10 Things NOT to Do at a Restaurant

A restaurant isn’t your living room, your office, or your personal kingdom. It’s a shared space where people come to eat, relax, and not witness your bad habits. If you want to avoid being “that person” everyone whispers about, here’s what not to do at a restaurant.

1. Don’t Treat the Staff Like Servants

They’re servers, not your butlers. Manners cost nothing—tip accordingly.

2. Don’t Snap Your Fingers for Attention

Unless you’re trying to summon a genie, keep those jazz hands to yourself.

3. Don’t Rearrange the Furniture Like You’re on HGTV

Moving six tables together in the middle of rush hour isn’t “family style,” it’s chaos.

4. Don’t Camp Out Forever

If your bill’s been paid for an hour and you’re still monopolizing the table—congrats, you’re now the reason for the 45-minute wait time.

5. Don’t Treat It Like a Daycare

If your kids are sword-fighting with breadsticks, that’s not “cute.” That’s “noise pollution.”

6. Don’t Overdo the PDA

A little hand-holding is fine. Full-on movie-theater makeouts? Save it for the Uber.

7. Don’t Play Amateur DJ

Putting your phone on speaker, blasting TikToks, or worse—answering a FaceTime call—isn’t ambiance. It’s torture.

8. Don’t Make a Scene Over the Menu

They don’t have your favorite dish? It’s not a crime against humanity. Eat something new and expand your horizons.

9. Don’t Forget to Tip Properly

If you can afford the appetizer, you can afford the 20%. Don’t make excuses—servers rely on it.

10. Don’t Leave a Disaster Zone

Napkins, half-chewed food, spilled soda—it’s a restaurant, not a crime scene. Clean up a little.

Final Thought:

Restaurants are about food and community. If you treat the staff with respect and the space with decency, everyone wins. And hey—if you really want special treatment? Be the polite customer. That’s the true VIP hack