# Do waiters do nasty things to the food of customers who piss them off? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786 "2014-10-19T09:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/21 "2014-10-20T14:52:35Z")
I recall an interview with Chuck Palahniuk, author of ‘Fight Club’ where he said on book tours people who worked in food service would often mention to him the ways they adulterated food to customers they didn’t like. IIRC, one person mentioned that Margaret Thatcher ended up ingesting his semen on two different occasions. Of course, people also lie. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/22 "2014-10-20T14:53:48Z")
Why shouldn’t they? It certainly does no harm. You have no idea what has been done to the food you have eaten, with absolutely no consequences to your well-being. It has the positive effect of making life slightly bearable for people working shit hours in a shit job for a shit boss for shit wages dealing with shit customers, and no negative effect at all. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/23 "2014-10-20T14:57:15Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Why shouldn’t they? Because it could well be criminal. > [@jtur88](#): > > It certainly does no harm. Even if that were true, which is questionable, it still has a possibility of damaging your bosses business. > [@jtur88](#): > > It has the positive effect of making life slightly bearable for people working shit hours in a shit job for a shit boss for shit wages dealing with shit customers, and no negative effect at all. Perhaps that’s why it’s called work, and not play. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/24 "2014-10-20T15:22:02Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Why shouldn’t they? It certainly does no harm. You have no idea what has been done to the food you have eaten, with absolutely no consequences to your well-being. > > It has the positive effect of making life slightly bearable for people working shit hours in a shit job for a shit boss for shit wages dealing with shit customers, and no negative effect at all. Nonsense. Just because you have a shitty job doesn’t mean it’s okay to adulterate food. I say this as someone who has worked it plenty of restaurants, and dealt with plenty of shitty people. Adulterating someone’s food can very well be harmful, will almost certainly cause you to lose your job, and is often illegal. I can also say from my experience that I have never seen it happen, and I doubt it happens very often for a variety of reasons. 1. Food is very rarely out of view of multiple employees and/or customers. You couldn’t really spit in someone’s food unless you knew your fellow coworkers were not going to rat you out. Usually though, there are too many people who are decent and care about their livelihood, to allow others to mess with other people’s food. 2. Waiters are generally busy, and don’t really carry around materials to put in the food of people who piss them off. 3. You often cannot really hide stuff very easily in prepared, plated food without leaving evidence or altering taste. 4. Most people are decent people, and they care more about money and keeping their job than sticking it to some random asshole. 5. Most people that petty don’t seek out jobs like being a waiter. The stress of even dealing with normal people is daunting, so most people to would stoop to spitting in food don’t last very long. As I said, I am sure it has happened, but I doubt very much that it happens regularly. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/25 "2014-10-20T15:37:57Z")
In my summer’s experience as a busboy at a Chili’s, the posters who say that there wasn’t anything shady going on are right. First, the cooks weren’t interacting with the customers, so they were just cranking out burgers and chicken sandwiches, etc… They were also surprisingly professional for a restaurant of that kind. The wait staff were usually too busy to actually do anything like that- when they had 8 tables going, they rarely had time to actually plan any sort of revenge on unruly customers. About the only thing that we did have happen occasionally was that when particular repeat unruly customers would come in, it wasn’t unusual to have the hostesses seat them somewhere away from the rest of the customers, both to kind of segregate them so they wouldn’t piss off the other customers, and second, because we all secretly hoped they’d get annoyed by the slower service and quit coming. Unfortunately it didn’t work that way. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/26 "2014-10-20T16:03:55Z")
I used to have breakfast once a week with some friends, and normally we sat in one waitress’s section. She was a very good waitress, and we tipped well. One week, we had a different waitress, and one of us left early, and in addition, one of us had another guest with her, and in the extra confusion over the bill, we forgot to tip. It was an honest mistake. But a couple of weeks, we had that waitress again, and we got lousy service from her. She never refilled our coffee, she was brusque with us, slow to bring our order, didn’t bring condiments, so we just got them from the next table, and told us we could have substitutions that we had had many times before. I seriously doubt she spit in our food, though, because she got her message across, and spitting in our food wouldn’t have given her the same satisfaction, because we wouldn’t have known about it. I went to the waitress we knew well, and asked what was up, and she told us about the non-tipping. I was horrified, and said it was an honest mistake. She said that she figured it was, and told the other waitress she should have said something to us, because we were always really good tippers. I went directly to the waitress and apologized to her. I tried to back-tip her, but she was actually embarrassed about being confronted, even though I didn’t say anything about her behavior, and wouldn’t accept a make-up tip. We had tipped her for that day, albeit, not well, because we got lousy service. But I told everyone what happened, and so the next time, we asked for her section, she gave us good service, and we tipped something like 22%, back when 18% was still the high end. My point is, that servers have ways of communicating without doing things that would probably be considered a crime, and would probably not cause them to lose their jobs for a single, isolated incident. The don’t _need_ to spit in your food. That said, it probably has happened, but it’s vanishingly rare. It probably has happened at dinner parties in people’s homes as well. (NEVER crash a sit-down dinner.) You probably have more to worry from employees who don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom, because they honestly forget, or they don’t wash them after their own meal break, because they didn’t use the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/27 "2014-10-20T16:18:41Z")
