Minor things that bother you

[kkt]

if your food is dropped off without the food runner auctioning off the food (i.e. who had the BLT?)

Maybe I'm wildly off base here, but there's a price point (probably $50 for an entrée) at which I would think the staff bringing the food wouldn't go "and who had the lobster thermidor?" upon arrival at the table.  Honestly, the whole thing is overly casual in a keep-your-fork-Duke-there's-pie kind of way, but understandable at TGI Friday's.

I'd say what annoys me most is people who used to work in the industry and proceed to treat waitstaff like dirt because they think they were God's own contribution to the industry.  One story that I was reminded of while reading the recent contributions was the time I went to a group dinner, and the group wanted to split the check, and the waiter said "we can't do that," and another diner said "yes you can, that's a blah-blah-blah POS and you can split checks up to 8 ways."  Maybe "it's not our policy" would have been better than "we physically can't," but honestly.

And honestly, anyone who treats waitstaff like indentured servants annoys me, majorly.

Yes, really at pretty much any restaurant I would expect the server to keep track of who ordered what and bring their order to them.  I hope for smooth and graceful service, and auctioning off the dishes isn't either.  They should also be happy to split the check if the customers ask them when they order.  It's a bit more work for the server, but makes the evening much more smooth and graceful for the customers.  I've had to spend half an hour with all our heads muddled by wine trying to make the bill come out, trying to match up which item on the bill was for what, and it's not a pleasant conclusion to the meal.

And absolutely, smooth and graceful service should be rewarded.

[JayhawkCO]

if your food is dropped off without the food runner auctioning off the food (i.e. who had the BLT?)

Maybe I'm wildly off base here, but there's a price point (probably $50 for an entrée) at which I would think the staff bringing the food wouldn't go "and who had the lobster thermidor?" upon arrival at the table.  Honestly, the whole thing is overly casual in a keep-your-fork-Duke-there's-pie kind of way, but understandable at TGI Friday's.

Price point should be lower than that to not auction and to "mark" new silverware (i.e. remove the old stuff and bring new in anticipation of the next course).  I'd say probably $25 per entree.

[formulanone]

They should also be happy to split the check if the customers ask them when they order.  It's a bit more work for the server, but makes the evening much more smooth and graceful for the customers.  I've had to spend half an hour with all our heads muddled by wine trying to make the bill come out, trying to match up which item on the bill was for what, and it's not a pleasant conclusion to the meal.

I suppose that it's in the server's interest to split checks, because most people will probably round up tips; thus, a slightly-greater overall gratuity. Maybe there's some cases where people actually "forget" to tip, or that Bob and Janice in Accounting only tip exactly 15% to the penny, which nullifies any gains, but how often does that occur anymore?

Saying "we can't do that" borders on lazy, unless...I dunno, the power just went out?

[JayhawkCO]

They should also be happy to split the check if the customers ask them when they order.  It's a bit more work for the server, but makes the evening much more smooth and graceful for the customers.  I've had to spend half an hour with all our heads muddled by wine trying to make the bill come out, trying to match up which item on the bill was for what, and it's not a pleasant conclusion to the meal.

I suppose that it's in the server's interest to split checks, because most people will probably round up tips; thus, a slightly-greater overall gratuity. Maybe there's some cases where people actually "forget" to tip, or that Bob and Janice in Accounting only tip exactly 15% to the penny, which nullifies any gains, but how often does that occur anymore?

Saying "we can't do that" borders on lazy, unless...I dunno, the power just went out?

It's always funny to see when people split the checks evenly and then some people tip less than others (and not trying to rectify someone having more expensive drinks or whatever).  Don't you check with your friends so you don't look like the cheapass?

[snowc]

I get mildly bothered by large groups of people all in one room, loud noises, and strong smells.

Same here. I am autistic and this bothers me, even when driving at NIGHT. 

[jeffandnicole]

For those that read the story about the guys who damaged the "80 Miles to Cuba" bouy in Key West, a bartender recognized the guys because they were at their bar...and were the only ones not to tip that night. 2 of them used credit cards. They now have their names. Not sure if they've been charged yet.

