No Shoes, No Shirt, But Still Expect Superb Service: 45 Rude Customers Caught In The Act

By Ruby M

Anybody who has worked in the food and hospitality industry, or knows someone who does, is aware that it can be a hostile and often unrewarding environment. Sadly the truth is that the worst part of working in the hospitality industry isn’t the below minimum wages, treacherously long hours, or even the unfriendly management – it’s actually us. Every day patrons like us go into restaurants, bars, and delis to purchase meals and drinks. Some of these patrons are kind and respectable, but some have absolutely no compassion or manners at all. So if you’re a student considering waiting tables to save up for that dress you want for prom or a single mom trying to put food on the table – this list might help you prepare for the irrevocable messes that rude and thankless patrons will reign on your parade. We must warn you, though – these might make you want to try a different way of making some extra cash!

Please Press Charges

The person that assaulted this waitress should be arrested and forced to sit in the middle of the cafeteria as someone yells “food fight” for the rest of their days. Only then will this waitress see some form of justice.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ dellamella

If you aren’t happy with your meal – first of all, blame the chef, not the waiter/waitress. Secondly, perhaps try treating this worker with a little bit of decency, and explain why you are unhappy so it can be dealt with humanely?

Whoever Came Up With This Is A Genius

Most restaurants these days have a tip jar located near the counter for happy customers to tip the staff before or after a meal. Tips are often a considerable part of a waiter’s salary, and they are often split between the staff, who often receive minimal pay.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ Whoelsebutlicia

The woman who stole the tip jar probably thought she found a sneaky way to get herself a free meal to the detriment of the staff at this establishment – so to get their vengeance, her photograph is now on the new tip jar telling.

A Child In A Grown Man’s Body

Even though this restaurant in our beloved Target has a bin nearby, this man chose to make this member of staff’s day by throwing dozens of candy wrappers onto the ground like confetti for them to sweep up. They say to sprinkle kindness like confetti; he may have taken this idea too literally.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ turtlesurvivalclub

If he was too lazy or impatient to make his way to a bin, the least the man could have done was leave his wrappers on the table to make it easier for the cleaner to dispose of. Some people really just want to watch the world burn.

Great Parenting Skills

This is one of many reasons why buffets are becoming less and less popular – they pose a considerable threat to human hygiene and contribute to the spreading of nasty germs. Kids will be kids, but surely their parents should teach them some respect and boundaries?

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ lex_1c0n

Sure it’s one thing if you’re letting your kid eat off your plate and then put it back there – but treating a buffet like it’s a free-for-all tasting station is simply rude. This photo is just the tip of the iceberg for gross things that can happen at a buffet – just use your imagination.

Because Apparently Headphones Don’t Exist

We know kids can get bored quickly, especially if you’re out for brunch and the food takes a little longer than usual. But, there are many ways to keep a kiddo entertained that don’t involve disturbing an entire restaurant full of people.

Image courtesy of Reddit/ ___________f

This family has been living under a rock for the past several decades because they’ve never heard of a little thing called earphones! They’re this cool invention that allows you to plug in and listen to anything your heart desires – without making the whole restaurant listen with you.

Some More Great Parenting Right Here

So this kid is craving salt because he has calcium deficiency or some sort of disorder – or more likely, he’s not being paid enough attention to. To no surprise, due to this unhygienic action, he’s wound up on this list.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ Dog-On-The-Moon

Surely if you’re out for a meal and you take your kid with you, you’d want to engage with your child instead of talking on the phone and ignoring his shenanigans completely? Perhaps next time you want to have a quick chat on the phone in a public space, drop your kid off at daycare first?

But… Why?

The first thing we want to know is what decorations they were using in the restroom and why someone felt compelled to steal them – was it because they simply couldn’t control their kleptomania? Also, why were they only stolen off one wall?

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ BigDee823

Perhaps this person just really liked the decorations – maybe they were having a Chinese-themed birthday party, and they wanted to save some cash on the decor. Or perhaps they are unkind. Once again, we ask – why are people like this?

Looks Like the Trash Took Itself Out

Here’s some advice for any tacky people who want to take advantage of a charming diner by dining and dashing: try not to leave any evidence of yourself behind, like using their selfie machine. Especially one that saves all of the photos taken – but hey, the trash took itself out.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ netengnerd

Not that people like this would care, but did you know that if you dine and ditch at most establishments, it’s not the restaurant that pays for it but the waiter/waitress who served you? Shame on you for dipping into their savings.

