St. Louis Waitress Has a Hard Time Getting Customers To Sit in Her Section Because It’s Nice Out. Then She Uses a Joke To Get Them To Stay

A St. Louis restaurant server reveals what she once said to a group of customers in the hopes that it would guilt them into staying in her section. She wants to know if it’s going overboard.

TikTok creator @grandaddy.purp0 posted a video with a full rundown of what happened. “Please let me know if this server schtick is too much,” she says to start the video.

Is This St. Louis Woman’s ‘Server Schtick Too Much?’

@grandaddy.purp0 begins by explaining, “So obviously there are days when one section is going to be more popular than others and it’s kind of hard to get people to sit in your section. And I was having one of those days where like nobody wanted to be inside.”

That’s because the weather outside was immaculate and everyone wanted to be on the patio. “I had this group of people and I hadn’t had a table in like 40 minutes,” she says. “I was desperate and I was bored out of my mind.”

Everything was going great until the occupants of the table decided that they too wanted to get their drink and enjoy it outside. They couldn’t have known that asking @grandaddy.purp0 to close out would push her over the edge.

“I was like, ‘I have two pet bunnies to feed. You’re taking food out of their mouths,’” she recalls. “And like obviously it was a joke, but, like, if I was a server would you be mad about it?”

Would You Appreciate This Joke As a Customer?

In the comments section of the video, viewers offered their opinions on whether the joke was appropriate and the idea of moving once you’ve ordered at a restaurant table.

“Sitting down then fully moving is crazy,” wrote one person.

“Once you get a drink, stay,” a second person agreed.

Other people said they’d have no problem with the joke. “No, feed the bunnies,” one person wrote. A second person agreed. “I’d give you money for the bunnies,” they wrote.

However, at least one person said the joke was stretching the limits of acceptable server banter. “Yeah, you just gotta take it for what it is that day,” they wrote. “I don’t think I would’ve said that out loud because you don’t know how other people are gonna take it.”

What Is the Correct Restaurant Etiquette Here?

According to the servers on this Reddit thread posted to r/restaurant a year ago, it’s usually best for everyone involved if customers select their preferred table at the host stand and refrain from moving unless absolutely necessary.

“The hosts rotate seating among the servers,” explained one person. “The servers’ sections are spread throughout the restaurant and are usually 3-5 tables each. That unfavorable table belongs to the server with the most free time to take care of you. That favorable table you switched to is with a server who now just got double sat. Be prepared to wait longer and have worse service.”

@grandaddy.purp0 #serverlife #restaurant ♬ original sound – grandaddy.purp

A second person said that, regardless of inconvenience, it is the restaurant’s job to serve the customer. “Every inconvenience a customer can cause is theirs to cause,” they wrote. “It’s called service. Good establishments have contingency plans. It’s silly to think it’s an insurmountable difficulty. Tip accordingly.”

When it comes to the server side of things, experts generally recommend against oversharing with customers. That’s because servers want to keep the conversation moving forward so they can maximize their tips.

The Mary Sue contacted @grandaddy.purp0 via TikTok comment and direct message for comment.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]