Sometimes, customers see nice kitchenware they’d like to have for themselves when dining out at a restaurant. Some ask if they can purchase the item that caught their attention, like these customers who asked if they could buy the Olive Garden cheese grater (it comes with a little block of cheese!) and the Outback Steakhouse bread board. Others, like this Texas Roadhouse customer, just shove what they want into their to-go box or purse.
This customer took to TikTok to ask servers an important question about this habit. “Chat, do bussers or servers actually know when we take silverware or dishes home?” questions @glizzyondatbeat in a viral post.
Servers answered—and the response might surprise you
In the comments, servers mainly fell into three camps: 1) No, I didn’t notice. 2) I noticed, but I didn’t care, and 3) You can steal whatever you want as long as you don’t take this one thing.
User Jess wrote, “It depends on how busy I am tbh. I had some regulars steal ramekins and bring them back the next week all embarrassed … (I did notice but wouldn’t have said anything).”
“Ngl i’ve told so many people ‘i mean technically you’re not supposed to take it home but i’m about to walk away so,’” user Sea said.
User Chloe Grace wrote, “No we dont pay attention tbh (as someone who works at roadhouse).”
One viewer answered from the customer’s perspective. “Some waiter at Texas Roadhouse saw me shoving the little bowls in my Togo box. I was struggling to get them to fit. He came over and helped me fit them in,” they wrote. “I will NEVER EVER forget him.”
OK, so they don’t see or care when you take dishware. What do Texas Roadhouse servers care about?
Pens. Yup, you read that right. Cue Percy Jackson “This is a pen” GIF.
The top comment, by Nicole Macyauski, reads, “No, but we def notice when our pens missing!!”
User Meadow wrote, “I do but couldn’t care less until my pens start getting stolen.”
“No but pls LEAVE MY PEN ON THE TABLE,” user Meow exclaimed.
“Tip and don’t steal my pen, then I saw nothing,” another viewer wrote, accompanied by a crying laughing emoji.
We can’t blame them. The ramekin you stole isn’t coming out of their pockets, but that glitter pen definitely is. And everyone knows pen etiquette dictates you don’t steal the nice ones, no matter how much you may want to.
Food & Wine agrees
In an article criticizing diners for having sticky fingers (and not just from BBQ wings), Food & Wine states, “The one thing that’s okay to take from a restaurant is a pen, but only if it has the name of the restaurant on it. That’s an indication that it was provided by the establishment for the server to use. Any other pen was probably paid for by the server and anyone who tries to take it deserves to be chased down until it’s retrieved.”
The Mary Sue reached out to the TikToker via comment and direct message.
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