Server eating from customers' plates
 

Had a beautiful weekend in Punta Gorda Florida. I was at some restaurant near the harbor, I kept seeing a serving eating something looked like for everyone he served he was helping himself to some fries or other food on the plate. I have never in my life seen that before. I hope he had clean hands.

Server eating from customers' plates
 

Lol !! I have seen homeless people stealing tips from servers.

A long time ago when I was in high school, I worked at a Japanese restaurant as a busboy. Back then sushi was less common and kind of expansive. The servers would eat the left over sushi from the plate after they brought the plates to the back.

And yes they actually do things to the food if they recognized someone who didn't tip before. I remember one time they all got together and try to decide was someone in one of the table didn't tip last time.

Could they have been regulars and friends of the server? I am good friends with most of the waitstaff at the bar/pizza place I have been hanging out at for years. They may come and pick a mushroom (or occasionally an entire slice) off my pizza and I won't even react since I really don't care - but it would look odd to people that don't realize we are friends.

Let's push this to the opposite extreme:D, I paid for a full dinner item, if I didn't get what I paid for, should I (1)not pay anything OR (2)deduct a pro rata amt.?:p

He was taking food off the plates before delivering them to the tables? Don't think I'd want to eat there after seeing that. :eek:

Dern it, that Border Fence North of Tampa must be down again, letting those Crackers through to take food service jobs on the South Coast. French fries doesn't surprise me, 'cuz Crackers' normal diets are heavy on the deep fried.

Seen it happen on Mystery Diners on Food Network.

If the server is eating what is left over from the customer, I would have no problem with it except the optics.

Perhaps restaurant should mandate that food can be eaten but out of sight of customers.

If the server is eating what he is going to SERVE the customer, I have a huge problem with it. He is stealing my food which I will pay for.

I hope you called the Dept of Health and reported this - it's inexcusable.

Don't make a scene out of it. The restaurant's phone # is on the receipt. A quick phone call to the owner will solve the problem - or would you like me to write this in my review on TripAdvisor? (You'll propably be offered some compensation)

:p