Waiter Had To Deal With A Customer Who Was Known For Being Difficult, And She Didn’t Like His Answer About Why So Many Tables Were Reserved

Jayne Elliott

2 months ago

Source: Reddit/Entitled People/Pexels/Pete Wales

Working in a customer facing job such as a waiter at a restaurant means you sometimes have to deal with entitled customers.

In today’s story, a waiter explains that he had to wait on a customer that nobody at the restaurant likes. It seems that she goes to the restaurant quite often, but she’s very critical.

Let’s see how the waiter deals with the difficult customer…

A customer expected me to tell her what time all of our tables with reserved signs were booked for

I work in a busy local bar/restaurant.

In a recent business reshuffle, I’ve been utilised more as a waiter as our early food business is outperforming later business and there are more hours available.

Earlier on I served a customer who was well known for being quite a difficult patron (ie complaining and sending back food and drinks, making staff upset and commenting on the noise of other patrons).

The customer had questions about the reserved tables.

She walked past a couple of reserved tables more suitable for larger groups and eventually sat down at a table for 2 which was fine.

When I approached her to take an order, she asked me what time all the tables were reserved for.

I told her they were all for later on.

She pressed and asked what time.

I took a moment and responded “excuse me” ( they weren’t reserved for anybody in particular, just to keep bigger tables for larger groups)

The customer insulted OP.

She then said that I wasn’t allowed to say that to her and that she was a paying customer.

To which I said “Is there some problem here that I’m missing?”.

She told me that when you walk into a restaurant you should really get a pick of tables.

I told her I wasn’t in charge of our booking system.

She then sort of subtly referred to me as stupid or incompetent by saying that it was probably above my capabilities and that when she was working she’d “know the run of a place!”.

She was a pretty okay customer for the rest of her meal.

In any case she sat down for a few of hours – drank a couple of glasses of wine, ordered a beef featherblade, complained that it was tough (a rare complaint) and rolled her eyes at the family sitting next to her that complimented the food and service.

She then paid her tab in full and was actually ok with all the other staff.

I half expected a complaint but she didn’t say anything.

The customer wasn’t as bad as OP expected.

Our head chef and waitress would like her barred from the premises considering she constantly complains about food and has upset staff on numerous occasions.

I wont be advocating for her to stay but I can’t say I was too put out by her today.

It sounds like the customer may be very critical, but it’s not like she insisted that she must sit at one of the reserved tables.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story…

The customer must be unhappy.