Working in a restaurant is stressful, especially during these uncertain times of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many customers are respectful to staff, but there have always been those who are not. From yelling at waitstaff to racking up a hundred-dollar tab and not leaving a tip, certain customers simply do not know the etiquette surrounding dining out. Before the pandemic, these poor dining practices were merely a nuisance, but now they can be dangerous. The shutdown and consequential reopening have given rise to a new form of customer, the anti-masker.
Anti-maskers are people who have fallen victim to false information spread by both our government and certain news outlets. They believe the pandemic is not real and that wearing a mask infringes on their constitutional rights. Regardless of these personal beliefs, dining at a private establishment is not the place to voice them. First, it is state law in Virginia that when entering a private establishment, you are required to wear a face covering except when you are sitting at your table. If you choose not to comply with this law, then any private business has the right to deny you service. The establishment does this in order to keep their staff and other customers safe, and it is their right to do so. Any arguing, yelling, or belittling of the staff is not going to change the outcome that you cannot dine in without a mask, and is simply rude. If you wish to get food without a mask, order take out. Even then, a mask should be worn out of compassion for the establishment and staff.
While the issue of anti-maskers is the main concern of dining out during coronavirus, there are several other things that many customers do without realizing the negative effects. If you are going out to eat, make sure that you have enough money to tip your server. If you do not, then go to a fast food restaurant where a tip is not required, or grab a bag of ramen from Food Lion. Servers are generally paid between two and three dollars an hour. They rely on tips in order to survive. If you take up a table for an hour, leave a tip that makes that hour worth the energy that they put into making your dining experience pleasant.
Another aspect of restaurant life that coronavirus has caused is an increase in take-out. Many people do not want to risk exposure to the virus by sitting inside surrounded by strangers. This makes it harder for customers to gauge how busy a restaurant is at any given time. You could be the only table sitting in the dining area, but that does not mean that there are not ten take-out orders that the kitchen is working on as well. I ask simply for patience. As stated above, servers rely on tips and so they are trying their best to make your experience positive. If they are taking a while to bring your food, do not assume they are being lazy. Generally speaking, there is a valid explanation that is not their fault.
All in all, service work is not easy. Even if every customer is kind and respectful, it is difficult to please hundreds of people a day with a smile on your face. Many people treat industry workers as if they are slaves to their every whim. They are people and deserve the same respect and compassion that everyone else does.
