What are some kitchen superstitions you know of & which do you abide by?
You better believe if I spill some salt I’m throwing a little over my left shoulder.
by Paigenacage
42 Comments
NortonBurns
Five second rule 😉
HaElfParagon
Superstitions are for children. I prefer to live in reality, where my decisions are decided empirically.
said-what
If you shut down the line 15 minutes before close a customer will always walk in.
increduloushyperbole
It’s bad luck to feed the dishwasher half-assed food.
UpStartDownBeat
No one is allowed to comment on it if it’s slow. The customers will hear it and swarm en masse
Admiral_Kite
Italian and raised by “don’t believe in superstitions, but just in case…”
… So you bet I throw salt over my shoulder too
moranya1
EVERY single time we have a slow night and we just do our thing, it stays a slow night. BUT! If I start making a batch of pizza dough, EVERY TIME!!!! it gets busy right after I add the yeast to the flour mixture.
Prestigious_Poetry_9
Never say everything going smooth
clevercookie69
When you are low on prep for a dish it will sell well that night
accidentphilosophy
If I ever have to say something about how slow it is, I knock on wood to make sure the customers don’t hear.
MetricJester
I have a short list of kitchen rules
1. Be clean 2. Be dressed 3. Don’t catch 4. It’s hot 5. Wipe that
They are only quoted by number in context. So if you didn’t wash your hands after raw meat that’s a Rule #1. Or if you spill something that’s Rule 5. If you fry bacon without a shirt or apron that’s Rule 2. If the fridge was booby trapped that’s rule 3 and rule 5.
Quoting the rules by number is the superstition.
RoyalClient6610
Never put your purse on the floor, because your money will go to the devil. – I’m not religious at all. I just stopped putting my purse on the ground in restaurants, because I realize how dirty the floor is.
rougekhmero
Don’t sweep my feet
chezburgs
If you gift a knife, include a penny for them to give back to you.
pickadillyprincess
I was told it’s bad luck to sweep someone’s feet. It’s obviously rude and not necessary to sweep that close to someone’s feet but I’m like overly conscious about it.
ieatlikesh1t
I never hand any one a knife, if I drop salt I toss a bit over my shoulder, I NEVER say the word slow. Ever.
mundus1520
Whatever dish you’re running low on, that’s gonna be the most popular dish of the night.
holyhackzak
Being one short of something. Let’s say I need five chicken breasts. If I have exactly five on the line it’s going to be a pretty good day. If I have four on the line and more in the walk in I take that as a bad omen.
PinkyandElric
No bare ass on the grill.
Not sure if that’s really superstition per se
DispoHimbo
I have punched coworkers for commenting on how slow it is. They always get mad when they have to eat their words not even 5 minutes later.
Sonnyjoon91
You cannot comment if it is going to be a slow or easy night. You will bring the evil eye and be cursed with a rush.
flydespereaux
If you don’t feed the dishwashers, it’s bad luck on Friday and Saturday night.
pizzadahutt121
Always knock on a jinx
EarRubs
It’s bad luck to stir a soup pot counterclockwise.
Derek420HighBisCis
Saying, “it’s gonna be dead today/tonight” at shift brief got you a lot of grief during any shift regardless of diner tempo. You better hope it’s dead, because you were rolling everyone’s silver allotment (35-50 per scheduled server, depending, but never fewer than 35) at the end of your shift. God forbid you are working a double…
That’s a lot of wrapping.
azjeepdriver
I call it the lucky ticket.
If you send the food out, but forget the ticket on the docket, and it stays for more than an hour, if you pull it you’ll get a rush. Happens. Every. Single. Time.
xop293
Well, I ate my black eye peas yesterday. That’s about it. Happy New Year to everyone.
Pbrart89
If it’s slow, make yourself something to eat. That way you can watch it die sad and alone in the corner because now that printer won’t stop going off
Rough-Bison-2512
Never throw away the excess souffle mix, never needed it but it’s something I was taught “just in case” and stuck with it
Polarwhite850R
If it’s slow and you decide to start prepping you will stop halfway through and not finish until breakdown, because you got a rush
REALM_Sorcerer
Doing fentanyl in the bathroom so I dont puke mid shift.
cameron4200
Okay but what happens when I spill garlic or kosher salt?
jackatman
Having a quiet close is like pitching a no hitter. No one say anything or it will go away.
BabaKazimir
Always clack the tongs twice
yells_at_bugs
The amount of salt I’ve thrown over my left shoulder…
kappa_demonn
Never mention clam strips. If you even THINK it, someone’s gonna order em.
Quick-Cream3483
Never say “we are all set.” That’s when someone drops a jackstack down a flight of stairs. Ask me how I know.
