In Face of Finicky Foodies, More Waiters Write It Down

As diners become more sophisticated—in no small part due to the proliferation of cooking shows—even waiters known for their steel-trap memories are being forced to write down orders. “Whoever invented the Food Network should be shot,” one veteran Washington waiter complains to the Post. “Everyone’s a chef now. Everyone wants something special done with their meal.”

“I saw one of my guys do it with a party of eight, and I wanted to strangle him,” one restaurateur says of a server who tried flying solo. “Nobody’s memory is that good. Why not write it down?” And customers worry if they don’t see scribbling as they order. “When they get it right, I’m impressed,” one diner says of DC’s Palm restaurant, where memorization is still allowed. “Here, they tend to get it right. Other places, it makes me nervous.”
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