How to Be a Good Customer in a Restaurant

Anyone who has ever worked in the restaurant industry can give you their own Top 10 List of what to do and what NOT to do in a restaurant. Unfortunately, many of us forget our manners when dining out. Follow these steps in order to be a good restaurant customer and you might just make your server's day!

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Be friendly. It sounds simple, but many times restaurant guests are so wrapped up in their own dining experience, they forget their server is a human being, too! No, it isn't necessary to carry on a long conversation with your server, but a simple "How is your night going?" may mean the world to your exhausted, burned-out server. A touch of humanity is sometimes more valuable than a $3 tip.

2. Remember your pleases and thank yous. Although you may not intend to sound as though you're ordering your server around, forgetting to say please and thank you can come across that way. When your server refills your water glass in front of you, say thank you instead of just watching her pour it--we've all been there!

3. Don't shoot the messenger. Remember that the hostess may be the first and last person you see at the restaurant, but that doesn't mean she is responsible for the entire restaurant. Similarly, if the restaurant runs out of the cut of steak you had your heart set on that night, your server cannot do anything to change that fact. If you have a legitimate complaint, ask to speak with the manager.

4. Turn off the phone. If you wouldn't answer your cell phone at the dinner table at home, then you shouldn't answer it in a restaurant either. In the case of an urgent call, excuse yourself to take or make the call outside or in the restroom. The absolute last thing you should do is ask your server to hold on while you finish up your call.

5. Lead by example. Use this time to teach your kids how to be good customers. While most restaurants stock soda crackers to go along with soup, they aren't free snacks for your children. Should you bring along your own, be sure to clean up any messes your little ones may make. In general, clean up anything you wouldn't normally leave behind for your server, such as napkins and silverware, especially during busy hours.

6. Tip accordingly. Standard tipping is usually 15-20%. To quickly calculate a tip, find 10% of the total, then double it, which makes 20%. From there you can gauge whether a little less or a little more is sufficient. If you were impressed with your service, this is the time to express that. Remember that your servers depend on your tips to pay their bills--they aren't just volunteering their time to serve you.

Tips & Warnings

• Have a specific restaurant etiquette question? Check out Real Simple and Good Housekeeping magazines' Web sites for answers on switching table locations, sending back food, requesting substitutions and more.