Most chefs aren't anything like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld, so they'll be accommodating to customers and customize their orders so they leave full and happy with their dining experience.
But everyone who works in the food service industry knows it's tough to deal with customers who are really dumb, really demanding and really cheap, three of the worst qualities in a diner.
You know what else makes a chef hate a customer, according to the chefs chiming in on the ChefTalk forum? When customers order a dish minus all the stuff that makes the dish delicious:
Chadateit
My personal favourite was a banquet order for a Caesar's salad (for a party of about 100 people) that, 20 minutes before plating, was updated saying that the Caesar dressing couldn't have anchovies, garlic, or egg. What do you even say to that?
Will
Well-done steak tartare.
Ramiro Exposito Gaspe
Paella without rice please.
And then there are those weirdos who don't understand how food allergies or diet restrictions work:
Just Jim
"I'm very allergic to garlic, is there any in the special?" "Yes, there is a little" "Well, as long as I can't see it I'll be okay. I'll have the special."
RAS1187
Order for well done burger. Not unusual, but the guest told the server, "My doctor told me I can't have any red meat" and was dead serious.
Just Jim
"Can I get the special with fettuccine? I'm allergic to penne." "You're allergic to a shape?"
But the worst diners of all are those lunatics who don't understand how food works at all. What planet are these crazy people from?:
Colomboshute
Today's special was sirloin a la plancha and a customer asked my wife if we could make it vegetarian...
Recky
Customer complains after eating her omelette that the menu didn't explicitly state that it contained “so much egg...”
RAS1187
French onion soup, no onions.
Locomoco
The other day I got a ticket that read: “Cheese plate (no dairy).”
Sergeant Pepper
Vegetarian filet mignon.