They've learned a thing or two about relationships from spending their nights and days with couples — long-term couples sharing drinks, first-time dates sharing meals, madly in love couples sharing the same side of a very small booth.
"We're like front-row seats on a relationship," said Christine Cikowski, co-owner of Honey Butter Fried Chicken, in Chicago.
Without really trying, servers notice when you size up a date you're meeting for the first time. They glimpse you holding hands across the table. They catch you checking your phone a little too often.
That's why we turned to servers — from those who work at the hot spots to those behind the tables at eateries — for their advice about the ingredients of a healthy relationship.
It turns out that the qualities that make for a pleasant customer — patience, listening skills, good manners — make for a pleasant partnership as well.
"When you have a guy who sits down and automatically asks you for a Bud Light, which is not even on the menu, you know you've got someone who just likes what they like," said Jillian Jackson, a server at the Promontory. "That's a different experience than having someone sit down and listen to what you have to say and ask a bunch of questions."
Paying attention to your partner is key. If Jackson sees one of the pair checking her phone constantly, she worries about the relationship.
"A couple should be talking," said Jeff Lawler, owner of Geja's Cafe. "They shouldn't be on their phones. Even if it's in a McDonald's, they have to be present for each other."
