'More than 2 of the wait staff are crying': 30+ Red flags at a restaurant that should have you immediately turning around and leaving

Advertisement
  • 01
    Fashion - 11.15
  • 02
    Font - Posted by u/Flint TheDad 4 days ago What's an immediate red flag at a restaurant?
  • 03
    Smile - Ankarhette. 4 days ago The smell of rancid oil.
  • 04
    Font - gpcousins2. 4 days ago More than 2 of the wait staff are crying.
  • 05
    Font - TheIncredibleCarno . 3 days ago Yeah I was gonna say, if the staff member is so upset that they can't make it to the walk in before they break down, then that's a really bad sign.
  • 06
    Font - Prestigious_Gold_585. 4 days ago High humidity inside.
  • 07
    Font - Silver_Sunshine360. 4 days ago All of the furniture and menus are weirdly sticky...
  • 08
    Human body - turtyurt 3 days ago A seafood restaurant should NOT smell fishy
  • 09
    Font - y2knole 3 days ago. edited 3 days ago that *smell* You know the one. floors feel a little slippery/slimy underfoot and it smells like theyve been mopping the place with the same dirty mop and bucket water for weeks.
  • 10
    Font - This isnt something you're likely to see in a nice place but I've encountered it in more fast-casual dining places than i care to remember.
  • 11
    Font - SpeelingChamp · 3 days ago THAT smell. It always reminds me of yeast rolls. I guess it's bacteria in the mop water that has been setting in that bucket for 3 days.
  • 12
    Font - carboncanyondesign. 4 days ago edited 3 days ago Dirty restrooms Edit: usually if the restrooms are dirty so is the kitchen. They seem to go hand-in-hand.
  • 13
    Font - 2nd edit: Some people are pointing out exceptions. I grew up in a restaurant family and worked decades in several restaurants myself (kitchen and wait staff). The point is if the owner/management doesn't care about filthy restrooms, they're probably letting other stuff slide too. For example: the condiment dispensers are never cleaned, the utensil bins are disgusting, the soda machine is
  • 14
    Font - hardly ever washed, the wash rags aren't sterilized daily, etc. Some of the other "red flags" I've read could be chalked up to a bad day (understaffed, new workers, server is going through a divorce but still has to work, etc.), and none of them are 100% accurate all of the time. But in my experience, dirty restrooms are still the biggest red flag.
  • 15
    Font - OkaySure Bye 3 days ago This is a dead giveaway. If they can't keep part of the restaurant that the public DOES see clean, you can imagine how the non-public facing parts look.
  • 16
    Font - MagnusPI 4 days ago A huge varied menu. Places like Chinese, Mexican, and Indian restaurants generally have large menus, but most items use the same base ingredients. It's the places that try to incorporate lots of wildly different dishes that you want to avoid.
  • 17
    Font - scotttr3b 3 days ago I immediately look to see if there is anyone actually eating. If there are a half dozen tables with no food on them, and people looking anxiously to the kitchen, I'm out.
  • 18
    Font - 787la57la47al. 4 days ago Multiple dirty tables that haven't been cleared. If the restaurant isn't crowded, staff should have time to clean them. If it is crowded, staff should be trying to turn tables over quickly. Dirty tables mear they are either severely understaffed or the staff just doesn't care. Either way you will be waiting a long time.
  • 19
    Mammal - Curiously Flavored. 4 days ago An ethnic restaurant with no one from that ethnicity eating there.
  • 20
    Font - Adro87 3 days ago Not a red flag about the food but if a place has their music up so loud I can't hear the person I'm with than I won't eat there.
  • 21
    Font - Good Difference_2837. 3 days ago Conversely, if it's TOO quiet; as in - not only is the sound system way too low, but if the customers are also weirdly quiet (barely having conversations, just sort of sitting there) and the atmosphere seems almost stifling.
  • 22
    Font - davo747 4 days ago "ATTENTION CUSTOMERS: due to inflationary pressures we will be adding a 10% surcharge to all bills. Thank you for your understanding."
  • 23
    Human body - ered_lithui 4 days ago Or a sign saying "no one wants to work anymore"
  • 24
    Smile - burning_spear_rtp 3 days ago A Mexican restaurant where the salsa is bad.
  • 25
    Font - Practical_Mood_7146. 4 days ago Empty parking lot during a traditionally busy time of day.
  • 26
    Font - No-Egg2880 3 days ago My big one is smells. If it has a yucky smell, you know something's not right. Also, flies. I understand that flys come in as customers open and close the door, but restaurants should be taking measures to repel bugs.
  • 27
    Smile - blueflyingfrog. 3 days ago observing staff not washing hands after using a toliet.. They flush the toliet, walk out the stall look in the mirror and out the restroom door.
  • 28
    Font - rosesforthemonsters. 3 days ago It's 6:30 in the evening and you are the only customer in the restaurant.
  • 29
    Font - 6033624 4 days ago . Political stickers on the doorway..
  • 30
    Human body - PLACE velvetjones01. 3 days ago If the waitstaff grab your drink by the top,
  • 31
    Font - DryContract8916. 4 days ago a menu with no prices
  • 32
    Font - robrtsmtn Anyplace that advertises, "just like mom used to make ". I love my mother, but she couldn't cook guts for a bear. My father cooked in self defense. 3 days ago
  • 33
    Font - BRUISE WILLIS. 3 days ago I always go to the bathroom and wash my hands. If the soap is empty, I walk out of the place.
  • 34
    Font - milesamsterdam 3 days ago A Tex mex restaurant that charges extra for chips and salsa
  • 35
    Gesture - 81 ThisisHalle 3 days ago An unkept fish tank / aquarium
  • 36
    Font - bg555 3 days ago Using gold flakes or gold parchment on food.
  • 37
    Font - kosuhime 3 days ago If a manager is yelling at staff either loud enough for everyone to hear or out in the open.
  • 38
    Font - Moof_the_cyclist. 3 days ago TV's on the walls in general. I hate the distraction no matter how good your food is.

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article