Trying new restaurants can be a bit like spinning a roulette wheel, you never know what might end up ruining your night out. It’s easy enough to find out if the food is good beforehand, though tastes vary and you might catch them on an off night. But loud guests, blaring music, and dirty dishes are just some of the other risks you run when trying a new place. It does not take much to turn a night out into a disappointing dining experience.
One person wanted to hear what ruins a restaurant experience for others and the internet delivered. So get comfortable as you scroll through and be sure to upvote the most relatable examples. If you have a restaurant-ruiner suggestion, comment it below.
#1
I’m going to get hated on for this, but..
Children.
However, not every child. I’m talking about the ones that the parents are obviously not putting much effort into. The ones that will run around, cause a scene, pester other diners, and just make themselves a nuisance.. And God forbid you ask them politely to stop, because then Big Mama’s gotta not look at her phone for five seconds to tell you to not parent her kid.
B***h, I wouldn’t have to parent your kid if you actually behaved like a parent!
Image source: InkblotDoggo
#2
#QR CODE MENUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Image source: notAgirl77, Pixabay
#3
When the background music is too loud
Image source: CrystalQueen3000, K8
#4
You can smell that they wiped everything down with a mildewy rag
Image source: mmarc, Ketut Subiyanto
#5
When the tables are too small. Nothing infuriates me more than not having room to eat my food because the tiny table has three other plates on it, drinks, condiments/sugar caddies, what have you.
Also I hate those cheap, light, metal chairs that are always freezing and make a loud noise when you move them.
And more restaurants should have purse hooks!
Image source: meowmeow0092, Lina Kivaka
#6
When parents let their kids run around and knock s**t over.
Image source: scaryboilednoodles
#7
Being sat too close together. My elbows need air.
Image source: Poosewees, Valeria Boltneva
#8
A passive aggressive sign that complains about people not wanting to work anymore or some variation.
And getting food poisoning
Image source: silentbobdrummer, Nick Karvouni
#9
When they don’t put price on menu. Makes me not want to order anything just incase it comes out to $30 per dish and also feel embarassed to ask for price of each item
Image source: Theoldage2147, Terje Sollie
#10
When the table you’re seated in wobbles from the slightest touch
Image source: zexzunara, Fani Chan
#11
I live in redneckville and some honkeytonk places like to declare their political affiliations so for me the biggest restaurants to avoid are the ones flying the Back the Blue flags or the F&@k Biden flags over the front door.
Image source: religionlies2u
#12
Went to a small restaurant that I’ve liked before. For some reason the owners decided to put up a karaoke machine in the middle of the place. With the size of the place and how loud the machine was, you could hear everything at any table.
We sat down, heard a kid trying to sing Let It Go full blast and all decided to leave.
Image source: KingofSheepX, Kane Reinholdtsen
#13
I personally like a dark and quiet atmosphere where I can sit in a high-backed booth and enjoy my meal with my family. Restaurants that are too open, too bright, and have loud music playing in the background ruin it for me personally.
Image source: X_brokeham_X, shawnanggg
#14
Slow service coupled to food not served hot enough because it’s been sitting in the kitchen too long waiting to be delivered.
Image source: Back2Bach, Louis Hansel
#15
When they don’t treat/pay their staff well. You can tell, especially if you’ve worked in the industry, and it seeps into every aspect of the place. You can practically feel it oozing out of the walls.
Image source: Hey_Its_Crosby, Pelle Martin
#16
Bad food. It could be a hole in the wall with a leaky roof and horrible service, but people will still go if the food’s good. They’ll probably just call it a hidden gem with *character*
Image source: 4Ever2Thee, jack shingai
#17
A TV always on where you can’t get away from it.
Image source: Sharpei_are_Life
#18
Noise. Restaurants need to be thoughtful about how noise reverberates when designing the space, and then take other measures like playing music at a volume low enough that you don’t have to strain to hear those at your table but loud enough it helps distract you from everyone else’s conversations.
Image source: ClementineJane, Nick Hillier
#19
A menu that’s way too freaking big, saying this as a food service worker.
Image source: N1hili, Lina Kivaka
#20
– loud music.
– loud patrons.
– loud children.
Image source: SuperfluousPedagogue, Mehmet Suat Gunerli
#21
Owners who can’t treat their staff like people.
Image source: jironspoon
#22
Roaches and crying babies. Together or separate
Image source: thiccdiamonds, Ginny Rose Stewart
#23
Music you have to shout over to have a conversation.
Image source: danappropriate
#24
Charging for ketchup.
Image source: MinxManor, Brett Jordan
#25
Waitstaff walking towards me carrying a cake and singing Happy Birthday…
Image source: ccl_now, Aneta Pawlik
#26
Microwaved food
Image source: lllDaRklll
#27
Restaurants that are too bright, too loud (with music or just poor acoustics so you can hear everyone else), no music at all is also a no-no, food being served on ridiculous items rather than plates, over or under attention by waitstaff, unattended kids, tipping being expected unless it’s for excellent service (I’m from the UK and Australia where tipping is NOT expected before you come at me, k)
Image source: hollbert, Life Of Pix
#28
Christian music.
Image source: 261989
#29
Concrete floors, high, open ceilings, metal or stone walls. When it’s like they’re trying to create the loudest, most echo-ey place possible.
Image source: PMMeUrHopesNDreams
#30
Tablet menus and buttons to summon waiters. I’m here for an analog, human experience ffs.
Image source: luxenbuxen
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