Was the waitress rude?

If restaurant policy is menu only then of course you have to do that. But if it’s not, then why would you? That’s bad service. And also stupid. Alienate customers for what? Because the chef can’t handle an omelette?

I think you were a bit demanding tbh. She should have said no sorry we cant do that. Menu only. Thats what I would have done if you werent a regular customer.

No she ordered a spinach and cheese omelette but wanted the cheese on a plate on the side rather than cooked into the omelette. Any chef or waitress fainting over the thought of this is in the wrong job

I agree! It was another poster who said “neither of them came out well”

If you're on a diet just have a plain omelette and no toast...

I am also ND and it's just not acceptable. I understand that we have a shortage of frontline staff and public behaviour is worse but that doesn't mean waiting staff can be outright rude. A sour face, surliness etc fair enough personally I don't expect people to be bouncy and cheery.
But there are no excuses for not just trotting out a stock phrase 'I'll see what I can do' instead of opening your mouth and commenting. Or even rolling your eyes it takes so much effort and is deliberate. I don't see what 'experience' is needed surely it's common sense! As a 16 year old in my first waitressing job I'd never have said anything like that.

If it can't be done say no. No need to comment.

BTW there are plenty of Amazon warehouse jobs which are well-paid, not public facing if people feel like they can't even trust themselves to have basic courtesy then do that, don't be front of house. Or be the erm 'chef'.

I'm also former waiting staff and yes you should have enough self control & I but not everybody can especially if your the nervy type or ND or just inexperienced.
Yes most of it being ready made could easily be a part of the problem, it's could be a ready made frozen omelette in a bag with the cheese already in being heated up by a "cook" instead of a chef who has no idea how to make the real thing. I had that problem as a customer at a little chef many years ago, they didn't have any omelettes left and couldn't make them from scratch and the toaster had broken so I couldn't have toast. I asked can't you just pop the bread under the grill bread and the reply was huh ? We left without breakfast.

Maybe. She's ordered a cheese omelette without cheese and chips without chips. Of course it can be accommodated but suspect an order of a plain omelette and toast at the beginning would have made life easier for all.

YANBU she was rude! Especially as it's a gym restaurant. There must be loads of health conscious people requesting changes to everything.
I'd complain.
@chattyness As a former service staff I get that but we should have enough self-control to wait until the customer is out of sight!
And, no offence, but a gym restaurant is hardly a place for fine cuisine. I bet most of it is ready-made anyway. Don't see why the 'chefs' would be so up their own arses.

Imagine wanting toast at breakfast time. Shame on you OP.

What? How does she not come out well?

This really isn’t an issue. The way she ordered was totally normal.

Yes she was a wee bit rude, she can think it, but shouldn't ever say it to the customer. Having said that I know what it's like when you take an order into the chefs and they start raging at you because it's off menu & not as they want to serve the dish they created so they've got to think a bit more. The waiting staff get it in the neck from both sides all day every day & that can be very stressful. It's easy enough if she's writing the ticket but if you've got one those electronic ordering systems, it's more difficult to add those extra requests and having to speak to some angry chefs is intimidating, she may have even been chuckling to herself with nerves about it as a lot of people do that too.

How has the OP not come out well? For making very minor adjustments to an order?

It is all a bit when Harry met Sally. I don't think either of you come out well. Order a plain omelette and toast? Yes, the waitress was a bit tetchy.

Don’t be ridiculous it was a perfectly normal request, the chef would be totally used to such a simple ask it’s not complicated.

She was rude and unprofessional. It’s a simple enough change.
Also find it odd that a gym cafe includes chips with an omelette, rather than it being an extra add on for those that want it. Surely the majority of people there want something relatively healthy.

And back in the real world most people aren't as highly strung as this

It's not being "a pain in the neck" to request small changes- she didn't ask for ostrich eggs or anything unreasonable...
As for the reasons, they're included.

A pain in the neck because a chef has to put toast on a plate rather than chips?

OK then

My mum was a chef. This type of change is barely noticed. It’s no problem at all. Cheese is already grated. No extra work. Pop it in a little dish on the plate instead of into the pan when cooking. It is no problem at all. Neither is order toast.

Very rude.

But this is MN and some people think having a low paid job entitled the staff member to behave like a rude shit and customers shouldn’t say anything so I suspect you’ll be told YABU.

I also have no time for chefs who strop about doing something slightly different. Like get over it you weirdo.

Personally I think the standard of service with waiting staff has plummeted in the last few years. In a gym cafe when it’s clear the customer is Trying to eat healthily, being insolent and huffy is completely unacceptable and certainly when I’ve been in the stages of trying to lose weight comments like this are absolutely crushing for self esteem

Is it just me intrigued by a gym cafe that offers chips as the only side dish with their omelettes?

As ex waiting staff, yes, rude. She can think what she likes about people who order off menu but it’s up to the chef if he wants to do it or not.