(367 words, 1,967 characters, 5 paragraphs.)
When at a restaurant, it is critical to use proper etiquette and be super polite to the waiters, waitresses, and all the other staff members. Cleaning up the dishes, wiping off the tables, writing down your extensive order, remembering which table has what order, and cooking it takes a long time to do, and you should be thankful they don't spit in your food when you're rude!
These people don't earn very much money for their work, either, so a 15% tip makes a humongous difference to them! A majority of dine-in restaurant workers (and all of fast food workers) only earn minimum wage, which is about $7.25 an hour. Whether they're saving up for something like college, a house or apartment, a car, or if they're just trying to get by, no one (or very few people) would choose to do this as their 'dream job'. Yeah, maybe drive-throughs don't always get your order right, but you can go back immediately and get it fixed - sometimes even for free!
And be sure to say your please and thank you's, because they appreciate politeness and manners just as much as you do. Ever get treated badly by a doctor or an associate at a store like Walmart or Lowes? Well, even if you haven't, it feels bad, and might leave you in a bad mood for the rest of the day. The same goes for them. If you're nasty to whoever is serving you, it'll hurt their feelings and will result in their ability to give you their best to decrease.
As for the restaurant cooks (or food prepare-ers), there was once a cook who worked at a 24 hour pancake place. The pancakes he made kept coming out soggy or burnt, and everyone had to wait a long time for each one. The reason none of his pancakes were good, was because he had been there for 36 hours with only one short nap.
So remember, the next time you're at a restaurant or a store (or anywhere really) there are real people, just like you, with feelings, just like you, who are trying. They are real people who deserve just as much respect as you.