Restaurant server explains how customers should leave dishes following a meal, dividing opinion

A US restaurant server has explained how they prefer customers to leave their dishes when they've finished a meal.

Responding to a prompt by a fellow TikToker, the server, who lives in Nashville and shares content as @bubblesonthemoon, explained: "My preference of stacking for easy clean up. Had training going on so perfect timing! Of course, this is all my opinion and preference.

"Cups you do not stack together to avoid suction and getting stuck. Some people prefer stacking, some don't. All depends on the person. Hope this helps!"

Watch the video above

READ MORE: 'That was the hardest time': Briony's surprise admission about completing cancer treatment

In the video, we see the server carefully scraping the food scraps onto one plate before stacking them neatly in the centre of the table for easy collection.

The video, which has been viewed almost 800,000 times, prompted debate amongst servers.

READ MORE: The best portable air conditioners for every budget

"If you have a good server you never have that many plates," a fellow server commented.

"The bigger issue is the server not prebussing the table to begin with," another agreed.

Diners have shared mixed reactions to the instruction.

"Been doing this for years. does this actually make things easier for them? I try to help them as much as I can," one said.

"Finally. I feel like I've done something right. Ha ha! I've seen servers complain on here about stacking," another said, to which the original poster responded: "They did admit in the Comments section of the video some servers may prefer dishes not to be stacked."

Another added: "We do this, but also. be sure to leave a clean edge outward so they don't have to stick their fingers in your food to pick up the plates."

"I've never been a server. I thought this was common knowledge," commented another TikToker.

One server commented: "I was a server and I didn't care if anybody did this. If you did, okay. If you didn't, okay too."

Others shard a different perspective.

"I believe part of the enjoyment of eating out is not having to do anything, especially scraping plates...I have been a server and still believe this!" they commented.

READ MORE: Kate visits England's Wheelchair Rugby team as her popularity takes a hit after Prince Harry's book

"What's next are we supposed to scan our own groceries at the grocery store.......Wait, nevermind," another joked.

"Doesn't always have to be this well done; but an effort is always appreciated," another server said.

One customer shared: "I have always done this and one day a family member said people get paid to do this and I was like well I raised myself to clean a dirt table."

A high-end restaurant server offered: "When I used to be a server we weren't allowed to scrape food onto another plate like that. But I worked at a fancy place."