When you go into a restaurant, what is your opinion of your server? More importantly, how do you treat them?

Before I began my job as a server at a casual restaurant, I’d never really thought twice about how my server feels when he or she waits on my table. Now I find I am probably overly polite to my servers because of my own interesting experiences while I wait on others.

First lesson, just because we are servers doesn’t mean you are better than us. I can’t even count the number of times people have treated me like I am inferior to them. I’ve watched their attitudes toward me do a 180 when they learn I’m in college.

One regular went as far as to say to me, “Well I’m glad you don’t intend to do this for the rest of your life.”

What do you say to that? I guess, “Thank you?” But I didn’t feel very thankful because I was standing next to coworkers whose career plan is serving, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Now lesson number two: servers do not cook your food.

Things can be undercooked, overcooked or just not made to your liking. I assure you your server will be happy to get things fixed for you and politely telling your server what you’d like changed won’t kill you.

I once waited on three middle-aged businessmen during the lunch shift. When one of the men ordered his lunch, he had very specific instructions. With this amount of detail, I personally would just order everything on the side. However, I obliged his requests and put his order in, passing the detailed instructions on to the chefs.

When I brought him his completed meal, he was unsatisfied.

“Did you not hear what I ordered?” He looked completely disgusted.

Apparently the light cheese was not light enough. He rudely laughed at my response and talked of his extreme disbelief. I took his meal away and told the chefs what he wanted changed. I had my manager take the new dish over to the table and I only returned to it once more to drop off the bill. I’m sorry buddy, but I’d rather not get a tip from you than stand there and be degraded with your snobby remarks about my inadequacies.

Before the group of businessmen headed out of the restaurant, one approached me and apologized for his friend’s rude remarks. He tipped me extra. If someone you are dining with has to apologize for your actions, maybe it’s time you work on a little self-improvement.

My final lesson is if you have no intention of tipping your server, make your own food and wait on your own self at your own home.

I get paid under $4 an hour. If I didn’t earn money from tips, the job clearly would not be worthwhile. I don’t expect big tips if I don’t bring my A-game to the table, so I work hard.

To sum this up, just show your server respect, you’ll receive better service for something as simple as being polite.