Pet Peeves in Restaurants

[Isegrim]

What are the annoying things you experienced eating in a restaurant, any kind whether it's fast food or haute cuisine?

Mine are:

1. Serving drinks before the food.

I love iced soft drinks served with my food. Some restaurants however, put down the drinks in your table long before the food is served. This annoys me a lot because the ice will have melted by the time I get my food and the soft drinks will be watery and puts a damper on my dining experience. I don't know if it's laziness or they're overworked and just want to get over serving the drinks as fast as possible just to lower their workload but I wouldn't exclude the possibility management decided this in the hope that you'll have finished off the drink before the food thus requiring you to buy another overpriced soft drink.

2. Serving sauces in sealed packets.

This is more of a fast food thing but sometimes, those packets are horribly designed to make opening them an exercise in frustration. Some have little slits which makes creating a tear easy enough but some stores use some kind of fiendishly tough cellophane.

I ate at two branches of a certain local Chinese fast food franchise restaurant recently. One put the sauce in a little dish and the other dumped the sealed cellophane packets for me to wrestle with. I absolutely hate the latter branch.

3. Sorry sir, we're strawless...

If you have a toothache or sensitive teeth, a straw can save you a lot of pain when you need to take a drink. But thanks to a certain kid made video, our local officials and politicians mandated no straws ever in every restaurant. I think that was too extreme. There are non recyclable plastic straws (not the flexible type) that can be used, washable and can be re-used. I wish restaurants would use this and be made available upon request.

 

[KamakoKamako's icon]

Poor ventilation. It's not so bad during the cooler months, but in the heat of summer, I don't want to be feeling like one of the poor Chef's hunched over the stoves and hot counters while I'm trying to enjoy my meal. If they don't want to open a window, at least have good air con.

Seating that is too close to the restrooms. Don't get me wrong, I get wanting to maximise available seating space, but don't put a table directly outside the bogs. The footfall alone is annoying as hell.

Menu selections without any descriptions. I like reading the original names for dishes, but please could I have just the briefest translated description of what each dish is comprised of? I don't feel more cultured having to pull up Google translate. Who does it benefit?

 

[contrail_]

Honestly, the part where someone serves me food while I sit and wait at a table. There's something wrong with the whole restaurant culture. It plays into people's expectation that their lives have to resemble a silver-spoon novel. The average joe should never get used to being served.
Like, seriously, stranger, let me get my own food, you just sit down and take it easy. And don't call me 'sir', you're older than me...

 

[gwardojones]

Mine is kind of basic, but it gets on my nerves when waiters ignore me. Or the opposite, where a waiter won't leave me alone. There's a sweet spot where a waiter comes just enough to make sure my drink is topped off and I'm not waiting too long before I can order food, while not coming over every three minutes to ask if I need anything.

 

[MegaDrive1987]

People talking loudly on speakerphone with absolutely no regard for anyone else around them.

 

[_Lorenzo_]

Hands down, my absolute biggest pet peeve is dealing with rude, unfriendly staff who act like they’re doing you a massive favor just by serving you. I’d much rather eat mediocre food served with a genuine smile than a five-star meal served with an attitude.
Another major one for me is blasting background music. I actually like having music while I eat, but when it’s so loud that you have to scream just to have a normal conversation with your friends, it’s incredibly annoying. I’m really not one to make a scene...I’ve probably only complained about it twice in my life, but it completely ruins the vibe.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I know it can come across as overly privileged (even though I have as much privilege as a Prisoner of War), but damn that I hate it when the waiters and waitresses don't give their full attention while busing my table — I rarely ever go to restaurants, so I kinda wanna be pampered some while in one.

 

[Xdqwerty Xdqwerty]

Bathrooms are always a mess

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

I dunno if it's an isolated case but there are times that the salt and pepper shakers are empty.

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

I think my pet peeves in restaurants aren't related to the restaurant itself, but rather to.. *ahem* my family...
I hate it when my lil bro star to cry because the food isn't that the food he want, he is ultra picky eater
Or when my sis stars to kick my chair even she kick my legs
Then my mom star to scold them and my stepfather say to me "don't put your elbow in the table" DUDE YOUR SON IS CRYING, WHY ARE YOU SINGLING ME OUT?

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

2. Serving sauces in sealed packets.

This is more of a fast food thing but sometimes, those packets are horribly designed to make opening them an exercise in frustration. Some have little slits which makes creating a tear easy enough but some stores use some kind of fiendishly tough cellophane.

I ate at two branches of a certain local Chinese fast food franchise restaurant recently. One put the sauce in a little dish and the other dumped the sealed cellophane packets for me to wrestle with. I absolutely hate the latter branch.

I despise when they give you these and its all greased up, which makes it impossible to have a firm grip. What are we doing here? Can you at least wipe your hands before giving me these?
Also, when they put the food into a takeaway tray and the sauce is just around the outside so it makes a mess in your car or something, absolutely drives me up the wall. Its why I ask for a bag or use my grocery bag and shove it in there. no way my 30-year old car is going to have stains on my cotton seats.