Why Stacking Plates At A Restaurant Might Not Be As Helpful As You Think
From not placing your elbows on the table to waiting until your fellow diners have been served before digging in, there are many elements of proper dining etiquette. Along with making a good impression on your dinner companions, proper etiquette also extends to the hardworking individuals taking your order and serving your food. In this case, a great debate rages in the restaurant industry that's tidily summed up by a humorous scripted TikTok video that ponders whether it's acceptable to help waitstaff by stacking dirty plates.
@drew_talbert Are you with team Nicole or team Aaron on this? (Co-write w/ @Andrea Kelley) #serverlife #bistrohuddy #restaurantlife #customerservice
In the clip, a patron is seen stacking their plates in an effort to be helpful, only to be told by the server, "Honestly, I hate that." The server's reasoning is pretty straightforward, as "a lot of people stack [the plates] weird so they fall, or they'll put a glass right into the mashed potatoes." Another server (played by the same performer) offers a counter opinion, stating that they view the act as a show of solidarity, while a third member of the waitstaff says the practice appears tacky in nicer restaurants: "You don't wanna look over and see stacks of dirty plates around the dining room." While there is no hard and fast rule, it's worth noting that in this fictional video, it's two against one when it comes to plate stacking.
What do real members of the service industry think about plate stacking?
Failing to refill your beverage and avoiding friendly chit-chat are just two of the many universal signs that your server doesn't like you. You obviously want to stay on the good side of the person handling your food, so we did some digging to determine whether waitstaff find customer plate stacking truly objectionable. According to some servers on Reddit, the practice can be acceptable, but only if you do so carefully. One commenter advises, "Don't stack cups, especially if they are glass," while another person says, "Never stack plates with food trapped in the middle." However, many warn against stacking, particularly when at a high-end establishment. As a commenter explains, "Good waiters will never stack at your table, so you shouldn't either.
If you'd like another professional take, consider what William Bonilla, service captain at the Washington D.C.-based restaurant Dirty Habit, told Today. "As much as we appreciate the effort to assist us," states Bonilla, "it really just makes it harder for us to clear and clean a table." Everyone makes mistakes when dining out (like filling up on so much bread that you can't enjoy your meal), but at least now, you can avoid any unfortunate plate stacking snafus.