9 Mistakes Most of Us Make in Restaurants and Cafes

Until the beginning of the 19th century, all dishes were served at the same time in European restaurants, and such a system was called “French Service”. It is believed that the modern service, known as Service à la russe, or Russian Service, in which dishes are brought out gradually, appeared thanks to Prince Alexander Kurakin. Today, this principle is used all over the world, but there are many other rules that must be followed not only by the gastronomic establishments themselves, but also by their visitors. Observing these rules allows you not only to enjoy the food more, but also, what is not less important, to have a reputation as a desired customer, and even save money.

O awesome.club made a short list of not so obvious but quite common mistakes that we often make in restaurants. Follow up!

Before going to a restaurant, you should refresh your memory on the knife and fork rules that will signal the waiter what to do with your plate. And it’s not just a matter of courtesy: it will get you rid of unnecessary items on the table faster, or else everything will fall into place if you’re away for a while.

Also, by placing the cutlery in a certain way, you show the cooks how much the dish was appreciated. You can also accidentally offend the chef if, for example, you put the knife blade between the tines of the fork, thus making a cross on the plate – this is a sign that the food was not tasty.

Most people are used to completely immersing sushi in soy sauce. However, the Japanese do it differently: the sauce is placed on the small platter (gravy boat) just to cover the bottom of the container, and the sushi is gently touched in the liquid at only one of its ends. This seasoning is quite salty and has a very strong taste, which can overpower the flavor and aroma of the food itself if used in excess.

Ginger, which is traditionally served during any Japanese meal, is not used as a spice for bread, sushi, or sashimi. The root in vinaigrette is only needed to separate the flavor of one food from another, that is, it helps to clean the taste buds when changing dishes.

As for wasabi, it should not be eaten as an additional seasoning that would enhance the flavor of the main dish. In good national restaurants, a small amount is added during the preparation of the dishes to enhance the ingredients, instead of overshadowing them. In small doses, wasabi can be added to soy sauce, for example.

For many it seems quite evident that if we place the plates on the edge of the table, it will be much more convenient for the waiter to remove them. However, this is not the case. Each establishment has its own dish collection system and in most cases we can easily make this task difficult for them. Also do not stack dishes on the table, because they will never be taken that way. The fact is that this increases the chances of breaking them on the way to the kitchen.

Also, if you break a glass or cup, you shouldn’t pick up the fragments from the floor. If you cut yourself, the waiter will not only have to clean the floor, but he will also have to tend to your wounds.

Customers often order dishes that are not on the menu. Of course, the kitchen, in most cases, will do what the consumer asks, but it’s not worth doing that.

Firstly, the cost of the dish is calculated in advance and in the absence of a chef it is very difficult to calculate the price of the new dish. In second place, All food in the restaurant is prepared according to established recipes, ie the number of ingredients is adjusted down to the smallest grams to ensure balanced taste.

And third, each food establishment teaches its employees to cook exactly the dishes that are on the menu. And even if the chef is highly qualified, and you are in a “starred” restaurant, no one can guarantee that the steak, which is not included in the list of dishes, will be fried properly and that it will please you.

There are a lot of services on the Internet where people leave comments about catering companies. These evidently useful features are good for those who want to choose a particular establishment, but know that everything written there will not affect the restaurant’s service.

If you really want to improve the service or the quality of the food, it’s worth taking the time to write a letter to the manager or owner, or through the communication system on the restaurant’s website. That feedback is definitely read, and you can be sure it will be taken into account.

According to the rules of etiquette, if you go to the restaurant in large groups, everyone should start eating only when the waiter delivers the food to everyone present. If a salad or steak is brought to you earlier than to your colleagues, you must wait until all orders are on the table. Also, remember that you shouldn’t eat too fast, it’s advisable to adjust your pace to those you share the table with.

In turn, the rule also applies to the restaurant: if the number of customers at a table is two or more people, the dishes and cutlery must be served to all at the same time.

As a general rule, the price of alcoholic beverages in restaurants is not very high, but wine is certainly more expensive than in the market. If you don’t want to order a drink from the wine menu for some reason, you can bring it with you to the restaurant. That’s right! Just ask in advance if it’s allowed in the establishment you want to go to.

Restaurants that allow this possibility charge the “corkage fee” (or “corkage fee” in English), whose value varies between 25 and 40 dollars (about 100 to 160 reais). After sitting at the table, pass the bottle to the waiter and you will be served the same way you would be served if you had ordered a wine from the restaurant itself. Note, however, that common sense applies here: don’t take very cheap drinks, as this can give a negative image.

Every restaurant has special containers or packaging that are specifically designed to transport food. They can also be used to store what you haven’t eaten, for whatever reason. Just ask the waiter to bring you a container to wrap the food in.

However, do not abuse. The rules of etiquette say that you must not take anything that has been cut or bitten, even a piece. However, this is not prohibited. So whether you need to take half-eaten food with you is up to you to decide.

If you are going to visit a restaurant in a country other than your own, check the rules and possibly restrictions of the establishment you wish to go to, as well as the general customs of the country itself. In Japan, for example, it is not customary to put the chopsticks, or sushi sticks, vertically on the food, as this is done in specific rituals rather than during a meal. Also, there is a rule that the chopsticks can only be separated in a certain position: so that they are strictly parallel to the table.

Of course, in most cases it’s unlikely that anyone will reprimand you if you break a tradition for lack of knowledge, but it’s best to try to avoid such situations.

Have you ever wondered what mistakes you make in restaurants? If you’ve already committed one, let us know in the comments!