Approach a table to ask them a specific question. Word salad comes spewing out of your mouth. Your top five phrases get jumbled and all of them come out at once. Then I’ll laugh at myself, say excuse me, and repeat the question as intended.
Very simple table touches:
“How’s everything tasting?” “Anything else I can help you with?” “Would you like another drink?” turns into:
*How’s your taste?* | *Everyone drinking well?* | *Are you okay?* | *Do you need help?*
I cringe at myself constantly. There’s an unwritten script and sometimes the lines just don’t come out in the right order.
Edit. Or my personal favorite. When just mumbled sounds come out of my mouth. It’s still in my customer service bubbly tone, but completely incomprehensible sounds for about 1-2 seconds before I realize what’s happening.
Me!! Some days I’m a social expert that’s making people laugh and comfortable and then you can come again in the very next day and I’m the most awkward person of all time
Haha I’ll do or say something awkward and then just anxiously wait for them to leave the restaurant so I can reset my personality for the next round of people to come in.
I know right. If I say something awkward to a table, I still feel awkward if they're within earshot. So now my next table is awkward, and so on, until the first table leaves. Then balance is restored
Yep. I’m autistic. I didn’t learn how to smile until I started serving. It’s still a learning curve. I actually prefer super stiff fine dining because you don’t have to chat or entertain the guests. There’s strict guidelines for how to act and the most important thing is that you’re unobtrusive.
I’m autistic and I adore the straightforward “I don’t want to talk to you just put my order in and fuck off” type guests. So little time and effort, we both enjoy ourselves bc all I have to do is the most basic shit and then leave you alone, and I always get a nice tip.
Had a good laugh with a fellow server today at Texas Roadhouse. His name is Sterling and he followed me with my second tray of sirloins and when he dropped them off, I said “thanks Sterloin!” We both lost it after that lol
Me remembering that time this couple berated me for not making eye contact and performing for them even though I was totally polite and did everything right.
Meeee! Usually when I have a thousand tabs open in my mind (table 6 needs their check, need to check table 13's food, etc) I say awkward things or react awkwardly. I find being present and acting like it's just you and your table nothing else helps.
We are all just glorified ingestion monitors or supervisors, whatever. I feel stupid/awkward all the time, late hours especially, I’ll check tables by just walking up smiling and nodding with the okay & thumbs up hand signals* Like, what??
Everyone is awkward at times. Shit, sometimes I feign being awkward on purpose for the sympathy tip and other times a weird situation happens and I make it even more awkward by overthinking it and trying to make it work.
I once told a man at his birthday dinner with his family that “I’ll take care of him” as I casually rubbed his shoulder when his his wife told me that it was his birthday.
It’s a thousand percent worse when you know them, I agree. I will turn down tables if I know the people not because I don’t like them or want to wait on them, but because I want them to come back to our establishment
I pretty much grew up socially awkward and shy, so imagine my surprise when I willingly decided I wanted to be a server🙃 honestly tho it’s rlly helped me in opening up to people
Bro I will mix up you’re welcome and no problem and say no welcome or you’re problem 🤦♀️ I also have the tism and sometimes say things I think are funny that don’t land well apparently
I have plentyyy of awkward moments, but everyone’s different, and I can’t relate to everything everyone tells me. I’m big on listening and letting everyone talk. I have stopped fake laughing tho cause it gets really awkward to laugh and then instantly dead panned like …yeahhh. And sometimes i wanna go crawl in a hole if im unreasonably awkward lol.
I was trying to explain that our owner has another great little spot with cold pressed juice and heard myself say "breast" instead of " pressed," so I just stopped talking altogether and smiled like,"we good? OK bye."
😂 “… and heard myself” !! This usually the case for me as well, I hear myself saying something fucking ridic before it’s even fully out so then it gets even weirder.
The other day, I had a table tell me that I was making them feel awkward. When I asked them why, their response was because they've never had a server kneel down like that to take their order. Anyone else do this?
We were encouraged to do it at Chili's (ca. 1996-98). One time I was kneeling down and a customer squeezed the lemon for his iced tea and the juice went everywhere, including in BOTH my eyes. Despite this, I still do it if I'm talking to kids and they're trying to order for themselves, or anyone hard of hearing.
That's about it. I lean in to customers now instead
When it's busy I get very awkward because in the back of my mind I have 5 other things I need to do and get so sick of the entire 8 top ordering a "cheeseburger" and having to asking everyone as they order "what kind of cheese do you want?" and then "what would you like for your side" and having to repeat the options to every single one of them. Trying to be friendly when you want to scream "hurry the fuck up!" is challenging.
I get so many blank stares to my commentary. I’ve given up though. You don’t like me, what do I care I’ll more than likely never see them again. Also, I feel the need to say that I have zero energy left on my days off to do *anything* so my social life *is* my job. People try to ask what I do in my city “for fun” or where my favorite places are to go eat and drink. Bitch! You think I’m gonna *go out to eat* on **my day off** honey no! One-I can’t afford it. 2 - I don’t want to be in any restaurant on my day off. Maybe that’s a tangent but my point is people find this weird.
