2 Minute Book Review: Waiter Rant

Estimated reading time for this post: 2 minute 21 seconds. Read it Later?

Book:  Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip - Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
Author: Steve Dublanica
Narrator: Dan John Miller

A bitingly funny look into the psyche of a waiter at an upscale bistro.
An irreverent look back on his life as a waiter, author Steve Dublanica, and describes with clarity the psycho world of the waiter. His history as a seminary dropout and laid-off psychiatric worker, allows him some insight on his brutal observations.  So much of what a customer sees or experiences, is nothing close to the reality of what is really going on. The irony is that most of what this book describes happens in the front of the restaurant, in front of the public, not behind the swinging doors of the kitchen. If customers only stepped outside of their self-centric world and opened their eyes, most of this book wouldn’t be such of a surprise. But of course, that is not why we go out to eat. And the author explains his theories for why people behave the way they do, as well as provides an explanation to why your table is never ready when you arrive for your reservation. Crazy insecure bosses, medicated coworkers, drunken customers, a squirrel, a stroke and a broken AC unit on the hottest day of the year…. This book covers them all.


This book was a fun, brutally honest, compilation of the author’s blog about his experience as a waiter in an upscale bistro in New York. The names have been changed but the stories are true. The author covers his meek beginnings into a restaurant manager, and reminds me very much of one of my favorite movies, “Office Space.” Even ending on the positive note with our main hero overcoming his crippling self-doubt.

My one true complaint is that I have is that I have never considered a 20% tip as something guaranteed. A tip, as I was taught, was something earned. I realize that many restaurants don’t pay their employees even minimum wage, but a 15% tip is perfectly acceptable for acceptable service. Twenty percent or higher should (in my opinion) be reserved for exceptional service. Come back to my table more than once before the bill, I may need a refill…  According to the author, the times, they are a changing.

That said, I especially appreciated the 40 point list at the end for those of us clueless customers. Tips on how to be a better customer, the list contained some sage advice presented using the author’s cynical but honest humor. The book was an eye-opener and I completely recommend it. I can’t wait to read the author’s second book, “Keep the Change.”

If you have any book suggestions, please leave me a comment!