You're the one who suggested those of us who do ask for waitstaff opinions are "children," so yeah, I think ego might be entering into it.

If I may say so I think you're misjudging someone else's opinion as a personal attack on the way you conduct yourself in a restaurant.
It wasn't and it isn't.
You're perfectly entitled to seek whatever opinion you wish from a server but I presume you respect someone else's personal preference not to.
Hey,in the scheme of things it ain't that important.
Why,even tonight,I asked a waitress trying to push me some " line-caught " cod exactly when the cod took the bait.
She didn't know and I suspect she didn't even know how to determine whether the fish was swimming in water within the last few days or caught and frozen in a net by a giant Spanish trawler off the coast of Iceland six months ago.
It's why I have no interest in their opinions.

Fair enough; truce! Let me suggest, though, that the way you've expressed yourself on this thread makes that misinterpretation an easy one to make.

I'm retired but drive a car rental shuttle 2 days a week. The most dreaded question I get is " where is there a good place to eat". Because my 02 may be far different from theirs.

One final observation - compare the number of views of this thread to the number of posters who've considered someone's opinions a personal attack on them.
I'm not sure a truce is really necessary because my views were never intended to be offensive in the first place but let's draw a line and move on.

Now,waiters filling up my wine glass when I haven't asked them to REALLY gets my goat !!!

I hosted a small audit team this week. One asked me for a recommendation. Before I made one, I asked a lot of questions. Turns out she was looking to avoid traffic and was fine with fast casual chain dining. So instead of a recommendation, she got directions to Outback and Olive Garden.

I hope you got a good tip. :D

I've always found the simple line, "I'll take care of the wine service from here, thanks" to work perfectly in avoiding this problem, voiced right after the bottle is uncorked. A single repetition may be necessary if the wine is opened by a sommelier rather than the waiter, though in my experience the word is usually passed along.

I think I'm seeing a pattern here - clearly I'm much luckier than you in finding competent waitstaff!

Most waitstaff I deal with are perfectly fine although I find French servers can be a little up themselves.
I like US waiters quite a lot - all brisk efficiency and Hi what can I get you to drink.
Regarding the wine I've had waiters who've taken the suggestion that I handle it myself as a personal affront and one,memorably,who insisted loudly that it was HIS job.I disabused him of that notion even louder.

My response in a situation like yours would be "Well, I'm a big fan of <food type> and for that I really enjoy <local restaurant>." That way you offer a concrete, helpful suggestion without committing yourself to a lengthy conversation starting with, "Well, what do you like?"

^^ I like this. Thanks.

Except sometimes.

I used to shop at a wholesale (but open to the public) place in the meat district. Their prices could vary a lot; e.g. brie was usually around $2.50/lb. One day I came in and saw a pile of it with a sign "Brie: $1/lb". So I asked the owner what was wrong with it, and he replied "it's ripe."

I wouldn't be surprised if a number of restaurants had specials involving brie that day.

I kind of agree. But it depends on the server's delivery of that line. Too little enthusiasm or too much enthusiasm and it comes off badly. Otherwise, I like the validation. Sometimes I'll say "Really?" and ask for a little more info about "why".

Waiters are essentially sales people who work on commission. So when you ask "what do you recommend" it's like asking a car salesman what do you recommend. The answer will always be something expensive and with a high markup.

Except when it isn't.