Buffalo Wild Wings customer wait 10 mins for server to take their order. So they call the restaurant

Photo by@babykay371/TikTok ARAMYAN/Adobe Stock

It can be frustrating when you’re trying to give a business your money and they won’t acknowledge you—especially when hunger is added to the mix. That’s what TikToker Karina Heredia (@esthiekary_31) says happened to her during a recent visit to Buffalo Wild Wings.

However, she discovered an atypical method to capture the employees' focus.

Heredia mentions that following a period of neglect from the waiters for a half-hour, she pulled out her mobile device and made a call to the establishment from within it.

She posted her Buffalo Wild Wings phone call on her TikTok account, where it has accrued over 399,000 views as of Thursday afternoon. Several commenters replied that they, too, have resorted to phoning employees when they were inside a store just to get service.

No server in sight

Heredia explained in a text overlay of her TikTok that she was tired of waiting for a server. “POV: Been waiting over 10 minutes to order so we called the restaurant to get their attention to have somebody take our order,” she said.

The video shifts to the empty seating area of the Buffalo Wild Wings spot, with the sound of a ringing phone audible. Heredia then points her phone towards the camera, showing she's the one dialing. The scene then focuses on the restaurant's landline.

In the brief segment, no one appears at the counter to pick up the phone or welcome the patrons.

Heredia explains in another caption that shortly after they paused filming, a staff member did indeed come out. "Lmfaooo she showed up pretty quickly, but I couldn't help but laugh, so she asked if we were calling the restaurant," she noted.

Long wait times at Buffalo Wild Wings

She's not alone in her frustration over the extended wait periods at Buffalo Wild Wings.

One mother also shared how she was left “exhausted” after going out with her kids to a BWW. According to her, the server not only took their sweet time bringing her hungry kids their requested food, but they hid from the family after making a mistake on their order.

Reddit users in the thread discussing Doordash also voiced their dissatisfaction with the "unbearable wait times" for food pickup at Buffalo Wild Wings. The individual who wrote the post acknowledged that long waits are a persistent problem. Each time they order from Buffalo Wild Wings, they realize they're missing out on potential earnings from other orders.

How long is too long?

Although every business operates uniquely, there are certain fundamental guidelines that experts in the field generally agree upon. This appears to be true when it comes to the time it takes for tables to be cleared in restaurants.

The Phoenix New Times spoke with several restaurant owners about the duration of wait times for customers. Trish Clark from the Bungalow Bar & Grill mentioned that it's acceptable for waitstaff to attend to new customers within 2-3 minutes. She also noted that the ideal time for a drink to be served is 3-4 minutes. Regarding food, waiting more than 20 minutes after an order is placed is considered unacceptable. Clark did mention, however, that these times can vary based on the restaurant's level of activity.

George Mahe from St. Louis Magazine emphasizes that a server should acknowledge customers as soon as they are seated. Even if they are unable to receive service or have their order taken, a prompt welcome is crucial.

Yelliapp writes that “initial greet and beverage service” is extremely important. According to this resource, waters for the table and an initial greeting should take place 30 seconds to 1 minute of a guest being seated.

Is it normal to place a phone call when you’re already in the restaurant?

One commenter replied that they have, unfortunately, had similar experiences at Buffalo Wild Wings.

They attribute the issue, however, to the restaurant’s unwillingness to hire more staff members. “Our BWW is the same. They need to hire a hostess,” they said. “The servers are always too busy and that’s not their fault. It’s the company being cheap.”

Another said that they regularly call restaurants if the place is empty and they don’t receive service. “Lmaooo! Girl I always do this when it’s empty I call right away, I be knowing.”

Wait times persist at retail stores, too

However, it’s not just restaurants that folks do this in. One user on the application said, “I’ve called Costco from inside the store when I couldn’t find anyone to help me.”

Another retail customer also discussed the dreaded wait for someone to come and unlock a cabinet. “I couldn’t get help to unlock a cabinet at the Target electronics section, so I went into the app and ordered what I needed. It was ready for pickup when I finished my shopping lol,” they said.

“I did this in Walmart the other day bc they got the perfumes locked up but nobody wants to unlock it,” this TikToker penned.

A customer on the app mentioned that it might be best for patrons just to exit the establishment if they're waiting excessively. They think this is a sign of forthcoming poor service:“I just leave after 10 minutes, espec[i]ally if not 1 employee who sees me even acknowledges me cause I assume the whole experience is gonna suck.”