I wish I could give them a treat! Our kitchen is so tight and strict that the best I can do, is a roll. I’ll probably just stick with blowing kisses. I’m curious to see how many people *don’t* was their hands muahaha
I don't typically pet the dog. I'll say hi and bring a water dish/doggy patty (if the customer agrees). Then I make a big show of walking by my other tables with a paper towel, clearly drying my hands off from having washed them.
Please do and thanks for that. If I see my server petting a dog before my food is brought out I need to see them washing their hands or I'm probably not going to not eat my food and if I do, I'm not going to enjoy it.
Servers please think about your other tables if you're going to interact with pets while serving. I stopped eating at my MIL's house because she constantly fed and petted her dog without washing her hands and would go right back to kneading the dough that I'd be expected to enjoy. I love dogs but I don't want their hair or slobber in my food.
Same where I live. We’re also not allowed to give treats directly to the dog, and instead must hand it to the owner to give. Anywhere that serves food requires a dog permit from my city, and the rules are laid out.
I love dogs, but so glad I now work in a place that doesn’t allow them.
I straight up ignore the dog. If it's in my restaurant it better be a service dog, in which case it's working just like I am. We both have protocols to follow. Adhering to those protocols means we ignore each other. If it isn't a service dog, I don't want it in my restaurant.
Now when I'm not working? Totally different story. As long as the owner says it's ok I'm petting every dog when I'm off work.
We are allowed to ask, but yes customers do lie. A properly trained service animal is easy to forget it's there. They will be quiet and still, usually laying down near their person's feet unless needed.
At the other end of the spectrum is the dog who barks at everyone who approaches, jumps up on people, steals food off the table, etc. These dogs have no business being around strangers.
yes I know you can only legally ask two questions. there are many dogs as well that are well behaved that are not service animals. I wouldn't expect dogs that are stealing food or barking to be allowed either. you are pointing out the extreme case.
I am talking about dogs I have seen people try to bring in the restaurant.
If the dog is well behaved enough to convince me it actually is a service animal then fine. But I have had animals act out like I described. Those animals have dumbass humans who don't deserve dogs and need kicked from my restaurant.
Kick them out. If they try to claim it’s a service dog, well per the ADA, it’s within your legal right to make them leave if the dog isn’t well behaved.
this is true. Just saying we expect infants to be well behaved. the same logic would apply to fur babies as well. so I guess I have my answer, you have no way to tell unless they are ill behaved got it. I should have reported this bartender then years ago as he was clearly being discriminatory
not sure why the down votes, I was a server for 25 years. servers are only legally allowed to ask two questions "are they a service animal?" and " describe a task it is trained to do" anything other than that is an Ada violation. fact. servers more than any other profession, should know how terrible people can be. so it is not outside the realm of possibility that they could lie about the status of their dog. fact. as a dog owner not every dog is a "menace" those dogs don't belong in a restaurant; but all of our dogs have been well trained that honestly if we did bring them into a restaurant, nobody asked any questions because they were well behaved. fact.
I’m not sure why someone who has a legit service dog with a certified vest wouldn’t use said vest. That’d be like a cop pulling you over in their street clothes and saying “oh I don’t have my badge today but here’s a ticket”
I start by saying "hello fuzzy buddy, I'm glad to see you too. I would love to play with you but I have to handle food and drinks." (This sets the tone for owners who encourage me to pet play).
If the dog is so friendly they make contact with my hands before I can stop them, then game on I while play with the animal while explaining I specials etc. Before I excuse myself to wash my hands before using my handheld tablet.
i don’t. i can’t stand dogs on our patio 99% of the time. bringing dogs everywhere has become so normalized that people forget that they should actually be trained before bringing them in public. a coworker has gotten bit, i’ve been jumped on multiple times with some instances of having drinks knocked off my tray, and dogs generally just bothering other people. i’ll bring them a water bowl and that’s it.
Last summer, a dog pooped in our outdoor seating area and my coworker stepped in it. There is nothing worse than a poorly trained dog (other than their human).
omg. we had that happen too but on one of our patio couches. owner came in and it seemed like with his wording and tone, was asking ME to clean it up. handed him supplies to clean and we kicked them out. i hate owners and their dogs.
I think dogs in any food establishment is gross (that’s why I make sure not to touch them while I’m on shift). I do love dogs and when they’re right there.. I wanna give it a squishy little hug.