The point is...don't make your restaurant visit rememberable to the staff in a bad way.   

[JayhawkCO]

For those that read the story about the guys who damaged the "80 Miles to Cuba" bouy in Key West, a bartender recognized the guys because they were at their bar...and were the only ones not to tip that night. 2 of them used credit cards. They now have their names. Not sure if they've been charged yet.

The point is...don't make your restaurant visit rememberable to the staff in a bad way.

I once had a guy who had a ton of allergies.  He had so many that he had a business card listing everything that he was allergic to and just plain didn't like.  On the bottom of the business card, it said, "if you can actually get this all right, you will get a 30% tip".  I'm really good at knowing what allergens are in every menu item, so of course I didn't screw up.  At the end of the night, he left me a 9% tip. 

Unfortunately for him, his name and address was on the other side of the card and maaaaaybe after a couple of beers after my shift, I got some eggs and made a visit to his house.  (I think I was 23 at the time.)

[SectorZ]

Another thing regarding people splitting the check is that not all people do that based on the actual amounts ordered. Some people just split it evenly unless one person ordered something particularly more expensive than everyone else (in which case it's reasonable for that person to pay his actual share).

Some restaurants won't split the check if the group is bigger than a certain size. That worked well for me once on a trip to England. I was with a group of about 20 people and the tab got passed around the table with everyone putting in the actual amount owed. I was last, and it occurred to me that while their charge cards got them one mile per pound, mine would get me one mile per dollar, so with £1 roughly equal to $2 at the time, I astonished all of them by picking up all the cash and putting the whole bill on my American Express.

Buffalo Wild Wings allows you to split checks with their rewards program. 

Tangent to BWW for "minor things that bother me"...

The last three times I have been in one I've had to leave because no one for 5-10 minutes bothered to even seat us (or others waiting as well). I know times are tough with staffing, but when I can go to the restaurant next door and three people greet me and get me promptly seated, that's more a BWW problem than an economic problem.

The rewards problem is good, but it's a shame they literally can't keep their restaurants (around me at least) staffed to the point to even accept new customers.

[formulanone]

For those that read the story about the guys who damaged the "80 Miles to Cuba" bouy in Key West, a bartender recognized the guys because they were at their bar...and were the only ones not to tip that night. 2 of them used credit cards. They now have their names. Not sure if they've been charged yet.

The point is...don't make your restaurant visit rememberable to the staff in a bad way.

I once had a guy who had a ton of allergies.  He had so many that he had a business card listing everything that he was allergic to and just plain didn't like.  On the bottom of the business card, it said, "if you can actually get this all right, you will get a 30% tip".  I'm really good at knowing what allergens are in every menu item, so of course I didn't screw up.  At the end of the night, he left me a 9% tip. 

Unfortunately for him, his name and address was on the other side of the card and maaaaaybe after a couple of beers after my shift, I got some eggs and made a visit to his house.  (I think I was 23 at the time.)

Was he maaaaybe allergic to eggs?

[JayhawkCO]

For those that read the story about the guys who damaged the "80 Miles to Cuba" bouy in Key West, a bartender recognized the guys because they were at their bar...and were the only ones not to tip that night. 2 of them used credit cards. They now have their names. Not sure if they've been charged yet.

The point is...don't make your restaurant visit rememberable to the staff in a bad way.

I once had a guy who had a ton of allergies.  He had so many that he had a business card listing everything that he was allergic to and just plain didn't like.  On the bottom of the business card, it said, "if you can actually get this all right, you will get a 30% tip".  I'm really good at knowing what allergens are in every menu item, so of course I didn't screw up.  At the end of the night, he left me a 9% tip. 

Unfortunately for him, his name and address was on the other side of the card and maaaaaybe after a couple of beers after my shift, I got some eggs and made a visit to his house.  (I think I was 23 at the time.)

Was he maaaaybe allergic to eggs?

Can't remember, but wouldn't be surprised.  Hopefully he had his mouth open as I tossed them from the moving car.

[7/8]

Speaking of checks:

That in the US, the staff still have to run off with my card to pay. Just bring the machine to me so I can tap my phone and be done with it.

