Waiters give details of what red flags to look out for at a restaurant



Waiters give details of what red flags to look out for at a restaurant

Going out for a meal with friends or on a date night is a ton of fun. You get to dress-up, try out a restaurant you have been wanting to, and enjoy a delicious meal. There are a few things though that you may want to watch out for when you arrive at your restaurant of choice. If you smell something a bit odd, or notice garbage in a place there shouldn’t be, then warning bells should start going off in your head. As you read, keep these things in mind when you decide to go out for your next meal. They might just end up saving you from a meal you will later regret.

Dirty Carpets


When you stroll into a restaurant or even a diner, the first thing you notice is the decor and then the overall cleanliness of the place. As your gaze wanders down you may find yourself looking at a carpet that was once a color, but is now just various shades of brown.
Dirty Carpets

This dirty carpet should be used as a sign for what the cleanliness of the establishment is like as a whole. If it’s not clean enough to eat off of you probably don’t want to eat there.


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Health Reports


Every restaurant and its staff have to go through a pretty rigorous vetting and training process. All of the food preparation areas need to be up to a certain standard, ingredients need to come from reputable sources, and staff needs to be trained in how to serve it.
Health Reports

This means that hygiene and sanitation are very important. You can actually look at the health inspection reports for the restaurant you want to eat at and make sure that they passed with flying colors. This may just keep you from getting sick or help you to choose between a couple of restaurants.
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No Ice Please


Ice is a touchy subject. If you are in a country where you can’t drink the water than most of the time you just want to forego it, but if you’re in a country where you can then a refreshing drink is great. Recently, there have been a lot of issues with the ice machines at popular fast-food chains having bacteria found in them.

This bacteria can cause some major tummy troubles which you definitely want to avoid. Think twice before opting for ice when you go to fill up your fountain pop, you may just be in for a bit more than you bargained for.


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Something Fishy


A big plate of seafood like oysters, mussels and lobster is the making of a great dinner. Fish itself will have a very ‘fishy’ smell but if you enter a restaurant that reeks of fish and less of salty air then take this as a sign.

The fishy smell actually indicates that the seafood is just about to go off and once this happens it means food poisoning is on the horizon. Even if it is well done, there is still a chance of getting sick. Don’t risk it and simply opt for a different seafood place that you know and trust.
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A Cheap Steak


Who doesn’t love a deal? We know we definitely do, but when it comes to steak you really do get what you pay for. Sometimes restaurants will have steak on special for around $5 but the price actually tells you a lot about the quality of the meat.
A Cheap Steak

Cheap ‘steaks’ are just cheap cuts of meat that don’t have a lot of fat on them which makes them rather chewy. It could also mean that they have some old meat they are trying to off load. No restaurant likes losing money and this is one of their methods for recouping some.
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A Product Of?


With the recent movement from farm to table or in this case ocean to table, people really want to know where their food is coming from. For seafood, this is particularly important.
A Product Of?

You want to know where those oysters have come from and how old they are. Fresh oysters are always the way to go, served on ice, with some sauces but if your waiter or the restaurant can’t answer your questions be wary.
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Say No To Specials


Some specials sound amazing, especially if it a special meal that is not normally served. However, a lot of the time specials are simply a way for the chef to offload any excess ingredients they haven’t used.

These ingredients tend to be on the verge of going bad which means some could have already crossed over to the bad side. If you know the restaurant, no problem if you don’t, this may be something to consider.
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Long Menus


Long menus are a great thing, if you’re out with a big group of friends there is something for everyone. The only problem is that if you are a fan of fresh food then it is unlikely most of the menu will be fresh.
Long Menus

Instead, a lot of it will be coming out of the freezer and heated up for you when you order it. This is not true for all places and you can ask about the food you’re getting. Smaller menus usually mean higher quality ingredients.
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Picture Menus


Sometimes seeing the food in picture form is what will convince you to order it or it might also make you not want to order it. It’s pretty rare that the food in a picture looks like the reality.

Just think about your favorite fast food chain and the food in the commercials. Does your burger ever look that juicy or the lettuce that crispy? The same can be said for food on picture menus. Buyer beware.
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An Empty Restaurant


When hunger hits, you will find yourself looking around for the nearest place that looks like it will hit the spot. As you make your way down the street or in the mall, take a look at who is inside the restaurants.

If one is empty and the one next to it is packed you have your answer about which one is actually good. Nobody likes waiting in line but sometimes the line is worth the wait for a tasty meal rather than one that isn’t quite up to snuff.
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A Well-Oiled Machine


Some restaurants emanate a sense of calm both through their soothing decor in muted colors but also through their staff. Staff who seems to be on friendly working terms, move quickly to get tasks done and don’t stand lazily around are a good indicator of a well-run restaurant.

