Restaurant consultant reveals what customers should never do when dining out
When it comes to dining out, there are some unwritten rules of etiquette between server and customer that are important to know.
Salar Sheik, a Los Angeles-based restaurant consultant and founder of Savory Hospitality, told Fox News Digital that the rudest thing a customer can do is "one-timing" a server.
That's when a customer asks for something like a glass of water, for example — but when the server returns, the customer then asks for something else, Sheik said.
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"You're just running them in circles," Sheik pointed out. "Try to bulk up on your order. Let them know right at the same time."
What if you're in a hurry and need to place your order quickly? There's a polite way to ask your server to put your food order in right away, Sheik said.
"I think a little explaining goes a long way for your waiter," Sheik told Fox News Digital. "It doesn't have to be in detail, but you can just tell them, 'I'm in a bit of a hurry.'"
Sometimes servers seem to disappear after your meal is done, leaving customers antsy about getting the bill.
There is a proper way to get your server's attention, Sheik said.
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"It's trying to make eye contact and kind of do a wave," he said.
Snapping your fingers at your server might work in the movies — but in real life, that comes off as rude, Sheik said.
"I think a wave is pretty lighthearted, you know?"
A common concern among customers is when a waiter or waitress doesn't write down their order.
If the meal comes to the table and isn't correct, it's natural for the customer to blame the server.
"I think a patron has to understand, even though that was a scenario, you can't assume it was just their fault," Sheik said.
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In a standard restaurant kitchen, "there's a lot of room for error," he noted.
"Obviously, the only point of contact you have between your food and who made it is the waiter," Sheik said, meaning the server is the one who takes the brunt of the criticism.
"You can kind of approach it softer," he said. "Some people tend to be aggressive and take personal offense."
Another area of frustration from a server's perspective can involve the length of time customers remain at a table after the meal has concluded and the bill has been paid.
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How long is too long? It depends on if it's a casual or fine-dining experience, Sheik told Fox News Digital.
"Fine dining, you're looking at two to two-and-a-half hours of appropriate dining time," Sheik said. "Casual, you are probably looking at an hour to an hour and 45 minutes. Two hours is pretty much the limit."
Another factor to consider is the speed of service and how quickly the food arrived when you were seated.
It's courteous to place your first order shortly after being seated, Sheik said.
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"But a lot of times we get tables that talk for an hour and then order," he said. "I think that's just inappropriate."
It's a server's job to set the pace of a customer's dining experience, whether that's refilling drinks or checking with the kitchen staff on the status of a table's order, Sheik said.
"You should have your first appetizer order within 10 to 15 minutes max," he said.
"And your entrées — in a perfect world, you should [receive] them within 20 to 25 minutes max."