This Is Just Lazy

Many fast-food restaurants serve your food in takeaway containers even if you are sitting down. They provide bins for you to throw away your containers once you’ve finished your meal, and then they come and wipe down the tables for the next patron/s.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ heatherledge

Even if you’re choosing to enjoy your meal sitting down, it is usually common sense for you to clean up after yourself by throwing away the trash – for sanitary reasons as well as simply being polite – but clearly, this group did not get the memo.

Back To The School Cafeteria

Reading this makes us think of the old shows on Cartoon Network where the kids in the cafeteria would be eating lunch when someone yells “FOOD FIGHT!” and all of a sudden, the entire cafeteria exploded into a meal-throwing disaster.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ hareppas

It doesn’t make us think of grown men and women throwing food at one another in a public restaurant and leaving it to the staff to clean up. These people were so proud of their show of adolescent behavior that they even posted it online!

Classy.

Today’s youth post everything on social media – and we mean everything. New pair of pants? It’s on their Instagram story. Got a new video game? Put it right on Twitter. You were putting your dirty shoes on a table at a restaurant while you squat for a photo?

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ Spritzzy

Facebook is all over that. These kids might have all the latest and greatest technology, but they are severely lacking some human decency and basic hygiene. People have to eat at those tables! What’s the purpose of this anyway?

Creating Their Own Obstacle Course, Apparently

There’s nothing quite as diverse as a food court. Families can often be spotted there because they get to pick their preference of foods while still sitting together and enjoying their meals as a family. It’s too bad that people like this exist.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ Muuuuuuuuuuurph

After they were done with their food trays, they placed them on the floor instead of putting them away. They created an obstacle in the middle of the mall and caused someone to trip. This could have been pretty hazardous.

That’s… The Good Seat?

It looks like there was a riot and this Burger King was the victim. Used takeaway cups and straw wrappers, burger boxes, and containers that once contained fries are scattered across the tables and chairs – all left for some poor cleaner to throw away.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ dastardlymustardly

One man in the restaurant seems to have found the only seat in the place with no trash on it – but we can’t say the same for the table he’s sitting at, which is also covered in a thick layer of rubbish.

Whose Gonna Notice?

This woman has zero self-respect because she wasn’t even shy when she waltzed out of the bathroom with an entire roll of toilet paper and shamelessly left the restaurant with it. Indeed, if you’re stealing something, you’d want to try at least to conceal it?

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ elitegamer312

Apparently not. Instead, she held it in her hand for the entire restaurant to see – but surprisingly, no one tried to stop her. Much like the decorations in the Chinese restaurant from earlier on this list, things in restaurant bathrooms are a free-for-all.

That’s Not A Footrest Though

To all the people who are especially grossed out by feet – we hope you never have to be around someone like this. One thing is making yourself comfortable at a coffee shop while you work; another is treating it like your own home.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/geekaz01d

At home – take your shoes and socks off, put your feet up and relax. If you’re out in a public space where other people come to work, have a little bit of respect? Would you put your feet on your grandmother’s coffee table – we think not.

More Feet, Great

Here’s another example of someone making themselves a little bit too comfortable in a coffee shop. This time, a patron is shoe-less while using the table as a footrest in a very public Starbucks. People don’t get it – feet are gross.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/lapinatanegra

Why would you put your feet somewhere where you know people will put their belongings, coffee, and even their hands… People with feet fetishes aside, feet are disgusting no matter how often you clean them especially if you’re a stranger. Gross.

Talk About Clowning Around…

We aren’t quite sure what time of day/night it was when an old-man starker decided to sit at a McDonald’s completely unclothed – we are wondering what in the world made him think that this was okay. We also want to know if anyone said anything to him or questioned his behavior.

What’s baffling is that he is sitting with someone – who is fully clothed – who seems perfectly unbothered by this nudist display. Hey, maybe we’re overreacting. Perhaps this is his way of connecting to Ronald McDonald, and he’s simply “clowning around.”

