Employees At Mexican Restaurants Tell Us The Customer Orders They Hate The Most
When you sit down at a Mexican restaurant, it's easy to get swept up with all the delicious food on offer. After all, Mexican cuisine is fresh, flavorful, and downright fun to eat. But while the menu may be packed with enticing options, there are several things you can order that will have staff shaking their heads behind the scenes. It may be because the dish strays too far from tradition or that it's cumbersome to make. It could also be that the staff are simply perplexed as to why anyone would want to eat or drink that particular item in that way.
To find out which food orders really annoy the staff at Mexican restaurants, we went to the people who know best — servers and chefs. We spoke to people working in Mexican restaurants in Mexico, the United States, and Canada and asked them what customer orders they hate the most and why. We also scoured platforms like Reddit and Quora to uncover the biggest complaints staff have about the dishes people request. According to our sources, these are some foods that employees at Mexican restaurants secretly wish you wouldn't order.
Read more: We Tried TikTok's Tequila Apple Juice Cocktail And It Didn't Go As Planned
Anything Extra-Spicy
There's a common misconception that all Mexican food is spicy. Sure, Mexico is the birthplace of domesticated chili peppers and chiles do make an appearance in many dishes. However, Mexican cuisine is incredibly diverse and features many dishes that aren't spicy at all. If the dish is meant to be spicy, trust that the chef probably knows just how much heat to add to make it picante but still palatable. Unfortunately, many diners like showing off just how much heat they can handle.
On a recent visit to Los Molcajetes restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, our server Miguel told us that he always rolls his eyes when customers ask for dishes "extra-spicy." He said, "So many people ask us to add extra chiles, and we warn them that it won't taste good, but they insist. One time we honestly thought we were going to have to call an ambulance for a customer who requested habaneros in his guacamole. He was hyperventilating, sweating, and bright red." Miguel's advice? If you want to amp up the heat in your dish, consider adding a splash or two of the spicy salsa or hot sauce that's offered on the side at most Mexican restaurants. Just don't go overboard.
Endless Refills Of Free Tortilla Chips
One great perk that you get at many Mexican restaurants is an order of complementary tortilla chips and salsa shortly after you sit down. Those crispy chips and vibrant salsa are perfect for whetting your appetite. Don't forget though that they're meant to be a holdover until your main meal arrives. Your server probably won't mind if you ask for a refill or two, but many can't stand it when customers ask for a constant flow.
There are several reasons staff hate when customers order endless refills of free tortilla chips and salsa. For one, many spots make their chips and salsa from scratch, which requires time, effort, and money. One Mexican restaurant employee on Reddit said, "People ask for extra chips and salsa and don't understand there has to be a limit on something that is FREE or we will lose money." In addition, it's a pain for the server to constantly run back to the kitchen for refills. Do the staff a favor and dial back on the free chip consumption. If you really can't get enough of those crispy chips, consider ordering something off the menu that includes tortilla chips like nachos or guacamole.
Tacos With Everything On The Side (DIY Style)
If you've ever made tacos at home, you know that part of the fun is artfully putting your taco together just the way you like it. You can pile on as much meat as you like, layer the ingredients in a particular order, and get creative with your toppings. That's fine for a casual setting like your kitchen table, but a Mexican restaurant isn't the place for DIY tacos. That is, unless you're at a chain restaurant like Chipotle where the concept centers around build-your-own meals.
Jose Juan, a server at Langostinos Restaurant & Bar in the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta told us his biggest pet peeve is when customers request tacos with everything on the side so that they can build the tacos themselves. He said, "I'm talking they want everything separate -- the meat, onions, cilantro, tortillas. I mean what are you trying to say? Our tacos don't look good?" Besides the fact that it's an insult to the chef's expertise, it slows down the kitchen and front-of-house because they have to set up and serve all those ingredients separately.
Tableside Guacamole
We'd be lying if we said we don't love a good guacamole prepared right at the table. It's fun to watch the whole thing come together in the molcajete (mortar and pestle) and know that you're getting guac that's as fresh as it can get. At the very least, you know the restaurant isn't passing off store-bought guacamole as house-made. Unfortunately, tableside guacamole is not a favorite with many staff members who work at Mexican restaurants.
The most obvious reason servers dislike tableside guacamole is that it's time-consuming to prepare. First, they have to wheel out all the tools and ingredients. Then they have to prepare the guacamole, often to the customer's exact specifications. Finally, they have to remove all the detritus like avocado skins and squashed limes, which can be pretty messy. One Reddit user said, "I used to work at a place that did tableside guac. It was even a problem as a BUSBOY. If too many people ordered them at once, the insanity spilled over to every member of the staff. I hated it."