Lol, this always felt so weird to me when I'd go to the US. Feels like I'm putting a lot of trust that:
a) they'll charge me the right amount
b) they won't write down all the info on my card

Frankly, people just holding their card themselves waiting to put it in a machine or hand it to someone is long enough for someone to walk by with their cell phone camera to take a pic or video record that name/number.  If you hold your card, hold it so at least a few of the digits are covered.

But at least if you're using the machine yourself, it's unlikely someone will see the 3-digit CVV on the back of the card. I also think it's less likely someone will take a photo of your card when you're holding it out of fear of being caught (though you're right, they still could).

[ZLoth]

That in the US, the staff still have to run off with my card to pay. Just bring the machine to me so I can tap my phone and be done with it.

Depends on the restaurant. At one locally-owned restaurant I went to a few months ago, the check included a QR code that I could scan to get to a secure third-party website, review my check, adjust my tip, enter in my payment information, and email the receipt.

This goes back to an easier posting:

Things that bother me:

• People whose mantra is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", even though the technology is technologically obsolete, and it's replacement is both cheaper to operate, more efficient, and more productive. Plus, there is the issue of actually finding the replacement parts.
• In a similar brush stroke, people who cling on to the "old way of doing things", and resist even learning how to do things "the new way" because it is "too different" and perceive it to be "too complicated", even though the "new way", once learned, will be actually faster and less expensive.

The restaurant industry is a low profit-margin industry, and from the owner's perspective, why have a credit card machine that can be dropped and broken thanks to the finest help minimum wage can find. Yet, if I insist on accompanying the waiter to their processing machine so that my credit card remains in sight, I will then get treated as a "Karen" for being so obstinate, not to mention a guilty look and a "was that REALLY necessary" lecture afterward. Yet, credit card number theft has occurred at restaurants in the past. I just keep in mind that they don't know what a SIP record is, and I don't know how to prepare an Italian Easter Pie.

Having said that, I will make the request in advance to split the check prior to placing my order, and I will be more than happy to show them that I don't have more than $10 in my wallet. Asking the waiter to split the check AFTER the meal is done and everyone is ready to leave is, quite simply, cruel and unusual punishment on the server.

[hotdogPi]

from the owner's perspective, why have a credit card machine that can be dropped and broken

It reduces time spent waiting at the table, so if they can get more customers per hour, the tradeoff might be worth it.

They're also quite popular. People who have been to both the US and Canadian side always say the Canadian side is better.

[jmacswimmer]

That in the US, the staff still have to run off with my card to pay. Just bring the machine to me so I can tap my phone and be done with it.

Depends on the restaurant. At one locally-owned restaurant I went to a few months ago, the check included a QR code that I could scan to get to a secure third-party website, review my check, adjust my tip, enter in my payment information, and email the receipt.

I've seen this occasionally, and more often than not the third-party website tends to be ToastTab.  But it introduces another wrinkle: confusion.  We once got the check at a restaurant that had the scan-QR-code option, and after paying the check off my phone and getting up to leave our waitress came running over, not realizing we paid that way and thinking we were about to dine-and-dash!

There's also the Ziosk things I still see occasionally at places like Red Robin that allow you to pay at the table without the server present. (And they usually have a light at the top that changes from red to green after you've paid, which eliminates the potential confusion like I described above.)

[JayhawkCO]

That in the US, the staff still have to run off with my card to pay. Just bring the machine to me so I can tap my phone and be done with it.

Depends on the restaurant. At one locally-owned restaurant I went to a few months ago, the check included a QR code that I could scan to get to a secure third-party website, review my check, adjust my tip, enter in my payment information, and email the receipt.

I've seen this occasionally, and more often than not the third-party website tends to be ToastTab.

This often isn't third-party.  Toast is a common POS system restaurants use.

[Scott5114]

That in the US, the staff still have to run off with my card to pay. Just bring the machine to me so I can tap my phone and be done with it.

Depends on the restaurant. At one locally-owned restaurant I went to a few months ago, the check included a QR code that I could scan to get to a secure third-party website, review my check, adjust my tip, enter in my payment information, and email the receipt.

