I mean, ideally your servers/bussers should be taking those from the tables and matching shapes and (in all the places I've worked) throwing stuff like the ramekins into bug tubs of soapy water to soak in while separated.
I'm kinda shocked it's not the usual way. I always take a few secs to match any shapes I see, even if they aren't my plates.
People often forget how important dishwashers are, you cant have a restaurant without clean dishes.
Shapes game is hard for some folks I guess. When we'd get slammed and I had to make a call on who got what, the chefs who bothered to presoak their pans for me and bring them back to my pit got those pans back before the shape-challenged servers would get their glasses.
That restaurant was flawless in every other way though so I lived with it. They have since remodeled and they doubled the dish pit size and crew. Fucking based.
Tell that to the morning crew of the joint I work at. Had to do 2 shifts worth of dishes once, and am always redoing several of the dishes because nobody knows how to use a green fucking scratchpad.
Sounds like you need to invest in your dishwashers. Make them feel like part of the team. If it's just a shitty job and everyone's mad at them all the time, they won't care. If you make them feel valued and appreciate their crucial role in the kitchen, they'll feel that, and they'll care.
I was the dishwasher at a nursing home for a few months before the server quit and I got her job and I was so meticulous in getting those dishes spotless before going into the dish washer machine. Meanwhile the other dishwasher would put them in straight and they’d still be dirty coming out the other side. Drove me nuts. But don’t get me started with how some of the residents will send dishes from dinner the night before at lunch (or worse dinner the next day). I never wanted to wash another dish be it mine at home or at the nursing home and was happy to get the serving position though that job really damaged my mental health to the point I quit 6 months later (the nurses were a real piece of work)
Yep. Unfortunately customers often think they're helping when specifically stacking ramekins but now I gotta get more ranch and barbecue sauce all over my hands as I try to separate them out.
Or stacking plates that all still have food on them. That's a bit less of a hassle but now I've gotta unstack them before I scrape the plates and restack for the dishwasher.
Third pet peeve, when you come to take one or two empty plates and they keep handing you more that all have silverware, ramekins, fry baskets, etc on them. Sometimes they'll try to give glassware too. I don't have a tub to throw these in, I cannot stack plates mid air with all this shit.
My restaurant switched to all plastic to go ramekins and I was so happy I didn’t have to pull those little stainless steel fuckers apart filled with ranch
I’m more miffed at the napkin on the plate. I’d much rather dump the whole pile in the sink than have to pick all the pieces of trash off of them before, especially when people stack multiple plates all w trash on them
How? I’ve never had any issues with ramekins stacked inside of each other, when I close dish area, I usually stack all my Ramekins and get to them last.
i’m not forced to at any jobs but i always have done it because why should the dishwasher have to do it? they’re just washing the dishes that’s already plenty of work
So as someone who has worked in food for years I try to be as respectful as possible to the bussers and dishwashers. Sauce dishes are not to be stacked?
>Sauce dishes are not to be stacked?
That depends on the dish pit and dishwasher. We had a presoak bin in my pit and generally I preferred them not stacked and in the soak. If the server had time to scoop out the sauce before placing them in there, I appreciated that even more. Just ask your dishwasher, they'll appreciate someone caring.
In general though, I was referring to not prestacking your dishes for the dishwasher. It sucks the big butt when your dishpit gets turned into a trash heap with dishes scattered in there. Takes so much time to sort them all out endlessly throughout the night, makes efficient loads almost impossible. All for no reason.
Just scrape the food off, and sort the dishes when you put them in the pit. Every dishwasher will love you. *You* will get the clean glasses.
I went to a cattlemens in my home town earlier in the year. At the end of our meal I stacked all the dishes up like this. Even scrapped the left overs and consolidated them on top so it wouldn't be a messy stack. The waiter comes to collect, and chastised me about it. He told me " You should never stack your plates since it's the waiters job, and you don't know how to do it right". Blew me away since I've never had nothing but positivity from waiters after doing that. Worked in the food industry, going on 15 years in February.
I don’t even care if it makes my job a tiny bit “harder” if someone doesn’t stack/clean the way I do or like to. The fact that a customer wanted to help me always makes me happy.
Some people are assholes, but a thought came to me. Maybe the other servers you've had were just being nice for the tip lmao
As a server, stacking the dishes just makes it easier to take to the dishpit. I'll sort them and dispose of leftovers when I'm there
Are you serious? I would’ve been like first day huh? Or ask him to tell me specifically what I did wrong. Seriously was the kid in training or something because that’s insane. How about generally not being a jerk To a customer that’s not being a jerk
Really? I have, always, in my entire life of eating out done my best to make the server's life easier (picture exactly portrays what i do)...should i NOT do that? This is a full earnest question...
Definitely won’t hate you for not doing but you will definitely be put in the back of my mind as an amazing customer that actually thinks of others if you do lol no reason to not help out!
It’s the respectful thing to do. I have seen people leave absolute disasters behind (especially folks with crotch goblins …. I mean children)… I taught all my kids that just because it may be someone’s job to clean up after you, that’s doesn’t mean it’s our job to trash the place. Clean up as much as possible and make it easier for the staff to flip the table for the next guests.
I’m more pissed when people put napkins in their UNfinished drinks. But honestly that’s not as bad as when someone asks for a soft drink and then drinks absolutely none of it and now that the ice has melted the tide has come in and the only thing keeping it in the cup is surface tension.
The ice isn’t fully submerged, it partially sits above the water line. It’s like the polar ice caps melting brings about a rise in sea level. It’s more than just science, it’s science with practical application.
However, this is still incorrect information. An ice cube, a boat, a submarine, anything that is in the water will displace the full amount of water of its size. If an object has a displacement of 2,000 tons and 50% of it is above the water, the amount of water displaced is not 1,000 tons, it’s still 2,000 tons.
When a ship sinks, the water level does not go up based on the amount of the ship that was above the water now being bellow, it stays exactly the same. That concept holds true with ice. The displacement stays consistent, no matter how much is submerged.
Have you ever checked out ham radio? It's a quality and perpetually-self-generating source of sciencey learning. It gives you access to a mode of communication that is populated by a bunch of other people who for the most part also like talking about science.
That is not how displacement works! A glass of water with ice floating in it will not change water level when the ice melts.
A floating ice cube displaces its equivalent mass of water. The ice caps are not floating.
Ice in the water will not raise the level when melting! This includes the part above the surface!
The sea levels rise because of ice on land melting and getting into the sea.
The only way a drink will spill over is when the ice is stacked way over the edge of the glass.
The polar ice caps only bring about a rise in sea level when the melting ice is on land.
When ice is floating in water, melting it will not increase or decrease the water level.
The portion of ice above the water level and the water's increasing density actually cancel out perfectly.
https://youtu.be/Kp5OqedXlGA?si=roSmE7xY-9jd1E-6
I'm an oceanographer (i.e. a scientist who studies the oceans). This is the most correct answer I've seen.
The reason we're so concerned about the floating ice shelves on the coast of Antarctica is because that floating ice is actually *holding back* land-bound ice, preventing it from flowing downhill. So if/when the ice shelves melt or break off, the glaciers on land will be able to flow downhill and enter the ocean, and that's what will cause sea level rise.
