If you go to a restaurant and sit there long after the restaurant is closed, you are a huge jerk. People who work in restaurants have lives too. For instance, Red Elephant closes at 9 during the week. But that didn't stop some people from sitting there till at least 9:45 tonight. I'm not sure how long they were there, I finally asked a manager if he wouldn't mind cleaning my table, and I probably just forfeit my tip. These people even asked me, at about 9:07, what time we closed. I have to be at my other job at 8 a.m. and I was really hungry because I work during dinner.
There is this crazy lady who comes in all the time and orders a Southwest Chicken salad with no olives and extra dressing. And by extra dressing, I mean she turns that salad into soup. Anywho, one time she told me that if she found even one olive in her salad, she would not tip me. Yeah, cuz that would be my fault. I would personally place one single olive in her salad. Sometimes when the salad guys grab some cheese or something, they grab an olive too. The salad toppings are all right next to each other. Not that it would've mattered, though. She always hands me one dollar as my tip, and one dollar to give to the person who made her salad. Seriously.
Here's a few more tips on how not to be a jerk when you go out to eat:
During lunch, if you wanna sit and chat, fine. Just pay your freaking bill first so that your server can leave. They probably have a class to get to.
Don't sit in a restaurant after it is closed. When you are the only table there and they are sweeping around you, how can you possibly sit there and continue to chat? I don't come in to your place of business and sit there long after you are closed, keeping you from going home sooner. I have to clean your table before I can leave.
Leave a good tip. Unless your service is absolutely horrible, there is no reason not to leave a decent tip. Understand that you are not the only table in the restaurant, and your server is doing their best to accommodate lots of people and lots of ridiculous special orders. Most servers make $4 or less per hour, and don't even keep all their tips. We tip out 3% of our total sales, so if you leave a 15% tip, they only keep 12 of it. These days, 18-20% is standard.
If you are part of a big party, be patient. It is literally impossible for your server to take care of other tables and get change for 15 separate checks the second you hand them your money.
If something is wrong with your food, it is quite possible that one of the cooks messed it up. Don't jip your server because of things that are out of their control.
If you have coupons, tip on the ORIGINAL amount. Servers still have to tip out on the original bill, so they are really losing money when you come in with $25 worth of free kids' meals.
When you go into a restaurant, assume that it could be cold. Bring a jacket if you get cold easily. When your server says, "how are you doing tonight?" don't reply in a rude voice, "I'm freezing." The restaurant shouldn't have to cater to you. If you know a restaurant has dim lighting and loud music, don't go there. This one is more for old people. We shouldn't have to turn our music down for you. Get your food to go.
Realize that your server is a person. People make mistakes. Imagine if you had four groups of people barking orders at you, chugging drinks, and making ridiculous requests. Sometimes you make mistakes. So if your server screws something up, don't be a jerk.
Anyway, this has been building up for years, and tonight I just got extra mad. Everyone should have to work at a restaurant once in their life. Sorry about the ranting. I really should be getting to bed now.