This is a cool solution, especially since if one was in a huge hurry and someone else is driving/they're taking a cab, they could theoretically leave and settle up on the way home. But credit card processors charge a higher rate for "card not present" transactions (i.e. any transaction where there is no record of the card being physically read, such as online transactions) due to a higher potential of fraud. And, as you note...

The restaurant industry is a low profit-margin industry

There are a few restaurants I've been to that have a credit card terminal that remains at each table, that also serves as a microtransaction kiosk where one can pay $1 or something for the privilege of playing some sort of touchscreen game while you wait for your food. I believe some of them also have a button to call the waiter. This seems like a good idea, other than the microtransactions, which I find somewhat nauseating. But it would probably be too expensive for non-chain restaurants, and every person older than me that I've dined with had their brains shut down when confronted by it.

[abefroman329]

if your food is dropped off without the food runner auctioning off the food (i.e. who had the BLT?)

Maybe I'm wildly off base here, but there's a price point (probably $50 for an entrée) at which I would think the staff bringing the food wouldn't go "and who had the lobster thermidor?" upon arrival at the table.  Honestly, the whole thing is overly casual in a keep-your-fork-Duke-there's-pie kind of way, but understandable at TGI Friday's.

Price point should be lower than that to not auction and to "mark" new silverware (i.e. remove the old stuff and bring new in anticipation of the next course).  I'd say probably $25 per entree.

That's fair.  At $50, I'd just expect to have a full set of silverware (salad fork, soup spoon, what have you).

[JayhawkCO]

if your food is dropped off without the food runner auctioning off the food (i.e. who had the BLT?)

Maybe I'm wildly off base here, but there's a price point (probably $50 for an entrée) at which I would think the staff bringing the food wouldn't go "and who had the lobster thermidor?" upon arrival at the table.  Honestly, the whole thing is overly casual in a keep-your-fork-Duke-there's-pie kind of way, but understandable at TGI Friday's.

Price point should be lower than that to not auction and to "mark" new silverware (i.e. remove the old stuff and bring new in anticipation of the next course).  I'd say probably $25 per entree.

That's fair.  At $50, I'd just expect to have a full set of silverware (salad fork, soup spoon, what have you).

Depends on the restaurant and the level of formality.  I used to be the GM of Guard & Grace out here and people were unlikely to escape for less than $125 per person with drinks included.  We just re-marked after every course.  Having four different forks on the table just screams stuffy fine dining as opposed to the modern approach we took.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Some fast-casual places like Olive Garden and Chili's have self-pay kiosks on their tables now.

[snowc]

Another thing regarding people splitting the check is that not all people do that based on the actual amounts ordered. Some people just split it evenly unless one person ordered something particularly more expensive than everyone else (in which case it's reasonable for that person to pay his actual share).

Some restaurants won't split the check if the group is bigger than a certain size. That worked well for me once on a trip to England. I was with a group of about 20 people and the tab got passed around the table with everyone putting in the actual amount owed. I was last, and it occurred to me that while their charge cards got them one mile per pound, mine would get me one mile per dollar, so with £1 roughly equal to $2 at the time, I astonished all of them by picking up all the cash and putting the whole bill on my American Express.

Buffalo Wild Wings allows you to split checks with their rewards program. 

Tangent to BWW for "minor things that bother me"...

The last three times I have been in one I've had to leave because no one for 5-10 minutes bothered to even seat us (or others waiting as well). I know times are tough with staffing, but when I can go to the restaurant next door and three people greet me and get me promptly seated, that's more a BWW problem than an economic problem.

The rewards problem is good, but it's a shame they literally can't keep their restaurants (around me at least) staffed to the point to even accept new customers.

Agree with you. We were told that no more Boneless Twosdays because of COVID.
There was a sign that said Please Seat Yourself. We went to the last booth because of the direct sunlight. Plus I had a Live Lesson going on during that time.
The redhead lady served us, but FORGOT OUR MENUS! 
We had a NICER guy that said they were OUT of mac and cheese, wedges, and cheese curds! I nevertheless ordered my usual, 15 boneless wings tossed in honey bbq sauce. My mother ordered 10 traditional wings, and they were DRY! We ordered the appetizer beforehand, as my mother has severe RA and has to get a infusion from her rheumatologist every 8 weeks. She is 60 years old effective may 7.
Anyways, my food was very good, and it only came to $65 (pretty cheap, eh?)

