Confessions Of A Waiter – ‘Waiter Rant’: How To Avoid Spit In Your Food

Waiter Rant is the name of the book by Steve Dublanica, a.k.a. The Waiter.  The books is an account of what is really cooking in restaurants.  This morning, July 31, 2008, The Waiter appeared on the Today Show.

The thing that bothers me about this book and Steve Dublanica's publicity touring on the talk shows, is how they say 'be nice to your waiters' or 'leave good tips', because if you don't they are going to do bad (perhaps nasty) things to your food.

He says, "that if a customer is rude or talks on their cell phone the waiter or waitress doing something to a customer's food is justified."  I'm sorry but even though talking on a cell phone is one of my pet peeves, it by no means justifies a waiter spitting on my food or whatever that waiter decides he wants to do for revenge.

He says he even passed gas near a customer's table.  He also claims that he never spit in a customer's food…for some reason I don't believe him. 

Okay here is MY rant:  What happened to 'customers are always right' and 'the customer comes first' and 'service with a smile'?  We go to a restaurant spend our hard earned money on a meal ( which is getting higher and higher ) and leave at least a 15% tip (personally we leave a tip even when the service has been poor).

Now I by no means suggest that 'we' should be rude and disrespectful to waiters and waitresses.  The have a tough job!  But I remember when businesses catered to the consumer.  So when did things change?  Now we the customer not only pay for the goods and services we receive but have to cater to the businesses.  The role seems to have been reversed.  The consumers are paying their salaries, right?

You can go to the Today Show web site and read an excerpt from his book.

I have never been anything but polite to waiters and waitress, and have experienced poor service on many occasions.  And I'm sure that they (waiters)do experience rude customers from time to time…but are the days of 'the customers always right' gone?  I would love to hear what you think on this subject.  I hope to hear from you!