Fed up servers reveal the best ways they deal with entitled customers who interrupt their greeting with a drink order: 'And coffee to you too'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Aug 26, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

It's not groundbreaking to say that working with the general public can often be a challenging experience. For every sweet person who makes the customer service experience almost worthwhile, there are several nightmares who think nothing of treating those offering them a service with the utmost disrespect. Servers in particular often have to deal with demanding customers—hangriness really brings out the worst in some individuals. 

One annoying but common occurrence is customers who refuse to let a server finish greeting them before throwing out their drink order. This was recently a topic of discussion on Reddit, where wait staff shared all the different methods they had of shaming those who chose to be impolite in this way. It's fair to say that they listed some effective ways of making those entitled people think twice about being so snappy. It doesn't take a lot of time and effort to show basic manners.

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  • 01
    RICH
    via Alexander Kovacs
  • 02
    r/TalesFromYourServer u/SoggyWeeny • 1d What do yall do when a table just blurts out a drink when you're in the middle of greeting the table Short "Hi guys welcome to "place of employment" my name is-" "DIET COKE" I will literally run immediately and go get that singular drink and say "there you go since your drink was so important to you, I'm "name" and I'll be taking care of you" Makes them feel like a every time.
    via SoggyWeeny
  • 03
    WalkinSteveHawkin 1d "Hi guys welcome to "place of employment" my name is-" "DIET COKE!" "Good guess, but my name is actually Steve. So what can I get y'all to drink?" And take his drink order last.
    via WalkinSteveHawkin
  • 04
    JustASingleHorn 1d Nope. "Okay, I'll be right back with your Diet Coke and to get the rest of the drink orders for the table." ... then go make sure your section is all good, and wash your hands, then come back and try it again.
    via JustASingleHorn
  • 05
    Impossible-Number-57 1d I say, "Excellent! Duly noted!" And then continue with my opening spiel.
    via Impossible-Number-57
  • 06
    artistandattorney 1d I used to work breakfast mainly. They would say "coffee" to interrupt my greeting. I got to the point where I would say, "and coffee to you too, but here we generally say good morning. My name is..." I would get a few laughs and a few grumbles. I was glad when I got out of the business.
    via artistandattorney
  • 07
    Worried-Bumblebee981 1d Not my best moment but I had had it this night. While I was introducing myself, older guy of the group interrupted me DIET COKE. I literally left the table to go get it. Like stopped talking, turned around and headed to the soda machine. The table asked me why I left and came back with one Diet Coke. I politely said. " this gentlemen wanted a Diet Coke before I could properly introduce myself, i wanted to give the best service so I went to go get it. Would anyone else lik
    via Worried-Bumblebee981
  • 08
    JRock1871982 1d I just say would anyone else like a drink while making direct eye contact with every other person at the table 1 by 1 & then never do the greeting. Don't want to talk to me.. I couldn't care less lol
    via JRock1871982
  • 09
    oatmilkislife 1d Might be unpopular but honestly idgaf. I kinda dislike doing greets anyway. I'm not the most chatty person. I will chat w a table if they engage me, but otherwise I like to just give fast, efficient and polite service. Is it of them to cut me off to blurt out their drink order aggressively? Absolutely. Do I think they were raised in a barn? Ya. Would I ever cut off a server that way? Absolutely not. However, I'll save my breath. Idc. Diet Coke it is. The shorter the interaction
    via oatmilkislife
  • 10
    Simple Elderberry_89 1d I served for nearly 10 years, lake front casual place so we got all kinds of snooty people on their 300k boats. If they interrupted like that I usued to just have a straight face and let them finish what they're saying, and then just not address it and keep going. Lol. "Hey there!! My name is how are we-' MARY EXTRA SPICY, TITOS” “....... How are we doing this morning? I'll be taking care of you. Can I get anyone anything to drink besides the Tito's ?" Don't play their ga
    via Simple_Elderberry_89
  • 11
    SoggyWeeny OP.1d Or pretend like you didn't get there order and ask them again after everyone else. "What can I get you to drink?" confused look
    via SoggyWeeny
  • 12
    Ο AtomicBlastCandy 1d I did this once when I was famished. Very glad my friend called me out and I apologized to our server. Turns out my server had been to my gym and laughed saying something like 'no wonder you're hangry.'
    via AtomicBlastCandy
  • 13
    just_kande 1d My favorite way to handle it was always to politely ask them to repeat it. Me: the standard "Hi, welcome in, how are yall doing tonig...?" Person: "Diet coke!" Me: "I'm so sorry, what did you say?" Lean slightly forward as if you didn't hear them. It gets the rest of the table to perk up and shut up and usually gets the person to remember that manners matter. Now you have the whole tables attention.
    via just_kande
  • 14
    ZERO-POINT-ZERO 1d I stop speaking and stand in awkward silence. After a solid minute, I say, "Anything else?"
    via ZER0-P0INT-ZER0
  • 15
    Loud_Dragonfruit_859 14h I like to keep the intro a little more casual, so I start with "hey guys! How are we doing today?" And the blurt out "Diet." With no contact occurs. Then I usually hit them with a "I'm good, thank you for asking! What can I get you to drink?" That way they have to repeat themselves which so far has gotten them to snap out of living their life on autopilot and realizing oh yeah... I'm a person. Has yet to fail.
    via Lord_Dragonfruit_859
  • 16
    lilsourem 1d Why is it always a diet coke????
    via lilsourem
  • 17
    vinylcollxtion 1d I see different responses from lots of people based on where they work, whether it be more casual or finer dining. I do prefer to be in control of the service. When I get the "Welcome in! My name is-“ “DIET COKE" my usual response is "So close, I actually hear that a lot! My name's pronounced [my name]". It always gets a laugh and reminds them that I am in fact a human. I've done fast casual, casual, and fine dining, it works 99% of the time. I definitely get going with these p
    via vinylcollxtion
  • 18
    havereddit 1d "Wow, someone is thirsty! As I was saying_
    via havereddit
  • 19
    According_Row_9497 1d Once when I was having a particularly bad day as a cashier at a cafe someone interrupted my greeting with a "COFFEE". She paid cash and I shoved her change in her hands with a "CHANGE". Her friend was more polite lol. Not my finest reaction but fairly satisfying in the moment
    via According_Row_9497

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drinks customer service server waiter customers order reddit thread Reddit tales from your server entitled people
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