Behind every restaurant dining experience stands a team of servers who know the real story about what goes on in the kitchen. These industry insiders witness daily the preparation, storage, and handling of countless dishes, giving them unique insights into which menu items they would personally avoid. From soggy bread baskets to questionable soup preparations, servers have developed a keen awareness of dishes that come with hidden risks or quality concerns.
In the bustling world of restaurant kitchens, those who serve the food often have unique insights into the dishes they wouldn’t dare order themselves. These industry insiders, armed with behind-the-scenes knowledge about preparation, freshness, and handling of food items, tend to steer clear of certain dishes that might seem appealing to the average diner. Let’s explore the specific dishes that make servers pause before placing their own orders.
The Daily Soup Special That Isn’t So Special
Many restaurants use a daily special as a means of selling something that’s nearly past-due, and soup of the day tops the list of items servers know to avoid. Servers also note that these soups can sometimes sit for days and be continually “refreshed” with new ingredients. Kitchen staff often repurpose yesterday’s leftovers into today’s soup special, creating a patchwork meal from ingredients that may have been sitting around longer than customers realize.
The famous chef is very clear about avoiding ordering the soup in a restaurant, namely because it can be a canny way for chefs to use up old ingredients. Plus, restaurants have a tendency to serve their soup of the day several days in a row. This is done to decrease food waste, but it can result in you ordering a fairly expensive dish that’s neither special nor fresh. The cross-contamination risk also increases when kitchen staff mix multiple ingredients without proper oversight, potentially triggering foodborne illnesses for diners with sensitivities.
That Bread Basket Nobody Talks About
The warm bread basket arriving at your table might seem like a generous gesture, but servers know the uncomfortable truth about these carb-laden offerings. Warm and toasty, served with sweet butter or olive oil, the bread basket that graces your restaurant table may be fresh from the oven, or reheated, after gracing another’s table. Short of fingerprinting each scone, you will never know for sure unless you catch your server in the act. You may love to indulge in those carby delights, but many chefs will tell you to beware before you bite. Not only are those delicious loaves full of carbs and calories, but they may also be full of germs from the diner who just left.
This recycling practice happens more often than diners realize, particularly during busy service periods when restaurants need to keep tables turning quickly. Servers often witness bread baskets being returned to the kitchen only to be sent out to the next unsuspecting table. The financial pressure to minimize waste makes this practice common across various restaurant types, from casual dining to upscale establishments.
Chicken Dishes That Disappoint Every Time
Professional chefs and servers consistently steer clear of chicken when dining out, and the reasons go beyond simple preference. Industry chefs often note that chicken tends to be overcooked at most restaurants. Ososky is not alone in his no-to-chicken stance. According to the Food Network’s website, chefs avoid ordering chicken in restaurants for many reasons, including overinflated price and lack of originality.
It’s because a lot of the time, it sucks. However, most of the time you’ll be given a plate of protein that’s dry, handled poorly, totally tasteless, and just plain boring. One of the most famous moments of chefs warning against ordering chicken was given by the late, great Anthony Bourdain, who reportedly stated that chicken is simply a chore for cooks to make. If your chef can’t get passionate about it, do you honestly think the plate in front of you is gonna taste good? The overwhelming need to cook chicken thoroughly for food safety often results in overcooked, flavorless protein that fails to justify its often premium pricing.
Swordfish and Its Hidden Dangers
Experienced servers who have worked in kitchens with seafood preparation develop a particular aversion to swordfish for reasons that extend beyond freshness concerns. I can tell you that swordfish is one of the only fish I would almost never order in a restaurant because of the number of tumors and parasites I’ve cut out over the year. Well, YUCK! The visual experience of preparing this fish leaves lasting impressions on kitchen staff and servers who witness the preparation process.
Often cited for its potential high mercury content, swordfish also raises concerns among servers due to inconsistent freshness. Restaurants don’t always sell through their stock quickly, leading to swordfish that’s been frozen and thawed multiple times, which can affect its taste and texture. The combination of health concerns, questionable preparation practices, and inconsistent quality makes this expensive fish a poor choice according to industry insiders.
Coffee After Eight O’Clock
That late-night coffee order might not deliver the caffeine kick customers expect, and servers know exactly why. According to industry reports, some restaurants reportedly switch to decaf-only coffee service after 8 p.m. to reduce cleaning requirements. This practice stems from practical kitchen management rather than intentional deception, but the result leaves caffeine-seeking customers unknowingly consuming decaf.
The cleaning and maintenance requirements for coffee equipment create incentives for restaurants to simplify their evening beverage service. Rather than maintaining separate brewing systems throughout the night, many establishments switch to decaf-only service to reduce labor and cleaning costs. Servers become complicit in this system, knowing that late-night diners won’t receive the stimulant they’re paying for.
Raw Oysters and Food Safety Gambles
The allure of fresh oysters can quickly fade when servers understand the inherent risks involved in consuming raw shellfish. They’re absorbing viruses and pathogens into their meat. It’s a process that helps clean the water but doesn’t help the consumer of raw shellfish, says food safety attorney Bill Marler, per Insider. These viruses can survive unless they’re cooked at a high enough temperature, raising the risk of illness in the person who’s eating them. Infection from vibrio bacteria is especially common when eating raw oysters. Causing a condition known as vibriosis, it can result in symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and occasionally serious illness and even death, according to the CDC.
Oysters – while delicious – can be a gamble, says chef Lyle McKnight to the Metro. They can definitely make you ill if not super fresh and stored properly, and can also carry norovirus. Servers understand that even reputable establishments cannot completely eliminate the risks associated with raw shellfish, making this delicacy a calculated gamble that many industry professionals choose to avoid.
Hot Tea Requests That Servers Dread
While seemingly innocuous, hot tea orders create disproportionate work burdens for servers, often resulting in subpar preparation and service. Hot tea orders are reportedly among the most labor-intensive requests for servers, requiring multiple steps including getting a pot, boiling water, gathering accompaniments like lemons and honey, and bringing proper serving items.
The complexity of proper tea service in a restaurant environment often leads to shortcuts and compromised quality. Unlike coffee systems that can brew large batches efficiently, tea service requires individual attention for water temperature, steeping time, and proper accompaniments. Servers recognize that the extensive labor involved in proper tea preparation rarely receives corresponding compensation, creating negative incentives that can affect service quality.
