This Monday we reached the end of the ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme and hospitality staff across the nation breathe a sigh of relief. But for several restaurants, the scheme will continue. As a waitress myself, I speak for others when I say that we are grateful for the business that it has generated for struggling hospitality sectors. But unfortunately, the scheme has surged many restaurants with abuse from the occasional obnoxious ‘Karen’s’.
- If you know there is a wait: It’s your choice to accept it or go elsewhere.
Restaurants are working profusely to seat customers quickly under excellent customer standards but inevitably, you might experience a wait during your dining experience. In an honest walk-in restaurant, you will be briefed on the waiting time before being seated. If the waiting time fails to meet your requirements, please don’t proceed to dine and complain about how long you’ve been waiting for food, when you don’t have to. It is your choice to proceed or not when you’re aware of the circumstance.
2. Rude remarks won’t make your food arrive quicker.
As mentioned above, ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ is a busy period in hospitality and a wait for food is inevitable, but shouting at fellow servers trying to deliver food quickly to you is not going to make it come any faster. Though we can emphasise with your frustration, having to console you only delays the time we have to deliver your meals. Understand that we are always aware of our customers and are continually checking food orders to prevent unsatisfactory delivery times.
3. Please take your drinks off the tray without hissing.
Each restaurant has independent COVID-19 policies to comply with, and many restaurants obtain the rule of taking drinks and cutlery off the tray yourself, to maintain distance when delivering your cuisine. Unfortunately, I have experienced first-hand, customers complaining about this and justifying it as my ‘job to serve them’, but these rules are in place for your safety so please be mindful of this. We are adjusting to the new ‘normal’ just as much as you, and we’re all in this together. Remember, you didn’t have the choice to dine a few months ago, so I know the experience is different than usual, but please appreciate that you are finally able to experience these outings.
4. Don’t jump to conclusions if your sever is without a mask.
Understandably, seeing severs adhere to COVID-19 safety measures like wearing face masks puts our mind at ease and as a customer that regularly dines, I can emphasise with that. Most restaurants will adhere to this policy, but you may find a lot of restaurant servers without masks. This is because though desired, it’s not a requirement under the hospitality regulation. Not only that but severs with hidden disabilities are exempt from wearing masks, so please don’t jump to conclusions that were being ‘senseless’ before acknowledging all aspects. If you feel uncomfortable at a restaurant without this policy, please do your research beforehand and make it your choice to go elsewhere rather than continuing to dine and jump down the throats of staff for not wearing them.
Yours sincerely, a waitress x
