Issues related to food rank well behind service when it comes to what most upsets people in restaurants, according to a recent survey by Opinion Research USA. At the top of the list – with potentially the most damaging consequences – is impolite servers, with far more women (31%) citing the issue than men (18%). “It isn’t that men are less sensitive,” says Jeffrey T. Resnick, pres., Opinion Research USA. “It’s that women are far less tolerant – they feel there’s no excuse.” The survey also reveals a gap between older and younger age groups. About a third (33%) of 18-34 year olds cites rude wait staff as their chief complaint, compared to only 17% of those 55-65+.

Source: Opinion Research USA telephone survey of 1,025 U.S. adults. on eof a monthly series of “Ouch Point” surveys measuring the tolerance Americans have in scenarios they face in their daily lives.

“We’ve seen some major themes emerging in our research, and one of them is that we all want to feel valued and to be treated with respect. This is an important issue for restaurants to address. Ask your staff – many of whom are in the age group most sensitive to this – to think about how they would want to be treated themselves,” advises Jeffrey. Respect factors in to the second chief complaint – inaccurate wait times. “Call it truth in advertising or truth in promise, we find that armed with full disclosure, people are a lot more understanding and tolerant of situations.”