It’s that time of week when we answer the questions you’re too drunk or shy to ask…This question comes from Eric: We went out after a late show, but we weren’t very hungry. My wife and I ordered a salad and appetizer, then split an entree. I don’t drink, but she had two glasses of wine. The server definitely tried to rush us out of there, not even asking if we wanted dessert before she brought the check. Is there an unwritten rule I should know about regarding ordering? Does everyone have to order an entree at night? What if you’re on a budget?Pissy waiters are a blight on the industry. Unfortunately, every waiter gets pissy every once in a while and forgets her place and the service she is supposed to provide for all. You ordered food. You did nothing wrong.If you go to a place that’s clearly a restaurant during the hours of dinner service, you need to order food in order to sit at a table. Period. It doesn’t matter if the restaurant isn’t full at the moment, because that can change on a dime. A ton of restaurants are strict about this, because when you make an exception once or twice, it can bite you in the ass later. (If the hour is much later, this rule can be a little flexible, but always ask.)That salad and appetizer, I’m guessing, was equal in value to an entree. Two drinks, two entrees — you did your part as far as I’m concerned. Waiters, however, live off their tips, so obviously they want to jack that check up as high as possible. What many shortsighted waiters forget is that it all comes out in the wash, always. Maybe you and your wife would have returned some later evening for a splurge-y date. If you had received killer service, maybe you would have made the joint your after-movie hang, over the course of a year giving the restaurant ten or twenty times what you spent that night. It amazes me just how much damage a shitty server can do to a restaurant owner’s pocketbook. It also amazes me that some owners let their staff get away with such behavior, either through absence or lack of discipline. Not every hand is blackjack, and not every table is going to throw down for a bottle of wine and three courses. But every customer is a potential PR agent for your restaurant. Smart owners and servers know this.So, no, you are not required to order two or three courses to have a seat at a table in a restaurant. These days, as I’ve said before, many places should be happy just to have butts in seats. How you ordered is the perfect way to cut a few corners when going out if you’re on a budget. I apologize that some of us in the service industry, well, can lose it at the end of the night. It’s not fair to you as a customer. In conclusion: Stupid, stupid waitress. Stupider, stupider owner.Got a question for the bartender? Email me at msavarino@seattleweekly.com.