A Handy-Dandy Guide on How NOT to Be a Jerk at Restaurants

Dining out is one of life’s simple pleasures. You shouldn’t do it all the time, but it’s a great treat when the time is right. But it’s also a dialog – between you and the restaurant; between your table and the kitchen; between your server, your tablemates, and the rest of the dining room. 

And, restaurants are one of the toughest businesses to keep afloat, and if you want to support your local independent creatives or get the full experience while traveling to a new spot…well, don’t be a jerk.

Bon Appetit looks at the relationship between the diner and the restaurant. “Yes, it should be a special experience. Yes, your meal should be delicious, worth the price tag, and prepared to your liking. And, given the right location, yes, you should even expect to be pampered a little bit. But there are still a few ways you can screw up that whole “dining out” thing. We spoke with some of the industry’s biggest player… about what not to do when dining out. Whether it’s gaming the online reservation system or getting blackout drunk (duh, right?), this is the bad behavior that’ll make things awkward for everyone involved.”

Yeah, maybe the customer is always right. But I’d much rather have fun than be right.

The Worst Things to Do at a Restaurant: How to Ruin Your Night (and Everybody Else’s)