Vegan Dishes
While some restaurant staff have gripes about dishes based on how difficult they are to serve or make, others are more concerned with culinary traditions. When we asked chef Octavio Enciso Sandoval of Gallo y Toro what his least favorite food orders are, he replied, "Vegan food. Because that just doesn't mix with Mexican gastronomy." He has a point. Some of the most iconic Mexican dishes center around meat like pork carnitas, carne asada, and birria de res. Even "vegetarian" dishes like beans and tortillas are often cooked with lard. Then there's the queso and crema.
That's not to say you can't find vegetarian or vegan dishes at Mexican restaurants. Some spots have special dishes to cater to different diets. Even Taco Bell offers vegan nacho cheese, although it doesn't get great reviews. Just be aware though that unless the restaurant specifically states it offers vegan dishes, it might be difficult for the staff to make something vegan or vegetarian. As Salvador Pimienta of El Tio Chava taco truck told us, "When we're on a roll and someone asks for vegetarian tacos, it really puts a stop to that flow. Plus, I don't get it. Where I come from, tacos must have meat!"
Quesadillas Without Cheese
A quesadilla may just be one of the simplest Mexican dishes to make. At its most basic, it consists of nothing more than a tortilla filled with cheese, folded over, and cooked in a pan or on a flat-top grill. With that in mind, you wouldn't think that this dish would annoy Mexican restaurant staff. For the most part, it doesn't, except when people request quesadillas with no cheese. The staff at Cuates y Cuetes told us that this happens more often than you would think.
To be fair, it's not uncommon to find quesadillas "sin queso" in Mexico City. However, in most other parts of the country, the queso is what makes the quesadilla, so it's beyond bizarre to ask for one without cheese. One of the servers at Cuates y Cuetes told us, "I try to tell people that a quesadilla without cheese is just a taco and that it will still cost the same regardless of whether it has cheese or not, but they don't care. It really doesn't make sense to me." You may not put the staff out too much by asking for a quesadilla without cheese, but you'll probably get some odd looks.
Burritos With Too Many Wet Ingredients
A burrito may just be the perfect meal. After all, you can stuff that flour tortilla with all sorts of tasty things like meats, veggies, rice, beans, and salsa. It can be tempting to go all out and pile everything in there. That's where things can get tricky for the person preparing your burrito though. Ask for too many sloppy ingredients and it's going to be a nightmare for them to roll the burrito. Plus, it's bound to make a mess when you bite into the burrito and all those sauces and slippery ingredients come oozing out.
Reddit is rife with Chipotle employees airing their grievances about the worst customer orders -- and one of the most common complaints for Mexican restaurant staff is overly stuffed, wet burritos. One employee on Reddit said, "Last week a guy came in and got a double-wrapped tortilla then proceeded to ask for extra everything. I'm talking triple rice, triple beans, double meat barbacoa and chicken, extra salsa and sour cream, and then gets mad when the food starts to spill out the sides of the burrito ... Burritos aren't supposed to be a liquid mess."
Modifications To Aguachile Or Ceviche
Given that Mexico is surrounded by oceans on two sides, it's not surprising that seafood is an integral part of Mexican cuisine. Aguachile and ceviche are two popular seafood dishes, particularly along the west coast. Both feature raw seafood like shrimp or scallops served in a liquid concoction of lime juice, chilies, and salt. Cucumbers, avocados, and red onions could also be thrown into the mix. Recipes vary from restaurant to restaurant, but one thing most staff agree on is that this is one dish you shouldn't try to modify.
The servers we spoke to at Cuates y Cuetes told us that customers often ask for aguachile or ceviche without certain ingredients like chile -- but that's something they just won't do. One server said, "The ingredients in the marinade need time for the flavors to meld together, so we prepare it ahead of time and then add the shrimp or fish to order. A special order would need a different marinade made from scratch and the flavor just wouldn't be the same." You might find restaurants that will make modifications to the dish, but the chef probably won't be thrilled about it.
Virgin Margaritas
For many people, margaritas are an absolute must with Mexican food. But what if you don't want a wallop of tequila in the middle of the day or any time for that matter? A virgin margarita is always an option. Just know though that some staff might give a silent sigh at the order. In the words of Jose Juan from Langostinos, "Just why?" It's not the lack of booze that bothers many staff. It's just that you won't get the same punch of flavors that the tequila and triple sec bring. Many say you're better off just ordering limonada (limeade).