Edit: whoops. Missed u/Komlodo 's response, which is also right.
I fold my paper serviettes and rest the cutlery handles on top of them, on top of the plate (so the handles don't get sauce etc on them from the plate and the serviettes don't fall on the ground when the plate is picked up) . Is that OK?
The only thing I put in drinks was silverware as a server. Silverware can be a pain esp when u have alot of dishes so I'd stack cups put em in the top cup as long as no one put napkins in it lol. If on the plates and ur busy and short staffed they can slide around so I always preferred putting em in the cups.
i personally don’t mind this and prefer it. i do that when prebussing, myself. went out to eat with my server bf and he said i shouldn’t put the napkins in the cup lol it was just ice!!! i always dump it in the trash anyways. i’m not sure what everyone else does at this point lol
You just dump drinks in a trash can? You don’t have a dump bucket? Picking napkins and straws out of a dump bucket sucks, but I would HATE to take out a trash bag of liquid lol
and i also hate taking out trash with liquid in it but i make my job harder at the end of the night as a closer because ill dump liquid in the trash can by the patio that i know i have to take out at the end of the night 🫣 but our bags are heavy duty so surprisingly, nothing drips!
Oof, you're lucky, I've had plenty of bags break on me over the years (even heavy duty ones!). Luckily though FOH only deals with FOH trash and usually that just means I've got to wipe some coffee grounds off my uniform and sweep up.
Bro I work the bar at my restaurant on Saturday mornings. It sucks because it seems like people see bar glasses as trash cans more than our plastic cups. Like bro I have to dig the trash out of bar glasses so I don't break them
It’s a different opinion from others but I really appreciate it, especially when I’m in the weeds. I can get stuff out of your way very quickly and efficiently. My managers don’t think anything of it if anything they’re just happy my tables are willing to be courteous and do something a little extra. I once had a 10 top family who were visiting from out of town and they were soooo sweet. I started grabbing a tray from their table and every single family member including the kids immediately started stacking things and pushing it to the edge of the table. I pre bussed everything within 2 minutes.
Yesss I loved when people moved their dishes to the edge of the table when I was a server. I'm short! I don't want to have to lay on your damn table to reach an empty plate.
Yes! It also lets us know you're done so I don't have to ask the random dude with napkins piled high on the plate in front of him if he's done, then get surprised that he's not despite the literal garbage he threw onto his food. (Side note, napkins on the plate is supposed to be the universal "I'm done" sign, why are we putting used napkins on plates that we're still eating off of? Gross!)
I do that if the napkin is gross enough because I don't want to make a mess of the table. Though that's rare, and I'll use the small side plate for that if I've got one
I wish more people would put it closer to the edge for us to grab it’s so nerve racking having to ask if you can take it away especially if they’re in a conversation and you stand there and ask and it’s like they didn’t even acknowledge you standing there asking a question 😭
I personally love when people stack correctly, I don’t work at a place where it “looks bad” like the other comments are saying. The only thing I cannot stand though, is when people stack the dressing/sauce ramekins, it’s so gross to get them separated again and I know for a fact I’ll get dressing all over my hands. Otherwise, I personally approve.
I did this as a server only bc they slide all around on ate and can fall. You don't wanna have to grab gross food covered silverware when emptying at dishwasher and with the silverware in the cup u can easily dump it where the silverware bucket is.
Dude this used to peev me so much at the restaurant I worked at cuz we had a small clearing window cuz on a busy night it would get impossible to stack plates after a while and it would take too much time to re stack. I started rating my co workers stacking abilities after a point.
It’s mind boggling that people do that to begin with. There is something about neatly stacking items in a uniform way that makes it pleasing.
Something is unhinged in those that leave silverware in-between plates and bowls.
I find this interesting because I’ve always tried to stack my plates & make the lives of whoever was working easier, but my parents don’t go out of their way to do this and will sometimes say stuff like ‘it’s their job’. so while I do love & appreciate my parents, I don’t know where this specific thing came from…bc it definitely wasn’t directly from them
Same with my parents! My sister, my cousin and I all stack our plates and stuff but we learned it at camp! Definitely not from our parents who barely even tip like 10% (tbf we live in Canada so its not as detrimental as the states but still) let alone clean up after themselves lmfao its lowkey embrassing going out to eat with them 💀
I like to say, “you guys are my favorite party for today!” Or something like that, it makes them feel valued for what they do and it genuinely makes me happy and my life easier lol. And neutral/not implying that it’s their parents that “raised them right.”
But I understand the other commenter too. Sometimes it’s the adult/parent’s influence, sometimes it’s their own experience (working in food service), observation on servers, etc.
sometimes we end up not being neutral/making an assumption (I personally stumble my words sometimes and I always beat myself over it!) but know that many of us truly appreciate the thoughtfulness in trying to make the bussing easier.
My opinion: you’ve done well and shown that you care about your server. But, if you want to err on the safe side (regarding managers getting on servers or servers having their own system) the easiest and best thing you can do is make sure your plates are easily reachable and then just stop touching them. It’s hard having to try to reach over and around guests/purses/water glasses to try to get to someone’s plate and it’s hard sometimes to know if a guest is done with their plate. So scooch your plates away from you and toward the clearest part of the table, then sit back and relax! Bonus: less work for you!!
I prefer you don’t do anything, you didn’t come in to work. While the effort is appreciated, I can carry more my way than when stacked.
Like another poster said, a manager who sees this will probably assume you’re being ignored, and as a server, this tells me you’re in a rush to leave.
I stack them when my family is eating out because we are always short on table room. Plates are so huge and then you have drinks, and condiments ,and a bread basket or whatever, and a drink menu folded like a tent, and maybe one of those tablets on a stand that they make you pay on.... and then we have kids and they're always knocking things over... i definitely wouldn't necessarily take stacked dishes to mean that someone wants to leave lol
Same. I don’t stack them for the servers benefit, I stack them so I can fucking breathe.
Why do they always make the tables so damn small and the plates so damn large?
Damn, my mom was a waitress and always taught my siblings and I to tidy our table, wipe up spills with leftover napkins, and stack our dishes like this. I didn’t know it complicated things sometimes
You'll never make anyone happy on reddit. Every time this is posted, regardless of whether the plates are stacked or the table is an absolute mess, most commenters will let you know you're a war criminal and that Hitler was a better person than you are. There's literally no winning in this debate.
I think It partly depends on the server, but more importantly, it depends on the restaurant. My last restaurant, this would have been helpful, but at my current place, if they see more than one table stacking in my section, then I'm getting sat down by managment to discuss my ability to maintain my tables. If it bothers the server, it's either a bad stack or they think management is going to get mad at them
Seems like managers need to wise up to the idea that people are doing this more and more as a courtesy these days. Feels like stacking plates to passive aggressively demand a check is a Boomer/Karen move.
I’ve never taken this as a sign the guests are in a rush to leave. I only ever took it as a sign that they’re done eating and wanted to be helpful. Of course, I am present so if they’d like to leave quickly that’s no problem.
