There are certain things you should generally never do in a restaurant. Among the more egregious transgressions, according to service workers, are bailing on your reservation, yelling at a member of the waitstaff, or touching them for any reason. (This happens way more often than you think.) But in the era of COVID-19, the list has grown longer and become vastly more important.
Good customer behavior goes beyond just being thoughtful and respectful, though you should most definitely still be both. Now, it’s also important to be aware of the changing restaurant landscape—as vaccination numbers grow and restaurants start to reopen indoor dining—and act accordingly.
“Please don’t tell me you’re vaccinated, therefore you don’t have to obey our COVID guidelines,” says Sara, a server in the Finger Lakes region of New York, explaining that the restaurant could be shut down for not following state health department regulations. She also notes that it’s unhelpful when patrons try to argue with her about the science or facts of COVID. “I’m just enforcing state guidelines,” she says. “I’m happy you’re vaccinated, but you still have to follow the rules!”
To ensure a safe and stress-free dinner out, see below for the latest restaurant rules, according to the people working there.
Seating yourself
“During 2020, Philadelphia, like most cities, allowed for restaurants and bars to set up sidewalk cafés and ‘streeteries’ outside. There are rules to this type of dining. This seating is not a free-for-all. Please stop seating yourself, especially at dirty tables! We are doing the best we can to keep everybody safe and that includes ourselves as well. We have to clean and sanitize these tables and chairs and it becomes incredibly difficult when guests take it upon themselves and don’t follow rules.” — Jennifer Sabatino manager of Manatawny Still Works in Philadelphia
Thank you for posting this. Patrons of restaurants seem to completely NOT understand that restaurants are REQUIRED to follow health department regulations. They don’t make the rules, but get stuck dealing with irate customers who feel like since they are paying for a meal they can do and say as they please.
Okay. Being not guilty of any of these transgressions, I have a short list for servers:
1) Wash your hands, including under fingernails;
2) Lighten up on perfumes and body sprays;
3) Wear clean clothes, including clean, well-maintained footwear;
4) Address us respectfully. “You guys” is not an adequate substitute for ma’am or sir, or even “you”;
5) Earn your tip. We tip better when you do.
Better yet stay home and cook. People are so obsessed with service and experience and seldom wonder how filthy the kitchens are and how old and where the food they are eating comes from and they have the nerve to complain. Stop and think about it. Do you really want to eat anything handled by people that just show up to work and are there to Slop you at trough like paying pigs? People complain about gas prices yet they will sit in line at a Chick-fil-A drive-through for 45 minutes when that they could have cooked fed and cleaned up at home at half the price. People have very pampered delusions and expectations and make little demands of themselves.
With the price of gas, the crazy food prices and the fact that I have to work about 10 more hours a week to afford what I could pay for last year, I can’t afford to even think about going out to eat. I’d sure hate to be in that business though as they are all about to get socked with round two. The first round was the virus mess, but the second round is courtesy of Biden’s screwed up administration.
Personally I do not do any of these behaviors having been a waitress in my early work years. I just want to compliment the waitresses and all the staff at Daytons in Salisbury. They are the best hands down.