Dress code for restaurant staff

No, I don't dress up to eat out now either and the staff in our local Italian restaurant (which is quite smart) simply wear black jeans. I can't remember the last time when I saw someone wearing any kind of "uniform" other than in the local curry house.
It doesn't bother me.

It is unprofessional and pretentious in an inverted snobbery sort of way.
Over thirty years ago, my daughter, an art student at the time, took to wearing denim shorts with brightly coloured patches on them and sort of slashed at the back so that they looked worn out and old. We had given her a car when she passed her driving test at 17 years of age. Foolishly we also paid for the petrol and repairs. One day I was at the garage paying for yet another repair and the mechanic said to me "If you can afford to buy her a car, surely you can afford to buy her a pair of trousers without holes in them". I drove home, found the offending item in her bedroom and put them straight in the dustbin. When she came home I told her what I had done and said "Don't you ever embarrass me like that again".
She is now 52 years old, happily married with 16 year old twins who are completely delightful, hardworking both at school and at their part-time jobs and with excellent manners. My daughter and her husband are wonderful parents and we are very proud of them all as a family.
So perhaps I was over-reacting at the torn shorts or embarrassed that people thought we could not afford to buy basic clothes for her.?

I expect the mechanic wasn’t au fait with teenage fashion at the time. Ripped jeans aren’t my preference but I know they’re fashionable.

kwest

It is unprofessional and pretentious in an inverted snobbery sort of way.
Over thirty years ago, my daughter, an art student at the time, took to wearing denim shorts with brightly coloured patches on them and sort of slashed at the back so that they looked worn out and old. We had given her a car when she passed her driving test at 17 years of age. Foolishly we also paid for the petrol and repairs. One day I was at the garage paying for yet another repair and the mechanic said to me "If you can afford to buy her a car, surely you can afford to buy her a pair of trousers without holes in them". I drove home, found the offending item in her bedroom and put them straight in the dustbin. When she came home I told her what I had done and said "Don't you ever embarrass me like that again".
She is now 52 years old, happily married with 16 year old twins who are completely delightful, hardworking both at school and at their part-time jobs and with excellent manners. My daughter and her husband are wonderful parents and we are very proud of them all as a family.
So perhaps I was over-reacting at the torn shorts or embarrassed that people thought we could not afford to buy basic clothes for her.?

Oh dear! I think you were, it would take more than a mechanic with (IMO) zero fashion sense to embarrass me!

These people are paid the minimum wage aren’t they? They are paying for food and housing or are saving as everyone else. Maybe the work place should give them clothing to wear if people aren’t satisfied with their dress and charge more for the food/service.

Wow, things have changed since my first job in the 80s! Dress code was black and white, so I wore a black skirt and black and white polka dot blouse. I was sent home to change as I was 'too casual' I always dress up to eat out, I think it shows respect for where you are eating and the staff who are serving you...

All I ask is that I can tell who is staff and who isn't! Uniform or dress code helps...

I have served tables in the past - as a schoolgirl and then whilst at university. There was always a uniform of some sorts.

Now though it's very different. Most pubs just have a "black trousers/jeans" rule it seems to me (from memory) in this area.
Will be interested to see next time I eat out!

If they all had the same type of clothes it probably was what they agreed on. Ripped jeans, a white shirt and black sneakers, something like that. If they all are showered and clean, cut their nails and have fresh breath, I,don't see a problem. Anyway, to eat out at a gastropub I usually wear smart(ish) streetclothes, it's a pub! Not Ascot!

I’m dressed as casual as the wait staff sometimes - not a problem for me as I look for clean presentation. (Hands!) I love the look of the black, red, white aprons. You know they are provided clean by the restaurant/pub.

I do love getting dressed up and going to a high end dining establishment for a special occasion. A real splurge!
Cheers!
USA Gundy

Ripped jeans would not have bothered me.

What does annoy me when I am eatingn out is if the person serving has long hair hanging loose, or dirty fingernails.