I never saw anyone actually screw with anyone’s food, but they might forget to place your order for a while or let it sit in the window, not notice you need a refill, and then take a while to bring out your bill. Mostly though, it’s like someone turns the Willingness to Accommodate knob down to zero. One thing is certain, if you frequent a restaurant and are in any way unpleasant, the entire waitstaff knows who you are. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/28 "2014-10-20T16:24:06Z")
My post wasn’t to justify it, and should not have been taken that way. My point was that I have probably eaten adulterated food in the past, and didn’t know it, and I have more important things to worry about than whether somebody adulterates my food in the future, since it will almost certainly be without my awareness and do me no more harm than the unbeknownst past events. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/29 "2014-10-20T16:34:23Z")
One time, we dropped a whole load of bacon on the floor while it was really busy. Our lead grabbed as much of it that he could that didn’t touch the floor and served it. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/30 "2014-10-20T19:06:55Z")
It certainly does happen in fast food, apparently mostly to cops. [Spit in a wrap](http://www.delish.com/food/recalls-reviews/man-sentenced-to-29-months-behind-bars-for-spitting-in-officers-mcdonalds-wrap) [Spit in a burger](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLEqYxVVoHs) (video) [Spit everywhere](http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB990564481869649471) I think the odds of getting a spit-burger are still extremely small, but those who say “it never happens” aren’t correct. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/31 "2014-10-20T19:14:39Z")
For waitstaff, messing with the food wouldn’t just be fucking with the customer, it would also be fucking with the cook/chef who prepared it. Cook/chefs kinda take pride in their creations. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/32 "2014-10-20T19:33:36Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > \*\*Why shouldn’t they? It certainly does no harm. You have no idea what has been done to the food you have eaten, with absolutely no consequences to your well-being. \*\* Jtur, you’re better than this. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/33 "2014-10-20T19:42:24Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > My post wasn’t to justify it, and should not have been taken that way. My point was that I have probably eaten adulterated food in the past, and didn’t know it, and I have more important things to worry about than whether somebody adulterates my food in the future, since it will almost certainly be without my awareness and do me no more harm than the unbeknownst past events. > [@jtur88](#): > > \*\*Why shouldn’t they? It certainly does no harm. \*\* You have no idea what has been done to the food you have eaten, with absolutely no consequences to your well-being. > > **It has the positive effect of making life slightly bearable for people working shit hours in a shit job for a shit boss for shit wages dealing with shit customers, and no negative effect at all.** I have no idea that someone would think you were justifying this type of behavior. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/34 "2014-10-20T19:56:30Z")
Here’s a [settlement in a lawsuit](http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail-pf.php?n=141709)where, among other things, Waffle House was accused of serving patrons grits with flies added. I believe Waffle House lawyers initially denied discrimination, saying “A lot of our grits has flies in it.” ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/35 "2014-10-20T19:58:20Z")
Just don’t order a [liter of cola](http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6753fb4e41/super-troopers-liter-of-cola). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![susanlinda823](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@susanlinda823](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susanlinda823)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/36 "2014-10-20T20:01:33Z")
I have heard of people doing stuff to peoples food/drinks. But Ive served/bar-tended for years, to get someone to take their time out of their busy shift just to get a silent triumph over your ignorance or whatever you did…Seems like a waste of time. I have work to do. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/37 "2014-10-20T21:53:38Z")
It must happen once in a while. In my experience it gets talked about but not actually done. I can only determine that I’ve never done it, and never saw anyone do it. Food service workers may not get paid much but they still have a sense of professional pride. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/38 "2014-10-20T22:07:14Z")
Been a long time, but I have worked in restaurants and pizza places. Never saw or heard about anything untoward about a customer’s food. You never put anything on a plate that were afraid of taking a bite of yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/39 "2014-10-21T09:54:11Z")
15+ years in the restaurant biz. Yes, it happens. Yes, I’ve seen it. People who say it doesn’t happen are wrong. Be nice to your server. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786/40 "2014-10-21T11:36:35Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Food service workers may **not get paid much** but they still have a sense of professional pride. It’s not due to pride–it’s due to fear of getting fired. It’s rare for a restaurant worker to be alone…there are usually a dozen other people nearby, and several of them are within sight. For the few years that I did restaurant work (for low-end cafeterias and lunch places) I never saw anybody do anything rude to the food. Employees are not working there for the satisfaction of having a rewarding career—they’re working for minimum wage because they don’t have any better options, and need the money. Getting fired is not worth it. Sometimes you’d hear a story about something…but it was always a 2nd- or 3rd-hand story about a friend of a friend etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-waiters-do-nasty-things-to-the-food-of-customers-who-piss-them-off/701786.md?page=3)