Welcome to the wild world of the service industry! Where the ice machine is always broken, the walk-in fridge is therapy, and someone will ask for their fifth refill of Diet Pepsi.
Join your host, a battle-tested server with years of unforgettable shifts, for weekly 15-minute episodes featuring the wildest, weirdest, and most wonderful tales from restaurant life. From guests who were supposed to meet each other but waited at opposite ends of the restaurant… to the table that tried to tip with a “rare” two-dollar bill… every episode proves that you can’t make this stuff up.
But here’s the twist:
We keep it funny—not mean.
When someone sends back their mashed potatoes for looking “too fluffy,” you don’t have to be rude. The story tells itself.
Whether you're a restaurant veteran, a retail survivor, a diner who wonders what really happens behind those kitchen doors, or just someone who loves a good story, pull up a chair.
New episodes drop weekly. No substitutions, please.
Perfect for: Restaurant workers, food-service survivors, anyone who’s ever wondered why their server is laughing in the kitchen, and people who know customer service is basically extreme sports with aprons.
Warning: May cause uncontrollable laughter, sudden respect for service workers, and the urge to tip your server extra.
Entitled Customers: The Food Isn't Pretty & The Couple Who Stole a Reserved Table
Two outrageous customer-service horror stories. Two very entitled customers. And AI weighing in on why people behave this way. Welcome back to Bitter Waitress, where we explore the wild world of customer service, share stories about outrageous customer behaviour, and put artificial intelligence to the test. In this episode, I dive into two customer-service horror stories that demonstrate what can happen when customers believe their demands should take priority over everyone else's. First: The...
9 Oct 2026
Entitled Customers: The Pizza Meltdown & The Bride Who Hated Her Wedding Cake
Welcome back to Bitter Waitress! In this episode, we're exploring two outrageous customer service horror stories and using AI to examine the behavior behind them. THE PIZZA CUSTOMER WHO CALLED TWO MINUTES BEFORE CLOSING A woman calls a pizza restaurant just before closing and demands to place an order, despite the kitchen having already shut down its ovens. When the employee explains the situation, she responds with insults and profanity. Why do some customers believe that closing time do...
8 Oct 2026
Elizabeth Holmes: Why Didn’t She Stop?
Why did Elizabeth Holmes keep going when Theranos’s blood-testing technology wasn’t working? In this episode, I explore the behavior and choices behind the Theranos scandal, including the company’s promise of blood tests from a finger prick, questions about investor and Walgreens due diligence, and the potential harm to patients. I also ask AI tools to weigh in on Holmes’s possible motivations. Their responses are perspectives for discussion, not a clinical assessment. What do you...
7 Oct 2026
Bad Customers Are NEXT LEVEL: AI Analyzes Their Behavior
Welcome back to Bitter Waitress! In this episode, we're looking at two outrageous customer-service stories and asking AI to analyze the behavior behind them. First, a restaurant customer discovers an empty ketchup bottle and claims the server has ruined her family's evening — demanding a full refund for the table. Then, a holiday retail customer insists that her eight-year-old son be allowed to help an employee wrap presents, despite the store's safety policy. What makes people react this way...
10 Mar 2026
Episode 14: Replaced by Robots - When AI Takes Your Order
The robots are coming for our jobs... and honestly? They're doing pretty well :0 In this episode, I put AI to the test by running real customer service role plays with two different AI's: Miles from Sesame and Claude from Anthropic. I threw them both into the fire ;) First, as a server dealing with an angry customer complaining about a tiny salad, then handling a happy, chatty table just looking for a good time. I even dropped an F-bomb to see if they'd flinch. Spoiler... they didn't. The res...
6 Mar 2026
Episode 12: The Bots Are Coming - AI, Robots & the Future of Restaurant Service
In this episode, we're diving into the world of restaurant automation and asking the question everyone in the service industry is thinking: will robots replace us? I share my real experience being served by a robot at a chain restaurant, and spoiler alert, it wasn't great ;) This little cube-shaped bot rolled up to my table, dropped off my food without cutlery, and couldn't even respond when I needed something. It just... rolled away. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there staring at my food like...
3 Mar 2026
Episode 11: The Customer Side - Comedy, Chaos & Restaurant Confessions with Bob Lement
In this episode, we're flipping the script. Instead of hearing from servers, we're sitting down with Bob LeMent :) He's a comedian and storyteller with 26 years of podcasting experience on Static Radio and he'll be talking about restaurant experiences from the customer's perspective. Bob shares hilarious stories about catching people stealing hot sauce (specifically Cholula), cutlery incidents at Red Lobster, and the infamous Dr. Pepper vs. Root Beer incident at Buffalo Wild Wings. We d...
10 Feb 2026
Episode 10: Serving Up Laughs - Comedy Club Chaos from Behind the Tray with Scott Edwards
What happens when you're trying to serve drinks and dinner while a comedian is absolutely crushing it on stage? In this episode, I'm chatting with Scott Edwards, a man who has spent over 40 years on the fringe of show business producing live stage shows, concerts, and TV with acts like Jay Leno, Bob Saget, Dana Carvey, Willie Tyler & Lester, and so many more. But today we're talking about the unsung heroes of his comedy clubs, the serving staff :) The people balancing trays in the d...