Either of these things would make me never go back however good the food had been,

My granddaughter has an after school job at a fruit shop. She even has to wear a uniform of black slacks and black jumper there. Good for them. I wouldn’t want to be served in a restaurant by a scruffy person. OK if just for a coffee but it just wouldn’t happen round here, they like people to look tidy even in shopping malls. Maybe up at Surfers ?

Haha this reminds me of when I was a librarian working in a non public department at a central library.

At intervals the library put on a private evening exhibition of some of its valuable collections (eg Japanese prints or fine bindings) and invited the local worthies. They would ask some of the non public staff to go down and help, passing round drinks and so on. I always kept a selection of clothes in my locker. So I wore my most glamerous dress and high heels. One time the lady who came down with me was wearing a very plain black dress and thick stockings.

As I was circulating and passing around the drinks she was standing there like a zombie, glaring at anyone who took a drink from her tray. After passing around the drinks for a bit I always had a couple of glasses myself then went to join a group with people I knew.

One man asked me if I was a waitress - adding that I did not look like any waitress he ever knew. I told him that no, I was a professional member of staff just helping out. Its fair to say that in my 20s I looked very different from the other middle aged wives who turned up. He asked if the other lady was a waitress as she had glared at him for taking a drink I told him that no, she was also a librarian but I did not know her well, she was from another department.

I later learned that she was from an orthodox background and did not drink. No doubt she disapproved of all this public money being spend on wine. She certaihnly had no social skills, did not greet the guests or offer them drinks.

Coming froma working class background these kinds of occasions taught me a lot about how to socialize in middle class society with the local worthies.

Better to have your knees hanging out than your boobs. The current bra-top/deep plunge trend leaves a lot to be desired on your 44c.

Ripped jeans in a gastro pub wouldn't bother me at all, pretty normal nowadays.
Did notice how scruffy the assistants were in my local bank last week which took me aback. Some wearing leggings, some in jeans, mostly wearing fleeces on top with various polo shirts etc underneath. A real mish mash and very unprofessional in a business type setting.

As long as the staff are clean and friendly and give good service. Really does it matter? Feel free to eat elsewhere.

DH fell and ripped the knee on one leg of his jeans. He was going to throw them away until I told him they were trendy. I think they've gone to a charity shop now, hopefully some young person is still wearing them.

It's the norm for the older generation to look with distaste at what the younger (and maybe not so young) generation are wearing.

I try to avoid being overly critical, remembering my mother staring in astonishment at my skin-tight jeans, enormous sweater, hair hanging like two curtains over my face with my eyes heavy with mascara, looking like "two burnt holes on a bit of white paper".

Dickens nailed it

Regardless of who is wearing them and where, I just do not understand why anyone would actually like wearing jeans with holes in them.

And yes -I suppose I'm outdated and old, but who cares?!

The young like to flash the flesh. Peeping from those gaping denim maws are lovely long brown legs. Ditto cold-shoulder tops for flashing lovely young arms.
I am all for it as long as they cover their knickers. Seen too many clubbing with little pelmets to cover their tiny thongs.

nanna8 Ripped jeans does not necessarily mean scruffy. Youngsters in ripped jeans are often immaculately dressed in clean jeans, with immaculate clean white T shirts, smart trainers and socks and well-groomed.

Rather than that than a waitress or waiter in worn and dirty uniform. and flipflops.

Service is the most important thing for me when eating out in a pub or restaurant. A server who knows nothing about the wine ( " we've got red or white") or when asked what arancini balls were replied " dunno". Dress as long as its clean doesn't worry me,except on special days,Christmas or Mothering Sunday for instance when people like to dress up ,then please dress appropriately.

FoghornLeghorn

I think ripped jeans look ridiculous whoever is wearing them. Don’t care if they’re fashionable or not.

"Emperor's new clothes" ? 🤔

Service is the most important thing for me when eating out in a pub or restaurant. A server who knows nothing about the wine ( " we've got red or white") or when asked what arancini balls were replied " dunno".

On holiday recently we were asking our waitress what the soup of the day was.
Another waitress, flying past our table, said,
"It's hot stuff, in a bowl" 😂