Our Favorite Restaurant Memes
Remember laughing? I think I do. That spontaneous, spasmodic noise that makes me spit seltzer on my laptop screen. Whether it’s viral videos, funny TikToks or an endless supply of restaurant memes, the internet is teeming with funny content. If you haven’t already, you should definitely check it out!
The internet is massive, and honestly, feels a bit like the wild west. We know it can be intimidating. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of some of our favorite restaurant memes, the ones that make us actually L-O-L, so you don’t have to trawl the net’s dark recesses. Remember to take these with a grain (or spoonful) of salt as meme humor often swings to the nihilistic, absurdist side of the comedic spectrum. What is comedy but tragedy (or a horrific and unending series of tragedies all wrought upon by a viral pandemic!) plus a little bit of timing?
Misery is only temporary, but memes are forever.
Memes were chosen by the QSR Team, with additional commentary by Dylan Chadwick and Syd Bishop.
To All The Karens
| Of course, you’ve got to play it cool and tactfully in the heat of the moment, but let’s be honest, no menu item tastes as good as “being right” feels. A good restaurant manager can navigate these situations with aplomb, arriving at a solution that’s pleasing to all parties. Still, a good restaurant manager also protects their employees and serves as a buffer between them and a potentially heated situation. |  |
Rush Hour
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The term “baptism by fire” seems especially apt for restaurant work — a heated environment, warmed by hot stoves and hotter emotions. Those who’ve weathered a restaurant rush know the protocol, but a newer employee might find the experience akin to a stampede. That’s why it’s important to create a consistent, clear training regiment and restaurant employee handbook, and refer to them often. This strategy keeps new and veteran employees on the same page, armed with the necessary information to get through a difficult stretch. |
15 Minutes
| There’s always that customer that comes in, sees the busy restaurant, and then the 20-minute window in which they need their food. Yikes! Though not always convenient, there are several restaurant time hacks that can help you make good on these short turnarounds. While you can’t always promise a 5-top in 20 minutes, you can provide accurate order information, predicated on kitchen activity, so that you’re not keeping customers guessing. Most customers can deal with an extended wait time as long as you’re keeping them updated — it’s the uncertainty that brings stress. |  |
Mindful Rambo
| Studies indicate that restaurant work has the potential to be a particularly high-stress work environment. Whether that’s through tech-oriented mishaps like poor capacity management causing backups or a toxic workplace, restaurant work is tough. This meme, taken from the fourth in the Rambo series, addresses that grace under fire, which anyone who has ever worked in a kitchen can relate to. Many restaurant workers can relate to John Rambo here, if only in acknowledging your mental health. You don’t have to grin and bear it alone. If you’re ever feeling the pressure, take the steps to stay mindful. |  |
I’m So Fancy
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What makes a restaurant “fancy?” Perception is truly in the eye of the beholder in terms of fine dining, which is the spice of life. Sometimes it’s good to go back to that innocent, childlike place of wonderment. A “nice” restaurant needs no wine menu or over-priced food served on tiny plates in a child’s mind. “Nice” restaurants are those with enjoyable food, an inviting atmosphere, and maybe like, an unlimited soft-serve sundae machine or something. Oh! What about an animatronic barnyard band? |
With This One Trick…
| First off: this is illegal and a disservice to the public by obscuring the health code of this restaurant operation. While the restaurateur in this situation might focus on cleaning their surfaces and hardware, their ingenuity here is unparalleled. The lesson isn’t to trick your guests into dining in though, but to remain innovative when faced with a challenge. You might do that by using restaurant tech like your kitchen display system or guest management solution to automate your cleaning prompts, while also streamlining your operations. |  |
Give Guy The Flavorstone
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It’s hard to imagine how clowning on Guy Fieri became such a trend, especially after all the work he’s done to help the restaurant community. Still, while this meme takes a little jab at his wardrobe, there is some truth to the power that he wields. In 2020 alone, the Mayor of Flavortown raised $21.5m for the restaurant industry, and he’s still going. So by all means, give Guy Fieri that flavorstone because he is obviously a force for good! |
Restaurant Maintenance Plan Much?
| Oh how we love this hyper-specific, yet somehow universally relatable meme. Delivering bad news to customers, like “our ice cream machine is broken” or “due to state regulations you must wear pants to dine here,” is never easy. Still, there’s an art to delivering unsavory information, and a good restaurant operator will know-how. Be sure to suggest alternatives if something isn’t available, and let them know what you’re doing to fix the problem. Oh, and if you need to, consider investing in a restaurant maintenance plan. |  |
A Little Peace and Quiet
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We are not taking a side here, we’re simply saying that a contingent of people who prefer child-free restaurants does exist, and no they’re not (exclusively) bitter millennials with a crippling fear of bringing more bodies onto a dying planet. Some of them just prefer an environment unpunctuated by weeping, wailing, and the gnashing of teeth. For those with children, feeling bad about this meme, don’t worry! They’ll become teenagers and will avoid being publicly seen with you, in restaurants and anywhere else, for a few years. (Don’t be mad! We did the one with the chicken nuggets too). |
Talking With Your Mouth Full
| Yikes. I always get caught at inopportune times. My move is to wipe that slurry of eggs, ground beef, and indeterminate vegetable from my maw and go,“It’s terrible! I hate it.” Servers have never heard this joke before and they will find this humor hilarious. |  |
The Eternal Argument
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The average marriage lasts about 8.2 years. Roughly 4.1 of those years are spent trying to agree on a restaurant. |
Heck’s Kitchen
| Alright, it’s a funny show but if the world were fair there’d be a show called “Haircut Horror Story” and Gordon Ramsay would get the series premiere. Does the man own a mirror? |  |
Moar!
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Them: ”Tell me when to stop” *2 hours later* Me: That’s perfect thanks |
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Totally Normal
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Are you nervous about restaurants opening back up? I’m not! Surface transmission is virtually impossible, and with vaccinations continually rolling out, dining in isn’t as precarious as it was in 2020. Do you know what does make me nervous though? Giant crustaceans. I’m talking about the big ones that can halve a Buick in one gesture. What purpose do these creatures serve but to gain sentience and enslave us? Are they bugs? fish? Who’s keeping tabs on these things to make sure they don’t get too powerful? |
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