The Unspoken Rules of Gifting to Restaurant Staff

Don't forget to leave a comment with your favorite things to receive from guests if you work in the industry!! Happy to be back with you to answer the most popular question I get when I post a new This Place Called video here on the channel. So if you're about to head to a restaurant and you need shopping recommendations, scroll down, check that out, Thanks for treating the staff, I hope you enjoy your meal!
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This Place Called Playlist: • This Place Called (EXP...
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👋My name is Justin Khanna. I spent 8 years training at Michelin-starred and critically acclaimed restaurants like Per Se, Grace, The French Laundry, noma, Frantzen and Lysverket.
I host a weekly podcast called The Emulsion geni.us/emulsionpodcast where I curate chef/restaurant/fine dining news. There, I also interview knife makers, authors, food critics, chefs, bartenders, farmers, entrepreneurs and thought leaders to discover insights that can improve your life.
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[@maryjoshields5681]

Justin's mother-in-law here- The kettle corn flavor of the Pop Corners is my favorite. The sea salt is kind of blah on it's own - needs a dip. And the white cheddar has a powder coating that leaves a dry film in your mouth - meh!

[@deadhead4077]

During a foodie week in NYC I went to one of each star level restaurant. Ran out of time to get gifts for my dinner at Kochi, and the kitchen table at the Modern but I found time the day before my lunch at Le Bernadin. I got a tackle box of fancy sour gummies and a bag of vegan gummies. Had a gift bag from my to go desserts from stopping at Lysee. I gave them to the host immediately before getting seated. I'm a former cook and yeah was just trying to show my appreciation. They really hooked it up, extra appetizer thin sliced red snapper ceviche style, and an extra dessert matcha white chocolate thing with pistachio ice cream. Eric Ripert happened to be working this random Thursday lunch and he came out to the table to thank me, and I got to shake his hand!!! I didn't want to be pushy or ask for a photo. Incredible experience and the octopus and chorizo was my favorite dish all week. Can't wait to go back for a full dinner some day!

[@herocity1165]

When I was working in restaurants remember this guy showed up and he knocked on the back door in the morning and he told us that he had an excellent meal the night before and brought us coffee and donuts just the sheer fact that he got up that early was pretty cool, then when I started working insports and tour catering it was like 98 degrees outside and these guys showed up the ask for the chef so when I came to the door they dropped off three cases of water for the staff. As far as the weirdest thing literally three days ago I was leaving a restaurant to go back into tour catering and somebody painted a picture to give to me and it was literally like a doll stuffing a head in a jar but then they wrote me a two-page letter telling me that they're going to be sad to see me go and thanking me for the new menu at the restaurant all this crazy stuff

[@samsham8218]

Those mixed bags of candy like you get for Halloween is ALWAYS a win!

[@coreyjordan7074]

Sharpies. I can eat/drink to my hearts content but a fresh marker gets me way more hyped than anything else

[@justinkhanna]

Love these gear requests!

[@ajkohkoh3921]

I've never received a gift from a customer but this really sweet old lady asked to speak to the cook that cooked her meal (me) and made a toast to the rest of the restaurant about how good of a job I was doing

[@ONTHEPASSWITHMAX]

Hey chef great video! I have mostly worked in Europe in starred restaurants and I have never seen this before... Usually you bring something for the chef or owner like a nice bottle of wine and just say hi to the rest of the team while dining there. I actually really like this idea of bringing something extra for the staff. I'm going to try this the next time I visit one of my old restos. Excellent content as usual, please keep them coming!

[@josephnguyen-dinh6583]

Brought in a bag of goodies and I happened to be the last cover for my local French bistro during Restaurant Week. They were ecstatic and gave us the whole appetizer menu rather than just the ones we ordered as well as all of the dessert menu. It was just really nice seeing them happy during what was probably the end of one of the busiest weeks of the year for them and now I know next time to bring them just sour patch kids and all their different variations!

[@elliottmallin4410]

I’ve definitely served some very refined tasting menus, and been very thrilled by the unrefined halloween candy from guests. We also love something special from where you’re from. i’m from minnesota and when i do this i bring a nut goodie bar cause that’s where the factory is. i like to think it goes over well!

[@averydoig3520]

The last gifts I got for the kitchen staff were a verity pack of local beer! Not everyone has the same taste for beer so something with a few choices in the same case. It’s also good to think about the non alcohol drinkers. Very cool video idea. I hope more guests decide to gift after watching this!

[@justinkhanna]

100% - I always thought not getting alcohol was gonna be seen as "square" but it's shocking how appreciative folks are to just get snacks and other interesting drinks to enjoy during their service.

[@williamkarlbaker]

I've always been curious about your thought process when picking out gifts for the staff. Definitely gonna do this for the next restaurant I visit!

[@justinkhanna]

Do iiiit!

[@christianduarte193]

Last summer our a/c went out and some customers brought fudge bars for BOH. 5 minutes of pure bliss. There's another guy that brings a bunch of random chocolate bars and enough for literally everyone in the morning and night crew. Love people like that.

[@BrutusdaTootus]

As a line cook working a lunch/ dinner service in October when someone drops off Halloween candy was always awesome.

[@irvingg2342]

I guess my worry is the flipside of what you said, I don’t want the staff to think I’m looking for anything in return. Especially since I’m not a chef, just someone with friends who went into this industry and admires the hard work and dedication that goes into great service.

