DEAR MISS MANNERS: Many restaurant servers and food handlers in sandwich shops and fast-food stores are wearing facial jewelry, like nose rings and lip, eyebrow, nose, tongue and chin piercings.
I don’t know why, but these facial piercings literally nauseate me. My appetite is gone.
What to do? If I complain to the manager, the server might get fired. If I ask for another server, a friend who works in restaurants said it is very likely the kitchen staff will get even by contaminating my food.
Also, some food servers sport arm tattoos from their neck to their wrists. Some tattoos are pictorial, but many are word messages.
What’s the proper thing to do? Do I try to read the messages or look at images? Are tattoos like these an invitation for attention? Is it OK to ask, “What does that tattoo mean?”
GENTLE READER: It strikes Miss Manners that you are more interested in the food handlers than the food.
And while you should not patronize a restaurant that brings on nausea, for whatever reason, you should not presume that the price of a meal entitles you to critique or question the appearance of the staff. The time to check out the staff is before you sit down, so that you can dine elsewhere if their appearance upsets you.