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ r/trashy

What On Earth Could Go Wrong

The gender reveal – an exciting time for all soon-to-be-parents to share the gender of their unborn child. Usually, a gender reveal involves popping balloons with colored confetti or powders that are colored pink or blue to represent which gender the baby is going to be.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ fibbybob

What’s unusual is that these parents decided to hold their gender reveal at a restaurant and left their mess behind for someone else to clean up – at least they’ll get their karma when they’re cleaning up after all their baby’s messes and dirty diapers.

We Love Dogs – But Not This Much

Many restaurants have no issue with doggos coming in, sitting on the floor, and sometimes they even offer them a bowl of water. Some restaurants even have a doggy food menu for owners who can’t bear to leave them home alone.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ thepoincianatree

Even at the most pet-friendly places, what isn’t acceptable is allowing your doggo (who has paws just as dirty as our feet) to stand right on top of the table. The very same table that other people are going to eat at after you – sure, do what you want at home but not in a public space.

No One Has Anywhere Else To Be, Because We’re Still Here!

Imagine this point of view: you’re a waiter, and you’ve just worked a twelve-hour shift. One of the last tables you served is a group of drunk and rowdy people who are entirely oblivious that they are the only populated table in the restaurant.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ jewkakasaurus

Instead of realizing they should probably leave to allow the staff to close up for the night, they get angry when they try to order more drinks, and you tell them that the bar is closed. This is the unfortunate reality of many restaurant workers – if this has ever been you – do better.

Her Purse Is Her Child

This waiter, like most, has probably dealt with many rude patrons before this day – but we bet that this one takes the cake. She demanded a child seat upon sitting down even though there was no child with her. The waiter – bewildered as he was – obeyed and brought her one.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ HairySquid68

Imagine his dismay when he discovered the reason she wanted the seat was to put her handbag on! By the looks of the photograph, she was with one other person in a four-person booth – so surely she could have simply put her bag on the seat beside her?

Because Taping It Back Together Will Help

Have you ever experienced a situation so bizarre that it sort of leaves you in shock? That’s probably how this sales clerk felt when a customer came in to return some produce that was “too ripe” and thought that they’d get a refund.

Image courtesy of: imgur.com [unknown user]

When the clerk politely asked if the customer had peeled the fruit or tried eating it, the sarcastic answer she got back was, “does it look like I touched it?”. Based on the evident tape all over the fruit – it was pretty apparent that he’d opened the fruit. We wonder if management gave him his refund.

More People Who Can’t Leave Their Dogs at Home – Or At Least On the Floor

Your baby Yorkie is adorable but guess what – no matter how cute your dog is, their paws are still filthy and do not belong on a public table where we all eat. Now, if you do this at home – that’s your prerogative. 

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ thejunketjourneyer

But to do this in a public place – as we’ve discussed before – is downright rude and disgusting. Next time you want to bring your doggo to lunch with you – get a cushion or something they can use to sit on the floor. Or here’s a thought – eat at home?

The Mother Who Couldn’t Care Less

This mother is either very sleep deprived and forgot that she was in public, or she really doesn’t give a continental. She is in the middle of a very populated restaurant and decided that changing her child’s diaper couldn’t wait for a bathroom.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/Huykaty

We almost feel embarrassed for this poor kid who’s become internet infamous for having a mother who should win an award for “worst patron of the year,” and that’s really saying something considering some of the other items on this list!

Some More Gross Feet

We’ve seen a couple of these on this list already, the people who casually place their dirty feet on the table without much thought to who will come after. What makes this one a little bit different is that she’s got her shoe on the table as well.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ get-msol

A shoe that’s probably walked through subways, dirty grounds, and maybe even stepped in some dog poop in the park before. Who knows – they’re shoes. They’re anything but clean. We don’t understand how people can be so… gross.

Dirty Diaper

If it took you a moment or two to realize what is so insulting about this mess, we’ll give you a hand – it’s not the half-eaten food or measly five-dollar tip that caused this unimpressed waitress to post a photo on Facebook. 

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ Adda717

No – if you look a little closer, that clump near the breadboard isn’t a bunch of used napkins. It’s a used diaper, casually left on the table for the waitress to clean up. g. Most restaurants have change rooms or, at the very least, a bathroom – use them.

Nothing Beats This “Tip”.

If you’re not happy with a waiter’s service, perhaps the best way to deal with it is to just not leave a tip at all – or talk to the manager. We aren’t sure if these people were stupid kids, ruthless teenagers, or immature adults – but they seriously need to learn some manners.