The other thing that perplexes some servers is why you would want a virgin margarita when there are so many other amazing Mexican non-alcoholic drinks. For example, horchata is a sweet, creamy beverage made with rice milk that's often flavored with cinnamon, coconut, or vanilla. It's the perfect antidote to fiery salsas. Agua fresca is another refreshing drink that is essentially cool water flavored with different ingredients like fruit juice, hibiscus flowers, or cucumber.
Hard-Shell Tacos
If you grew up in the United States, you've probably had more than a few "Mexican" meals consisting of hard-shell tacos filled with ground beef and toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. However, hard shell tacos are a no-go at most traditional Mexican restaurants. That's because tacos in Mexico are typically made with soft corn or flour tortillas. Unless the restaurant you're at serves tacos dorados (fried tacos), you might get some side eye if you ask for crispy tacos.
The history of hard-shell tacos dates back to 1937 when Mexican-born restaurateurs Salvador and Lucia Rodriguez began selling them at Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, California. The tacos were an adaptation of tacos dorados made with ingredients (like ground beef) that were readily available. When another restaurant owner named Glen Bell saw how popular they were, he began selling them at his eatery across the street. Bell's restaurant would eventually become Taco Bell. There's no shame in loving hard-shell tacos. But if you ask for them at an authentic Mexican restaurant, the staff may point you in the direction of the nearest Taco Bell.
Chilaquiles Or Huevos Rancheros In The Afternoon Or Evening
It's easy to see why chilaquiles are a Mexican breakfast staple. This tasty dish features crispy fried tortilla chips topped with vibrant red or green salsa, crema, and cheese. Many restaurants also add sliced avocado and onions and give you the option to top the dish with a fried egg, shredded chicken, or pork. The dish is filling, flavorful, and a must on any authentic Mexican restaurant's breakfast menu. Ask for it past noon though and you'll probably get a straight-up refusal.
The servers at Cuate y Cuetes told us one of their pet peeves was when customers order breakfast dishes later in the day. One of the servers told us, "Most people don't order chilaquiles or huevos rancheros later in the day, so the kitchen puts away the ingredients for those dishes to make room for the lunch and dinner dishes. It's just too disruptive to pull everything out again to make one or two breakfast dishes ..." Just like you wouldn't expect eggs Benedict to be available at most restaurants for dinner, chilaquiles and huevos rancheros are typically for breakfast only.
Blender Drinks
When many people think of margaritas, they think of frozen, blended cocktails that are sweet, colorful, and have the consistency of slush. Frozen cocktails are a mainstay of all-inclusive resorts and due to popular demand, they're also available at many Mexican restaurants. Ask any bartender though, and they'll probably tell you that frozen drinks are the bane of their existence. Bartender Rafael Gloria Santos has worked at numerous bars and resorts across Mexico like Secrets Resorts, and he told us, "No bartender I can respect likes making blended drinks."
If you think of the logistics of making blender drinks, it's pretty clear why bartenders hate getting orders for frozen cocktails. They're time-consuming to make, require clunky equipment, and usually leave a sticky mess in their wake. Plus, they're often made with mixers that are packed with sugar and artificial ingredients. If you're craving a margarita or other tropical-inspired cocktail, do your bartender a favor and order it on the rocks. You'll probably gain more respect and get a drink that tastes just as good, but won't get diluted as quickly.
Ketchup For Tacos
Order tacos at a Mexican restaurant and you'll likely be offered a variety of colorful condiments like sweet and spicy mango habanero salsa, mild guacamole sauce, or salsa verde with tomatillos and jalape?os. At the very least, there will probably be a bottle of Valentina or Tapatío hot sauce on the table. The one thing you probably won't find though is ketchup. You can ask for it, but you may hear your server mutter "guácala," which translates to "gross."
According to many Mexicans, the only tacos that ketchup should ever come near are seafood tacos, and even that's more of a regional thing. A cook on Quora said, "Some restaurants in Sinaloa and Sonora do serve fish tacos (not Baja Style apparently) with ketchup or mil islas on the side ... However, ketchup shouldn't be put anywhere near al pastor or carnitas tacos." Of course, you're free to do whatever you want with your tacos. If you don't mind the grimaces you'll get, feel free to slather that ketchup on. That is if there's even a bottle on hand in the house.
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