9 Feb 2026
Episode 9: Going Once, Going Twice, SOLD! - Auction Adventures & Fabric Finds with Etsy Reseller Kira Hartley Klinger
If you think the restaurant industry has wild characters, wait until you hear what goes down at auctions. In this episode, I'm sitting down with my friend Kira, a vintage fabric reseller on Etsy who has seen it ALL. From smooth talking auctioneers to the eccentric personalities who show up ready to fight for a deal, Kira's stories will have you laughing, gasping, and wondering why there isn't a reality show about this world already. Kira runs DodOddity on Etsy, where she hunts down and ...
13 Jan 2026
Episode 8: My Feet Hurt! - The Foundation of Service - Why Your Feet Matter More Than You Think
Ask any server what hurts most after a double shift, sometimes it's their heads from the craziness of the day but generally it's their feet! Your feet are the unsung heroes of the service industry - carrying you through endless hours of standing, pivoting, rushing, and somehow still smiling through the pain. In this episode, I'm talking about the body part that literally keeps us going: our feet. From finding the right footwear that actually holds up to 12-hour shifts, to that one kind table ...
6 Jan 2026
Episode 7: Hangry Adults - When Grown-Ups Act Like Toddlers at Restaurants
We've all been hangry, that uncomfortable mix of hunger and irritability that makes everything feel more difficult. But here's the thing: being an adult means managing that feeling without taking it out on the people trying to help you. In this episode, I'm talking about the phenomenon of "hangry" customers who use their hunger as an excuse to act out in restaurants. From dramatic sighs to passive-aggressive comments to the customer who literally put his head down on the table like a exhauste...
2 Jan 2026
Episode 6: TMI - When Customers Overshare
In this episode, we're talking about oversharing — specifically the kind that happens in restaurants, at counters, and in places where someone is legally required to be polite to you. From customers announcing their urgent bathroom needs, to casually dropping life-altering information like divorces, affairs, and medical details mid-order, this episode explores why some people treat service workers like unwilling therapists… or confession booths. We break down why this behavior is wildly inapp...
2 Jan 2026
Episode 5: "Do You Know Who I Am?" - When Customers Think Their Job Title Matters
In this episode, I'm talking about a customer who tried to flex their job title and "important position" to get what they wanted — a limited-edition Bearista cup from Starbucks. We're diving into the weird phenomenon of customers who genuinely believe their résumé should override store policies, inventory limits, and basic reality. From casual name-dropping to thinly veiled threats to full-blown "Do you know who I am?" moments, this episode breaks down why some people think their authority at...
1 Jan 2026
Episode 3: Restaurant Flair - Why Servers Have Mixed Feelings About Uniform Accessories
Ever been told your work uniform needs more "personality"? In this episode, we're talking about flair — those buttons, pins, accessories, and decorative add-ons that restaurants sometimes require as part of the dress code. I'm sharing my personal experience navigating flair requirements at work, why it creates such strong reactions among servers, and how something meant to be fun can sometimes feel like added pressure during already stressful shifts. What starts as a way to express personalit...
1 Jan 2026
Episode 4: "Did You Want Alcohol in That?" - Why Servers Are Smarter Than You Think
In this episode, I'm telling the story of the time a customer called me stupid for asking a perfectly reasonable question: "Did you want alcohol in that?" But here's the thing... servers aren't stupid! We're college students working on degrees. We're people with incredible social intelligence who can read a room, juggle ten tables, diffuse tense situations, and remember your aunt's gluten allergy all at once. The skills that make someone a great server: quick thinking, emotional intelli...
2 Dec 2025
Episode 1: I Can't Turn It Off!
Once you've worked in restaurants, you're cursed with server vision forever. That relaxing bakery date with my husband? Yeah, that became me mentally reorganizing their display case, tracking every customer interaction, and catching the exact moment their cashier's soul left their body during the morning rush. In this debut episode, I explore the blessing and curse of restaurant worker hyperawareness – why we notice every table, hear every order mistake, and can spot bad tippers from across t...
2 Dec 2025
Episode 2: More Please...
"Oh, can I also get..." – The four words that haunt every server's dreams. This episode dives into the customers who treat their server like a personal marathon runner, revealing each request one at a time like they're unwrapping the world's worst advent calendar. Ranch dressing. Extra napkins. Actually, make that two ranches. Oh, and ketchup. Did I mention I need a straw? And honey mustard? It's the story of the table who made me do more trips than I could count for napkins and drinks and mo...
2 Dec 2025
Trailer: Your Table Is Ready!
Step into the chaotic, hilarious world of the service industry! Where the customers surprise you, the kitchen is louder than your inner voice, and every shift feels like a psychological experiment with no consent form. In this short trailer, your host (a seasoned server with the emotional scars to prove it) introduces Bitter Waitress, a comedy storytelling podcast full of unbelievable dining room disasters, awkward encounters, and the bizarre moments that only happen when you’re working...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact Bitter Waitress
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Bitter Waitress?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