Image courtesy of: Reddit.com [unknown user]

There’s a tip inside a glass of water, ruining the money, and the glass is surrounded by ketchup to break down this picture. This mess has been left for the waiter to clean up and all we want to know is what possessed these people to leave such disarray behind. 

It Sure Beats The Office

We know that working from home every day can get a little bit tedious, but surely there’s a better spot to sit at besides a four-seater booth during the lunch rush? Instead, this man pretty much moved his entire office into the booth: extension cords and all.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/an_onanist

Then again, one might argue that if he’s ordering food, tipping well, and leaves the table as he found it, then there’s no harm, no foul, right? We’re wondering, however what he’s doing with that microphone. Although he might have given a nice tip, he wasn’t quiet about it.

Seriously?

Ah, the typical photo of your well-manicured feet with a scrumptious-looking beverage and a spectacular view. Except this patron isn’t on some fancy beach in Mauritius and her feet aren’t on luscious-looking sand – they’re on a cafe table.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ buterbetterbater

Why is it that so many people on this list think it’s okay to put dirty feet on public tables? Sorry but no matter who you are or how many times you wash your feet, they’re still not clean enough to do this.

Entitled Joggers

Okay, can we all just agree that you shouldn’t be doing anything with your feet when you’re at a restaurant? These two have just come back from a run and decided that it was time to put some powder on those tired feet.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/SaiFromSd

The problem is, they didn’t apply their powder in the bathroom or near their car – no, they decided that this couldn’t wait and used the foot powder onto their feet at a restaurant, leaving a lovely mess behind for the cleaner.

Because Apparently This Is A Trend Now

Judging by the caption on this one – “don’t let your kids walk on the table at a restaurant” one would expect to see smaller shoe prints, right? So either this kid was wearing school shoes that were notoriously too big, or there’s a plot twist here.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/egriffith5

It wasn’t actually a kid standing on the table. We’ve seen people like this before on this list – squatting on the table for a photo for social media because it’s apparently “cool” to pose on top of tables. We wonder who the real culprit here was.

This Ultimate Karen

If you believe you are more important because you ordered a whole pizza instead of a slice, then you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Wake up, Karen, your order doesn’t bump to the front of the line because of what you ordered.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/CalifornianKIng

Your order goes into the queue, no matter what is in front of or behind it. We hope someone stood up to this woman and told her to wait in line just like everybody else because they won’t be speeding up her order or anyone else’s due to arrogance.

A Lovely Mess To Clean Up – Just What Every Worker Wants

This disaster doesn’t look necessarily accidental. In fact, it seems like some patrons came in with a toddler or two who threw a tantrum and, instead of at least apologizing for the mess, left in a hurry to avoid further embarrassment. 

Image courtesy of: Reddit/illicitz

We just hope that they at least paid for their drinks in advance – otherwise, it’s likely coming out of the poor waiter’s pocket. If there wasn’t a toddler involved, we hope that these people learn to grow up a little bit before they end up angering someone who will make them regret it.

Nothing Is Hotter Than A Cheap Date

Here’s a great way to let a waitress know that you’re either too broke or too cheap to give her a tip – oh, and let her know that you’re a narcissist because you think that giving your number to someone you’ve just met will mean more to them than money.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/RekNepZ

How about next time, you tip the waitress, and if you do want to ask her out – be a gentleman about it and give her your number as well – and not as a replacement for the tips she works really hard for.

Best Tip Ever! Not.

What’s really sad about this is that a ten-dollar tip isn’t necessarily wrong, depending on the meal’s worth. Now the tip is pretty much useless because most stores and banks won’t accept a note that’s been vandalized like this one.

Image courtesy of: Reddit.com [unknown user]

The patron probably thought he was funny, but he should have just left the ten bucks alone instead of destroying it. Also – fun fact, it’s considered a federal offense in some states to desecrate a bill like this.

Hangovers Know No Boundaries…and Neither Does This Patron

We all handle hangovers differently. Some of us wake up with a headache, pop some painkillers and spend the remainder of the morning in bed. Others wake up and feel fine – until they get into a moving car and suddenly feel the need to throw up.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/angeliquieee

Then there’s the unique group of people who decide to lie across an entire table and fall asleep on it. She was in the mood for breakfast but didn’t feel like making it herself. Once she was done with her meal, she was full and ready to go back to sleep off her hangover in the restaurant.

