US waitress reveals customers’ most annoying habits

A waitress has revealed one thing that frustrates hospitality staff — and it happens more often than you’d imagine.

A restaurant worker has racked up almost half a million followers on TikTok by poking fun at entitled patrons and mimicking their most annoying behaviours.

Alana Fineman, 26, regularly re-enacts scenarios that take place at the San Diego establishment where she works, in California, US, before sharing them with her 451,000 fans on the social media site, The New York Post reports.

Fineman — who posts under the handle @alanafinewoman — is most irked by customers who call demanding reservations at the last minute, as well as patrons who have no idea if their party actually made a booking.

In one viral post shared last week, the sassy server re-enacted a clueless customer who arrived at the restaurant without any idea as to how many people would be joining her or when they would be there.

In the caption of the clip — which has been viewed more than 365,000 times — Fineman claimed the scenario occurs multiple times every week at her place of work.

The waitress has gone viral over the clips.

“Hi, I’m here meeting a few people,” Fineman, acting as the customer, states in the video.

“OK, do they have a reservation?” the TikToker, playing herself, responds.

“They might,” the customer casually replies, “Maybe under Joe … or Selena … but like, I don’t know if they have one.”

Fineman, as herself, then asks how many people the reservation was for, to which the fictional patron snaps back: “There’s two of us, or maybe five, or maybe eight, or maybe three.”

The customer also has no clue as to what time the booking is actually for, adding: “It might be a reservation at five o’clock, or six o’clock, or maybe seven-thirty?”

Fineman impersonating a clueless customer.

The clip amused Fineman’s fans, with one writing in the comments section: “You should keep a water spray bottle at the host station for such occasions.”

Meanwhile, in a separate viral video shared earlier in December, Fineman revealed another of her restaurant pet peeves.

The TikToker imitated an entitled customer who called over the phone expecting a reservation in 30 minutes, despite the fact it was a busy Saturday evening.

“We’re already on the way,” the customer complains when the server (Fineman playing herself) says she would be unable to accommodate the party.

“Just tell the owner I’ll be there!” the customer snaps, assuming that the restaurant will somehow manage to squeeze them in.

The clip garnered more than 1.5 million views, and elicited the sympathy of fellow servers.

“How are these people real?” another exasperated restaurant worked commented.

She said it is the pet peeve of many a waitress.

A third major irritation for Fineman is the fact that some customers expect to be able to change their longstanding reservations at the last minute.

She re-enacted the scenario in yet another viral video.

“Hi there, I have a reservation in about 30 minutes for eight people,” Fineman, impersonating a customer, states. “Don’t hate me, but can I change it to 16 people?”

Playing the customer arriving at the restaurant, Fineman then states: “We’re actually a party of 30 now….”

Fans were left amused by the video, with one writing: “It seems like common sense is not so common anymore.”

“People like this,” another chimed in, “are the reason I don’t work in customer service anymore.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Post and was reproduced here with permission.

Originally published as US waitress reveals customers’ most annoying habits