Any waiters/resses out there? (with apologies to Sambucus Nigra)

chrissie57

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Whilst I've got you here in the room; can I ask a question that bugs me nearly every time I go to any restaurant.

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

We sit down, we order, the food comes, we eat it, the plates are taken away, we sometimes have dessert and then we wait. And wait. And sometimes wait a little more. We put our coats on, and almost have to trip the waiter/waitress over to get their attention just to get the bill and pay.

It seems to be universal - the inability to let me pay for the food I've just consumed. Sometimes, I've had to ask 3 times; and sometimes I am waiting for longer than it took to peruse the menu, order, wait and eat the stuff.

WHY?

The above quote is from a different thread, so hope Sambucus Nigra will forgive me for lifting it wholesale BUT

I am 55 years old and have been eating in cafes/restauarants since I was 18 - and the above scenario has always been the same:mad: It doesn't matter how posh the place, there seems to be a huge reluctance to take your money - I remember one place where we had asked for the bill 3 times and the staff appeared to be indulging in a game of hide-and-seek with us:eek:

These days, we tend just to get up and put our coats on - this usually produces reaction but still they seem stunned that we want to settle up:rotfl:I have to say, in the odd place where they try and say you need to wait at your table, I refuse to do so - they have had their chance, by now I just want to get out.

I appreciate this is more of a rant than anything but would appreciate any ideas on this - what the h*** is the point of behaving like this - in my case, I have even reduced my tip because I no longer feel I have had good service, no matter what the rest of the evening has been like.

Right - off to find a paper bag to breath into...

torbrex

A friend of mine would tell them at the point of ordering his meal thet any tip left would be reduced by half for every 5 minutes the bill was delayed after coffee was served and although it always sounded rude when he told the waiter this, it always had the result in the bill being brought straight away.
I do it slightly differently, I ask for the bill as soon as they have brought the final item that I have ordered and tell them that I need to leave very soon and will not wait for them to bring it for long. On a couple of occasions, I have had my coat on and been in the process of leaving when they have dashed over with the bill and its at these times I have asked to see the manager/owner and brought the matter to their attention.

I holiday in America just about every year and the restaurants there bring the bill to the table usually when you are halfway through your meal, it has got a sub-total on it and plenty of space to add things should you wish to order something else and you just take it to the till point when you are ready to leave. The waiters there are also a lot more attentive and if anything a little too much so as they constanly ask if everything is allright with the meal.

mishkanorman

They have your custom, you've already racked up a bill and they are off making sure the other customers in the restaurant are being served in the hope they will feel they have been treated well and order that extra drink or order an extra course. Also if they delay enough you may well order another round of drinks

Pollycat

Just eat in those places that make you pay in advance for your food.
Problem solved. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Sambucus_Nigra

mishkanorman wrote: »

They have your custom, you've already racked up a bill and they are off making sure the other customers in the restaurant are being served in the hope they will feel they have been treated well and order that extra drink or order an extra course. Also if they delay enough you may well order another round of drinks

Even if [as I put on the other thread] we haven't ordered any alcohol and have already refused any drinks during the meal itself and are sitting there with our coats on and wallets out?

Drives me crazy.

Sambucus_Nigra

It also happens in supermarkets - they spend all this time and expense putting the goods out and leave you waiting in queues - once in S the queues were racking down the aisles and someone put a call out for everyone to come to the tills and staff were hiding in the clothes racks pretending to do stuff to avoid it.

What is the point of all that work, if people are walking out after waiting 20mins in queues?

Sambucus_Nigra

torbrex wrote: »

I holiday in America just about every year and the restaurants there bring the bill to the table usually when you are halfway through your meal, it has got a sub-total on it and plenty of space to add things should you wish to order something else and you just take it to the till point when you are ready to leave. The waiters there are also a lot more attentive and if anything a little too much so as they constanly ask if everything is allright with the meal.

I don't think I have ever waited for a bill in the USA - I certainly can't think of a time when I have. It floats onto your table and if you order anything else, a revised one takes it's place. You can swipe your card and sign and it's done and dusted in 5 seconds.

rachbc

this is one of my bug bears- we actully pic places now that you pay on order. Drives me mad!

torbrex

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I don't think I have ever waited for a bill in the USA - I certainly can't think of a time when I have. It floats onto your table and if you order anything else, a revised one takes it's place. You can swipe your card and sign and it's done and dusted in 5 seconds.

That has always been my experience there as well and I am always prone to leaving a bigger tip as there has not been any delay to detract from the service I have received.

lostinrates

Asking for your bill with dessert and or coffee is the best course of action we find.

We've been trying a new restaurant every month for the last year, service is starting to matter more and more as food gets better and better in the uk. Hopefully the career will eventually get the respect it deserves everywhere and receives on the continent.

building_with_lego

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

It also happens in supermarkets - they spend all this time and expense putting the goods out and leave you waiting in queues - once in S the queues were racking down the aisles and someone put a call out for everyone to come to the tills and staff were hiding in the clothes racks pretending to do stuff to avoid it.

What is the point of all that work, if people are walking out after waiting 20mins in queues?

That's why I love our co-op. They call staff by name to go onto the checkouts whan there's what they consider a queue. (A queue is more than one person waiting at a checkout or more than three waiting at the kiosk.) S, T et al just issue a blanket "all till- trained operators" command with very little effect.