Anyone who's waited tables can tell you it's not as easy as it looks. It's no surprise that industry blogs have cropped up everywhere; for servers who are unable to snap back at the man who thinks the steak he ordered rare is too pink, the internet provides a place to vent and find solidarity. Waiter Rant is the tale of Steve Dublanica's years in the industry, particularly at "The Bistro," an upscale restaurant in New York. The book reads like a memoir, rather than something piecemealed back together from bits of a blog. Only the appendices feel blogesque, but they're entertaining—Appendix A: "How to Be a Good Customer," should be required reading for anyone who eats out.

Dublanica begins with the story of how he got into the industry and how he ended up as manager of The Bistro. As he chronicles various angry, uptight customers, and stressed-out, drama-loving coworkers, Dublanica tries to paint a realistic picture of restaurant work. He gently explains why acting like an entitled tool is not just bad for your server, but for you. Dublanica isn't a fan of the "spit in the soup" system of retribution; he prefers to embarrass rude customers by pretending their American Express card was declined in front of potential business partners. Interlaced in the narrative are things customers ought to know, like why you shouldn't ditch out on your reservation without calling to cancel and why you can't always have the table you want. And of course, there's the importance of tipping.

After seven years in the industry, Dublanica is surprised at how long he stuck with it. He contends that serving is addictive, like gambling—you never know how a shift is going to go or how lucrative it will be. As he does on his blog, Dublanica spends a lot of time trying to figure out why people act the way they do and his previous experience in the mental-health field gives him unique insight. He theorizes that because the act of eating is so primal, people are reduced to their primeval brains in restaurants. At times the writing is too self-conscious—in several chapters, he worries about the sale and writing of the book version of Waiter Rant. He's also very careful to protect The Bistro and his coworkers. But if Dublanica can transcend his "cynical server ranting!" gimmick—which will be difficult, considering publishing's tendency to pigeonhole bloggers—he has the potential to become a talented humorous essayist or novelist.