‘It’s personally insulting’: 17 chefs on the customer antics that most enrage them

The diner is always right - only that isn't true. From heavy petting to no-shows, restaurateurs share their biggest bugbears

Chefs work under constant scrutiny. Everyone is a critic now, from the couple muttering at table 12 to those angrily logging on to TripAdvisor. Generally, chefs suck up this feedback silently; that is how the hospitality industry works. So, we thought it might be fun - therapeutic, even - to turn the tables for once and ask chefs: what do diners do that really winds you up? From minor irritations to serious misdemeanours, here is a rundown of the customer behaviour that chefs can't stand.