1 perk of earning your own money is being able to enjoy a night out eating good food and having drinks with friends. However, please do not do these things when you are out
Stay on Phone
You have come to enjoy the food and the company you are with so keep off your phone. It’s a not only distracting but it is rude to be more interested in your phone than the company you are with.
If being on your phone is just taking a quick selfie and a quick post, that can be forgiven but after that put it away. Off the table!
Move Tables
When you are seated by the wait staff and they go away to get your drinks order or give you time to peruse the menu, please do not move. If you’re unhappy with your current table, even if a table looks empty, wait and ask the staff. This is because the table may be empty for a reason.
Sometimes the staff may be expecting a large party or have that table reserved for someone else. So, if you want to move, ask first.
Chat with Staff
After the hellos and the drinks and food is served, let staff go. Do not start a conversation with them that is irrelevant to your experience. They are in the middle of a busy service, so try not to anchor them to your table.
Small talk on a quiet day is one thing, but don’t engage in long conversations with your server as they have other tables or tasks to attend to.
Start Arguing
There is nothing more disrupting in a restaurant than a couple that starts arguing. It really is the wrong moment to settle a dispute, so please do not do it. If you cannot wait, ask for a to-go bag and leave.
Arguing couples really spoil an evening and can and do make everyone else uncomfortable. Add to that the poor server who is left wondering if they should approach or just keep away.
Let the Kids Run Around
There are many places that have a play area for kids and make it easy for families to go out together. However, this does not mean that the rest of the space is for your child or children. Please do not let your kids run up and down the restaurant, weave between tables and generally make it their playground. It is not only dangerous for them but also for the staff and is extremely unpleasant for the other patrons.
Also, please do take them out of the restaurant when they start their tantrums, if not it ruins everyone’s experience.
Be Inattentive
Pay attention to the staff when they come back with your order as there’s nothing worse than carrying an entire tray of food to an oblivious table. You may be deep in conversation, but do acknowledge the server. It’s easier for everyone if you let the server know which dish belongs to whom instead of chatting away or just blankly staring at the server.
Also, if the table is a bit cluttered, make some space when your order arrives so that the server can put your orders down as quickly as possible.
Stack Plates
Stacking plates may seem helpful, and wait staff appreciates the effort, but the gesture actually makes their job harder. Most wait staff do have their own systems for clearing tables and stacking dishes disrupts the flow.
Lay the cutlery down on the plate and push the plate to the side or to the center of the table and then let the staff do the stacking.
Bill Debate
Before you go to the venue, please be clear who is paying for what. Try not to debate or fight over the bill or worse do a disappearing act when the bill comes. It puts the wait staff in an awkward position of having to watch you debate the next move.
Please keep things simple by agreeing on who pays beforehand.
Settle Down
Restaurants aren’t a hangout spot. After the plates are cleared and the bills are paid, don’t prevent turnover by sitting around. Loitering only prevents servers and the restaurant from making more money.
If you want to stay longer, move to the bar area or other designated place for lounging and let the restaurant sit other diners.
Come in Late
There is no excuse for coming in right before closing and wanting full service. If you do get in and the wait staff tell you what is still available. Take that or leave. Do not start getting upset and demanding to be served.
Coming in ten minutes before closing time is a bad idea. So always check closing times or, ask if you may stay having arrived late.
Leave a Mess
Dining out is not license to make a mess. Do as you would do at home, assuming you do not leave a horrendous mess at home. Yes, it’s part of the experience to be waited on and even if cleaning is part of someone’s job, don’t leave a mess.
Make sure you tidy up a bit before heading out, tip and thank the staff.
