Working in the food industry, servers are used to seeing all sorts of questionable behaviors from guests. Whether that’s standing on top of tables, bringing a dog to join them, or pretending they are in a relationship with the waitress to impress their children. One server witnessed a new one that perhaps is a first for her–and TikTokers couldn’t be more divided.
Marina (@marinnnii) works as a server at a restaurant in Philadelphia. In a viral clip, she says she was ready to take a group’s order, only to arrive at their table and find they were already eating.
Marina stares at the camera in shock. “They’re eating wings and I’m the only [server] here,” she says, “so it’s not like somebody else took their order…”
At this point, the unimaginable dawns on the viewers. Marina confirms it, saying, “They were eating leftover wings off of somebody else’s table…that needed to be bussed.”
Marina shares a tight smile before asking, “Does that happen in other places? Is that normal? I’ve never seen it before.”
Viewers are flabbergasted
Unsurprisingly, viewers were floored by either the customers’ sheer audacity or general lack of concern over risking their immune systems.
“YOURE LYINGGGG,” one user wrote, to which Marina replied that she doesn’t know if she even could.
“Oh nah… I thought you were gonna say they were eating another restaurants food at your tables,” another said.
Others, however, were more empathetic to the guests.
“You know what… in this economy… I can see it,” one said. A second user echoed, “Listen… I wouldn’t do it, but in this economy? I get it.”
When one user told Marina to just let them eat it as they were going to throw the wings out anyway, she wrote, “I definitely did not stop them! I was just shocked!”
At least one user pointed out that eating off of strangers’ plates is risky, due to “blood-borne” diseases. Is it true?
Should you eat leftovers off a stranger’s plate?
A Vice writer makes the case for eating strangers’ leftovers in a 2023 article. Becky Burgum argues that “everyone should do it.” Despite it being deemed “social suicide,” Burgum cites food waste, germs being good for you, and the “thrill factor” as reasons to indulge in someone’s leftovers.
The Mary Sue also recently reported on a server who urged servers to stop eating guests’ leftovers after she found out the real reason one woman left scallops on her plate.
But is it safe? A BBC article tackled this very question, stating that acts like “double dipping” could put certain folks at risk. These are your people with allergies or weakened immune systems who could not handle the day-to-day bacteria that others are used to.
The expert BBC spoke with, Paul Dawnson, had this to say in conclusion: “These studies are not really big food safety issues, but they’re interesting and fun. I hope they make people aware of good hygiene, but I don’t want anyone to be a germophobe about it.”
@marinnnii no bc actually wtf is this #fyp #relatable #serverlife #server #bartender ♬ original sound – Marina
The Mary Sue reached out to Marina via email for comment.
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