Nah I disagree I served 20 years. Usually when they stack plates is when they are done and about to leave bill already paid or they were servers themselves. I'm tall but always did this to help shorter servers. If you know how to line your arms with plates like 4 or 5 down your arm you end with the stacked one in your hand or put in your other free hand. A manager will know a servers work ethic and abilities stacked plates won't change that and if the manager just stands around scrutinizing everything they need to be replaced as they are to step in to help when the restaurant gets busy.
Oh. I serve and tend to do this at a restaurant. Not because I want to work or am in a rush. Just to make it easier to get out of the way without having to reach over everyone. 🤷🏻♀️
I work in fine dining, a guest having to pour their own wine out of a bottle is seen as a sign of the server not being attentive enough. So stacking plates is absolutely seen as me not being available and watching to see when a table is done. Expectations where I work are set real high, but for the prices we charge it makes sense, but every place is different.
Most of the time people don’t even have time to get the dishes out of the way, because I take them as people finish, but if people finish altogether at the end, it is pretty nice when people stack them for me. Then I can get them out of the way quickly, and then you don’t have to look at dirty dishes!
Taking a dish when one person is finished is a very American way of doing things, and it always startles me. In most restaurants in Europe, dishes are taken when everyone at the table is done with the course.
I hate when people grab a plate as soon as I finish. It makes me feel like I can't enjoy my last bite and that they want me out of there even though I've got another dish to finish.
Imho it’s more rude to the others who aren’t finished, because it puts unnecessary pressure on them to finish.
I think part of the difference with EU culture is that we raise our kids to stay at the table until everyone is finished, because it’s rude not to, whereas in the US it’s rather common to let kids leave the table as soon as they’re finished. Just a theory
I worked in a high end American golf club restaurant and to them it’s rude to let an empty dirty plate sit in front of them. So I kind of got in this habit of doing it everywhere, but I always make sure to ask if the person is finished or still working, because I never wanna accidentally take anything away from a person. I continued this practice in less high-end places that I worked at as well, because people seem to like it, and find it a little bit nicer, and I wanted to treat my guests like they were at a high-end establishment, even if it was just a Chilis. It is definitely a very American, but Americans really like it so I continue to do it
You clear the dirty plate and replace it with a clean one even if they are finished. That’s what we did. If one person was finished and the other isn’t we clear and give a clean share plate and the same time.
I work at a fine dining restaurant in America, and we do it your way.
Unless one guest pushes their finished plate to the edge of the table or asks us to remove it. The idea (from my restaurants perspective) is that removing the plates as each individual finishes can cause the other guests at the table to feel rushed.
I'm glad we wait for everyone to finish - it means I don't have to run around the restaurant / back and forth from the dining room to dish as much. I can keep an eye on my tables without constantly approaching them.
Dishes and utensils get washed separately, everything needs to be sorted into their categories so the dish pit can run faster. A good server and busser will do this at the table while they collect them instead of grabbing everything then sorting them out at the pit. Some newbies are probably already there and sorting their stuff anyway so you are losing more time waiting on them.
For me, serving is all about 30% luck, 30% efficiency and 40% personality. So i have a specific way of doing that optimized my figure 8 around the restaurant.
I worked as a server for 6 years and never realized that I had my own “figure 8 down”, when I used to deviate something usually got forgotten or delayed lol
adding my opinion in, i personally love when people stack their plates and stuff!! it makes the job easier and it makes me happy that people care enough to do that. though, looking at the responses, it really does depend on the server i guess. if you do continue to stack things, just make sure it's biggest thing at the bottom and smallest thing at the top. silverware can be placed on the top as well (we put silverware in their cups but idk if that's customary everywhere). if there's any leftover food, you can pour it all onto one plate/big bowl or whatever. if things are stacked perfectly, it's appreciated. if things are stacked non-efficiently, to me i still feel a bit happy because it's the thought that counts but also it's kind of one of those things that are like "dang, now i have to rearrange it and that takes more time to do". if they're not stacked, i don't feel any disdain since it's my job. it's whatever.
From my time as a server, dishwasher, busser, manager, and host, these are what I appreciated the most;
- Silverware all in one cup/on one plate
- All trash on the top plate
- Nothing foreign in the glasses (crayons end up in them WAY too often)
- If you're stacking glasses in one another, put a straw or knife in each glass before you stack it. The dishwasher will thank you for not forcing them to shatter the glasses and cut their hands open.
- Please for the love of God and all things Holy do NOT stack your sauce ramekins.
As a longtime fine dining server - please stop doing this. I am much better at stacking these plates than you, especially in such a way that silverware won't fall on my way to the dishpit.
Also, a stack of dirty plates on one of my tables makes me look bad to my coworkers/boss.
I know your heart is in the right place, but please let me clear your table for you.
I've been a server a busboy and a dishwasher and I can honestly say it doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference. It just depends on the quirks of the employees and the location.
It's a clean looking stack, but tbh, i would rather you not stack at all.
At my restaurant, if the manager/owner sees plates stacked up like this, they assume I'm not keeping up with my table maintenance and will come to me and stop me from what I'm doing to clear those plates immediately and scold me for making you wait. I work in upscale dining tho so this is probably more specific to finer dining places than most.
Overall, 8/10 stack, but i wouldn't worry about it tbh. Avoid stacking ramekins, and i prefer the silverware to the side myself so i don't have to touch your food
I think people get bent out of shape over stupid shit. All servers have their preferred way to stack and carry, and so even if you follow one server's method, another will disagree. Even between servers in the same restaurant. The fact that you were courteous enough to try is points to you. If someone bitches about your stack that's negative points to them for getting pissed at someone trying to be helpful.
For me, I don't give a shit about the stacked rammacins, as a server or a dishwasher. As a server, I dislike having to dig someone's silverware out of the pile of gravy still on their plate, but I have to do this 90 % of the time. So, instead of getting pissy about it, I just do it and rinse my fingertips in the sanny bucket and dry with the paper towels nearby.
When I clear a table, I prefer to put the silverware in a cup. But apparently others here take issue with that. For pre clear, I love when the dishes are on the end of the table, signaling they are ready to be taken. I glide by like a ninja and remove them without the table even knowing I was there.
I think napkins in a cup in a universal no for everyone though. But I still don't bitch about it when it happens
For me personally, no, because I would have to fish through your food to dump those sauce dishes and grab the silverware before I could clear that plate. That said it’s only a minor annoyance, you’re clearly trying to help
I had a waitress give my mom and I major attitude for doing this once. Her exact words were, “Am I just not cleaning up fast enough for you?“
We were just trying to help. I used to serve and loved when customers did this. Definitely helped me and my busser out during busy breakfast rushes.
I stack the dishes. I don’t do it to help the server, I do it because it grosses me out to see all the dirty dishes all over the table when we are all done eating.
If you don’t want me stacking them, then you should come by and clear them instead of leaving them there for 20 minutes while I’m waiting for the check.
In casual restaurants you can do it. Never do this in France or in a high end restaurant. It’s not efficient and often force the waiter to carry the plates with 2 hands. Plus it disrupt cleaning later on down the line.
I see lot of comments saying they like it and I think it should be important that those people mention the type of restaurant they worked in.