A Sticky Situation

Usually used gum is found under tables, beneath the benches at a school gym, pressed smoothly against some poor kid’s locker, and sometimes – against the bench of a restaurant that probably had plenty of napkins that could have been used for this very purpose.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/rnc1119

Unfortunately for this patron, they were the next person to sit at this booth. This booth was last used by a slob who decided the bench was the perfect place to stick their gum. We hope she managed to get the gum off of her jeans – but knowing how stubbornly gum can stick – we doubt the jeans were salvageable. 

“Great” People Leave “Great” Tips

People’s behavior never ceases to amaze us – the patron at this pizza parlor left the waitress a tip – but in order to get to her tip, she had first to remove the leftover pizza crust from the used plate. How lovely – but hey, at least they bothered to tip.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/lukelovesu

We wonder if this person did this intentionally to send some message to the waitress about her service or if they are just so oblivious to how rude this actually was. Either way – we doubt the waitress will be giving this patron a friendly smile if they ever return for another meal.

Bathroom Vandalism

For those of you who don’t know this – Jim Morrison was the lead vocalist for The Doors – a well-known rock band from America. This restaurant had a framed photograph of him in their bathroom – and of course, like everything else that’s decorative in a bathroom – someone stole it.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/Coracle64

What blows our minds is why he didn’t just take the entire frame. Instead, he destroyed the frame rendering it unusable for any future pictures to be framed – and pocketed the Jim Morrison photograph. We don’t know if it was signed or not – but we also don’t think it mattered to the thief.

What Kind Of Service Triggered This “Tip”?

Once again, someone was either distraught with their meal or their service; or they thought their sense of humor was worth more to this waitress than a monetary tip. Either way – it’s pretty rude to leave this written “tip.”

Image courtesy of: Reddit/ayefoodie

We wonder what could have gone so badly that led to this sarcastic remark. Perhaps the waitress wasn’t friendly enough – or maybe the blame is actually on the kitchen staff for messing up the patron’s order. We will never know.

The Trashy Behavior Continues

Usually, at a takeaway joint, the expected common courtesy is to throw away your trash in one of the many bins provided so that the cleaner just needs to wipe the table down for the following patrons to sit and enjoy their meal.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/shoedogodo

It’s considered rude to expect the staff to clean up after you. It is effortless to throw some things in a bin. Yes, there are wait staff hired to clean the restaurant. However, their job is to tidy up and wash the tables, not scrape your leftovers off the floor.

LOL – Sorry I Slapped You In the Face

This pretentious comment is really not necessary. No one is forcing you to tip – if you’re not planning on leaving a tip – then simply do not leave a tip. There is no need to be rude and ruin someone’s day by basically laughing in their face.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/Leviperseusmaxx

According to many waiters in the food industry – this sort of disrespect is almost expected – and sometimes, even receiving any tip at all is a surprise. That’s an unfortunate thing to know. We really need to do better!

A Tasteless Joke

Here’s another example of a really tasteless joke. At least this time, the patron left something of monetary value – if you count a few pennies as worth anything other than perhaps a stick or two of gum ages ago. 

Image courtesy of: Reddit/server_life

Instead of leaving even just a dollar bill, this patron decided to spell out the word “sorry!” in pennies for the waiter to clean up. Next time – don’t even bother. Leaving a few measly pennies as a tip is quite possibly more insulting than leaving nothing at all.

How Appetizing

We’re not sure why this kid’s parents thought it was an excellent idea to let their child run around in a restaurant with no shoes on – and judging by how filthy his feet look, he’s been running around barefoot all day long.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/McGNerdFace

Aside from the fact that this is grossly unsafe and unhygienic, we’re pretty sure that no one else at the restaurant appreciated such a blackening view. Here’s a tip to all parents – make your kid wear shoes in public!

Spa Day?

It looks like someone was enjoying a full-on pedicure at their booth in this restaurant, and instead of cleaning up their mess – they carelessly left their evidence behind for someone else to find. Here’s a tip – next time you want a pedi, head over to the salon.

Image courtesy of: Reddit/brettrubin

On the bright side, at least the owner found this mess and was able to clean it up before the following patrons arrived to discover the mini salon happening under the restaurant tables. That would have been downright embarrassing!