Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Awkward moment with a waiter
Imminent Catastrophe
Today DW and I sat down in a restaurant and the waiter walked up, said his name then stuck his hand out for a handshake. I thought that was strange and didn't shake his hand. It's not like I think I'm better than him, and I'm not a germophobe but dude, I'm here to eat and that's inappropriate. Then I felt guilty, like I had offended him. Was I wrong? Have you ever had a waiter offer a handshake? It was a first for me.
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√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015
Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016
Western States 100 June 2016
Where you wearing a Boston jacket? Because that would totally explain it.
Well, no, the only Boston jacket in our house belongs to my wife and every time I wear it, it's too tight and cuts off my circulation. But I was wearing the Monkey shirt.
Cool Jump Suit
That's kind of a tough question. You want to be personable as a server, but you don't want to be weird or make anyone uncomfortable. I think the right kind of person can pull it off and make it personable while creating a connection with people. Others can't pull it off and it makes people a bit uncomfortable. I can't say I have ever had a server offer a handshake to me though. My wife used to serve and said she has shaken customers hands, but after the meal as they were leaving.
So bittersweet,This tragedyWon't ask for absolution;This melody,Inside of me,Still searches for solution.A twist of faith,A change of heart Cures my infatuation.A broken heart, Provides the sparkFor my determination.
I asked my coworker the other day about something similar. A waitress came to my table, sat down, and introduced herself to me and DW. I've had this happen before, and I'm fine with it. But I can definitely understand that some people wouldn't be, like my coworker.
The handshake sounds even stranger than sitting down at the table to me. It's a formal greeting, but the formal thing for a waiter to do is to maintain the traditional waiter/patron distance. If you're going to break that barrier, sitting down makes sense, but not a handshake.
veggies on the runMartial Artist Runners
At least he didn't kiss your cheek. mwah. mwah.
(and no, I've never had my hand shooken)
Kalsarikännit
At least he didn't kiss your cheek.
Um, yeah. This friendly neighborhood bartender is ok with regulars not wanting to do the kissy thing when they leave. A handshake is just fine there, drunky.
I want to do it because I want to do it. -Amelia Earhart
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You don't have a Boston jacket?
That's probably why, right there.
I bought one off the blackmarket two years ago, just to avoid this type of awkwardness from the non-Boston-jacket social underclass.
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
Feeling the growl again
I waited tables for a summer. I can't imagine shaking someone's hand when they sat down, that would have been weird. And after the meal, I would usually want to boot them on the way out the door for being demanding customers but lousy tippers.
I think I will force my kids to wait tables for a summer just so they go to college with their eyes open as to what people are really like...
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
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