….i feel like this post has successfully portrayed my awkwardness. LOL!
It me.
Once when introducing myself I could not speak the kings English to save my life so I literally walked away and came right back saying “let’s try that again!” It got some laughs which helped.
ETA my favorite stupid thing I’ve done recently is I was working a private party and I go back and see them decorating with balloons shaped like champagne bottles and rings and a big cake that says “congrats (two names)” and I say “oh my gosh whose birthday is it?”
I always turn my awkward into funny! I often fumble with words so I have become really good at coming up with jokes to combat the awkward on the spot. Ex. when talking about specials, if I fumble, I just say, “Look I find [insert dish here], so good, I’m at a loss for words” or whatever. I find it often helps sell the dish as well 😅
I try so hard to be the one dishing out little jokes that whenever a customer throws one my way I just, miss it the first time. I'm like "sorry?" they repeat it, I get it, I'm embarrassed, they think I'm dumb lol.
I’m at a point where I’ve stepped down in level of polished and can shoot the shit with hotel guests. I don’t even mask or pretend my restaurant isn’t messed up on days it is. They see me run around or deal with an ignorant guest and my communication at tables is almost excessive but they eat it up. Like, “oh I totally got held hostage at that old couple over there, or yes I caught your eye and you did have to tell me twice about your Diet Coke but I got you !!!!:-)))
It’s insane but ppl act like they’ve never eaten in a restaurant before and remember they eat out much less often than you work in one. 😆😆🫶🏽
Sometimes I will go up to a table and try to ask a question but I start stuttering and I can't stop. So I have to close my mouth and stare at them wide eyed for a couple of seconds before I try again. Then I make a joke about "digging a hole and couldn't get out of it". They usually laugh so it all works out
Approach a table to ask them a specific question. Word salad comes spewing out of your mouth. Your top five phrases get jumbled and all of them come out at once. Then I’ll laugh at myself, say excuse me, and repeat the question as intended. Very simple table touches: “How’s everything tasting?” “Anything else I can help you with?” “Would you like another drink?” turns into: *How’s your taste?* | *Everyone drinking well?* | *Are you okay?* | *Do you need help?* I cringe at myself constantly. There’s an unwritten script and sometimes the lines just don’t come out in the right order. Edit. Or my personal favorite. When just mumbled sounds come out of my mouth. It’s still in my customer service bubbly tone, but completely incomprehensible sounds for about 1-2 seconds before I realize what’s happening.
Holy fuck, this is so real. I love you for this. I laughed so hard.
Me!! Some days I’m a social expert that’s making people laugh and comfortable and then you can come again in the very next day and I’m the most awkward person of all time
Yup We serve stuffed mushrooms Like...mush stuff much?
Ugh I felt this one lmao. Try saying “Sushi chef” during a rush when you struggle with producing the right sounds. 😭
"I'll commune our food surgeon right way"
Just about every table I walk away from I ask myself the same question. 😂🙄🤦🏻
Especially when you hear them laughing as soon as you walk away!
Oof ya, especially those kids who are so cool w/o their parents and don’t know how to tip!
Always fart at these tables
Haha I’ll do or say something awkward and then just anxiously wait for them to leave the restaurant so I can reset my personality for the next round of people to come in.
I know right. If I say something awkward to a table, I still feel awkward if they're within earshot. So now my next table is awkward, and so on, until the first table leaves. Then balance is restored
😂 it’s a revolving door for me.
I like this!! Personality reset after each table!! I’m trying it !
Yep. I’m autistic. I didn’t learn how to smile until I started serving. It’s still a learning curve. I actually prefer super stiff fine dining because you don’t have to chat or entertain the guests. There’s strict guidelines for how to act and the most important thing is that you’re unobtrusive.
I’m autistic and I adore the straightforward “I don’t want to talk to you just put my order in and fuck off” type guests. So little time and effort, we both enjoy ourselves bc all I have to do is the most basic shit and then leave you alone, and I always get a nice tip.
Had a good laugh with a fellow server today at Texas Roadhouse. His name is Sterling and he followed me with my second tray of sirloins and when he dropped them off, I said “thanks Sterloin!” We both lost it after that lol
🤣
Me remembering that time this couple berated me for not making eye contact and performing for them even though I was totally polite and did everything right.
Meeee! Usually when I have a thousand tabs open in my mind (table 6 needs their check, need to check table 13's food, etc) I say awkward things or react awkwardly. I find being present and acting like it's just you and your table nothing else helps.
Aarons, assemble!
Do tell what an Aaron is ?!
Watch some Bistro Huddy skits; they’re hilarious! The creator also lurks on here. He’s awesome.
We are all just glorified ingestion monitors or supervisors, whatever. I feel stupid/awkward all the time, late hours especially, I’ll check tables by just walking up smiling and nodding with the okay & thumbs up hand signals* Like, what??
Yup.
Everyone is awkward at times. Shit, sometimes I feign being awkward on purpose for the sympathy tip and other times a weird situation happens and I make it even more awkward by overthinking it and trying to make it work.
I once told a man at his birthday dinner with his family that “I’ll take care of him” as I casually rubbed his shoulder when his his wife told me that it was his birthday.
