You know what's worse? Calling out to the waiter. Everyone around me hears it.
The waiter doesn't.
This is a classic scenario, and has happened to me too many times.
Protip: nobody is going to think "look at that weird person calling a waiter!"
Look at that weird person existing on this planet. Damn what a weirdo, just trying to exist!
/s
Yes but in my head they are all laughing at me
Yes but challenging those thoughts with thoughts like these makes them go away. (for me)
This works though. As a former server, if one of my tables was looking around, they almost always needed something.
Then you're one of the good ones. Thank you for your excellent service.
I've had servers pretending I was a blind spot in their field of view, their gaze constantly slipping off me like I was the visual equivalent of teflon.
Mister Cellophane
Raise your hand like elementary. Or move to Japan where many restaurants have button to call waiter.
The pain is real (though unheard and unseen, as anything else would be too dramatic).
When you are at the Oktoberfest it is best to yell „He Bierkuh!“
Then you think you made eye contact with the waiter, so you call him, but he wasn't actually looking at you.
It took me a long time coming to bars to understand the trick of eye contact with the bartender to ask for a check/etc. It can initially be a challenge if you’re not great with eye contact, but a good exercise to do more of it.
I'd just be too scared too eat out by myself.
I can eat you out if you want
SUMIMASEN!!
