Hospitality workers reveal their pet peeves and industry horror stories If every hospitality worker operated like this guy, customers might think twice about splitting that bill. ANYONE who has ever worked in the service industry will know the pain of a demanding customer, rude patron or unreasonable guest. But is the customer always right, or do our mostly-patient waiters and bartenders have the right to the odd Seinfeld soup-Nazi moment? We asked some hospitality workers for their pet peeves - and the horror stories are endless. Sydney waitress Maddie Catlin, 20, says there are quite a few annoying habits that get under the skin of any good server. "Some people put dinner rolls in their handbags, or use tissues to wrap up their dinner - with sauce dripping everywhere - to take home," she laughs. Or when customers ask you to put some milk in a container for them for their breakfast because they don't have any at home. The worst is counting out exactly 100 macaroons for an event and 20 people downing them in the first 10 minutes. Or gluten intolerant customers who insist there can be no flour contact with any of the cutlery or food that they are consuming - and then you see them sneaking two pieces of cake for dessert. Believe it or not, this happens more often than not. Catlin says the worst is when people talk about you like you're not even there. "Or handing me a dirty tissue to put in the bin, and ordering food and then talking on her phone outside until it's cold then complaining about it," she says. We are also like psychologists with people sharing all their problems - but that's better than people who talk like you aren't there at all. You can see that I'm coming with an armful of plates, so MOVE YOUR DAMN WALLET! Body Peterson, 34, has been in hospitality for 15 years, and owned venues including Bondi's famed Flying Squirrel tapas parlour and The Stuffed Beaver. Peterson, who is about to open the new Riley St Garage - and says he has seen more than his fair share of funny stories over the years. ""But what I really hate is when customers do not notice you struggling to put their plate of food down in front of them because they have a drink, phone, wallet or keys in the way," Peterson says. It's not like they can't see the four plates you are trying to balance in two hands while not spilling all over their backs. And the other pet peeve is when you get called over to a table by a middle-aged woman with big hair and lots of Botox saying that her group is ready to order. You drop everything, get to the table ready with pen and paper and she says - 'what's everyone having?' - and every person at the table says 'I haven't even looked at the menu yet ... what are you having?' and so on. Finally after 10 minutes you get the order - and hey all ask for separate cheques. Sydney waitress Gemma McHardy has worked in bars since she left school almost five years ago. The 23-year-old says her main pet peeve is when people walk away from the bar without their food order number. "I would estimate that 30 per cent of the time, people walk away from the bar without taking the 30cm-high rods with big black numbers which sit right in front of their faces," she says. This is a particularly high rate when you consider that every single time, I say 'please take your number with you'. "It never ceases to amaze me that people will say "yes, sure, definitely, thank you' as they put their change back in their wallets - and then walk away. Then they get annoyed when it takes us an extra 10 minutes to find them with their food, or when they can't get served at the bar because I'm on the floor looking for them. Another of her pet peeves is when people put their dirty dishes on the bar when they have finished eating, when people don't tip and locals who complain about getting kicked out at the end of the night. And when drunken patrons put their finished glasses down the sides of couches. "Who do they think cleans the place - house elves?" she says. I have pulled muscles extracting glasses from couches! Also people who blatantly block walkways and don't move even after I've made six trips holding four plates, having to sandwich myself between the wall and somebody's protruding arse, while stepping over a lounge. That probably sounds very bitter and twisted but it's actually quite fun working in hospitality - and it gives a very raw insight into the median intelligence level of the human race, and it's not high! Chatting on the phone while you're being served is just plain rude. But plenty of us are guilty of it. Do you have any hospitality industry horror stories? Share with us in the comments below.