By Shannon Quinn
Waiting tables in a restaurant is tough work, so why make things even more difficult for your server? You don't want to be one of those cringe-worthy customers they talk about in the kitchen.
But if you've never worked in the restaurant industry, you might have no idea how you routinely make headaches for waitstaff. So, avoid these five stupid moves that will make any server want to dump a tray of food right on your pretty head.
1. Tipping incorrectly
Don't give a stingy tip just because you're using a coupon.
Everyone loves getting great food at discounted prices, which is why restaurant deals on Groupon or all-you-can-eat specials are so popular. However, many people make the mistake of paying a tip based on the discounted total.
A cheap meal doesn't make your server's job any easier. Remember to calculate your 18% or 20% tip using the original pretax total, before the discount. (For example, if you got a $20 meal for only $10, the correct 20% tip would be $4, not $2.)
Face it: If your waiter had to go back and forth to your table five times to pick up plates because you were filling up on the all-you-can-eat pasta special, it makes sense to pay him a tip that reflects his efforts.
Doug Whiteman
Robin Saks Frankel
Neve Gotshalk
Esther Trattner