What is the proper word to address a waiter/waitress when talking to her/him?

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What is the proper word to address a waiter/waitress when talking to her/him in a restaurant?

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 2,612 • Replies: 11

[+3] - Frank Apisa - 01/09/2013Waiter or waitress? I guess you could address him Mr. Waiter (Ms. Waitress), but that would be over the top. Mostly, you do not have to "address" the person at all. "Excuse me,...

@cicibebe,

Can you please bring me a glass of water?

~~~

It would be helpful if you provided a little more context. What will you be talking to the waitstaff about?

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@cicibebe,

Waiter or waitress?

I guess you could address him Mr. Waiter (Ms. Waitress), but that would be over the top.

Mostly, you do not have to "address" the person at all. "Excuse me, may I have a glass of water" works fine.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

Wow...I was composing when you posted. Interesting that we both used the "glass of water" thingy.

0 Replies

@cicibebe,

I sincerely address them with Sir or Maam.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

ehBeth wrote:

It would be helpful if you provided a little more context. What will you be talking to the waitstaff about?

The specials? The wine list? The weather? The Red Sox? Those damn Yankees? I don't have a regular restaurant. Never had. But if I did, I'd feel comfortable talking to waiter or waitress I'm familiar with.

1 Reply

@tsarstepan,

tsarstepan wrote:

I don't have a regular restaurant. Never had. But if I did, I'd feel comfortable talking to waiter or waitress I'm familiar with.

then you'd also likely know their names and use them

there's a little breakfast place I go to occasionally. the breakfast lady asked my name and told me hers - we greet each other by name when I go in.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

Good point ehbeth.

0 Replies

@tsarstepan,

Never! Okay, almost never. If I ever address waitstaff as sir or mam, it's on the order of a NYC taxie addressing a difficult passenger as "Lady", as in "Look lady,". In other words, it's an insult based on poor service.

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@Frank Apisa,

"Waiter or waitress?"

Both!

"I guess you could address him Mr. Waiter (Ms. Waitress), but that would be over the top"

If I address him/her in an overly formal way, is it possible that he'll be a less-tip-demanding-waiter because I'll satisfy him with my overly formal addressing?

2 Replies

@cicibebe,

What an odd response. Do you assume all waitstaff are "tip demanding'?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187275-s606/Germany:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html

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@cicibebe,

If you are outside of North America, you should probably try asking this question again - the customs in different regions of the world are not the same.

It would be helpful if you developed a clearer question/thread title and then tagged the thread in a way that would allow people to determine what information is being requested.

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What is the proper word to address a waiter/waitress when talking to her/him?

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