Bitter Waitress

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...

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 situ...

Why didn't Elizabeth Holmes stop when her blood-testing technology wasn't working? How did Theranos convince powerful investors and major companies that it was revolutionizing healthcare? In this episode of Bitter Waitress, Yasemin explores the behavior behind one of the most notorious corporate scandals in recent history. Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos at just 19 years old, promising...

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 all...

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...

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 re...

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 Cholu...

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 ta...

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...

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 go...

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...

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 wo...

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 thr...

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 f...

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 r...

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 wor...

"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?...

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...