“A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person” was written by newspaper humor columnist Dave Barry in 1998. ““People who aren’t nice to waiters/waitresses aren’t nice people” is another popular form of the saying.
 
   
Wikiquote: Dave Barry
David McAlister “Dave” Barry (born July 3, 1947) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comedic novels.
 
30 September 1998, The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), “Dave Barry turns 50: 25 things I have learned in 50 years” by Dave Barry,” pg. 9A, col. 6:
21. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
 
Google Books
Mr. Littlejohn’s Secrets to a Lifetime of Success
By Pat Williams and Jim Denney
Grand Rapids, MI: F.H. Revell
2000
Pg. 79:
Columnist Dave Barry once observed, “A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.”
 
9 June 2001, Augusta (GA) CHronicle, Ann Landers column, pg. 6C, col. 1:
A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.
 
alt.machines.cnc
OT: Credibility
Robin S.
7/13/02
(...)
Along the same lines, “Nice people who are not nice to waiters are not nice people.”
 
mengwong
from: gconnor
date: Nov. 8th, 2005 04:12 pm (UTC)
(...)
From the player’s point of view, I can see why you want to keep “hired guns” out of play- you want them to be either on your side, or at least neutral. A hired gun on the scene could either scuttle the deal or help you close. “People who aren’t nice to waiters and waitresses aren’t nice people,” and girls know this. If the (female) hired gun recognizes you and is friendly, that’s almost like a vote of confidence.
 
The Official Dave Barry Blog
Well, I have to confess, as a long-term member of the restaurant industry, it is the reason I found you guys.
 
Whilest working on my little idea,project,biz trade publication, I ran across a quote attributed to Dave.
 
“People who are nice to you, but aren’t nice to the waiter, aren’t nice people.”
 
Right on, Dave.
Posted by: Merely Meditrina | January 25, 2007 at 03:42 PM
   
Twitter
Kristine Bulatao
‏@kristinebulatao
People who aren’t polite to the waiters, street vendors, drivers, salesladies and men, cashiers and old folks aren’t nice people.
4:43 AM - 16 Jan 2011
 
Twitter
Hrvoje Repak
‏@HRepak
Nice people who aren’t nice to the waiter, aren’t nice people. - Dave Barry
3:40 PM - 12 Jul 2012
 
Twitter
Tom Hanrahan
‏@TomHammerhands
There are few things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and that people who are not nice to waiters are not nice people.
1:29 PM - 30 Aug 2013
 
Twitter
Your Waitress
‏@yourwaitress81
That old adage: “People who aren’t nice to waiters aren’t nice people”
They aren’t smart either. Who insults someone holding your food?
8:42 AM - 24 May 2014