Sitting down to eat at a restaurant is fraught with peril: every meal, you run the risk of coming down with a foodborne illness, finding a razor in your rice, or being verbally abused (at some restaurants, that’s actually the whole point). But is it ever really your poor waiter’s fault?
For one diner in Quebec, the answer was a resounding yes—so resounding, in fact, that he’s suing the 22-year-old man that served him. The story starts with a relatively simple order mix-up: Simon-Pierre Canuel ordered a steak tartare at Le Tapageur in Gatineau, Quebec, and instead gets a salmon tartare. There’s just one tiny problem: he has an extreme alergy to seafood, which he reportedly told his waiter. According to an interview with CBC Canada, he took one bite before realizing what he was eating wasn’t beef.
[quote position="full" is_quote="true"]We told the waiter, who apologized, saying he would bring me beef. That's when I started going into anaphylactic shock and having difficulty breathing.[/quote]
"With the dim lighting, it's not easy to tell the difference between two dishes, especially if they use mayonnaise. It can be confusing," Canuel told CBC (though for the record, neither salmon nor beef tartare traditionally calls for mayo). "He confirmed that it was salmon and he said we had to go to hospital. We told the waiter, who apologized, saying he would bring me beef. That's when I started going into anaphylactic shock and having difficulty breathing."
Canuel, who had left his EpiPen in his car outside the restaurant, subsequently went into cardiac arrest, and was in a coma for several days.
“I almost died,” he told reporters.
The waiter, who has not been named, was arrested on Wednesday, effectively making Canadian restaurant law history: This would be the first time a waiter has been sued for criminal negligence in the entire country. Criminal defense lawyers in Canada are skeptical that the case will make it to criminal court, however—this is the sort of thing that would be considered a civil law case, according to attorney Daniel Brown.
He told the Toronto Star that prosecutors will have to prove that the server showed “wanton, reckless disregard” for human life.
[quote position="left" is_quote="false"]This would be the first time a waiter has been sued for criminal negligence in Canada.[/quote]
“It would be extremely rare to see a case like this make its way into the criminal courts,” Brown said. “It must make a lot of waiters uneasy.”
Americans, however, are much quicker to bring the hands that feed them to court: everyone from gluten-free college students to dairy-averse steakhouse goers have launched lawsuits against restaurants and cafeterias for failing to keep their health top of mind.
The difference, however, is that these suits were brought against the businesses, not the servers themselves. If you want to sue your waiter, you may have to wait almost a year to see any results, like the Syracuse man who sued his Chili’s waiter for spitting in his cup (the police ran DNA tests and yes, he did indeed do it.)
[quote position="right" is_quote="true"]When you don’t do something that is supposed to be your duty, and you show recklessness for the life or security of someone, that’s a crime.[/quote]
In the meantime, the Quebec server was released from police custody, and is awaiting news about whether he’ll face criminal charges for negligence—which could result in anything from a fine to years in prison.
“When you don’t do something that is supposed to be your duty, and you show recklessness for the life or security of someone, that’s a crime,” Police Constable Martin Constable Carrier told reporters.
What do you think—does this waiter deserve to go to jail?
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.