Poll Reveals That Pushy, Over Attentive Waiters And Drunk Co-Diners Irk Customers The Most When Eating Out

We’ve told you about things that customers in restaurants and bars do that really irk their servers from weird random requests, to telling them how to mix a drink but what if we turned the tables around? As customers, we know that there’re various things that waiters do that annoy us. Hovering, for instance. Similarly, a great meal can be ruined by an annoying family at the next table that’s talking a little too loudly. 

Concerned that many restaurants could shut down because of bad service, famed restaurant critic Barry Verber commissioned a poll that would pin point what exactly ruins a customer’s meal experience.

The survey was conducted among nearly a thousand people, who were asked to select their most common complaints when eating out.

Pushy, Smelly Waiters

Out of the survey, 49% of the participants said their biggest problem was when waiters were over-attentive and pushy, saying they were less likely to leave such waiters a tip. Conversely, 34% said they got put off a meal when waiters appeared uninvolved and bored; meaning that waiters have to toe a very fine line.

Other problems that customers had with waiters was body odour or an unkempt appearance (9%), over-familiarity (1%) and constantly coughing or sneezing  

Fellow Diners

When it comes to other customers, diners have a problem with patrons who are excessively drunk, use their mobile phones constantly and loudly and diners who indulge in ‘heavy petting’.

Verber comments that restaurants should work hard to ensure that their service and meal experiences are always as pleasant as the food served, if they don’t want to bear the brunt of bad feeling and negative reviews.