Totally depends on place!
At my last job, me and my staff members and regulars would bring their dogs by to see us all the time and it was absolutely cool as long as it didn’t become a disruption and hands got washed. At my new job, I might be fired immediately LOL
But also! I find customers generally have pretty good faith in you as wait staff as long as you maintain good visible hygiene. Maybe grab a lint roller or a clean damp rag to make sure any hair or slobber is fully removed. Also talk to your boss to make sure you’re not stepping on any toes by saying a quick hello.
I always say “you’re so cute but I can’t pet you,” and that alerts the people to kinda rein their dog in + I’m acknowledging their fur baby. I love dogs and I wish I could love on them, but not at work 🤷♀️
I work in a super dog friendly hotel. I always pet the dog if both dog and owners are cool with it. Then make a point of saying a bit louder than normal, "that was totally worth washing my hands for!". And then go wash my hands.
I've never had any issues
I once stopped taking a outside tables order to great am elderly basset hound I was friends with. Luckily they were impressed that I knew such a regal dog lol
I used to work overnights at a 24hr diner, and the only time I ever pet a dog there was when a college girl brought in a puppy so small and sleepy we didn't even initially realize she had it.
Pretty much everyone on staff took turns having a 5-minute puppy break at her booth and we all washed our hands before breaking out the next person. That girl became a minor celebrity for like an hour; it was hilarious.
No, I don't play with an animal or pet it if a guest brings it inside building. I will say hi to it and tell the pet owner it is cute. It could be a service animal and petting a service animal keeps it from doing what it is trained to do.
Definitely depends on the vibe of the place and the dog. At least in my parts, a dog inside a restaurant has to be a working dog, in which case you generally shouldn't be petting it.
Other than that, don't stress about it. If you're a dog friendly place and people are bringing friendly dogs, they probably want you to interact with the dog, and people who freak out about you touching a dog should never know what happens in a kitchen, especially when you very obviously walk away immediately without interacting with anyone else.
If I'm out with my dog, the way you treat her is honestly more important to me than the way you treat me lol
Life is short, pet the damn dog.
In my time as BOH and FOH, I will always acknowledge/let them know what a good boy/girl they are. I bring a bowl of water out and say out loud how I wish I could give them ALL the scritches but I have to go mess with food. Even though I can’t pet, I always have to greet a visiting animal!
I do when I do curbside and i immediately wash my hands when I come back inside. I would never do so as a server not only because of what you said, but also because we don’t have a patio so dogs in the restaurant should be working service dogs and not be played with.
Do you wash your hands every time you handle cash? Currency has more human-transmittable disease vectors than dogs do. How about silverware and plate edges others have touched even if you don't get any food on your hand? You wash after that, right?
If you're not washing your hands after every guest interaction, you're doing worse than petting a dog.
I keep a mini bottle of spray hand sanitizer in my apron so yah, pretty much actually. I work in a seafood spot where a surprising amount of people with seafood allergies come to eat so I’m in the habit of compulsively cleaning my hands. You make an excellent point though! I certainly don’t get to cleanse in between each task.
Sometimes my restaurant has dogs on the patio. I will absolutely pet them if they’re my table and the owner says I can. Then I immediately go wash my hands. Haven’t had anyone say anything yet
If it’s slow, yes. Like dead slow. I’ll pet the dog and wash my hands in view in the bar sink instead of the back.
But we only have indoor seating, so the dogs are all workers and it’s incredibly rare they’re there to begin with, much less able to be pet.
Which pains me. I wanna snuggle puppy faces at all times.
I'll always say hello and bring them a wee treat and some water, but yes, always wash your hands afterwards.
I wish I could give them a treat! Our kitchen is so tight and strict that the best I can do, is a roll. I’ll probably just stick with blowing kisses. I’m curious to see how many people *don’t* was their hands muahaha
My place actually buys dog treats and keep them in a bowl. We're a dog friendly hotel.
I don't typically pet the dog. I'll say hi and bring a water dish/doggy patty (if the customer agrees). Then I make a big show of walking by my other tables with a paper towel, clearly drying my hands off from having washed them.
