Restaurant Dos and Don'ts

October 20, 2009 — -- Q: In a restaurant, I ordered something with Hollandaise sauce. I'm watching my weight, so I asked for it on the side. The waitress said no—the chef doesn't believe in sauces on the side, so he won't do them. Ever. I finally got what I wanted, but only after she made multiple trips to the kitchen. She said the chef was making a special, one-time-only exception (and acted as though I should bow down and thank him). Was my request that unreasonable?

A: They had a problem with putting sauce on the side? That's ridiculous. People ask for that all the time! I'd hate to see what would happen if a vegetarian or, worse, someone with a food allergy tried to eat there. Sounds like the chef is a wannabe dictator who needs serious customer service training—and/or therapy—if he wants his restaurant to stay afloat.

I'd get the word out about your experience. Post a review online; tell everyone you know. The chef, not you, was being unreasonable, and deserves to be called out for it.

Q: I hate the food courts at Disney. There are never enough tables, so people practically race to claim tables people are vacating. And then people sit nursing a soda for 45 minutes, while others are standing around, holding trays of food. I know we're not eating at fancy restaurant, but etiquette still applies here, right? Can you lay down some rules?

A: First, did you know Disney is actually attempting to address this very issue? They're just testing changes in a few restaurants, but let's cross our fingers that it works out.

In the meantime, everyone needs to remember that a food court, despite its lack of a Michelin star, is not an etiquette-free zone. The main problem is the shortage of seating—so if there's a wait, it's polite to do everything you can to get in and out quickly. It's called "fast food," so don't linger. Your lunchtime conversation on how Mickey can justify having both a pet dog and a friend who is a dog sounds fascinating, but you can continue it elsewhere. Leave the food court to the people actually consuming food.