10 surprising mistakes that Americans make when eating at restaurants

Eating out at a restaurant can feel like the ultimate luxury, especially when you can’t manage to look at your stove again. However, some people still make a few faux pas when dining out.

INSIDER spoke to restaurant insiders and hospitality experts to identify the big mistakes Americans make when they eat at a restaurant.

Modifying your meal.

Excluding allergies, restaurant goers oftentimes try to change the dish to align with their own preferences.

"Most current, on-trend restaurants have gone the route of fully composed dishes," Nicole Biscardi, a partner and director of operations at New York City-based restaurant consulting firm AllDay Industry, told INSIDER. "The days of 'choice of side' are more or less gone. As a result, changes or modifications to menu items are often frowned upon, as changing one element can throw off the balance of the entire dish."

Biscardi recommends trusting the chef and venturing outside of your comfort zone when ordering.

Showing up late to a reservation, or not making a reservation at all.

Many restaurants use a reservation system to make sure parties — oftentimes large groups — are accommodated in advance, with a portion of the tables being left for walk-ins.

When a party is late to their reservation, it throws the whole night off for a host, the person who is frequently in charge of seating parties.

Likewise, Josiah Salerno, general manager of Toca Madera in Los Angeles, told INSIDER that not making a reservation during prime or peak hours can be just as bad.

In major US cities like Los Angeles or New York City, the wait can be up to two hours without a reservation.

Ordering with another waiter.

Although it can be frustrating when your waiter takes a long time to return to your table or take your order, getting the attention of another waiter can make the matter worse, Salerno said.

Ordering with another waiter can cause confusion, whether that's because they put your order in without telling your designated server or the request can be misunderstood or duplicated.