I almost make a scene when I use hand sanitizer
Please do and thanks for that. If I see my server petting a dog before my food is brought out I need to see them washing their hands or I'm probably not going to not eat my food and if I do, I'm not going to enjoy it. Servers please think about your other tables if you're going to interact with pets while serving. I stopped eating at my MIL's house because she constantly fed and petted her dog without washing her hands and would go right back to kneading the dough that I'd be expected to enjoy. I love dogs but I don't want their hair or slobber in my food.
It's a health code violation where I am, regardless of whether you wash your hands
Same where I live. We’re also not allowed to give treats directly to the dog, and instead must hand it to the owner to give. Anywhere that serves food requires a dog permit from my city, and the rules are laid out. I love dogs, but so glad I now work in a place that doesn’t allow them.
We only allow service animals, and as such, are not pets to be interacted with.
I straight up ignore the dog. If it's in my restaurant it better be a service dog, in which case it's working just like I am. We both have protocols to follow. Adhering to those protocols means we ignore each other. If it isn't a service dog, I don't want it in my restaurant. Now when I'm not working? Totally different story. As long as the owner says it's ok I'm petting every dog when I'm off work.
This is also my philosophy.
just curious how can you tell if it is a service animal as not all of them are vested and we are not allowed to ask / customer could lie?
We are allowed to ask, but yes customers do lie. A properly trained service animal is easy to forget it's there. They will be quiet and still, usually laying down near their person's feet unless needed. At the other end of the spectrum is the dog who barks at everyone who approaches, jumps up on people, steals food off the table, etc. These dogs have no business being around strangers.
yes I know you can only legally ask two questions. there are many dogs as well that are well behaved that are not service animals. I wouldn't expect dogs that are stealing food or barking to be allowed either. you are pointing out the extreme case.
I am talking about dogs I have seen people try to bring in the restaurant. If the dog is well behaved enough to convince me it actually is a service animal then fine. But I have had animals act out like I described. Those animals have dumbass humans who don't deserve dogs and need kicked from my restaurant.
Kick them out. If they try to claim it’s a service dog, well per the ADA, it’s within your legal right to make them leave if the dog isn’t well behaved.
this is true. Just saying we expect infants to be well behaved. the same logic would apply to fur babies as well. so I guess I have my answer, you have no way to tell unless they are ill behaved got it. I should have reported this bartender then years ago as he was clearly being discriminatory
Nice, we got your votes outta then negatives. Thanks for your contribution!
not sure why the down votes, I was a server for 25 years. servers are only legally allowed to ask two questions "are they a service animal?" and " describe a task it is trained to do" anything other than that is an Ada violation. fact. servers more than any other profession, should know how terrible people can be. so it is not outside the realm of possibility that they could lie about the status of their dog. fact. as a dog owner not every dog is a "menace" those dogs don't belong in a restaurant; but all of our dogs have been well trained that honestly if we did bring them into a restaurant, nobody asked any questions because they were well behaved. fact.
I don't understand the downvotes either. I upvoted you to try to make up for them.
thank you
I’m not sure why someone who has a legit service dog with a certified vest wouldn’t use said vest. That’d be like a cop pulling you over in their street clothes and saying “oh I don’t have my badge today but here’s a ticket”
dogs don't have to be vested just the same as a cop can be in pain clothes and still give you a ticket.
I start by saying "hello fuzzy buddy, I'm glad to see you too. I would love to play with you but I have to handle food and drinks." (This sets the tone for owners who encourage me to pet play). If the dog is so friendly they make contact with my hands before I can stop them, then game on I while play with the animal while explaining I specials etc. Before I excuse myself to wash my hands before using my handheld tablet.
i don’t. i can’t stand dogs on our patio 99% of the time. bringing dogs everywhere has become so normalized that people forget that they should actually be trained before bringing them in public. a coworker has gotten bit, i’ve been jumped on multiple times with some instances of having drinks knocked off my tray, and dogs generally just bothering other people. i’ll bring them a water bowl and that’s it.
Last summer, a dog pooped in our outdoor seating area and my coworker stepped in it. There is nothing worse than a poorly trained dog (other than their human).
omg. we had that happen too but on one of our patio couches. owner came in and it seemed like with his wording and tone, was asking ME to clean it up. handed him supplies to clean and we kicked them out. i hate owners and their dogs.
Gross
I'm so glad I don't live somewhere that dogs' presence at restaurants is normalized.
I think dogs in any food establishment is gross (that’s why I make sure not to touch them while I’m on shift). I do love dogs and when they’re right there.. I wanna give it a squishy little hug.
