In recent years, social media has become a haven for service industry workers to talk about all of the things customers do that drive them up the wall.
Arriving just before the restaurant is supposed to close, attempting to stack dishes, and leaving unwanted notes on receipts are just some of the things servers have taken to the internet to share how upsetting these habits can be.
There’s another one to add to the list: asking for a different type of seating after they have already seated you and your party.
A viral conversation
The revelation comes from a lighthearted and well-intentioned video by restaurant The Jersey Goat (@the.jersey.goat on TikTok) that has drawn over 688,000 views on TikTok. In the clip, a hostess from the restaurant appears to say, “Oh, okay,” in a flustered manner, miming along with a popular TikTok audio to describe how it feels to be asked for a different type of seating.
“When you try to seat people at a table and they hit you with, ‘Do you have a booth?’” a text overlay on the video reads.
The video’s caption also questions why customers have such a preference for a booth over a table.
“Why does everyone act like booths massage your feet and whisper sweet nothings while you eat?” the caption reads. “It’s just a seat y’all!”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @the.jersey.goat via TikTok direct message regarding the video.
Why do servers and hosts seat customers at particular tables?
At some restaurants, it might be that the manager or owner has seating plans to dictate how and when they would like to fill tables.
It could also be that only some kinds of seating, like regular tables, are available in one server’s section, and to change to a booth would be to change the server section they are in. Essentially, giving away the table to a different server.
‘Just do your job.’
Some folks were of the mind that customers should be accommodated no matter the request, even if it comes down to a change in seating.
“When the customer who spends money wants to sit in a place they feel comfortable,” one commenter wrote.
“Just do your job and give us the booth,” another said.
“Oh no people have preferences and make yall do extra things…like what is going on?” a third added.
@the.jersey.goat Why does everyone act like booths massage your feet and whisper sweet nothings while you eat? It’s just a seat y’all! #Host #restaurantlife #serverhumor #hosthumor #Tips #restaurantindustry #boothvstable ♬ original sound – Relatable
Others, writing that they were servers themselves, shared that they had no issue with customers’ preferences for booths over tables. They just wanted to know before they were seated.
“Y’all, it’s fine if you want a booth, just ask ahead of time at the host stand so they can accommodate it before seating you,” one commented.
“There’s nothing wrong with preferring a booth. Just tell us before hand so we can accurately sit rotation and not ruin the flow of the seating chart,” another commenter wrote.
“HOST HERE: Tell the host of any seating preferences when you first check in so they can give you an accurate wait time,” a further user said. “It’s easier for everyone that way.”
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