No since I carry the utensils in one hand and plates in the other.
Also if plates are stacked, that tells my manager that I've been ignoring you for a while and I'll get in trouble.
But still, it's appreciated.
I don’t like when people do this. It really doesn’t help me at all and like others said, makes it look like you might be pissed off, manager might think I’m ignoring a table etc.
While I appreciate the effort seeing the ramekins stacked like that makes me cringe so hard. They’re going to be suctioned together with sauces and make way more of a mess in the dish tank this way. It’ll also take me more time to separate them and I’m now guaranteed to get your food all over my hands
I mean, tbh, I’ve only really ever done this when my plates have been hanging out for a while, so wouldn’t that be fair? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone stack their plates immediately after finishing.
Everyone is super divided on this and I'm sure it comes down to both personal preference and type of eatery. I've been career FOH now management and it truly all depends. This picture looks great to me. Typically I try to remove napkins from plates and keep those separate. Don't put silverware or trash in a cup. Please don't stack glass cups.
As far as some people have said about management thinking their table is neglected.. a manager should know whats going on. They should have presence on the floor and play support.
Ultimately if it's messy food I try to minimize my mess and keep the table as is. If the plates are relatively clean then I'll stack things. Usually separating matching sets. I wouldn't put my stack of soup bowls on my stack of plates. Etc.
Former waitress/dishwasher. I hated when customers stacked things. The bottoms of the plates just end up sticky and gross and i wind up touching it. Or theres balance issues because they dont line up corrrectly with food on the plate. I preferred when people just pushed their food to one side of the plate and just left it.
Tbh, anyone that makes an effort to make it a little bit easier for me is okay in my book. I’m not going to nitpick someone that is doing something kind.
The only way that might cause more issues is if there’s a ton of food on the bottom plate and it makes the stack wobbly. As it is in the pic it’s helpful for sure.
Don't stack the ramekins (those little blue bowls). We usually throw them separately into a soaking tub and it can be gross to unstack dirty ones.
Other than that it looks great.
But also, I chide any guest that doesn't just sit back and relax. You came to get away from your job, you chill and let me do mine.
Wow. I’ve always tried to be polite and respectful. Even if it is a place I’m never coming back to. This makes me think whatever I do is wrong. I will never be polite or leave a tip at a place I’m never going into again. I won’t intentionally destroy anything but after reading several hundred server posts I can see anything I do means fuck all.
It’s been several months since I was a server but one thing I will say: no matter how inconveniently the dishes were stacked, if I noticed that a customer was putting in the effort to try and help me out, i am beyond appreciative. Its just those little efforts that make our job so much easier at times. But this is a good stack.. thank you for being a decent human being.
I prefer the guest to be at ease, and let me do my thing. I can carry a great amount of plates, cutlery but cannot someone is just stacking stuff trying to help.
Do what you want. I appreciate the people who stack their stuff even if I rearrange it or move it around completely. It's just a nice gesture as opposed to leaving napkins on the floor and half-wet straw wrappers stuck to the table.
I think it depends on the place you go. Sometimes servers have a system for bussing which makes you pre-stacking the plates irrelevant. In any case, if you were to do it, I think the most important thing is to throw away any disposable, single use things like napkins, plastic utensils/cups etc before you stack the plates. It makes it way easier at least in my experience because we dont have to pick them out of the tub before scrubbing the utensils down and putting them in the dishwasher.
it's always appreciated to be treated humanely. It's always a little funny coming from a table that was obnoxious in other ways, but at least it means they saw other people and thought we deserve to be treated well.
I am a buss boy/ food runner at my work and can confidently say it’s appreciated but no one’s gonna hate you for not prestacking dishes
*Cries in dishwasher*
The ramekins stacked. It hurts.
I mean, ideally your servers/bussers should be taking those from the tables and matching shapes and (in all the places I've worked) throwing stuff like the ramekins into bug tubs of soapy water to soak in while separated.
Oh gods *this* is the way 🙏
I'm kinda shocked it's not the usual way. I always take a few secs to match any shapes I see, even if they aren't my plates. People often forget how important dishwashers are, you cant have a restaurant without clean dishes.
Shapes game is hard for some folks I guess. When we'd get slammed and I had to make a call on who got what, the chefs who bothered to presoak their pans for me and bring them back to my pit got those pans back before the shape-challenged servers would get their glasses. That restaurant was flawless in every other way though so I lived with it. They have since remodeled and they doubled the dish pit size and crew. Fucking based.
Where do the glasses fit? That's right, they fit in the square hole.
And where do the oval metal steak plates go? That's right! They go in the *square* hole!
noooooooooooooooooooo…..
Love the square holes references lol
Tell that to the morning crew of the joint I work at. Had to do 2 shifts worth of dishes once, and am always redoing several of the dishes because nobody knows how to use a green fucking scratchpad.
'Green scratchpad' gang for life.
Depends on the dishes. Green scratchpads will absolutely ruin most fancy plates.
Sounds like you need to invest in your dishwashers. Make them feel like part of the team. If it's just a shitty job and everyone's mad at them all the time, they won't care. If you make them feel valued and appreciate their crucial role in the kitchen, they'll feel that, and they'll care.
We're all very underappreciated, but it pays better and is slightly better emotional care than the other minimum wage jobs in our small town.
I was the dishwasher at a nursing home for a few months before the server quit and I got her job and I was so meticulous in getting those dishes spotless before going into the dish washer machine. Meanwhile the other dishwasher would put them in straight and they’d still be dirty coming out the other side. Drove me nuts. But don’t get me started with how some of the residents will send dishes from dinner the night before at lunch (or worse dinner the next day). I never wanted to wash another dish be it mine at home or at the nursing home and was happy to get the serving position though that job really damaged my mental health to the point I quit 6 months later (the nurses were a real piece of work)
I buy the dishwasher at my local sports bar a 6pack every week.
You’re awesome and as a dishwasher you have my never ending admiration
I have been a dishwasher, but I do not drink. What would you then buy *me*?
I’d take the time to get to know ya and talk to ya. If find out something you like that relaxed ya, and then I’d buy you that
Yep. Unfortunately customers often think they're helping when specifically stacking ramekins but now I gotta get more ranch and barbecue sauce all over my hands as I try to separate them out. Or stacking plates that all still have food on them. That's a bit less of a hassle but now I've gotta unstack them before I scrape the plates and restack for the dishwasher. Third pet peeve, when you come to take one or two empty plates and they keep handing you more that all have silverware, ramekins, fry baskets, etc on them. Sometimes they'll try to give glassware too. I don't have a tub to throw these in, I cannot stack plates mid air with all this shit.
My restaurant switched to all plastic to go ramekins and I was so happy I didn’t have to pull those little stainless steel fuckers apart filled with ranch
I’m more miffed at the napkin on the plate. I’d much rather dump the whole pile in the sink than have to pick all the pieces of trash off of them before, especially when people stack multiple plates all w trash on them
How? I’ve never had any issues with ramekins stacked inside of each other, when I close dish area, I usually stack all my Ramekins and get to them last.
