I was recently scrolling through my restaurants reviews on one of the major online review sites when I ran across one that looked very familiar. This reviewer spoke of a sandwich that was burnt beyond being edible. She said that she ordered prime rib, but was instead served flank steak. She continued to claim that […]
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The Server Blind Spot
Remember those bubble domed cars from The Jetsons that we were all supposed to be driving around in by now?* While they probably would be only slightly less safe than a Suzuki Samurai* in a rollover test, they did have one great design benefit. There would be no blind spot. No fear of a Vespa […]

Is It Hot In Here?
If the weather where you live is like most of the country right now, it is hot. Not just a little hot, but repressively hot. I read recently that the Midwest has experienced higher temperatures for more consecutive days than during the dust bowl era. It is the sort of hot spell that makes you […]

10 Things That You’re Doing Wrong at Restaurants: A Response
My Father recently forwarded me an article titled “10 Things That You’re Doing Wrong at Restaurants” by Adam Roberts. My Father knows me pretty well. This article encouraged less outrage than other articles instructing guests about restaurant life from the perspective of someone who does not work in a restaurant. There are some points where […]

Tipping on Drinks
I am asked from time to time by friends who are not in the restaurant business what is the appropriate amount to tip a bartender. I generally hate answering questions like this because I either justify tipping less than they do or make them feel bad that they have been tipping poorly. I believe in […]
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- Understanding French Sauces (Part One) June 22, 2010
- Pasta Name Origins June 9, 2010
- Fruit Flies July 9, 2010
- Foodie Friday: Beef Made Easy (Part One) April 23, 2010
- Your Restaurant Server Will Not Spit In Your Food October 29, 2013
- Why We Should Not Ban Tipping In Restaurants August 10, 2013
- Why Restaurants Have Bad Nights March 3, 2013
- How To Propose At A Restaurant February 12, 2013
- Do I Have To Tip At Restaurants? January 21, 2013
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About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.