restaurant staff are never satisfied if you don't want everything

surfcat

Has anyone else noticed that in otherwise nice restaurants the waiting staff get a little shirty when you don't order from all their courses?

Like last night me and the gf went out for a curry. The service was otherwise excellent but they seemed to be a little put out that we didn't want starter/dessert/coffee, and I didn't want my drink topping up every five minutes.

I've also had this in Italian restaurants. Once, in Zizzi, the waitress seemed to positively turn her nose up at us when we didn't want wine or dessert. Can't they just be happy that someone is out enjoying a simple meal in their restaurant?

Allexie

Ooooh yes, I find this too! Sometimes I just want a starter and a pud whilst my friend usually has a main course and a pud. That often doesn't go down very well.

And also trying to get them to bring my starter at the same time as friends main course, so we are eating together, is a nightmare. It usually ends up with me with starter (friend twiddles thumbs), then friend gets main course (me twiddles thumbs).......

Ellie2758

They should just be grateful for our business. It will hardly encourage further visits if they take this attitude.

Ellie

Kantankrus_Mare

I am writing in defence!!

Not ALL restaurants are like this. I work in a fairly upmarket cafe bar as a waitress. We have a really busy lunch trade. It makes no difference to me whether people want to spend a lot or a little, I just try to give the best service possible and sometimes if its REALLY busy Im quite pleased that customers don't want sweets ,coffee etc as I can then concentrate on customers that have only just arrived and need orders taking.

Maybe the staff in restaurants you go to are on commission? Or are pushed by owners to sell as much as possible as its the little extras that can really boost the bill and their daily takings.

I just try to give good service in the hope of a nce tip as being on minimum wage is a bit of a drag, but we get regular and friendly customers so its not all bad.

Wig

Ellie2758 wrote:

They should just be grateful for our business. It will hardly encourage further visits if they take this attitude.

Ellie

Maybe they don't want you back ever thought of that? Especially if you're only getting a starter and a pud, why not have a main meal and a pud?


If I go to a restaurant I'll sometimes have the set menu, you choose from 3 starters, choose from 3/4 mains and 3/4 puds - cheaper than buying all separately.

pinkfluffybabe

There is nothing wrong with getting just a starter and a pud! I have done this a few times and I know it doesnt go down terribly well. There's nothing wrong with not following convention.

Its not about price either, its about what you want to eat.

Poing

I totally agree with the OP.

Went for a meal with friend who had starter and main, and I just had main - waiter asked why I wasn't having a starter. I thought this was quite rude, and I felt embarrassed to say it was because I "was on a diet". Also it was a fairly expensive restaurant (by my standards) and as I was paying nearly £10 for a mushroom risotto, I could not justify spending another £5-6 pounds for a starter that I didn't really NEED to eat. The total bill was nearly £40 after having coffees aswell (I had water with meal as driving), and whilst I enjoyed spending the time with my friend, it cost about the same as the WEEKLY shopping bill for me, my partner and 2 cats! If some people don't have a problem with that well good for them, but I think it is excessive!
And how can restaurants charge so much for a main, then charge you extra for veg/salad, then include compulsory service charges!! It drives me mad, and for me spoils the experience of the ACTUAL FOOD and company you are with.

flea72

if going to a restaurant of an evening, i would expect to at least buy a main meal, and one other course - as a restaurant owner, i would be a bit !!!!!! to see my tables being used by people, who werent there to eat, or spend money

if youre not hungry, then go somewhere that expects a fast turnover of tables, ie pizza hut, rather than zizzis

on the occasions i have been to restaurants and nothing on the main meal menu appeals, but i see something on the starter menu i do like, then i ask for a main meal sized version of the starter

seems waiting staff cant win, if they arent on you every 5mins checking everything is ok, they get accused of ignoring the customer, and if they ask if you need anything, they get moaned about for trying to push extras

surfcat

It's not the fact that they ASK me if I would like these things that bothers me, it's the way waiters sometimes get shirty when you decline. WE are the customers. If you don't like serving US then you're in the wrong business.

I'm quite a slim guy and if I have a curry with rice or a 10" pizza with salad I physically cannot eat/drink any more without feeling uncomfortable for the rest of the evening. Why should I eat more just to boost your profit margin?

Bendybops19

I do know what you mean, i just get fed up of snooty waiters :mad:
But yet, I always leave a tip for waiters/waitresses, even if they are rude to me :rolleyes: I feel that i have to and feel bad if i dont!

My bf is a strange one...sometimes when we go out for a quick lunch, he will often decide that he just wants to have a pudding :rolleyes: I always feel embaressed when he orders, but why should i? We are paying, and if thats what he wants to eat, then fine!
But they always take his order for pudding and then say 'ok...and what is it you want for the main?' even though he has just explained what he wants for his main course! Argh!

Raggie

Bendybops 19 your right... having spent some time in the US, we have (at times), been known to have starter, Main and Dessert in different restaurants, it made realy fun evenings, and no body in any of the restaurnts ever complained.....

In fact the more I think about a number of perople I know in the USA, go out for "dessert" only... it seems more acepted there.. so why not in the UK...