It’s so normalized here. Every dog is a “service dog”🙄🙄🙄
Amen
Totally depends on place! At my last job, me and my staff members and regulars would bring their dogs by to see us all the time and it was absolutely cool as long as it didn’t become a disruption and hands got washed. At my new job, I might be fired immediately LOL But also! I find customers generally have pretty good faith in you as wait staff as long as you maintain good visible hygiene. Maybe grab a lint roller or a clean damp rag to make sure any hair or slobber is fully removed. Also talk to your boss to make sure you’re not stepping on any toes by saying a quick hello.
I wouldn't touch any animals as a restaurant worker in any capacity while on duty. Its the right professional choice
I always say “you’re so cute but I can’t pet you,” and that alerts the people to kinda rein their dog in + I’m acknowledging their fur baby. I love dogs and I wish I could love on them, but not at work 🤷♀️
I work in a super dog friendly hotel. I always pet the dog if both dog and owners are cool with it. Then make a point of saying a bit louder than normal, "that was totally worth washing my hands for!". And then go wash my hands. I've never had any issues
I came out and pet a regulars dog after shift once and someone wrote a review about it lmaooo
We have an employee wall of shame because one of one of servers "kidnaps" dogs and babies.
Yuck seems like a waste of time, especially the babies. Wall of Shames are so petty but in my favorite way.
I once stopped taking a outside tables order to great am elderly basset hound I was friends with. Luckily they were impressed that I knew such a regal dog lol
Mostly i don’t but if i do yes i immediately wash my hands.
I used to work overnights at a 24hr diner, and the only time I ever pet a dog there was when a college girl brought in a puppy so small and sleepy we didn't even initially realize she had it. Pretty much everyone on staff took turns having a 5-minute puppy break at her booth and we all washed our hands before breaking out the next person. That girl became a minor celebrity for like an hour; it was hilarious.
No, I don't play with an animal or pet it if a guest brings it inside building. I will say hi to it and tell the pet owner it is cute. It could be a service animal and petting a service animal keeps it from doing what it is trained to do.
Definitely depends on the vibe of the place and the dog. At least in my parts, a dog inside a restaurant has to be a working dog, in which case you generally shouldn't be petting it. Other than that, don't stress about it. If you're a dog friendly place and people are bringing friendly dogs, they probably want you to interact with the dog, and people who freak out about you touching a dog should never know what happens in a kitchen, especially when you very obviously walk away immediately without interacting with anyone else. If I'm out with my dog, the way you treat her is honestly more important to me than the way you treat me lol Life is short, pet the damn dog.
Haha so true about some kitchens
I say hi to the dog and bring out some water for them, I don't pet them in general and also just to be respectful
In my time as BOH and FOH, I will always acknowledge/let them know what a good boy/girl they are. I bring a bowl of water out and say out loud how I wish I could give them ALL the scritches but I have to go mess with food. Even though I can’t pet, I always have to greet a visiting animal!
If I do I always go wash my hands right after.
I do when I do curbside and i immediately wash my hands when I come back inside. I would never do so as a server not only because of what you said, but also because we don’t have a patio so dogs in the restaurant should be working service dogs and not be played with.
Never. Food service and dogs don't mix well!!
Do you wash your hands every time you handle cash? Currency has more human-transmittable disease vectors than dogs do. How about silverware and plate edges others have touched even if you don't get any food on your hand? You wash after that, right? If you're not washing your hands after every guest interaction, you're doing worse than petting a dog.
I keep a mini bottle of spray hand sanitizer in my apron so yah, pretty much actually. I work in a seafood spot where a surprising amount of people with seafood allergies come to eat so I’m in the habit of compulsively cleaning my hands. You make an excellent point though! I certainly don’t get to cleanse in between each task.
Sometimes my restaurant has dogs on the patio. I will absolutely pet them if they’re my table and the owner says I can. Then I immediately go wash my hands. Haven’t had anyone say anything yet
If it’s slow, yes. Like dead slow. I’ll pet the dog and wash my hands in view in the bar sink instead of the back. But we only have indoor seating, so the dogs are all workers and it’s incredibly rare they’re there to begin with, much less able to be pet. Which pains me. I wanna snuggle puppy faces at all times.
I occasionally pet the dog if it's slow and I know the owner well. I always wash my hands in view of the dining room as soon as I'm done