Excuse me!
Servers everywhere agree that this one common dining habit is more disruptive than diners realize.
Calling your server over multiple times on separate occasions for things such as extra napkins, a lemon wedge, more dressing or another spoon seems innocent but in reality, it pisses off servers.
It even has a name: one-timing.
While each request is reasonable on its own, one-timing can significantly disrupt a server’s flow and add stress to an already busy shift.
“This habit does bother me, especially when I was first starting out as a server and was relatively inexperienced, because it really slows everything down,” says Stephanie S., a server at a chain restaurant in Utah, told Reader’s Digest.
“I felt like people were being too needy, and it stressed me out.”
During slower hours, servers might not mind the extra trips. But making them run in circles during a dinner rush will likely upset them.
“I’ll admit, it kind of makes me hate people if they do this at peak dinner rush,” Sarah S., a server at an Asian-fusion restaurant in Florida, told the outlet.
“When we’re slammed, it turns into a logistical nightmare, but when we’re not busy it’s not a big deal and I don’t mind as much.”
However, April O., a server at a chain restaurant in Texas, said that this isn’t just the diner’s fault.
She claimed this happens because “customers forget to ask for everything they need and the server fails to anticipate their needs.”
“If both server and patron are doing their parts, there shouldn’t be any ‘one-timing.’”
“To reduce these kinds of guest requests, I always try to anticipate needs — especially for big parties or families with little kids, who are the most likely to one-time me to death,” Valerie P., a server at a family restaurant in Washington, explained.
To avoid being this type of customer, servers want customers to think ahead and check their needs—extra utensils, condiments, drinks — and ask for them all at once.
And if people are dining with a large group — the table should ask each other if they need anything before the server comes by to check in.
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