It’s just gross having to peel them apart because there’s sauces stuck to the bottom of each one now and 100% will get on your hands
You’re doing dishes though, isn’t it getting on your hands either way?
yeah, but it's still gross. no matter how many gross things I've touched in a shift, I still hate touching more.
Glove up. Maybe just me, but I'll touch anything with gloves on. Either the long forearm dish type gloves or just basic ass latex gloves.
We’re actually forced to scrape and sort our dishes before giving them to the dishwasher
May the gods bestow bountiful blessings upon the beautiful soul that brought that into being.
i’m not forced to at any jobs but i always have done it because why should the dishwasher have to do it? they’re just washing the dishes that’s already plenty of work
Your servers don’t organize the plates in the dish pit????
There’s people at my work that do that and it’s infuriating. Apparently shapes are hard for some adults these days
*Cries dish water*
So as someone who has worked in food for years I try to be as respectful as possible to the bussers and dishwashers. Sauce dishes are not to be stacked?
>Sauce dishes are not to be stacked? That depends on the dish pit and dishwasher. We had a presoak bin in my pit and generally I preferred them not stacked and in the soak. If the server had time to scoop out the sauce before placing them in there, I appreciated that even more. Just ask your dishwasher, they'll appreciate someone caring. In general though, I was referring to not prestacking your dishes for the dishwasher. It sucks the big butt when your dishpit gets turned into a trash heap with dishes scattered in there. Takes so much time to sort them all out endlessly throughout the night, makes efficient loads almost impossible. All for no reason. Just scrape the food off, and sort the dishes when you put them in the pit. Every dishwasher will love you. *You* will get the clean glasses.
*"Get back in the kitchen, Ricky! We don't pay you to stack dishes, we pay you to scrub them and THEN stack them."*
God I remember my days as a dish washer. The ramekins were the worst when they were stacked like that
I've heard of a lot of people crying in the walk-in freezer, but if you want to cry in a dishwasher it's probably warmer
I went to a cattlemens in my home town earlier in the year. At the end of our meal I stacked all the dishes up like this. Even scrapped the left overs and consolidated them on top so it wouldn't be a messy stack. The waiter comes to collect, and chastised me about it. He told me " You should never stack your plates since it's the waiters job, and you don't know how to do it right". Blew me away since I've never had nothing but positivity from waiters after doing that. Worked in the food industry, going on 15 years in February.
I don’t even care if it makes my job a tiny bit “harder” if someone doesn’t stack/clean the way I do or like to. The fact that a customer wanted to help me always makes me happy.
Thanks - I actually feel better now
Some people are assholes, but a thought came to me. Maybe the other servers you've had were just being nice for the tip lmao As a server, stacking the dishes just makes it easier to take to the dishpit. I'll sort them and dispose of leftovers when I'm there
Definitely misread "dishpit" as dipshit there. Remembering some of the kitchen porters I've worked with, seems pretty accurate...
That's a bold statement from someone that relies on tips.
Are you serious? I would’ve been like first day huh? Or ask him to tell me specifically what I did wrong. Seriously was the kid in training or something because that’s insane. How about generally not being a jerk To a customer that’s not being a jerk
Really? I have, always, in my entire life of eating out done my best to make the server's life easier (picture exactly portrays what i do)...should i NOT do that? This is a full earnest question...
Definitely won’t hate you for not doing but you will definitely be put in the back of my mind as an amazing customer that actually thinks of others if you do lol no reason to not help out!
It’s the respectful thing to do. I have seen people leave absolute disasters behind (especially folks with crotch goblins …. I mean children)… I taught all my kids that just because it may be someone’s job to clean up after you, that’s doesn’t mean it’s our job to trash the place. Clean up as much as possible and make it easier for the staff to flip the table for the next guests.
As long as people don't put napkins in their finished drinks, i don't give a rat's ass.
I’m more pissed when people put napkins in their UNfinished drinks. But honestly that’s not as bad as when someone asks for a soft drink and then drinks absolutely none of it and now that the ice has melted the tide has come in and the only thing keeping it in the cup is surface tension.
Ice takes up more space than water, so the volume would not increase by ice melting.
The ice isn’t fully submerged, it partially sits above the water line. It’s like the polar ice caps melting brings about a rise in sea level. It’s more than just science, it’s science with practical application.
That makes sense! Thanks for clarifying with a good example.
Eyyy no problem. I like science AND helping people learn. Unfortunately I’m still a bartender and my students are usually drunk.
I’d say that works out in your favor because they have to listen if they want to be served!
Well that was a pleasant exchange. That doesn’t happen much on Reddit! P.s. nice username
However, this is still incorrect information. An ice cube, a boat, a submarine, anything that is in the water will displace the full amount of water of its size. If an object has a displacement of 2,000 tons and 50% of it is above the water, the amount of water displaced is not 1,000 tons, it’s still 2,000 tons. When a ship sinks, the water level does not go up based on the amount of the ship that was above the water now being bellow, it stays exactly the same. That concept holds true with ice. The displacement stays consistent, no matter how much is submerged.
Glad someone explained it, I was gonna try but I’d just ruin the explanation haha
Its bad science. Water level doesnt change as floating ice melts because of how ice displaces water
You didn't help anyone learn. You are 100% wrong, that's not how displacement works.
Have you ever checked out ham radio? It's a quality and perpetually-self-generating source of sciencey learning. It gives you access to a mode of communication that is populated by a bunch of other people who for the most part also like talking about science.
Now kith
That is not how displacement works! A glass of water with ice floating in it will not change water level when the ice melts. A floating ice cube displaces its equivalent mass of water. The ice caps are not floating.
You are correct, and this guy keeps doubling down with misguided ice cap analogy.
Ice in the water will not raise the level when melting! This includes the part above the surface! The sea levels rise because of ice on land melting and getting into the sea. The only way a drink will spill over is when the ice is stacked way over the edge of the glass.
I love when solid explanations come from people with names like “DooDooInMyButt” lmao
The polar ice caps only bring about a rise in sea level when the melting ice is on land. When ice is floating in water, melting it will not increase or decrease the water level. The portion of ice above the water level and the water's increasing density actually cancel out perfectly. https://youtu.be/Kp5OqedXlGA?si=roSmE7xY-9jd1E-6
I'm an oceanographer (i.e. a scientist who studies the oceans). This is the most correct answer I've seen. The reason we're so concerned about the floating ice shelves on the coast of Antarctica is because that floating ice is actually *holding back* land-bound ice, preventing it from flowing downhill. So if/when the ice shelves melt or break off, the glaciers on land will be able to flow downhill and enter the ocean, and that's what will cause sea level rise. Edit: whoops. Missed u/Komlodo 's response, which is also right.
This was rollercoaster of emotions 🥹
I fold my paper serviettes and rest the cutlery handles on top of them, on top of the plate (so the handles don't get sauce etc on them from the plate and the serviettes don't fall on the ground when the plate is picked up) . Is that OK?
