If you’ve ever wondered how to score special treatment at a restaurant, take notes from someone on the inside. A Texas server on TikTok is spilling the special measures she always takes when she’s the customer. Except, they aren’t really that special. She lists things like basic manners that, shockingly, aren’t as common as you’d think. From stacking plates to saying “please,” her list is basically Restaurant Etiquette 101. Turns out, the real cheat code to better service is just… not being the worst.
What are the Special Steps?
Chelsea’s (@Ms.Chelsea.Daly) two-minute-long TikTok has now acquired over 50,000 views. It reveals her tutorial on what she does when dining out. As a Texas server herself, she names these actions as someone who sympathizes with other servers when she eats out. Her clip begins with her saying, “Things I can’t help but do as a server when I go out to eat at a restaurant.”
She then starts by listing, “saying thank you as many times as humanly possible.” It may sound like common sense, but Chelsea says she even does it on behalf of other people she dines with. “If they don’t say thank you, I make sure I’m like ‘thank you.’”
The next one is also simple: eye contact. Chelsea says, “I’m not gonna be the one who’s ignoring you and continuing my conversation when you come up to greet us and take care of us.” She then goes on to say that “of course” the next course of action is stacking all the plates and cups at the end of the table to give easy access for the server to remove them.
Other ways to show appreciation for your server
The next step is for people who dine in big groups. Chelsea explains that if she can avoid it, she doesn’t ask for the bill to be split. She says she “understands the other side of the situation.” The habit that follows–and is probably less common–is filling up everyone’s water herself.
The last two carry a lot of importance to Chelsea. She says, “I just like to oversympathize with the server. I’m like ‘I appreciate you.’” She connects this when asking for a dish to be altered. She mentions that it might be inconvenient to ask for some ingredients to be removed, so she tells the server, “I know this is annoying, but can you take this out?”
And finally, the last one is tipping 20%. Chelsea says, “I feel like that’s a natural given. I just understand the other side of it…I wanna make sure they’re taken care of and they’re seen.”
What are Service Industry Jobs Like?
Chelsea’s actions may sound trivial or cliché, but they are monumental when dining out. Or, simply receiving any type of service. A service industry job is described by Partners in Life as, “a worker’s primary responsibility is assisting customers in finding what they need, making their purchases, and resolving problems. Service industry workers generally don’t earn commissions but can earn tips for good service.”
Recently, service industry jobs have started gaining more sympathy due to the nature of the career. The article continues on to say, “No job is perfect. However, jobs in the service sector are cursed with a special type of horror. People in these positions are underpaid and underappreciated. They have to deal with unruly customers and managers who don’t care about them in the slightest.”
Therefore, it only makes sense that Chelsea’s tips should be a given for anyone who dines out or receives any type of service, whether it be in retail, travel, or lifestyle.
@ms.chelsea.daly Eating out with me is a pleasure?? #serverlife #restaurantindustry #serviceindustry #servertiktok ♬ original sound – Ms.Chelsea.Daly?
What Do the Viewers Say?
It seems Chelsea’s viewers share the same sentiment as the servers themselves. One viewer says, “Yeah im doing the most because I understand.”
Another viewer shares, “Yes. My family constantly says ‘you’re not at work, you can relax.’ But really I just want my server to relax & enjoy our company. we’re a big family. It’s a lot every time we go out.”
A viewer also chimes in as a server, saying, “My mom gets so embarrassed when were leaving and i stack our cups and plates before we leave and i tell her its bc i KNOW how i feel when ppl do it for me at my restaurant.”
Some people who are not servers do these exact same steps, something they view as normal. One viewer wrote, “So basic human decency.” While another says, “I’ve never worked in food service and I do all of this.”
The Mary Sue reached out to Chelsea via email.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
