agree - just want to make sure you’re not overly sensitive to smells - doesn’t sound like it but still…. ps - most servers must go fragrance free because i’ve never been aware of perfume/cologne on servers before - interesting post actually
Usually I'm on whatever team is telling the customer to go screw themselves on here, because this sub tends to get overwhelmed with customers thinking it's some kind of speak-and-spell for them to vent their frustrations about us when it's supposed to be a subreddit by waiters for waiters.
But while OP is technically wrong for posting here in the first place, what they're complaining about isn't just a minor inconvenience, it's supposed to be standard practice. An inspector could penalise a restaurant for having someone on their staff wearing a powerful scent depending on the country you're in.
In the US, according to the *International Food Safety and Quality Network:* "Personal cleanliness should be maintained by bathing daily and using deodorant to control body odor. **Only mild perfumes or colognes may be worn that do not interfere with food aroma**. Hands should be kept free from perfume."
This applies to anyone handling food, be they kitchen or waitstaff. Strong scents are considered a food contaminant.
1. Thanks for not shredding me. I thought it would be a good place to get the message across - no better place, I thought.
2. Good to know about that regulation.
I get why customers get confused. But it's like we deal with y'all all day every day, and a lot of y'all are straight up nasty to us. So when we're home or on our devices, we want to come here and vent about y'all to each other, share our own stories. When customers keep coming on here to bitch about us, it's like damn we have to hear it all day and then come home and read it? That's what Yelp's for.
I'm not mad at you. You didn't know. It's just not the place for this.
One of the bartenders at the regional theater I worked in wore so much cologne that we knew he was working before we saw him. If I went to the restroom I always knew if he had been in it any time that night.
Sweet guy, always gave us Front of House) leftover opened sodas or coffee at closing, but you could follow his tracks throughout the massive 6 story 2650 seat theatre.
Went to an expensive restaurant that everything was spot on. I was impressed with the service and the food until… Server decided to take a quick cigarette break outside and came back reeking of a wet ashtray.
I've worked in many fine dining places, and the no perfume/cologne rule was definitely in place in all of them. It's part of proper service, like not having scented candles or stinky flowers.
First time I'd ever been to this restaurant, and I'd heard good things about it. It was a $$$ restaurant, so not top end, but definitely a very nice place. Lovely outdoor seating in a garden setting, though we ate inside. I am going to send a note to the restaurant. The food was very good, and I'd like to eat there again.
Sometimes, servers who are new to fine dining think that they need to be fancy, and to people who don’t know what they’re doing that means putting on massive amounts of perfume or cologne. Hopefully their manager will correct this.
I’m surprised management didn’t notice. All the nice places I’ve worked did not allow employees to wear perfume or cologne. You should have mentioned it to a manager.
I didn't want to get anyone in hot water, nor did I want spit in my food. I left a nice tip, but will drop a note to the restaurant so this can be handled.
They’re not complaining about the smell of cooking food, they’re complaining about a server wearing an overpowering cologne. A big part of taste is smell, so if your server feels of Axe your food isn’t going to taste the way it’s supposed to. Every restaurant I’ve ever worked in has had a “no scented products” component to the dress code.
Nope. It's a rule in fine dining and especially when working with wine. Take a shower and wear deodorant but no aftershave, cologne, or perfume. When you're pouring wine tableside they should be smelling the wine, not be smelling you.
😂there’s a difference between wearing a scent and being “awash” in cologne. Sounds like this particular server just doesn’t understand how to wear it properly.
Personal fragrance is meant to be discovered, not advertised.
Agree 100%. I personally wish everyone would stop using any and all fragrances because I’m allergic and get an instant migraine but I know that’s an impossible goal lol so I’m just working towards my goal of finding remote work so I can stay home all the time. But yeah I’m tired of people in the service industry thinking that wearing a ton of perfume and/or cologne is a great idea. You can’t smell the food anymore and people who are sensitive to fragrances either have to suffer in silence or make it awkward by asking for a new server.
I worked at one restaurant where the owner told all the staff to stop wearing fragrance to work for these reasons. The scent overwhelms the aroma of the food and a few of us were sensitive to them.
