavior.
She said she wanted outside opinions on how she handled it. Here is how the night unfolded, followed by some general tips on being a considerate guest at an all you can eat restaurant.
@myfatherfoundthis
An All You Can Eat Spot With Easygoing Rules
The creator has served at the same sushi restaurant for three years. It offers all you can eat sushi for $41.95, which she says people enjoy because it is cheap and lets them order plenty, as long as they follow the rules. The rules are fairly lax. Leftover pieces cost a dollar each, and guests can cancel items at any time. Staff only charge extra when someone is rude or leaves a lot of food, or wants to take a large amount home.
Because of the format, she is usually the only person serving the dining room. Until this week, she said, she had never argued with a customer, apart from one occasion when she told someone they could not drive because they were drunk.
A Regular With a History
The customer in question comes in semi regularly, and the creator knows her by sight. She said the guest never tips, and the staff know it. Over time there were small clashes. The guest always wants extra spicy mayo and chili oil on the side, and the server now brings it before she even asks. When she first asked for more, the server brought tiny sauce cups, then switched to larger to go containers, and the guest complained and asked for a dish instead.
There was also a dispute over ice cream that the guest said she had not ordered, even though the order had been read back to her, and a habit of trying to slip extra all you can eat food into a box for her boyfriend, who did not order the buffet. The creator said the staff pick their battles.
The Night Everything Boiled Over
This time the guest arrived with family and said four people were coming. Orders went in just before a big rush hit, and soon nearly every table was full. The server was checking drinks and food as she passed, but the table did not stack its plates, so it grew crowded.
While she was running across the room with waters and miso soup for a new table, the guest got up, carried over her dirty, saucy plates, thanked her sarcastically for her help and set them down on the only clean table in the restaurant. The server stopped in her tracks, set down what she was holding, collected the plates and muttered a thank you for putting them on a clean table.
Calling It Out at the Check
The creator said the guest never waved her down or asked for help. Later the guest whispered to a friend that the server had only checked on them once, then asked for water by picking up her friend’s drink. She stayed on her phone while the server brought a pitcher, so her friend had to help. The server kept serving them for about another hour and a half.
When the check came, she decided to say something. She told the guest that if she had just flagged her down, she would have gladly picked up the plates, and that making a scene and dirtying a clean table during a rush was unnecessary. The guest answered that the server’s attitude was the problem and that she was always rude to her. The friends at the table, the creator said, held their heads in their hands. Two of them, usually non tippers, left a ten dollar tip that night.
A Parting Shot
The server said she memorizes the guest’s sauce order, and told her that if she does not like the service she does not need to come back. The guest replied that the server is not that special and that she plans to keep coming. The creator answered that she never said she was special, only that the guest was rude, and walked away. Next time, she said, she may refuse service.
Tips for Dining Out Kindly
- Stack and consolidate plates at your table when you can, especially in a crowded restaurant. It makes room for fresh dishes.
- Never place dirty dishes on an open table. Wait for a server or politely ask for help.
- If you need something, make eye contact or say excuse me calmly. Servers who are juggling many tables cannot read minds.
- Learn the rules of all you can eat menus, such as charges for leftovers, and follow them.
- Tip for service, particularly when one person is covering a full room. Check local norms, but most servers rely on tips.
- If you have a problem, talk to a manager privately instead of causing a scene.
Final Thoughts
Restaurant work asks a lot of people, especially on nights when one person handles the whole floor. A little patience and courtesy go a long way, and the creator’s closing request sums it up: treat your server like a human being.