In recent years, an increasing number of customers have been behaving in a way that restaurant staff are calling “entitled.” These customers may demand special treatment, expect free food, or even become aggressive when their requests are not met. This is a growing problem that is leaving many restaurant owners and workers feeling frustrated and discouraged.

One of the main complaints is that entitled customers are expecting more than what is offered by the restaurant. They may demand more food than what is on the menu, or ask to have certain items prepared differently than specified on the menu. This can be especially difficult for smaller restaurants who may not be able to accommodate these requests.

In some cases, customers may also become verbally abusive or aggressive when their requests are not met. Restaurant staff are often left feeling powerless and frustrated when dealing with these customers, who may not consider the impact of their actions on the business or the employees.

One way restaurants are dealing with the problem is by introducing policies to ensure customer satisfaction. Many restaurants now have strict policies for customer service and expectations for their staff, such as addressing customer complaints in a timely manner and providing a pleasant dining experience.

Some restaurants have also implemented technology solutions to help manage customer expectations. These include automated ordering systems and customer feedback surveys.

But experts say that the issue of entitlement is not something to be solved by businesses, but it comes down to a bigger issue– the popular adage "The customer is always right," which is the quintessential point in American hospitality.

According to Lauren Friel, the owner of Rebel Rebel in Somerville, MA, "It was definitely something that was hammered into me when I first started in this industry." She was told “that not only is the customer always right, but we want to awe and delight them. The idea is that we will bend over backwards for the guest."

Meanwhile, Khushbu Shah, the Restaurant Editor at Food & Wine, argues that “the precise origin of the phrase ‘The customer is always right’ is not known, but its popularization is most commonly attributed to three men: Harry Gordon Selfridge, John Wanamaker, and Marshall Field, all of whom founded popular department stores around the turn of the 20th century.”

The restaurant editor explains: “At the time, ‘caveat emptor,’ which translates to ‘buyer beware,’ was the more common attitude. It placed the onus on the customer to make sure everything was correct—and placed zero responsibility on the company to do right by the customer. The gradual rise of the phrase ‘the customer is always right,’ however, shifted the power balance away from the company and toward the customer.”

According to Shah, this “notion was solidified in the American restaurant space in the mid-1990s, in part due to the release of restaurateur Danny Meyer's industry-shifting book, Setting the Table. Meyer advocates for building a culture of ‘yes’ in the book which quickly spread throughout the industry.”