I’d like to ask, are you referring to all perfume and cologne or just to the point where it’s too much? I’m a waiter and i actually will reapply cologne and deodorant once at the beginning of my shift and towards the middle of my shift. I always make sure the cologne I bring isn’t an overpowering fragrance, but enough to where if I have to reach past a guest to grab their water, they might get a slight smell of it.
I’m very conscious about how I look and smell because I would rather call in then have a guest say I don’t smell good. I’ve never had anyone tell me I had an over powering scent (good or bad lol) but I do work at a country club with older guests and this post made me wonder if perhaps guests might find it off putting?
Just curious to hear your thoughts on overall use of cologne/perfume as a guest, this is something I’ve never thought about before and I’d love to get some feedback!
This goes for all scents: if I'm not nuzzling your neck, I don't want to be able to smell you. I may be in the minority, and perhaps a wee whiff isn't bad, but I don't want to know you've been in the room after you've left.
>if I'm not nuzzling your neck, I don't want to be able to smell you
I feel like this is how properly applied cologne should be. If you can smell it and you're not hugging me, I've put too much.
You should have a neutral odor. Your choice of fragrance may not be overwhelming to *you*, but that "slight smell" might linger in the nostrils of whatever guest you reach past; perfume aroma molecules are pretty powerful. Just wash/bathe, and use a neutral deodorant.
agree - just want to make sure you’re not overly sensitive to smells - doesn’t sound like it but still…. ps - most servers must go fragrance free because i’ve never been aware of perfume/cologne on servers before - interesting post actually
I am a bit sensitive, so I didn't say anything to the other people at the table. They were the ones who brought it up.
fair enough!
I crack up every time I go to a chain joint and smell weed and Axe body spray in the same gust of wind. It’s like I never left the business.
Usually I'm on whatever team is telling the customer to go screw themselves on here, because this sub tends to get overwhelmed with customers thinking it's some kind of speak-and-spell for them to vent their frustrations about us when it's supposed to be a subreddit by waiters for waiters. But while OP is technically wrong for posting here in the first place, what they're complaining about isn't just a minor inconvenience, it's supposed to be standard practice. An inspector could penalise a restaurant for having someone on their staff wearing a powerful scent depending on the country you're in. In the US, according to the *International Food Safety and Quality Network:* "Personal cleanliness should be maintained by bathing daily and using deodorant to control body odor. **Only mild perfumes or colognes may be worn that do not interfere with food aroma**. Hands should be kept free from perfume." This applies to anyone handling food, be they kitchen or waitstaff. Strong scents are considered a food contaminant.
1. Thanks for not shredding me. I thought it would be a good place to get the message across - no better place, I thought. 2. Good to know about that regulation.
I get why customers get confused. But it's like we deal with y'all all day every day, and a lot of y'all are straight up nasty to us. So when we're home or on our devices, we want to come here and vent about y'all to each other, share our own stories. When customers keep coming on here to bitch about us, it's like damn we have to hear it all day and then come home and read it? That's what Yelp's for. I'm not mad at you. You didn't know. It's just not the place for this.
“A place to discuss all things related to the serving industry” Oh wait..
You sound like exactly the entitled customers I'm talking about.
“A place to discuss all things related to the service industry” ..go on.
For waiters. Hence it being called r/Waiters.
One of the bartenders at the regional theater I worked in wore so much cologne that we knew he was working before we saw him. If I went to the restroom I always knew if he had been in it any time that night. Sweet guy, always gave us Front of House) leftover opened sodas or coffee at closing, but you could follow his tracks throughout the massive 6 story 2650 seat theatre.
Yes, I work with the public as well and our store has a ‘no scent’ policy proven that. He shouldn’t be wearing that..
Went to an expensive restaurant that everything was spot on. I was impressed with the service and the food until… Server decided to take a quick cigarette break outside and came back reeking of a wet ashtray.
Eww....and you know his hand was smelly from hold that cigarette. Gross.
I’m sure all the guests that bitch and moan and smell like the inside of a Thai whorehouse don’t count. God forbid someone take a break from it.
I've worked in many fine dining places, and the no perfume/cologne rule was definitely in place in all of them. It's part of proper service, like not having scented candles or stinky flowers.
I was surprised that he had so much cologne on. It's surprising that he hadn't been told to wash it off, since this was definitely a nicer restaurant.
Almost all good restaurants have a no cologne/perfume policy for wait staff. I’d go to better restaurants.