[snowc]

That in the US, the staff still have to run off with my card to pay. Just bring the machine to me so I can tap my phone and be done with it.

Depends on the restaurant. At one locally-owned restaurant I went to a few months ago, the check included a QR code that I could scan to get to a secure third-party website, review my check, adjust my tip, enter in my payment information, and email the receipt.

I've seen this occasionally, and more often than not the third-party website tends to be ToastTab.  But it introduces another wrinkle: confusion.  We once got the check at a restaurant that had the scan-QR-code option, and after paying the check off my phone and getting up to leave our waitress came running over, not realizing we paid that way and thinking we were about to dine-and-dash!

There's also the Ziosk things I still see occasionally at places like Red Robin that allow you to pay at the table without the server present. (And they usually have a light at the top that changes from red to green after you've paid, which eliminates the potential confusion like I described above.)

Toast is what they use at local businesses, like Heid's and Nucilli's. Red Robin USED to be good, but now they the Bleu Ribbon Burger, replacing it with the Black And Bleu Burger (and its ) Blech!

[abefroman329]

if your food is dropped off without the food runner auctioning off the food (i.e. who had the BLT?)

Maybe I'm wildly off base here, but there's a price point (probably $50 for an entrée) at which I would think the staff bringing the food wouldn't go "and who had the lobster thermidor?" upon arrival at the table.  Honestly, the whole thing is overly casual in a keep-your-fork-Duke-there's-pie kind of way, but understandable at TGI Friday's.

Price point should be lower than that to not auction and to "mark" new silverware (i.e. remove the old stuff and bring new in anticipation of the next course).  I'd say probably $25 per entree.

That's fair.  At $50, I'd just expect to have a full set of silverware (salad fork, soup spoon, what have you).

Depends on the restaurant and the level of formality.  I used to be the GM of Guard & Grace out here and people were unlikely to escape for less than $125 per person with drinks included.  We just re-marked after every course.  Having four different forks on the table just screams stuffy fine dining as opposed to the modern approach we took.

Yeah, that's a good point - I don't think they even do that on the Cunard ships.

[kkt]

They should also be happy to split the check if the customers ask them when they order.  It's a bit more work for the server, but makes the evening much more smooth and graceful for the customers.  I've had to spend half an hour with all our heads muddled by wine trying to make the bill come out, trying to match up which item on the bill was for what, and it's not a pleasant conclusion to the meal.

I suppose that it's in the server's interest to split checks, because most people will probably round up tips; thus, a slightly-greater overall gratuity. Maybe there's some cases where people actually "forget" to tip, or that Bob and Janice in Accounting only tip exactly 15% to the penny, which nullifies any gains, but how often does that occur anymore?

Saying "we can't do that" borders on lazy, unless...I dunno, the power just went out?

I don't think rounding up to tip is going to produce a whole lot more for the server, but being remembered as a helpful server instead of someone who just says "we can't do that" might well produce more repeat customers.

[hbelkins]

I always prefer to tip with cash instead of adding it on to the card receipt.

Speaking of tips, I dislike places that automatically add a tip to the check if there are more than a certain number of people in the party, especially if that mandatory tip is over 15 percent. A tip is supposed to be a gift; a reward for good service. If the service is crappy, then yes, I will leave nothing, or maybe a penny. Why should I reward poor service? The amount to tip should be up to the discretion of the customer. If you want to require a tip, put it on the bill as a "service fee" or something, especially since there's no guarantee that mandatory tip is going to go to the person who served you. (Which is why I prefer to tip with cash.)

I tip at 15 percent because that's the long-established standard, plus it's easy to compute in your head. Ten percent of your bill, and then half of that. If your meal comes to $18, then $1.80 plus $0.90, for a total of $2.70. I will tip more if the service is excellent. And I've engaged in that practice since the advent of smartphones with calculators.

[JayhawkCO]

I would argue 20% is even easier math and more of the standard in most parts of the country.