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A New York restaurant waiter, Steve Dublanica, has written a book called "Waiter Rant". The book exposes the restaurant industry, revealing insights into the world of waiting tables in an Italian restaurant in NYC. He writes about waiters spitting in food and about psychological games that wait staff play on restaurant customers who are abusive or arrogant clientele.

Other restaurant waitstaff behaviour described by Dublanica include selling techniues such as the "daily special" or if a customer asks, "what's good?" the answer is usually the dish which the chef needs to move otherwise the stock will go off.

How to be a good restaurant customer

• Make reservations and keep them. On a Friday or Saturday night it's not unusual for 20 per cent of a restaurant's reservations not to show up. Not only is that rude, it hurts the restaurant's bottom line, forcing management to over-book. If you've ever wondered why your table's never ready when you show up for your reservation on time, that's usually the reason.
• If you're going to be late for your reservation, please call. After half an hour you might not get the special table you requested but you'll still get in. An hour late? Don't even bother.
• Never say: "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as clueless the moment you walk in the door.
• Leave your children at home if possible.
• Be polite. Say please and thank you.
• Never say: "Do you know who I am?" Why? Did you forget who you are?
• Do not snap your fingers to get the waiter's attention.
• Do not use your mobile phone in the restaurant. Unless you're a heart-transplant surgeon on standby, turn it off.
• Please make your server go through the specials only once.
• When ordering wine, don't sniff the cork.
• What's the secret to being treated like a regular customer? Be a regular customer.
  
• If you can't afford to tip the staff, you just can't afford to eat in the restaurant.

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