As heard by me…
1. “Have a great day.”
It’s 8 pm.
2. “Would you like a box for your food?”
There’s nothing left on your plate.
3. “Can I get you another glass of wine?”
You have not made a dent in the current glass.
4. The menu says “AQ,” meaning as quoted.
The waiter brings you your Kobe steak but fails to tell you the price ahead of time. Ouch!
5. “Would you like some of our seasonal truffles?”
Upselling is a turnoff if done too aggressively.
6. “I’m sorry, sir, but your credit card was declined.”
Your fine dining moment has just been spoiled. Try phrasing it this way: “Sir, I’m afraid we’ve been having trouble with our card reader all day.” Or, “Sir, do you have another form of payment?”
7. “Would you mind turning your ringer off? It’s annoying some other customers.”
Great point, but leave that up to management.
8. “You’re welcome.”
This might sound odd, but it happens a lot. The server should be the one to say thank you, not the other way around.
9. “No.”
The answer is always, “it would be my pleasure.” Let management take the blame even if the final result is a no.
10. “Happy Birthday! How old are you?”
This is self-explanatory.
Birthdays are ageless, try not to put a damper on it by asking someone’s age.