The Ordering Habit That Drives Restaurant Servers Crazy

Andresr/Getty Images

In a world where we can tailor more and more of our experiences to our personal preferences, the work of restaurant servers grows increasingly more treacherous. While many servers are doing their best to make sure you have a good experience, when diners stop considering the people behind their dining experience, things start getting hairy. Of the customer habits that servers find most inconsiderate, asking for an endless amount of substitutions has become one of the bigger points of contention.

It likely has something to do with "the customer is always right" mentality that came with the turn of the 20th century, and has only seemed to amplify with the passing of time. However, it seems as if now, more than ever, people feel that if they are paying good money for something, they are entitled to have it just the way they want it. While it may seem innocuous enough in the case of menu substitutions, it really can throw a wrench in the flow of service. 

Oftentimes restaurants give servers the option for modifications when entering orders into the point of sale system. For example, if a sandwich comes with tomato, they may be presented with a button that says no tomato — an easy fix. However, when folks start adding and subtracting different ingredients, it can take quite a bit of time for the server to make the appropriate notes on the order. Not to mention, it can get pretty confusing for a busy kitchen staff.

Inti St Clair/Getty Images

Although your server is typically your point of contact at a restaurant, you must recognize that they are not the only person working there. Your drink order hits a bartender while your food order is sent to the kitchen staff, both of whom are dealing with orders from everyone in the restaurant. A major reason that asking for too many menu modifications has become one of the biggest things servers want you to stop doing is because they are going to catch flack from the kitchen staff for it. "I once had someone ask me for a salad with only lettuce, tomatoes, and olives. That required like 7 modifications on our house salad so that wasn't fun ... chef wasn't happy," one person wrote on a Reddit thread dedicated to the subject. 

While there are certainly a few reasons it might be OK to get frustrated with your server, their inability to alter dishes to your taste preferences isn't actually their fault. In most cases, that order is coming straight from the kitchen or management. Mistakes can be costly in both goods and precious time, and oftentimes if food modifications are restricted, it's done by the restaurant in an effort to reduce errors. If you'd like to request a modification, remember that it's just a request and you may be told no. So it's best to have a second choice on deck in case that no is a deal breaker!