A friendly tip to all the restaurant workers out there: do not congratulate me on my ability to eat your restaurant’s food.
This is a rare occurrence, thankfully, but it’s still a pet peeve of mine. I’m a fast and thorough eater, and once in a while a waiter while make some “clever” off-handed comment about how I cleaned the plate. “Good job”, or “you must have enjoyed that” or something similar.
My reaction to these kinds of comments is not to flush with pride; I am not a four-year-old beaming at his parents’ attention. No, I’m an adult who is now embarrassed by your comment. Yes, literally embarrassed to have enjoyed your restaurant’s food. Should I have eaten less? Left a token half-potato for the kitchen staff to marvel at?
Do your customers usually leave their plates half full?