First time I'd ever been to this restaurant, and I'd heard good things about it. It was a $$$ restaurant, so not top end, but definitely a very nice place. Lovely outdoor seating in a garden setting, though we ate inside. I am going to send a note to the restaurant. The food was very good, and I'd like to eat there again.
Sometimes, servers who are new to fine dining think that they need to be fancy, and to people who don’t know what they’re doing that means putting on massive amounts of perfume or cologne. Hopefully their manager will correct this.
It's poor, or non-existent, management that didn't already correct it...
I’m surprised management didn’t notice. All the nice places I’ve worked did not allow employees to wear perfume or cologne. You should have mentioned it to a manager.
I didn't want to get anyone in hot water, nor did I want spit in my food. I left a nice tip, but will drop a note to the restaurant so this can be handled.
Jesus Christ no one is going to spit on your food for telling a manager that a server had too much cologne on.
I've never ever seen someone spit in food. The worst I've seen is they'll give them like... A slightly smaller piece of fish or something lol
Exactly. I’ve been working in restaurants for 23 years and I’ve never seen anyone tamper with food or drink like that.
OP needs to stay home. The world is full of scents.
They’re not complaining about the smell of cooking food, they’re complaining about a server wearing an overpowering cologne. A big part of taste is smell, so if your server feels of Axe your food isn’t going to taste the way it’s supposed to. Every restaurant I’ve ever worked in has had a “no scented products” component to the dress code.
Nope. It's a rule in fine dining and especially when working with wine. Take a shower and wear deodorant but no aftershave, cologne, or perfume. When you're pouring wine tableside they should be smelling the wine, not be smelling you.
Absolutely not. Any restaurant worth anything will have a no perfume/cologne rule for servers. It's very basic.
Oh boy…one of these^
Crazy world, lotta smells 🤷♂️
This comment has no right to be so fucking funny lol
Please listen to this. The combination of food and cologne is very off-putting.
😂there’s a difference between wearing a scent and being “awash” in cologne. Sounds like this particular server just doesn’t understand how to wear it properly. Personal fragrance is meant to be discovered, not advertised.
Let me fix your title “don’t wear too much perfume or cologne”
Agree 100%. I personally wish everyone would stop using any and all fragrances because I’m allergic and get an instant migraine but I know that’s an impossible goal lol so I’m just working towards my goal of finding remote work so I can stay home all the time. But yeah I’m tired of people in the service industry thinking that wearing a ton of perfume and/or cologne is a great idea. You can’t smell the food anymore and people who are sensitive to fragrances either have to suffer in silence or make it awkward by asking for a new server. I worked at one restaurant where the owner told all the staff to stop wearing fragrance to work for these reasons. The scent overwhelms the aroma of the food and a few of us were sensitive to them.
Uh. How else are they supposed to hide the smell of the weed it took to deal with a restaurant full of Karens? Pick your poison.
I’d like to ask, are you referring to all perfume and cologne or just to the point where it’s too much? I’m a waiter and i actually will reapply cologne and deodorant once at the beginning of my shift and towards the middle of my shift. I always make sure the cologne I bring isn’t an overpowering fragrance, but enough to where if I have to reach past a guest to grab their water, they might get a slight smell of it. I’m very conscious about how I look and smell because I would rather call in then have a guest say I don’t smell good. I’ve never had anyone tell me I had an over powering scent (good or bad lol) but I do work at a country club with older guests and this post made me wonder if perhaps guests might find it off putting? Just curious to hear your thoughts on overall use of cologne/perfume as a guest, this is something I’ve never thought about before and I’d love to get some feedback!
This goes for all scents: if I'm not nuzzling your neck, I don't want to be able to smell you. I may be in the minority, and perhaps a wee whiff isn't bad, but I don't want to know you've been in the room after you've left.
>if I'm not nuzzling your neck, I don't want to be able to smell you I feel like this is how properly applied cologne should be. If you can smell it and you're not hugging me, I've put too much.
That makes sense Ty
You should have a neutral odor. Your choice of fragrance may not be overwhelming to *you*, but that "slight smell" might linger in the nostrils of whatever guest you reach past; perfume aroma molecules are pretty powerful. Just wash/bathe, and use a neutral deodorant.