In a recent survey conducted by UK-based market research firm YouGov, over 1,000 Americans were polled to determine the most unacceptable behaviors exhibited by restaurant customers. The results shed light on the dining habits that leave fellow diners and restaurant staff the most irritated.

While opinions varied on certain actions, one behavior stood out as particularly annoying to around 90% of respondents. Refusing to pay for a meal that one has consumed but disliked ranked as the top offense. Bryan Hull, a contracts professor at Loyola Law School in California, explained that in most cases, customers are obligated to pay for the dish they consumed, even if it failed to meet their expectations. However, some establishments may choose to take the dish back to the kitchen and not charge the customer if it was not completely consumed.

Allowing children to wander freely around a restaurant was another major no-no, as mentioned by 90% of those surveyed. In fact, some restaurants have even gone so far as to implement a ban on younger children altogether. Nettie's House of Spaghetti in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, made headlines earlier this year when it announced on social media that children under the age of 10 would no longer be allowed to dine in. The decision was made due to concerns about noise levels, limited space for high chairs, cleaning up after messes, and the potential liability of unsupervised children. Despite receiving mixed reactions online, Nettie's website confirms that the ban remains in effect.

Debating menu prices with staff, overstaying a restaurant's closing time, and snapping fingers to gain a waiter's attention rounded out the top five unacceptable behaviors reported by the survey participants. These findings serve as a reminder to restaurant-goers to be mindful of their actions and considerate towards other diners and restaurant staff.

The top ten bad diner behaviors, along with the percentage of respondents who deemed them unacceptable, are as follows:

1. Refusing to pay for a disliked meal - 90%
2. Allowing children to roam freely - 90%
3. Debating menu prices with staff - 85%
4. Overstaying a restaurant's closing time - 82%
5. Snapping fingers to get a waiter's attention - 79%
6. Bringing outside alcohol - 77%
7. Making modifications to a menu item - 70%
8. Talking loudly on the phone - 67%
9. Not tipping appropriately - 64%
10. Bringing outside food - 61%

These survey results serve as a reminder for all restaurant-goers to practice proper etiquette and consider the comfort and experience of others while dining out.