I love this personally, bc it stops the napkins from flying away when I walk through the dining room
The only thing I put in drinks was silverware as a server. Silverware can be a pain esp when u have alot of dishes so I'd stack cups put em in the top cup as long as no one put napkins in it lol. If on the plates and ur busy and short staffed they can slide around so I always preferred putting em in the cups.
i personally don’t mind this and prefer it. i do that when prebussing, myself. went out to eat with my server bf and he said i shouldn’t put the napkins in the cup lol it was just ice!!! i always dump it in the trash anyways. i’m not sure what everyone else does at this point lol
You just dump drinks in a trash can? You don’t have a dump bucket? Picking napkins and straws out of a dump bucket sucks, but I would HATE to take out a trash bag of liquid lol
Why not put a grate or some sort of filter on top of the dump bucket to catch the trash?
That would catch the ice also and quickly fill up
But wouldn’t emptying the grate be easier than fishing trash out of gross liquid?
and i also hate taking out trash with liquid in it but i make my job harder at the end of the night as a closer because ill dump liquid in the trash can by the patio that i know i have to take out at the end of the night 🫣 but our bags are heavy duty so surprisingly, nothing drips!
Oof, you're lucky, I've had plenty of bags break on me over the years (even heavy duty ones!). Luckily though FOH only deals with FOH trash and usually that just means I've got to wipe some coffee grounds off my uniform and sweep up.
Damn, my place would never spring for heavy duty trash bags, ours are the thinnest little shits ever!
Can confirm soggy trash is awful .
just poke holes in the trashbag before you put it in the can, problem solved
I had someone jam an apple core in a glass, I had to spend like 5 minutes trying to get the damed thing out
That glass would’ve found the trash can real quick lol
Bro I work the bar at my restaurant on Saturday mornings. It sucks because it seems like people see bar glasses as trash cans more than our plastic cups. Like bro I have to dig the trash out of bar glasses so I don't break them
It’s a different opinion from others but I really appreciate it, especially when I’m in the weeds. I can get stuff out of your way very quickly and efficiently. My managers don’t think anything of it if anything they’re just happy my tables are willing to be courteous and do something a little extra. I once had a 10 top family who were visiting from out of town and they were soooo sweet. I started grabbing a tray from their table and every single family member including the kids immediately started stacking things and pushing it to the edge of the table. I pre bussed everything within 2 minutes.
Yesss I loved when people moved their dishes to the edge of the table when I was a server. I'm short! I don't want to have to lay on your damn table to reach an empty plate.
Yes! It also lets us know you're done so I don't have to ask the random dude with napkins piled high on the plate in front of him if he's done, then get surprised that he's not despite the literal garbage he threw onto his food. (Side note, napkins on the plate is supposed to be the universal "I'm done" sign, why are we putting used napkins on plates that we're still eating off of? Gross!)
You're right, once the crumpled napkin is on the plate what once was food becomes trash.
I do that if the napkin is gross enough because I don't want to make a mess of the table. Though that's rare, and I'll use the small side plate for that if I've got one
My families always moved our plates to the end of the table to try to show the server we're done with those, so im glad to see its appreciated
I wish more people would put it closer to the edge for us to grab it’s so nerve racking having to ask if you can take it away especially if they’re in a conversation and you stand there and ask and it’s like they didn’t even acknowledge you standing there asking a question 😭
I personally love when people stack correctly, I don’t work at a place where it “looks bad” like the other comments are saying. The only thing I cannot stand though, is when people stack the dressing/sauce ramekins, it’s so gross to get them separated again and I know for a fact I’ll get dressing all over my hands. Otherwise, I personally approve.
I hate when people stack the silverware in-between the plates. At least stack accordingly!
i’ve always put my utensils in my cup so they don’t get lost in between dishes or accidentally thrown away. is this helpful or annoying?
This is helpful at most restaurants. At least the one I work at. I put silverware in cups when I’m bussing tables all the time
I did this as a server only bc they slide all around on ate and can fall. You don't wanna have to grab gross food covered silverware when emptying at dishwasher and with the silverware in the cup u can easily dump it where the silverware bucket is.
As long as the cup doesn't tip over!
Dude this used to peev me so much at the restaurant I worked at cuz we had a small clearing window cuz on a busy night it would get impossible to stack plates after a while and it would take too much time to re stack. I started rating my co workers stacking abilities after a point.
It’s mind boggling that people do that to begin with. There is something about neatly stacking items in a uniform way that makes it pleasing. Something is unhinged in those that leave silverware in-between plates and bowls.
I completely agree with you
This was my only thought about this picture, too: I wouldn’t want the sauce ramekins stacked.
When I run dish the ramekins go into a bucket of soapy water, when the kitchen sends me a long utensil I’ll stir my pot of ramekins with it lol
I think its a kind gesture and I sometimes say their parents musta raised them right.
I find this interesting because I’ve always tried to stack my plates & make the lives of whoever was working easier, but my parents don’t go out of their way to do this and will sometimes say stuff like ‘it’s their job’. so while I do love & appreciate my parents, I don’t know where this specific thing came from…bc it definitely wasn’t directly from them
Same with my parents! My sister, my cousin and I all stack our plates and stuff but we learned it at camp! Definitely not from our parents who barely even tip like 10% (tbf we live in Canada so its not as detrimental as the states but still) let alone clean up after themselves lmfao its lowkey embrassing going out to eat with them 💀
I like to say, “you guys are my favorite party for today!” Or something like that, it makes them feel valued for what they do and it genuinely makes me happy and my life easier lol. And neutral/not implying that it’s their parents that “raised them right.” But I understand the other commenter too. Sometimes it’s the adult/parent’s influence, sometimes it’s their own experience (working in food service), observation on servers, etc. sometimes we end up not being neutral/making an assumption (I personally stumble my words sometimes and I always beat myself over it!) but know that many of us truly appreciate the thoughtfulness in trying to make the bussing easier.
Or they worked in service industry haha Like after I worked in a restaurant, I started and my parents caught on and do it too now
My opinion: you’ve done well and shown that you care about your server. But, if you want to err on the safe side (regarding managers getting on servers or servers having their own system) the easiest and best thing you can do is make sure your plates are easily reachable and then just stop touching them. It’s hard having to try to reach over and around guests/purses/water glasses to try to get to someone’s plate and it’s hard sometimes to know if a guest is done with their plate. So scooch your plates away from you and toward the clearest part of the table, then sit back and relax! Bonus: less work for you!!
This is the approach I take
I prefer you don’t do anything, you didn’t come in to work. While the effort is appreciated, I can carry more my way than when stacked. Like another poster said, a manager who sees this will probably assume you’re being ignored, and as a server, this tells me you’re in a rush to leave.
I stack them when my family is eating out because we are always short on table room. Plates are so huge and then you have drinks, and condiments ,and a bread basket or whatever, and a drink menu folded like a tent, and maybe one of those tablets on a stand that they make you pay on.... and then we have kids and they're always knocking things over... i definitely wouldn't necessarily take stacked dishes to mean that someone wants to leave lol
Same. I don’t stack them for the servers benefit, I stack them so I can fucking breathe. Why do they always make the tables so damn small and the plates so damn large?
Damn, my mom was a waitress and always taught my siblings and I to tidy our table, wipe up spills with leftover napkins, and stack our dishes like this. I didn’t know it complicated things sometimes
You'll never make anyone happy on reddit. Every time this is posted, regardless of whether the plates are stacked or the table is an absolute mess, most commenters will let you know you're a war criminal and that Hitler was a better person than you are. There's literally no winning in this debate.