SooFrosty
Ever since that Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, I do the salt thing just for the ear slug
halveclosedeyes
This is the first time I’m hearing of kitchen superstitions never would have thought this to be a thing
dofrogsbite
Never open anything upside down.
Never sweep over someone’s feet.
cheesepage
Always salt over the left shoulder if it’s spilled or left over. Not really superstitious, but with the amount of salt I go through the odds are not in my favor.
Loki12241224
Never knew this was a thing but my wife wont let me open an umbrella inside for some reason. She is an atheist and non superstitious but she will make sure i am outside prior to opening an umbrella
42 Comments
Five second rule 😉
Superstitions are for children. I prefer to live in reality, where my decisions are decided empirically.
If you shut down the line 15 minutes before close a customer will always walk in.
It’s bad luck to feed the dishwasher half-assed food.
No one is allowed to comment on it if it’s slow. The customers will hear it and swarm en masse
Italian and raised by “don’t believe in superstitions, but just in case…”
… So you bet I throw salt over my shoulder too
EVERY single time we have a slow night and we just do our thing, it stays a slow night. BUT! If I start making a batch of pizza dough, EVERY TIME!!!! it gets busy right after I add the yeast to the flour mixture.
Never say everything going smooth
When you are low on prep for a dish it will sell well that night
If I ever have to say something about how slow it is, I knock on wood to make sure the customers don’t hear.
I have a short list of kitchen rules
1. Be clean
2. Be dressed
3. Don’t catch
4. It’s hot
5. Wipe that
They are only quoted by number in context. So if you didn’t wash your hands after raw meat that’s a Rule #1. Or if you spill something that’s Rule 5. If you fry bacon without a shirt or apron that’s Rule 2. If the fridge was booby trapped that’s rule 3 and rule 5.
Quoting the rules by number is the superstition.
Never put your purse on the floor, because your money will go to the devil. – I’m not religious at all. I just stopped putting my purse on the ground in restaurants, because I realize how dirty the floor is.
Don’t sweep my feet
If you gift a knife, include a penny for them to give back to you.
I was told it’s bad luck to sweep someone’s feet. It’s obviously rude and not necessary to sweep that close to someone’s feet but I’m like overly conscious about it.
I never hand any one a knife, if I drop salt I toss a bit over my shoulder, I NEVER say the word slow. Ever.
Whatever dish you’re running low on, that’s gonna be the most popular dish of the night.
Being one short of something. Let’s say I need five chicken breasts. If I have exactly five on the line it’s going to be a pretty good day. If I have four on the line and more in the walk in I take that as a bad omen.
No bare ass on the grill.
Not sure if that’s really superstition per se
I have punched coworkers for commenting on how slow it is. They always get mad when they have to eat their words not even 5 minutes later.
You cannot comment if it is going to be a slow or easy night. You will bring the evil eye and be cursed with a rush.
If you don’t feed the dishwashers, it’s bad luck on Friday and Saturday night.
Always knock on a jinx
It’s bad luck to stir a soup pot counterclockwise.
Saying, “it’s gonna be dead today/tonight” at shift brief got you a lot of grief during any shift regardless of diner tempo. You better hope it’s dead, because you were rolling everyone’s silver allotment (35-50 per scheduled server, depending, but never fewer than 35) at the end of your shift. God forbid you are working a double…
That’s a lot of wrapping.
I call it the lucky ticket.
If you send the food out, but forget the ticket on the docket, and it stays for more than an hour, if you pull it you’ll get a rush. Happens. Every. Single. Time.
Well, I ate my black eye peas yesterday. That’s about it. Happy New Year to everyone.
If it’s slow, make yourself something to eat. That way you can watch it die sad and alone in the corner because now that printer won’t stop going off
Never throw away the excess souffle mix, never needed it but it’s something I was taught “just in case” and stuck with it
If it’s slow and you decide to start prepping you will stop halfway through and not finish until breakdown, because you got a rush
Doing fentanyl in the bathroom so I dont puke mid shift.
Okay but what happens when I spill garlic or kosher salt?
Having a quiet close is like pitching a no hitter. No one say anything or it will go away.
Always clack the tongs twice
The amount of salt I’ve thrown over my left shoulder…
Never mention clam strips. If you even THINK it, someone’s gonna order em.
Never say “we are all set.” That’s when someone drops a jackstack down a flight of stairs. Ask me how I know.
Ever since that Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, I do the salt thing just for the ear slug
This is the first time I’m hearing of kitchen superstitions never would have thought this to be a thing
Never open anything upside down.
Never sweep over someone’s feet.
Always salt over the left shoulder if it’s spilled or left over. Not really superstitious, but with the amount of salt I go through the odds are not in my favor.
Never knew this was a thing but my wife wont let me open an umbrella inside for some reason. She is an atheist and non superstitious but she will make sure i am outside prior to opening an umbrella