Waiters who appear to be busy and serving their customers show that when your food is ready you won’t be left waiting but will be served when it is nice and piping hot from the kitchen.
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A Waiting List


Brunch is a great time to catch up with friends and family and eat both the most important meal of the day, breakfast, but at a later hour. We all like to sleep in on the weekend but this also means eating at the best brunch spot can be a busy time.
A Waiting List

If you see a line out the door or an hour wait it means it is the go to place and the food will be amazing. Just schedule yourself to show up an hour early and give yourself time to wander around some shops until it’s your turn.
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Eat What You Make


Waiters who work at well-known restaurants will often be seen eating something from the menu when on their breaks. If you don’t see any of the staff tasting the food on offer this should set off some warning bells.

You don’t want to eat at a place where the staff won’t eat the food. This indicates that it might not be very tasty or the kitchen might not be up to certain hygiene standards.
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Buffets And Salad Bars


For those who like to stuff themselves and be full for the entire day, buffets and salad bars are a dream come true. You can refill your plate turn after turn, but you may want to consider the actual food in the buffet or salad bar.
Buffets And Salad Bars

If you are refilling constantly, doesn’t that mean the buffet is also being refilled a lot? This could mean the food is not on the freshest side of things, especially if it is seafood.
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Server Recommendations


Knowing what to order can be nerve-wracking. Everything looks delicious but there is a great way to know what is best. Simply ask your server what they like to eat off of the menu and if it is a reasonably priced item then you know that they are being honest with you.

This would be a good menu pick for those who are on the fence about what to get. You know that you will be getting something the staff like to eat which also indicates it is fresh.
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Lose The Lemons


A lot of food tends to be prepared all at once because large quantities will be needed throughout the day or night. Lemon slices are one of those items that are sliced up and put on the counter to be used all night.
Lose The Lemons

If servers or bar staff are constantly reaching into the lemon slice container with their hands then these lemon slices might be crawling with germs. We all want to believe that people wash their hands constantly, but you can never be sure.
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No Take Backs


Occasionally, your dish will come out and it will be overdone, too salty, or simply not to your liking. Sending it back to the kitchen is your right and most servers won’t mind doing this for you.
No Take Backs

When you encounter one who refuses though, this is a sign that the chef is going to be a problem over this. Anyone who is afraid of the chef should put you on alert, what could be in the food or have been done to it in the kitchen?
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Fusion Food


Some restaurants blend two types of food together and call it a fusion. This is great, we love Tex-Mex after all. However, if you find yourself reading through a menu that appears to have Indian, Mexican, and Ethiopian food all in one place and it is not a fusion you may want to look twice.

Most restaurants are not equipped to make more than one type of food and if they don’t say its a fusion it means they are just making whatever they think will appeal to their customer base, regardless of quality.
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Under New Management


Sometimes a restaurant will switch hands which happens. Owners get old, decide to move away, or simply retire. For some places though, that “Under New Management” sign might be going up annually which is a red flag.

If you find that sign is going up more than once every couple of years it usually means that the kitchen did not pass a health inspection. Nobody wants to deal with an unsanitary kitchen and the consequences of eating from it.
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Coupons For Reviews


Some restaurants will try and bring in customers by offering them coupons as an incentive. These coupons are sometimes contingent on you writing a good review on Yelp though. Usually, if the food is tasty it will speak for itself and customers will want to gush about it on the popular rating site.

If the food is not good, then any amount of coupons and fake reviews will not change this. Word of mouth is still the best way to find out about new places.
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Human Signs


We’ve all seen those pizza places or fast food joints that have someone dressed as a giant slice or burger dancing around on the street. They definitely get your attention but that does not mean the food is worth eating.
Human Signs

Usually, a restaurant will be able to get customers by simply offering good fare rather than a dancing burger. This is usually a sign that times are tough and they are trying to draw customers in any way they can.
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Customer Service


Whether you have just walked into a coffee shop or a Michelin starred restaurant, you expected to be given at the very least a nice ‘Hello’ by staff. As soon as you find yourself standing inside the doors and nobody has taken notice of you, then you know what kind of service you can expect during your meal.
Customer Service

Attentive staff means that they care about your dining experience, and the kitchen staff will also be concerned with making sure your food is good to further enhance that.
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Don’t Stand Around


As we’ve mentioned empty restaurants are not usually a good sign. If you still decide to risk it and head inside but find yourself in a deserted space then it might be time to turn around.

Staff who don’t seat you immediately when a space is empty are simply not concerned about how they treat your customers and you don’t want to have the same lack of disregard given to your food. Enjoy your dining experience and make sure that you go to a restaurant which has all the elements you want: good food and great staff!