Restaurant pet peeves.

[TheLollipopShoes]

What are your pet peeves in restaurants?P.S I know what a difficult job working in a restaurant is and how hard it is to run one is but I still want to have a moan.

Over sauced pasta for me. I like a light coating only. I know that most people prefer more sauce than I do which is fine but I don't expect to have to call in Tony Robinson and co to excavate my fusilli.

Food served on wooden boards. They've ruined more than one pizza/sandwich for me. The boards usually aren't aired correctly or cleaned with an old cloth and it leaves a damp smell/taste on my pizza,

Ingredients that aren't mentioned on the menu. I know that they can't list every single item but I hate it when there's an ingredient that I hate that's a major component of the dish but isn't listed in the description so I spend more time trying to avoid olives or raw tomatoes than I do eating.

‘Fine dining’.

I used to love eating at Michelin starred restaurants as a very occasional treat. The emphasis was on the very best available ingredients beautifully cooked to taste of themselves with impeccable presentation and service. It still is at some places, eg Le Manoir.

Most such establishments, however, have become more about ridiculously silly, poncy pretentious food and the chef’s massive ego trip. The customer is expected to worship the chef’s artistic genius rather than enjoying a great meal. Heston Blumenthal has a lot to answer for.

The waiter calling us ‘guys’

Thiiiiiis! Fuck off calling me and my 60 y o parents guys you little shit. It's so easy to avoid doing as well, it's just laziness.

Menus where they don't capitalize anything and £9.50 is written 9.5.

I don't actually mind the check backs but as a PP said that's because I used to be a waiter and I hated doing it. I usually heap praise on the food to reassure them

Clearing the table before people have finished is an American thing. They want to move you along and push you out the door so the table is free for the next people. More people = More tips. I’ve never felt so hurried along with a meal in any other country.

Other cunty humans. Not the quiet ones. Just the cunty ones.

Places that rush you.

I used to be a waitress too and I still don't like being asked how everything is.

I too have waited in my time (-and loved it)
waiter taking top from sparkling water away - always have to ask for them to leave it
If there is bread, not having enough butter or oil or whatever.
Booking service cock ups - I once got back home from lovely meal and got text to say as I hadn’t arrived I would be charged x amount and if I did it again the charge would be more - simple error easily righted but I was pissed off and haven’t used them again.
Understaffed restaurants so it really is hard to catch an eye of poor overworked bods
Overlong waits for bill - I have left cash - yes cash estimate before rather than wait yet longer.
Calls/texts on day to confirm your booking - I could easily miss these and lose a table !
Wobbly tables.
Waiters who don’t simply accept there’s been a cock up when there clearly has been.
Wine waiters - have yet to meet one who has been helpful.
Long wait for drinks/menu/taking order
Actually love eating out despite above and usually no problems at all !

As for American clearing tables outside of some big cities it’s more of a cultural thing. Have had chats with waiters about it as I’m always shocked at how rude it is when there.
It’s felt it is rude to leave a dirty empty plate in front of someone!
Sometime obvs its to help turn the table but as often as not, not!

Clearing the table before everyone has finished eating

During on pub meal, the server actually tried to take my plate away while I was still eating. I was still holding my knife and fork! I'm not a slow eater by any means, and there were plenty of spare tables, so I have no idea what her problem was.

@blamethecat That's where I went for the only adults-only meal I've had with DH since DS2 was born 10 months ago. We were sat on a little table in the middle of a huge U shaped group of tables where there were 30+ people celebrating a birthday. It was horrendous, I wish we had left and went somewhere else.

The only thing I can think of is loud music.

I am so grateful that someone else is cooking and cleaning up that I don't notice anything else!

Being asked "have you booked" when the restaurant is empty. Bonus points fir then spending ages working out where to squeeze me in when the restaurant never gets full all night.

Equally at busy shopping centre being told its a 15min wait for a table when its got empty tables (Zizzi im looking at you)

Taking ages to get served , bring drinks or bring bill/take payment.

Anything "pan fried", or "hand reared" or "heritage"(tomato/potato wtf??) Or "hens egg" or "line caught fish" wanky meaningless language.

Chain restaurants whsre food is under/overcooked. It costs a lot so its not adequate to bring it out inedible.

Lots of chain restaurants not worth eating and lots of independents disappear up own arse.

Wait staff crouching down to talk to you (c.f calling you 'Guys')

If we ask for the bill, we'd want it now, not in 20 minutes.

Cote Restaurants where they try and bring your starter and main within seconds of each other in an effort to speed you up. The tables are like postage stamps. Where are we supposed to put it???

People who come into the restaurant after me and my group, being asked for their order first which means they get their meals first. Drives me bonkers.
Straight away I'm narked with the server assigned to our table.
It's not rocket science to know which customers/ table should be looked after first.

Waiting ages for drinks to be served .
Waiting ages between courses
Waiting ages for the bill and then to pay . I just hate waiting especially when you may have booked the table in advance so really should be able to accommodate you and I don't want to be there all night .

Deconstructed puddings.

DP was served this after ordering a lemon tart.

I still think the waiter must have dropped it.

All of the above

Especially the "everything OK with the food?" check when you haven't even had a chance to try it

All of these.
And staff who say 'There you go!' and plonk down the plates of food.

That most items on the menu have bacon in them. I hate the taste.

Yes, yes, yes to being referred to as ’Guys’ when out with anyone, but especially the septuagenarian in-laws. I usually catch my father in-law’s eye and we exchange a raised eyebrow.
Also agree with having to wait an age for service after being seated. We've been known to walk out if they’ve left us alone for too long.
Also yes to waiting for condiments whilst the food is getting cold, and choosing desserts from a tiny range of chocolate cake /brownie +/- ice cream, Eton mess, or cheesecake. And crap cheesecake at that. Grrrr.

Service charge- I’ll decide if you warrant it
Lukewarm drinks

Omg YES to deconstructed pudding

So Heston style irritating

Things that are nothing like you expect Prize not really for guessing this mystery dish.

Removal of drinks when there is an inch of drink left in it. I often have one drink with a meal, so make it last, so please don't take away my last mouthful thank you very much.