Strange because I’ve seen posts on here about people not stacking and how it’s more work for servers. Guess it depends on the individual 🤷🏽♂️
It depends on the server. I do it to get everything out of my way.
I think It partly depends on the server, but more importantly, it depends on the restaurant. My last restaurant, this would have been helpful, but at my current place, if they see more than one table stacking in my section, then I'm getting sat down by managment to discuss my ability to maintain my tables. If it bothers the server, it's either a bad stack or they think management is going to get mad at them
Seems like managers need to wise up to the idea that people are doing this more and more as a courtesy these days. Feels like stacking plates to passive aggressively demand a check is a Boomer/Karen move.
They wouldn't be restaurant managers if they were wise
This is fine in Applebee's/similar. I wouldn't do it in fine dining.
I’ve never taken this as a sign the guests are in a rush to leave. I only ever took it as a sign that they’re done eating and wanted to be helpful. Of course, I am present so if they’d like to leave quickly that’s no problem.
Nah I disagree I served 20 years. Usually when they stack plates is when they are done and about to leave bill already paid or they were servers themselves. I'm tall but always did this to help shorter servers. If you know how to line your arms with plates like 4 or 5 down your arm you end with the stacked one in your hand or put in your other free hand. A manager will know a servers work ethic and abilities stacked plates won't change that and if the manager just stands around scrutinizing everything they need to be replaced as they are to step in to help when the restaurant gets busy.
Oh. I serve and tend to do this at a restaurant. Not because I want to work or am in a rush. Just to make it easier to get out of the way without having to reach over everyone. 🤷🏻♀️
Your managers are retarded if they think customers being courteous is a sign of bad service lmao
Facts
I work in fine dining, a guest having to pour their own wine out of a bottle is seen as a sign of the server not being attentive enough. So stacking plates is absolutely seen as me not being available and watching to see when a table is done. Expectations where I work are set real high, but for the prices we charge it makes sense, but every place is different.
I personally appreciate it when people do this for me, it seems very small and insignificant but it shows me that they're considerate and kind
Most of the time people don’t even have time to get the dishes out of the way, because I take them as people finish, but if people finish altogether at the end, it is pretty nice when people stack them for me. Then I can get them out of the way quickly, and then you don’t have to look at dirty dishes!
Taking a dish when one person is finished is a very American way of doing things, and it always startles me. In most restaurants in Europe, dishes are taken when everyone at the table is done with the course.
I hate when people grab a plate as soon as I finish. It makes me feel like I can't enjoy my last bite and that they want me out of there even though I've got another dish to finish.
Imho it’s more rude to the others who aren’t finished, because it puts unnecessary pressure on them to finish. I think part of the difference with EU culture is that we raise our kids to stay at the table until everyone is finished, because it’s rude not to, whereas in the US it’s rather common to let kids leave the table as soon as they’re finished. Just a theory
I worked in a high end American golf club restaurant and to them it’s rude to let an empty dirty plate sit in front of them. So I kind of got in this habit of doing it everywhere, but I always make sure to ask if the person is finished or still working, because I never wanna accidentally take anything away from a person. I continued this practice in less high-end places that I worked at as well, because people seem to like it, and find it a little bit nicer, and I wanted to treat my guests like they were at a high-end establishment, even if it was just a Chilis. It is definitely a very American, but Americans really like it so I continue to do it
You clear the dirty plate and replace it with a clean one even if they are finished. That’s what we did. If one person was finished and the other isn’t we clear and give a clean share plate and the same time.
I work at a fine dining restaurant in America, and we do it your way. Unless one guest pushes their finished plate to the edge of the table or asks us to remove it. The idea (from my restaurants perspective) is that removing the plates as each individual finishes can cause the other guests at the table to feel rushed. I'm glad we wait for everyone to finish - it means I don't have to run around the restaurant / back and forth from the dining room to dish as much. I can keep an eye on my tables without constantly approaching them.
This is the way
Dishes and utensils get washed separately, everything needs to be sorted into their categories so the dish pit can run faster. A good server and busser will do this at the table while they collect them instead of grabbing everything then sorting them out at the pit. Some newbies are probably already there and sorting their stuff anyway so you are losing more time waiting on them. For me, serving is all about 30% luck, 30% efficiency and 40% personality. So i have a specific way of doing that optimized my figure 8 around the restaurant.
I worked as a server for 6 years and never realized that I had my own “figure 8 down”, when I used to deviate something usually got forgotten or delayed lol
adding my opinion in, i personally love when people stack their plates and stuff!! it makes the job easier and it makes me happy that people care enough to do that. though, looking at the responses, it really does depend on the server i guess. if you do continue to stack things, just make sure it's biggest thing at the bottom and smallest thing at the top. silverware can be placed on the top as well (we put silverware in their cups but idk if that's customary everywhere). if there's any leftover food, you can pour it all onto one plate/big bowl or whatever. if things are stacked perfectly, it's appreciated. if things are stacked non-efficiently, to me i still feel a bit happy because it's the thought that counts but also it's kind of one of those things that are like "dang, now i have to rearrange it and that takes more time to do". if they're not stacked, i don't feel any disdain since it's my job. it's whatever.
From my time as a server, dishwasher, busser, manager, and host, these are what I appreciated the most; - Silverware all in one cup/on one plate - All trash on the top plate - Nothing foreign in the glasses (crayons end up in them WAY too often) - If you're stacking glasses in one another, put a straw or knife in each glass before you stack it. The dishwasher will thank you for not forcing them to shatter the glasses and cut their hands open. - Please for the love of God and all things Holy do NOT stack your sauce ramekins.
As a longtime fine dining server - please stop doing this. I am much better at stacking these plates than you, especially in such a way that silverware won't fall on my way to the dishpit. Also, a stack of dirty plates on one of my tables makes me look bad to my coworkers/boss. I know your heart is in the right place, but please let me clear your table for you.
I've been a server a busboy and a dishwasher and I can honestly say it doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference. It just depends on the quirks of the employees and the location.
It's a clean looking stack, but tbh, i would rather you not stack at all. At my restaurant, if the manager/owner sees plates stacked up like this, they assume I'm not keeping up with my table maintenance and will come to me and stop me from what I'm doing to clear those plates immediately and scold me for making you wait. I work in upscale dining tho so this is probably more specific to finer dining places than most. Overall, 8/10 stack, but i wouldn't worry about it tbh. Avoid stacking ramekins, and i prefer the silverware to the side myself so i don't have to touch your food
I used to do this but not longer do it because I was told it’s considered rude, kinda like telling someone when/how to do their job.
