Our BetterMost Community > The Polling Place
Dining Out - Pleasurable or Painful?
Kerry:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on January 11, 2009, 05:25:11 pm ---
But the only thing I dislike is that if you're a single diner and you go out to eat, you run headon into the capitalist system at its ugliest. In the U.S. waiters make a lot of their money on tips, which means the more they turn over a table the better.
--- End quote ---
That's happened to me too, and I wasn't even dining alone.
I'd gone with a work colleague to an unfamiliar (snooty) part of town to buy a farewell gift for a fellow workmate. The departee collected a particular brand of porcelain and we'd gone to a specialty outlet to choose a gift for her. But I digress. We thought we'd make an outing of it so dropped into a little place for coffee. We took one of the tables under an umbrella on the pavement and ordered two coffees from the waiter. The waiter gave us a quizzical look and suggested we try some place else, because they didn't serve just coffee alone. She wasn't rude about it, but very definite about us having to order food with our coffee if we wanted to stay.This place looked more like a cafe than a restaurant, with tables on the pavement. Coffee was on the menu. We had come from work and were dressed in business clothes so didn't look like a couple of hobos. It was a first for me. I was literally speechless. And embarrassed. We just skulked off and vowed never to return. Afterwards, you think about all the bitchy things you should said to the waiter, but at the time we were both so mortified, we just wanted to get out of there. Needless to say, we've not been back.
Lynne:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on January 11, 2009, 05:25:11 pm ---I voted 'other'.
I don't really have big problems - unless I spot signs that things are none too clean :P
But the only thing I dislike is that if you're a single diner and you go out to eat, you run headon into the capitalist system at its ugliest. In the U.S. waiters make a lot of their money on tips, which means the more they turn over a table the better. I want to go out to eat and sit at my table for an hour enjoying a leisurely meal. I'm paying for it, I tip well, why am I being rushed out the door? Why am I looked down on because I didn't take a seat at the bar and leave the tables for real diners? >:(
I've had people in restaurants yell insults to me for doing this. WTF?!?!?
--- End quote ---
Never been yelled at, but yes I can sometimes definitely sense the disapproval. Most of the time I don't mind sitting in the bar (or sometimes I go at odd hours, like early dinner on weekends)...whatever it takes so I can read in peace.
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: Lynne on January 11, 2009, 07:44:59 pm ---Never been yelled at, but yes I can sometimes definitely sense the disapproval. Most of the time I don't mind sitting in the bar (or sometimes I go at odd hours, like early dinner on weekends)...whatever it takes so I can read in peace.
--- End quote ---
The only problem I have sitting at the bar is that
1) smokers sit at the bar. I don't smoke and don't like the smell when I'm trying to eat
2) I'm short. The bar stool and bar are normally higher than I can comfortably sit and eat (I'm not reaching down for my food and drink, I'm practically reaching across)
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: Kerry on January 11, 2009, 06:11:36 pm ---That's happened to me too, and I wasn't even dining alone.
I'd gone with a work colleague to an unfamiliar (snooty) part of town to buy a farewell gift for a fellow workmate. The departee collected a particular brand of porcelain and we'd gone to a specialty outlet to choose a gift for her. But I digress. We thought we'd make an outing of it so dropped into a little place for coffee. We took one of the tables under an umbrella on the pavement and ordered two coffees from the waiter. The waiter gave us a quizzical look and suggested we try some place else, because they didn't serve just coffee alone. She wasn't rude about it, but very definite about us having to order food with our coffee if we wanted to stay.This place looked more like a cafe than a restaurant, with tables on the pavement. Coffee was on the menu. We had come from work and were dressed in business clothes so didn't look like a couple of hobos. It was a first for me. I was literally speechless. And embarrassed. We just skulked off and vowed never to return. Afterwards, you think about all the bitchy things you should said to the waiter, but at the time we were both so mortified, we just wanted to get out of there. Needless to say, we've not been back.
--- End quote ---
I've been to those kind of places, too. I usually look at the waiter/ess and say, "Oh OK, then bring me [bread, chips, etc -any appetizer that's cheap]. They do it grudgingly, but they get off my back about ordering food.
ZK:
--- Quote from: Kelda on January 11, 2009, 05:15:47 pm ---that must be american. You dont really do doggy bags in the UK.
--- End quote ---
What no doggy bags?? We do it all the time here unless its a really exspensive restaurant. The ONLY thing I don't like about doggy bags is if the waiter leaves the bag and box for me to fill. Thats a bit too tacky for me.
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