A former Ruth’s Chris Steak House worker spilled the beans on how seriously the steakhouse’s customers take its iconic “sizzling” reputation. In a viral TikTok, Knighten (@knighten17) shared the one time the restaurant didn’t take its mantra seriously–and how it turned into a big mistake.
‘Where’s the sizzle?’
Ruth’s Chris Steak House is renowned for serving its prime steaks on a 500-degree plate to make them sizzle. The secret to the sizzling perfection? “A little butter and parsley on the pate before [sending] them out to the table,” Knighten reveals in his clip. “We call it ‘the sizzle.’ It’s kind of the mantra of Ruth’s Chris.”
However, on a busy night, Knighten says they couldn’t even keep the oven full of plates because of so many orders they were sending out. Because of this, some of the plates weren’t “quite 500 degrees,” says Knighten, but notes they were “still really hot.”
When he served such a plate to one of his customers, Knighten was taken aback by the man’s outburst.
“He looks up at me, and I sh– you not, he goes, ‘Where the f– is the sizzle?’” Knighten recalls. While the TikToker wanted to ask him whether the gentleman was “serious,” he decided to bite his tongue.
He took the plate back to the kitchen and told the cook to put it into the broiler.
“Probably made it like 700 degrees,” Knighten says. “I brought that out and that butter was spittin’ at that guy, it was so hot.”
Knighten concludes by saying the customer was happy. However, he will “never forget how [the customer] reacted when his plate was not sizzling.”
Viewers think the customer was valid
Several folks said they understood where the customer was coming from, especially when dining at a high-end restaurant where the prime steaks can go up to $146.
User Matty wrote, “Well when you paying $150 a steak….”
“You’re advertising ‘the sizzle’…..he expects it!” user Johnny Williams commented. A third person echoed, “The money we pay- I better get my sizzle!”
Others, however, defended Knighten, especially since they understand it’s not easy working in the service industry in America.
“I can’t even comprehend how some people talk to servers,” one user said. “It doesn’t matter how much you’re paying; dignity and respect are always important. People have lost that,” another added. Knighten liked both of these comments.
@knighten17 That butter was SPITTIN #fyp #serverlife #restaurant #steak ♬ original sound – Knighten
Others who understood that Ruth’s Chris Steak House was pricey and warranted the same level of service still thought the customer was rude.
“I get it’s expensive but everyone is missing the point that there’s no reason to react that aggressively over a damn plate,” TikToker Jess commented.
The Mary Sue reached out to Knighten via TikTok message and to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse via website contact form.
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