What does it mean when a waiter looks at you all the time up close and from afar?

Answer 1

You have not specified the gender of the waiter but in regards to "staring" both sexes behave in similar ways. Being a waiter is really irrelevant to this issue other than the fact it provided extra opportunity for staring. It is highly like that the staring indicates the person is attracted to you and is hoping to catch your eye and also hoping you will stare back and recognise they are attracted to you. No doubt they are hoping the feeling is mutual.

There are other possibilities that you should consider. Staring can be considered rude and if it makes you feel uncomfortable then you should let the person know . Whether the person is a waiter or in another profession they should not really cross their personal and professional boundaries to the degree you feel upset or disturbed by their attention. (if you welcome the attention that may be a different matter)

However staring can be confrontational ,intimidating and even aggressive and the person may be deliberately trying to make you feel threatened . It could also indicate they think they recognise you because you seem familiar and they may be staring at you to work out if they can identify you. In rare cases staring can result from mental health issues stemming from an obsession about the person they are staring at. You may have to trust your intuition. Ask yourself if you feel pleased (or mutually attracted) or do you feel uncomfortable or threatened ? How you feel inside will help you unlock the meaning behind the staring.