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Rude service, long wait times and a sticky menu are enough to cause some U.S. diners to walk out of a restaurant or not return, according to a new survey.Consumers are also experiencing tipping fatigue.In a survey of 1,000 diners, nearly a third or 30%, have left a restaurant before ordering because of long waits, and 1 in 5, or 20%, have walked out because of rude staff.And sticky menus or a sticky table are enough for 24% to decide not to return to a restaurant, according to the study by Lightspeed Commerce. USA TODAY was given an exclusive first look at the study by the point-of-sale commerce platform that serves a variety of retail and hospitality clients.Good service is more important than ever“In a time when people are choosing their dining experiences more intentionally, delivering on the basic foundations of good service − like hot food, respectful service, and reasonable wait times − matters more than ever,” Adoniram Sides, senior vice president of hospitality at Lightspeed, said in a news release. “Customers are looking to feel valued the moment they walk through the door."As dining becomes more of a treat as inflation and other economic stresses cause people to pull back on spending, customer expectations will continue to rise, Sides told USA TODAY in an interview.If a customer goes to a restaurant and finds a sticky menu or table, they're going to get turned off, he said."I'm sure you've been to a restaurant where you've picked up a menu where it's falling apart, it's maybe a little gross or there's a stain and you're like: 'What's going on in this place? Like, is the kitchen clean?' Sides said.Paul Kiely, 64, of Seattle considers himself a foodie and likes to go to mom-and-pop eateries as well as fine-dining establishments.Kiely said he will give some extra grace to a small local eatery where he knows the food is good for a sticky menu or surroundings that aren't as clean.Still,, the cleanliness of the table and menu − and bathroom − reflect the cleanliness of the kitchen, Kiely said, referring to a quote he once read from the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain."If you're not paying attention to the little details that the customers is experiencing inside the restaurant and you've got food on chairs and sticky menus, then yeah, I think you have to extrapolate from that, and maybe the situation behind the kitchen doors is not all you would hope it to be," said Kiely, who often goes out to eat with his wife and 18-year-old daughter.Rude service is a turn-off for many dinersIn Lightspeed's survey, 40% of respondents said rude service would keep them from returning to a restaurant. Other reasons restaurant-goers said they would not return include cold food (35%) and long waits (27%).Kiely said he would never walk out of a restaurant in the middle of a meal, even if he was getting bad or rude service.But "if it is rude service in the order of 'I'm going to argue with you about something at the table,' then yeah, I would be inclined to never go back," he said.He also has a rule to not let his dining companions trash a restaurant while they are still sitting there. Kiely has friends in the restaurant business and said he knows it is hard to run an eatery, so he also doesn't post negative public reviews.But he may privately tell his friends that he didn't have the greatest experience.Customers have tipping fatigueTipping, and tipping fatigue, were also big in the survey.More than half (54%) of diners say they feel pressured by preset tipping screens − up from 47% last year. 44% of consumers report they are tipping less. 29% of consumers say they would prefer to eliminate tipping altogether.59% say tipping delivery drivers is important; 33% say the same for coffee shop staff.The most common range for strong service remains a tip of 15% to 20%.More diners are eating out soloSolo dining is on the rise, with 55% asking for a table for one, according to Lightspeed Commerce. Thirty-three percent of respondents said it was self-care to eat alone, and 30% dine solo as a way to try out new places."Solo dining has really become mainstream," Sides said. Some people check out a restaurant solo to see if it's worth bringing friends or a date, he said.Adults ordering from the kids' menu moreThe kids' menu is also becoming a go-to choice for adult diners, according to the survey: 44% of adults said they order from the kids’ menu, drawn to the smaller portions, simpler meals and lower prices."That to me is fascinating," Sides said, "but I think there's some sensibility in there. One reason is that the portion sizes are smaller" and the prices are lower. Sides also said the growing trend of more adults on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are playing a role in adults looking for smaller meal portions.Overall, diners want a good experience when they choose to spend their money at a restaurant, Sides said."Consumers feel like if they're going to spend money, especially to go out and sit down and have a meal, the experience has to be good. They don't have nearly this disposability of income that they maybe had a few years back."Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
