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TikTok viewers heavily related to a now-viral video about what it's like to be the friend group's "waiter ambassador."
Courtney Dlugos shared the video to her account @itscourtneymichelle, where it amassed more than 700,000 views since it was posted. Many viewers connected with the skit and some offered some of the ways they tend to show additional kindness to their server.
An article published by Thrillist outlined some simple ways customers can have a positive experience with their server while dining at a restaurant.
Saying "please" and "thank you," forgiving a simple mistake and tipping well as a regular customer are a few points customers should be mindful of.
In the skit, Dlugos greeted the off-camera server with a bright and wide smile before she got her friends' attention to order their food.
She politely asked for an item on the menu, noting that how it is typically served is "fine."
"Thank you so much, yeah, thank you," Dlugos' character said, keeping her smile. "I really appreciate it."
Another member of the friend group ordered without saying "please," which Dlugos quickly added before the server walked away.
When the food came, she clapped her hands and declared the food looked delicious before clearing space for the server to set the meals down.
She asked the server what the easiest way for them to distribute the bill before asking the rest of the table if they needed assistance with leaving a 20 percent tip.
As she left the restaurant, Dlugos waited until the server spotted her one last time to thank them and wish them a good night.
"You forgot to collect everyone's menus so the waitress doesn't have to grab them individually," a viewer wrote.
Another wrote that the people who are the "waiter ambassador" also write "thank you!" on the merchant's copy of the receipt.
"And a smiley face," Dlugos replied.
"Me clearing up the table and making sure there's no crumb and putting all the plates together," one comment read. "Common decency [I know]. No but [seriously] so me."
A commenter who said they are a server said they "love" having customers like this.
"Guests like this are a breath of fresh air," they wrote. "Most people ignore me when I greet them and seem annoyed when I check on them."
"All servers and ex servers know what's up," another TikTok viewer wrote.
Dlugos wrote to Newsweek that she wrote the entire script based on what she has said or done while she was out dining.
"And, if anyone in the group seems the slightest bit rude (according to my very sensitive barometer), I will go above and beyond to be the opposite of that," she said.
While many viewers related to this particular video, Dlugos said she's never sure how or if her videos will resonate with her audience.
"But every great once in a while, I find out I am actually not alone," she said. "And, with all the bad that the internet can bring—that right there is the good stuff."
However, some customers have gone viral for displaying behavior that was frustrating to servers. Newsweek previously reported an employee shared a video that claimed a table of customers stayed an hour and a half past closing time and left a poor tip.
One server posted a video discussing the habits of patrons that "annoy" the waitstaff.
Some servers have been publicly commended for their service, like an employee who displayed strong customer service skills that were captured in a viral video.
Updated 03/31/2022, 2:32 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with comments from Courtney Dlugos and a verified video of the incident.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more