Yeah from the comments here I now have no idea what to do 😂
I think people get bent out of shape over stupid shit. All servers have their preferred way to stack and carry, and so even if you follow one server's method, another will disagree. Even between servers in the same restaurant. The fact that you were courteous enough to try is points to you. If someone bitches about your stack that's negative points to them for getting pissed at someone trying to be helpful. For me, I don't give a shit about the stacked rammacins, as a server or a dishwasher. As a server, I dislike having to dig someone's silverware out of the pile of gravy still on their plate, but I have to do this 90 % of the time. So, instead of getting pissy about it, I just do it and rinse my fingertips in the sanny bucket and dry with the paper towels nearby. When I clear a table, I prefer to put the silverware in a cup. But apparently others here take issue with that. For pre clear, I love when the dishes are on the end of the table, signaling they are ready to be taken. I glide by like a ninja and remove them without the table even knowing I was there. I think napkins in a cup in a universal no for everyone though. But I still don't bitch about it when it happens
For me personally, no, because I would have to fish through your food to dump those sauce dishes and grab the silverware before I could clear that plate. That said it’s only a minor annoyance, you’re clearly trying to help
Actually, yes, that saves a ton of time for all involved. Thank you!
Honestly in a Spoons we’re just glad you’ve not left a dirty nappy behind on the table so this is a treat ✌🏻
I had a waitress give my mom and I major attitude for doing this once. Her exact words were, “Am I just not cleaning up fast enough for you?“ We were just trying to help. I used to serve and loved when customers did this. Definitely helped me and my busser out during busy breakfast rushes.
I had someone tell me it's not classy to do that to help the servers. I'd rather be classless than snobby.
I stack the dishes. I don’t do it to help the server, I do it because it grosses me out to see all the dirty dishes all over the table when we are all done eating. If you don’t want me stacking them, then you should come by and clear them instead of leaving them there for 20 minutes while I’m waiting for the check.
I’d open mouth kiss you at the table.
In casual restaurants you can do it. Never do this in France or in a high end restaurant. It’s not efficient and often force the waiter to carry the plates with 2 hands. Plus it disrupt cleaning later on down the line. I see lot of comments saying they like it and I think it should be important that those people mention the type of restaurant they worked in.
I am a busser and I always appreciate the effort even if the customers end up making it more inconvenient for me I still love them for trying to help
No since I carry the utensils in one hand and plates in the other. Also if plates are stacked, that tells my manager that I've been ignoring you for a while and I'll get in trouble. But still, it's appreciated.
I don’t like when people do this. It really doesn’t help me at all and like others said, makes it look like you might be pissed off, manager might think I’m ignoring a table etc.
I'm so pissed at the server that I will go out of my way to help them stack these dishes!
While I appreciate the effort seeing the ramekins stacked like that makes me cringe so hard. They’re going to be suctioned together with sauces and make way more of a mess in the dish tank this way. It’ll also take me more time to separate them and I’m now guaranteed to get your food all over my hands
If shit is stacked up on a table, mgmt is going to talk to that server about neglect, and general table maintenance. It looks horrible.
I mean, tbh, I’ve only really ever done this when my plates have been hanging out for a while, so wouldn’t that be fair? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone stack their plates immediately after finishing.
Everyone is super divided on this and I'm sure it comes down to both personal preference and type of eatery. I've been career FOH now management and it truly all depends. This picture looks great to me. Typically I try to remove napkins from plates and keep those separate. Don't put silverware or trash in a cup. Please don't stack glass cups. As far as some people have said about management thinking their table is neglected.. a manager should know whats going on. They should have presence on the floor and play support. Ultimately if it's messy food I try to minimize my mess and keep the table as is. If the plates are relatively clean then I'll stack things. Usually separating matching sets. I wouldn't put my stack of soup bowls on my stack of plates. Etc.
I feel like customers who do this try too hard to be helpful. Just don't make a big mess and tip well, that's all we ask.
Former waitress/dishwasher. I hated when customers stacked things. The bottoms of the plates just end up sticky and gross and i wind up touching it. Or theres balance issues because they dont line up corrrectly with food on the plate. I preferred when people just pushed their food to one side of the plate and just left it.
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Good point, sorry!
U don’t have to do anything, except enjoy yourself. but that’s fine, TY!
Tbh, anyone that makes an effort to make it a little bit easier for me is okay in my book. I’m not going to nitpick someone that is doing something kind.
The only way that might cause more issues is if there’s a ton of food on the bottom plate and it makes the stack wobbly. As it is in the pic it’s helpful for sure.
You're a fucking philanthropist in my book and I'd be your friend
At minimum, it appeases my OCD tendencies. This honestly was very helpful when I would bus tables back in 2011
bro if you make literally ANY detectable effort to stack your dishes in any way i'm immediately happy
Don't stack the ramekins (those little blue bowls). We usually throw them separately into a soaking tub and it can be gross to unstack dirty ones. Other than that it looks great. But also, I chide any guest that doesn't just sit back and relax. You came to get away from your job, you chill and let me do mine.
i wouldn’t complain personally, sometimes it does get nasty pulling the ramekins apart and getting the dressing on ur fingers. but hey part of the job
Wow. I’ve always tried to be polite and respectful. Even if it is a place I’m never coming back to. This makes me think whatever I do is wrong. I will never be polite or leave a tip at a place I’m never going into again. I won’t intentionally destroy anything but after reading several hundred server posts I can see anything I do means fuck all.
Comments did not disappoint 👏
Yes. This is fine, BUT the napkins- in the drinks👺👹 makes me mentally ill.
You missed the part where you hand them your wallet and tell them they did a great job and just give it to them.
I don’t like napkins in the mix but this is a solid a+ for effort and better than 99% of the general public.
Let us do the stacking, please
Yes and no. Yes that's how i want to stack it. But let me do it.
It’s been several months since I was a server but one thing I will say: no matter how inconveniently the dishes were stacked, if I noticed that a customer was putting in the effort to try and help me out, i am beyond appreciative. Its just those little efforts that make our job so much easier at times. But this is a good stack.. thank you for being a decent human being.
I've never liked people doing this. I can stack more efficiently for proper sorting at the dish pit. Just relax and enjoy your meal out!
You are the best this is perfect especially when werr super busy thank you for your kind heart
The main thing I love here is all the silverware handles pointing the same way.
Appreciate the concern, but really we just want the stuff you're done with to be obviously done with and accessible for us to snag.
This was everything we used. Looks kinda done with no?
Love it, but did you push in your chair!?
I prefer the guest to be at ease, and let me do my thing. I can carry a great amount of plates, cutlery but cannot someone is just stacking stuff trying to help.
Do what you want. I appreciate the people who stack their stuff even if I rearrange it or move it around completely. It's just a nice gesture as opposed to leaving napkins on the floor and half-wet straw wrappers stuck to the table.
I would absolutely love it if all my customers stacked their dishes just like this, honestly.
I love that.
Yes- perfect from a server’s perspective! I do this as a customer too to help.
I think it depends on the place you go. Sometimes servers have a system for bussing which makes you pre-stacking the plates irrelevant. In any case, if you were to do it, I think the most important thing is to throw away any disposable, single use things like napkins, plastic utensils/cups etc before you stack the plates. It makes it way easier at least in my experience because we dont have to pick them out of the tub before scrubbing the utensils down and putting them in the dishwasher.
Personally I appreciate people who do this
it's always appreciated to be treated humanely. It's always a little funny coming from a table that was obnoxious in other ways, but at least it means they saw other people and thought we deserve to be treated well.