Restaurant workers often have a front-row seat to a variety of customer behaviors. While many interactions are pleasant, certain customer habits can be particularly irksome for those in the service industry.
From specific seating demands to bypassing the hostess stand, here’s a look at some of the most common pet peeves restaurant workers share.
Specific Seating Demands: The Booth Dilemma
It’s not uncommon for customers to have seating preferences when they walk into a restaurant. However, for some workers, like those at Los Rodeos Mexican Bar & Grill, the demand to be seated at a specific booth can be quite vexing.
In a skit, Madison Stigall and her co-worker humorously portrayed a “party of three” insisting on sitting at a particular booth, highlighting the often unrealistic expectations of customers.
Bypassing the Hostess Stand
Another behavior that can be a source of annoyance for restaurant staff is when customers bypass the hostess stand to seat themselves.
This disrupts the restaurant’s flow and can lead to confusion and inefficiencies in service.
Jokes and Payment Antics
Restaurant workers also face customers who make light-hearted jokes about the servers covering their meal costs. While meant in jest, these comments can sometimes come off as insensitive.
Additionally, some patrons attempt to pay without waiting for their server to present them with a bill, leading to potential misunderstandings.
Relatable Reactions from Viewers
Stigall’s portrayal of these scenarios struck a chord with many, garnering over 543,000 views as of Aug. 23. The video resonated with fellow restaurant workers and prompted viewers to share their own experiences.
One viewer commented, “My personal favorite is before I can even get a hello out a grown adult cuts me off and yells ‘BOOTH’ at me.” Another shared the challenges of customers wanting to sit at a yet-to-be-cleaned table during a busy rush, forcing the staff to quickly clean it.
The Psychology of Seating Choices
In bustling urban environments, cafés serve as more than places to grab a cup of coffee. They are social hubs, places of relaxation, and sometimes even makeshift offices.
But have you ever wondered why certain seats in a café seem more appealing than others?
A study titled “Seat Choice in a Crowded Café: Effects of Eye Contact, Distance, and Anchoring[1]” by researchers Staats, Henk, and Groot, Piet delves deep into this phenomenon.
The research suggests that our seating preferences are not random but are deeply rooted in our psychology.
One of the primary findings is the human preference for seats that minimize direct eye contact. This behavior can be traced back to our innate desire for a balance between intimacy and privacy.
Direct eye contact, especially with strangers, can sometimes be perceived as an invasion of personal space, leading to discomfort. Distance also plays a crucial role. The study found that individuals often gravitate towards seats that offer a greater buffer from other café-goers.
This behavior aligns with our inherent need for personal space and territoriality. Just as animals mark their territories, humans also tend to claim spaces, even temporarily.
Lastly, the architectural design of the café, specifically the presence of walls or barriers, influences seating choices.
Seats anchored to walls or other structures are preferred as they provide a sense of security and clear demarcation, enhancing the diner’s feeling of ownership and control over their immediate environment.
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Sources
- frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00331/full
This article was produced and syndicated by Viral Chatter. It was inspired by this video:
@madisonpstigall Pet peeves of working in a restaurant pt1 #fyp #resturant #retail #waitressproblems #hostess #hostessproblems #resturantproblems #petpeeves #funny ♬ original sound – Madison Stigall
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Martha A. Lavallie
Martha is a journalist with close to a decade of experience in uncovering and reporting on the most compelling stories of our time. Passionate about staying ahead of the curve, she specializes in shedding light on trending topics and captivating global narratives. Her insightful articles have garnered acclaim, making her a trusted voice in today's dynamic media landscape.
