You really don’t want this when dining out: waiting staff with terrible breath
Pien went to eat at a restaurant that aims to earn a Michelin star this year. But if it were up to her, that star can only happen if they do something about the staff’s personal hygiene. Pien: ‘The food was genuinely incredibly good too. But every time the waiter served the dishes, we felt nauseous because of the smell coming from his mouth. Surely that’s not acceptable when you work in hospitality? And certainly not at a Michelin-level restaurant?’
‘It started with our very first encounter. The waiter in question, beautifully dressed with his hair slicked firmly into place, came to our table with the menus. He leaned forward slightly to explain the menu. I recoiled in shock: the smell coming from his mouth… it was as if someone had forgotten to collect the rubbish. Absolutely horrifying.’
Once he had disappeared from view, I looked at my boyfriend. Had he smelled it too? Yes, because a stench like that travels far. We looked at each other in disbelief. How can someone working in a restaurant’s service smell so bad from the mouth? You expect a certain standard when dining out, especially when it comes to hygiene and hospitality.
We hoped he wouldn’t be serving us for the rest of the evening, because leaving wasn’t an option. The reservation had been booked for weeks, and where else could we go on a Saturday night at eight o’clock?
A mint
But he did help us. And even when he didn’t come very close… as soon as he opened his mouth, there it was: that nauseating smell. Every time he walked away, we couldn’t help but start talking about his bad breath again in disbelief. I understand perfectly well that working in hospitality is demanding. You’re busy all day, running from one table to another, and sometimes you barely have time to take a break. But precisely because you’re dealing with people all the time, isn’t it important to show up feeling fresh? How can you look like you’ve been groomed to perfection and then, Pardon my French, stink from your mouth like that.
I simply can’t understand how someone working in service doesn’t take a moment to chew some gum, have a mint, or even just brush their teeth.
It’s especially irritating because it’s so easy to prevent. We’re not talking about anything complicated here; it’s basic hygiene. There are so many moments when, as a server, you can check whether your breath is fresh. And let’s be honest: nothing can ruin a meal faster than someone coming to the table to ask whether everything is to your liking while you have to endure the rubbish smell coming from his mouth.
A blemish on the experience
What I also don’t understand is that the manager or owner – he was neither – didn’t notice this. Or worse: didn’t say anything about it. I understand that this is a delicate issue: no one likes delivering a message like that. But at least give him some hints. Put mints behind the bar. In his jacket pocket, if necessary! If I were managing a restaurant, I would address this problem immediately. After all, it’s not just about the food you serve your guests, but the entire experience. And bad breath is a blemish on that experience. It seems to me that every customer wants their meal to take place in a pleasant atmosphere, and bad breath simply doesn’t belong there.
We spent the entire evening uncomfortably waiting for him to come back to the table. We could barely enjoy our food anymore, so preoccupied were we with trying to get that smell out of our heads. So honestly, I just don’t understand it. Fresh breath is surely the least you can expect when dining out. Because believe me, it can truly make or break your evening – no matter how good the rest of the restaurant is.’
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Pien’s name has been changed for privacy reasons. Her real name is known to the editorial team. Do you also have a personal story to share (anonymously!)? You can email us at info@favorflav.com
