The Craziest Life Stories I’ve Encountered While Working At A Restaurant

Ever wonder what crazy experiences servers really have to deal with? From infidelity to harassment, check out these real stories!

I’ve been waitressing since I was 16. It started off as a job for extra cash. I grew to like being a waitress and enjoy getting to know my customers. One lady offered me a job in an office. A couple once told me their friend was opening a bar in Chicago and said I should work there: they even called the friend right there for me to talk to! However, there’s always crazy experiences you can’t forget no matter how hard you try.

A triple date

I once had a table who told me it was their first date. They seemed nice and normal. After dinner, I asked them if they’d like dessert. They said no, they simply had no more room for food. I told them dessert could be made to go if they’d like to take something home with them. The man looked at me, smiled and said: “We’d like to take you home.” I walked away and had my manager drop off their check.

Public intoxication

While working at a Mexican restaurant, we served half price margaritas every Sunday. One time a couple got drunk and the man quickly hurried to the bathroom. I assumed at first that he needed to vomit; however, after the wife followed him into the bathroom to “help” we ended up having to kick them out. They were having sex in the restaurant bathroom! The man was openly buckling his belt and adjusting himself when they walked out of the bathroom. My manager told them they needed to pay and leave, and not to come back ever again.

Also while working at the Mexican restaurant, I was behind the bar making a couple drinks when an older man, probably in his 70’s came up to the bar. I said “Hello my name’s Ciara”, and he held out his hand. Not to be disrespectful, I shook his hand and he took my hand up to his nose and smell my skin. I thought it was extremely weird and sort of laughed it off until he told me he could imagine what I tasted like. Immediately I went into the kitchen and stayed there until the man realized I wasn’t coming back up front and left.

Cops arresting customers

Another time a party of 30 showed up to the restaurant I was working in and demanded we seat them immediately. The problem was though, I think the restaurant only accommodated 50 people and it was already full of customers. I think she assumed we had an event room but even so, showing up at last minute demanding that we seat her party was absolutely ridiculous. We ended up having to call the cops and the women tried spitting on me but thankfully, she missed.

A couple approached the host stand once after drinking perhaps way too much at the bar. The man thought the woman wasn’t looking and grabbed the hostess’s backside however the woman very much saw and slapped the man. Somehow the two ended up being sat in the restaurant and out of nowhere the woman throws the man’s phone and it shatters all over the floor. He slaps her and the two are arguing while still sitting in a booth. Other guests called the police who came and pepper sprayed the man, wrestle him to the ground in the middle of the bar area and he’s yelling that they also need to arrest the woman for slapping him first. Everyone was watching and it was the topic of the night: live entertainment.

Spilled food

Another time I had just started working at a place that used banquet tray and you had to lower the tray of food down onto a stand. I didn’t have the tray properly balanced and it slipped off my shoulder and went all over the floor. A woman who wasn’t even close to where the food spilled, was screaming at me about how she’s going to sue and insisted that the manager take care of their bill. No one was hit with the spilled food but another table felt so bad for me, they left me a tip of $100!

Infidelity

Once in the bar, I was serving a table of 4: two couples. Everything seemed fine until a woman showed up and slapped one of the men sitting there. Turns out she was his wife and they tagged their location on Facebook: he was at the restaurant with his girlfriend! The wife swung her arm at the table, breaking glasses and screaming at the man for cheating on her. The girlfriend was so embarrassed she left and the man chased after her instead of dealing with his wife!

Another time, I told a table of gentlemen to be careful because their dinner plates were extremely hot. One of them jokingly said, “So is our waitress.” And he had a shiny wedding ring on.

No thank you

Finally, the story I wish I could forget. While working at the Mexican restaurant it also had a gaming area with slots and poker machines. The customers could drink while sitting there playing the games. One time, an older man with no teeth told me he owned his own business and that I was beautiful. I told him thanks and tried ignoring him but he kept ordering drinks. Finally, he said if I’d go on a date with him, I’d never have to work again. I laughed and told him no thanks I’d rather work the rest of my life than go on a date with a guy like him. Luckily I never saw him again.