[@maryjoshields5681]

You could always leave the gift on your way out to not give them enough time to think of it this way.

[@jefftitterington7600]

Can you leave it at a coat check, and turn it into a gift as you leave? Can you pop out to a vehicle and bring it back that night? Or the next day? Just ideas that might work for some people in some situations.

[@angelacho5228]

I am a sucker for those Yerba Mate drinks...the mint one is chef's kiss. I drink those. What about kombucha (like Health Aide)? Love your videos!!

[@CosmikGamer]

I’m a CDP at a restaurant in LA. I usually have my dinner, thank my server and then go get the goodies, then I come back and tell them I just had dinner and I give them the gifts afterwards. I noticed chefs are a lot more appreciative when you don’t expect anything in return

[@mikekilborn5283]

I've had success gifting a kitchen flavored carbonated water - cold, if possible and not straight from the grocery store. It saves easily - forever, divides up easily, is different from what staff can usually get out of the kitchen. Not everyone likes it, but most people do, especially with a basic flavor like orange or a refreshing flavor like cucumber.

[@justinkhanna]

So true - half the game is hydration and blood sugar assistance 😂

[@samsham8218]

I second this!

[@whazzupio]

I always bring a 12 of modelo. Always appreciated. Real crowd pleaser

[@johngarns3830]

I work BOH and this time of year any kind of popsicle or cold treat would be delightful, the host or server can put them in the freezer and we can enjoy cold snack after the rush 😅

[@96DMichael]

Honestly if I was gifted a Red Bull mid-service, I would be over the moon

[@willolson4971]

One that sticks out in my mind is the time a group came in for a birthday party. They brought a cake. No big deal. Happened a lot. We were a brewpub/gastropub type joint and our desserts weren’t very fancy. Anyway, when they asked the server if we would cut the cake they insisted on us cutting a slice each for entire team. It was very sweet (the gesture) and very delicious (the cake). That being said, I wouldn’t recommend that at a nicer place with a real pastry program. If It’s a turn and burn like us, Gatorade, 20oz bottles, various flavors was the fave treat.

[@willolson4971]

Oh, and egg rolls. Can never go wrong with egg rolls. They’re even decent cold

[@janstain9320]

Skittles or m&ms are immortal and in whiskey glass on frequented place could really dissappear quickly. Flavoured sparkling water/iont drink is very practical too.

[@justinkhanna]

The carbonated flavored water is a no brainer - especially if you can get interesting flavors!

[@samstevens1995]

Bro that video hit home. Recently out of Hospo for wine industry but I still remember the guests who gave me gifts (and still have the gifts) or went out of their way just to thank me. Also no lies it would have made my night more with the laugh that it was in a gas station bag. The thought means the most. I once got given a swiss army knife from a swiss tour guide with a small group he was carrying them for people that helped make the trip special. I received one and it lives in my car, engraved with the name of his group. Awesome vid!

[@justindoherty359]

This is amazing Justin! I’m not a chef but I eat out often and always wanted to know how to love the kitchen better! More of this!

[@justinkhanna]

Happy to help!

[@chefjcubb898]

I’ve given mini butcher pairing knives from the Asian market.

[@MegaMrWaffleMan]

I work back of house and my favorites will always be either gummy worms or chocolate covered espresso beans

[@justinkhanna]

I get so wired on those espresso beans lol I can't stop eating them and then stay up all night

[@Rus7y5hanks]

durablity?

[@joshuakramer8761]

16 years in, and we have gotten cases of monsters, a sleeve of gum plus a carton of smokes, MANY rounds for the kitchen. end of the day...tip the cooks not just your server if you can...

[@Ace-cv1xd]

idk if its just the restaurant i work in or like the singapore culture but ive hardly ever received any straight up gifts from customers. if anything it would usually be leftover wine that they cant finish hahaha. this is experience from 2++ years working in 2 different michelin restaurants. however when we get called up to go for private dining events we usually get insanely huge tips, im talking like anywhere from $50-$500 for just that 1 dinner service.

[@justinkhanna]

The classic pass-full-of-wine-to-enjoy 😉 not a bad deal if you ask me!

[@Ace-cv1xd]

@@justinkhanna for sure especially after the intense 2 hour slam that shit slaps so hard

[@davej1296]

One time a table brought us a big bucket of fried chicken, it was glorious!

[@justinkhanna]

🍗 at 9pm on a busy service night? 😘🤌

[@Cesar_Ram]

Beer never fails 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@calvintsai3029]

Oreos, watermelon sour patches, Gatorade’s

[@katojoey1]

Bring them plating spoons lol

[@jeffmacrae4633]

Perhaps this is a US thing...I've not seen anything like this here in Canada. I've seen buying a round of drinks/shooters for the kitchen multiple times but most often it's a quick thank you or such after the meal.

[@justinkhanna]

You gotta start the trend!

[@charliegardner6291]

updated gear video?

[@troyounce3295]

Give them kunz spoons

[@seilbracht3920]

mate, who the f*uck will keep a bag of Doritos on their station? Is this a joke?? who are these people eating Doritos during service in a busy kitchen on a fine dining/michelin star level????

[@methyod]

seriously. i work fast casual and would never have time to eat a bag of chips on the line, is working fine dining that much easier? lmao

[@Rs-rq9fd]

That’s why he said it should be something that keeps, so the team can enjoy it when their shift is over