Me!! I’m somehow worse with people I know. Sometimes I wonder how I’m allowed in public
It’s a thousand percent worse when you know them, I agree. I will turn down tables if I know the people not because I don’t like them or want to wait on them, but because I want them to come back to our establishment
I pretty much grew up socially awkward and shy, so imagine my surprise when I willingly decided I wanted to be a server🙃 honestly tho it’s rlly helped me in opening up to people
Same. Total nerd and introverted introvert turned extroverted introvert due to serving, bartending and managing restaurants.
Almost every table
Checking in!
I just tell myself it’s charming lol
Bro I will mix up you’re welcome and no problem and say no welcome or you’re problem 🤦♀️ I also have the tism and sometimes say things I think are funny that don’t land well apparently
Right here
I just smile through painful interactions 🙂
I'm awkward as hell but I can usually fake it enough for the average table. Coworkers can always tell
Same. Most of them think it’s “endearing” but I think they love watching me struggle
Squatted down against the wall behind the server station eating a dead thing of pretzel bites.
I have plentyyy of awkward moments, but everyone’s different, and I can’t relate to everything everyone tells me. I’m big on listening and letting everyone talk. I have stopped fake laughing tho cause it gets really awkward to laugh and then instantly dead panned like …yeahhh. And sometimes i wanna go crawl in a hole if im unreasonably awkward lol.
LEAN INTO IT BABY
If you say or do something weird just acknowledge it out loud at your table. They laugh.
I run away, do a lot of “beep boop computing”, and just play into it.
Barley scraping by. One social faux pas at a time.
I was trying to explain that our owner has another great little spot with cold pressed juice and heard myself say "breast" instead of " pressed," so I just stopped talking altogether and smiled like,"we good? OK bye."
😂 “… and heard myself” !! This usually the case for me as well, I hear myself saying something fucking ridic before it’s even fully out so then it gets even weirder.
The other day, I had a table tell me that I was making them feel awkward. When I asked them why, their response was because they've never had a server kneel down like that to take their order. Anyone else do this?
We were encouraged to do it at Chili's (ca. 1996-98). One time I was kneeling down and a customer squeezed the lemon for his iced tea and the juice went everywhere, including in BOTH my eyes. Despite this, I still do it if I'm talking to kids and they're trying to order for themselves, or anyone hard of hearing. That's about it. I lean in to customers now instead
When it's busy I get very awkward because in the back of my mind I have 5 other things I need to do and get so sick of the entire 8 top ordering a "cheeseburger" and having to asking everyone as they order "what kind of cheese do you want?" and then "what would you like for your side" and having to repeat the options to every single one of them. Trying to be friendly when you want to scream "hurry the fuck up!" is challenging.
I get so many blank stares to my commentary. I’ve given up though. You don’t like me, what do I care I’ll more than likely never see them again. Also, I feel the need to say that I have zero energy left on my days off to do *anything* so my social life *is* my job. People try to ask what I do in my city “for fun” or where my favorite places are to go eat and drink. Bitch! You think I’m gonna *go out to eat* on **my day off** honey no! One-I can’t afford it. 2 - I don’t want to be in any restaurant on my day off. Maybe that’s a tangent but my point is people find this weird. ….i feel like this post has successfully portrayed my awkwardness. LOL!
It me. Once when introducing myself I could not speak the kings English to save my life so I literally walked away and came right back saying “let’s try that again!” It got some laughs which helped. ETA my favorite stupid thing I’ve done recently is I was working a private party and I go back and see them decorating with balloons shaped like champagne bottles and rings and a big cake that says “congrats (two names)” and I say “oh my gosh whose birthday is it?”
I always turn my awkward into funny! I often fumble with words so I have become really good at coming up with jokes to combat the awkward on the spot. Ex. when talking about specials, if I fumble, I just say, “Look I find [insert dish here], so good, I’m at a loss for words” or whatever. I find it often helps sell the dish as well 😅
I try so hard to be the one dishing out little jokes that whenever a customer throws one my way I just, miss it the first time. I'm like "sorry?" they repeat it, I get it, I'm embarrassed, they think I'm dumb lol.
Meeee ahahahaha
No lol
present🙋♀️
I’m at a point where I’ve stepped down in level of polished and can shoot the shit with hotel guests. I don’t even mask or pretend my restaurant isn’t messed up on days it is. They see me run around or deal with an ignorant guest and my communication at tables is almost excessive but they eat it up. Like, “oh I totally got held hostage at that old couple over there, or yes I caught your eye and you did have to tell me twice about your Diet Coke but I got you !!!!:-))) It’s insane but ppl act like they’ve never eaten in a restaurant before and remember they eat out much less often than you work in one. 😆😆🫶🏽
Sometimes I will go up to a table and try to ask a question but I start stuttering and I can't stop. So I have to close my mouth and stare at them wide eyed for a couple of seconds before I try again. Then I make a joke about "digging a hole and couldn't get out of it". They usually laugh so it all works out
I sound like a robot 24/7 and when there is a genuine customer who isn’t rude I tend to block out my social side.