'Anything I don't want to do is a code violation': Servers share horror stories of entitled customers staying late after close and how they handled it

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Apr 13, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

Everyone should be required to work in the service industry at least once in their life. Then maybe everyone can gain a little empathy. Because the types of entitled customers that these servers, bartenders, hosts, etc. have to deal with is absolutely insane. The antiquated saying "the customer is always right" has been long gone tossed from work cultures once millennials entered the workforce—and Gen Z is only help keep it out. So why is it that every server still experiences some kind of inconsiderate BS at work?

Recently, a service industry employee shared a story about a couple on a first date that stayed three hours after close. He saw that they were on a first date and it was going well, so he thought he would do them a solid and just give them some time after close. He went around and did his other duties, and came back and they were still there. He approached them to ask them to leave and they had the audacity to try and order more things. He ended up having to literally escort them out.

The Reddit thread on r/TalesFromYourServer has gathered hundreds of other servers with their horror stories of entitled customers staying way past close and also the ingenious ways they dealt with it. See for yourself below!

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