Strange things people ask hospitality staff: you won’t believe your ears
Completely insane requests to hospitality staff; we could write a book about them. It’s the gift that keeps on giving – you wonder whether normal people ever set foot across the threshold of an ordinary hospitality establishment anymore. Because seriously, some of the things people ask for border on the idiotic. Read on…
In the category of customized orders and unusual preparation methods; everything comes up again.
Strange questions for hospitality staff
Cooked well-done
Carla: ‘Steak neither raw nor medium, but cooked a little more.’
Rob: ‘A carpaccio or steak tartare to start and then a properly well-done steak afterwards..’
Jeremy: ‘Customer ordered a “Steak tartare a point please”.’
Bas: ‘Ossobucco well done..’
Lactose-free
Joyleen: ‘“I want the seven-course tasting menu, but in half portions, and then ask for a different dish from the à la carte menu for each course PLUS lactose-free and no refined sugars”.’
Jo: ‘Making a fuss all evening about lactose-free dishes, but then rewarding themselves after dessert with a delicious latte macchiato – with extra milk foam!’
Anita: ‘Eating lactose-free all evening because of a severe allergy, but wanting an Irish Coffee at the end of the night..’
Panic in the restaurant
Godfried: ‘The woman was angry because the spare ribs had bones..’
In the same category, from Carla: ‘A woman called me over in a panic: “There’s glass all over my prawns!” I was scared stiff. “Oh no ma’am, that’s sea salt!”‘
This, but not that…
Peter: ‘Customer wanted onion soup, but without onion. We strained the soup and it was the tastiest soup the woman had ever eaten.’
Véronique knows it can get even stranger: “A Dover sole for my wife, filleted please but not presented in the shape of a fish… Because then she feels sorry that a fish died for her.”
Rudy: ‘A dark Leffe with mint infusion. Tried it myself afterwards, but it was undrinkable.’
And what about this one? Arnold went crazy because of this customer: “Dame Blanche without chocolate sauce, ice cream with fruit but the fruit and whipped cream separately, and a frikandel for the dog.”‘
But Wiljan’s customer effortlessly topped this. ‘Ham/cheese fried eggs without ham/cheese and farmer’s omelet without egg.’ HOW?!
Gluten intolerant?
Vivian: ‘Once made lots of luxurious snacks for a large party. 1 couple was gluten-free. So we also made gluten-free versions of all the snacks. Taking cross-contamination and so on into account. The man certainly took advantage and quickly moved on to beer and regular bitterballen. His wife had read that it was healthier, so that’s why they ate gluten-free ‘most of the time.’
Harrie: ‘2 croquettes on gluten-free bread.’ Marjon recognizes this order. ‘Yes! We had that order too this week. When I said that the croquette contains gluten, the customer in question said: “Yes, I know, but I’m only a little gluten intolerant”…’
Everything tastes better with satay sauce
Stefan: ‘I also thought beef tenderloin with satay sauce was pretty strange.’
Siebren knows another one like that: ‘A tournedos with peanut sauce!’
Read also:
- ‘ICE’ is a terribly rude table habit (but maybe you do it too)
- Can we please put an end to this hospitality trend in 2025?
- Breaking news: top chef Soenil Bahadoer is closing De Lindehof**after 30 years
