Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
<em>More</em> Things Restaurant Patrons Must Never Do!
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Mar 24, 2010
Modified Mar 24, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Mar 24, 2010
Modified Mar 24, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The rules keep coming in. Bartender and restaurant manager Patrick Maguire already published his list of 64 things restaurant patrons must never do (in response to restaurateur Bruce Buschel's list of 100 things servers should never do), but now Endless Simmer is starting their own list of customer no-nos. They back up Maguire's assertion that "Gimme" is not the proper way to start an order (pardon us), but have some new rules too:
- If you have children, do understand that non-chain restaurants rarely have children’s menus. This sounds like the perfect chance to get your kid to start liking real food.
- I know you think you’re being helpful, but please don’t stack plates and silverware “for the server.” Everyone has different ways that they feel comfortable carrying stacks of plates, and your helpfulness could result in a floor-smashing mess.
- Asking “What’s good today?” is pretty much the same as asking your server “What’s inedible here?” putting the server between a rock and a hard place. There is no correct answer to that uncomfortable question — be more specific, asking about particular dishes.
- Do not ignore the host or hostess. Those people standing at the door and saying hello to you are, in fact, people. Pretending they don’t exist will only make your wait for a table longer.
- If you mention that you’re a frequent Yelp-er or Chowhound-er as a scare tactic, you are officially banned from ever eating out again. That is just so unnecessarily insulting (and makes you look like a real douche and gives all bloggers a bad name.)
Don't you DARE be the one to sully the sterling reputation of food bloggers! The rules seem pretty easy to follow, unless you buckle from all the pressure. As usual, failure to follow these rules will most likely result in bad service and your waiters talking about you behind your back. Or, for a large group, charging you for gratuity and not telling you, hoping you'll double tip. Trade secrets revealed!
Tagged
dining
dining out
etiquette
restaurant
rules
Jaya Saxena
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .