The Notable Differences Between UK And US Diners, According To Gordon Ramsay

Few hypotheses seem to gin up civic pride more than a good old this versus that. But even mostly harmless questions about which cities have the superior restaurant scene, what qualifies as chow mein or lo mein on the East or West Coast, and what state makes a proper lobster roll can get pretty heated, pretty quick. Get a little interpersonal etiquette in the mix, and all bets are off. Take a slingshot across the pond as celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay did comparing U.K. and U.S. diners (the customers, not the greasy spoons), and the debate burns even hotter.

"Americans are far more vocal," Ramsay told Bon Appétit back in 2009. "In the U.K., if guests don't have a good meal they often won't complain, but you can guarantee you won't see them again. Americans are far more likely to voice their complaints." Quite the noted grouser himself, Ramsay has previously said that restaurant guests actually should complain when necessary, lest chefs and other staff keep making the same mistakes. But there is, as always, a time and a place.

Before you get to clamoring for a manager (or worse, posting to an amateur review platform), take a moment to determine whether a perceived slight is going to change your life. We've ordered plenty of Manhattans on the rocks, for example, and enjoyed them just the same when they've been served straight up just moments later. We've also eaten plenty of steaks that weren't quite finished to the requested doneness. But we have, in both scenarios — spoiler alert — lived to tell the tale. In cases such as these, it just isn't worth ruining someone's shift, or potentially even getting them in trouble, especially when good company and a majority of accurately executed menu items provide more than enough distraction.

Some blunders, however, can be life-changing. Carelessly handled allergies merit immediate correction and, in particularly grievous cases, even a later follow-up with your area's department of health. Dangerous flaws like a chipped or cracked glass also require swift attention and rapid removal from circulation. But barring actual emergencies, affording a little grace to typically harried employees will set you apart from the everyday whiners. Experienced hospitality professionals won't take real grievances personally, and they'll even appreciate the heads-up before a less understanding guest has the opportunity to launch a total meltdown. Just don't be that guest.