Eating Out

What so you expect from the wait staff when you go to a restaurant?

Personally the one thing that matters most is that they keep my drink refilled. I don't mind my food taking a little while or a couple mistakes here and there, just make sure my drink stays full.

I bring this up because yesterday I went out to eat that normally had good waiters that are on the ball, but filled my drink only once. Despite there not being many customers. No tip.

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The drink is my number one pet peeve!!! I tell my wife that I usually tip based on drink refill ability. If it is busy I understand that the food may take awhile even though the normal busy times means more staff is working. Now if I get thirsty while waiting for my food or haven't seen the staff come to my table for awhile I will complain to the management. We usually go to Silver Diner in Springfield and most times if my drink is half full there is another brought out. I tip well for that. Now I usually order a diet coke and a water. If both are empty for while there is a problem. Once the guy did not check on our table until after our food was brought out by another staff member. Totally unacceptable.

First, and I think most will agree, eating out is a delight.

If I get the sense right off the bat that the waiter/waitress is going to be substandard, I request water, along with a pitcher of water. If something bothers me enough, I will, in a friendly manner, get up, and speak to them directly, not in front of individuals, and let them know what the issue is. I hate chastising individuals in front of others - it is rude.

I usually expect the server to be smiling and to greet me and my family with some polite conversation. I also expect my drink to be full, if the glass is small I usually tell the server to bring me two to help them out. I really hate when my food comes and they got the order wrong. I typically tip 20-25% for good to great service. Servers don't get paid a lot so they earn their money in tips. Note I used the word "earn." Tips go down for empty glasses and go drastically down for poor service. I am the first to complain about poor service to the manager.

Beretta92FSLady said:

First, and I think most will agree, eating out is a delight.

If I get the sense right off the bat that the waiter/waitress is going to be substandard, I request water, along with a pitcher of water. If something bothers me enough, I will, in a friendly manner, get up, and speak to them directly, not in front of individuals, and let them know what the issue is. I hate chastising individuals in front of others - it is rude.

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Not only that, it is also usually counterproductive. I use the same procedure when discussing a problem with a subordinate. Always face to face(no nasty memos), always one on one, with very few exceptions. The major exception is a safety violation, aka "here's your sign, stupid". Safety violations are dealt with immediately with all hands present. In spite of my here's your sign remark, I am not in the habit of calling people stupid in that situation, though I have asked why something that was stupid was done. The core being that you do not have to be stupid to do stupid. BTDT.

Nah, it's gotta be the entire presentation. No one's perfect, but there are several things we expect service people to do, and if they don't, it'll eat into their tip.

I'm very laid back. I do enjoy the friendlier wait staff more than the reserved ones, but generally as long as they are polite and keep my glass full I am satisfied with my service and will tip accordingly. Mistakes, minor ones are usually easily enough over looked and typically if I am at a restaurant where I am being waited on, I am with someone. So if my waiter/waitress doesn't smile, I probably wont notice unless they deviate too much towards the bad attitude side.

Big mistakes, repeatedly making mistakes, bad attitudes, forgetting us, these are things that will kill their tip as well. But generally speaking, when it gets to that point, they tend to abandon the table. That pisses me off, when they abandon the table. Besides that, I am very polite and very forgiving. So even if they make a couple big mistakes or a few minor ones, so long as they do their best to make up for that, I am happy.

Drink refills are my pet peeve too.... good attitude goes a long way... they can't control the kitchen.. but they can control my drinik and keeping me informed if things are taking a while...

I love to get great service and tip 33% or more.... but it happens RARELY. NOt because I"m not willing, but because most juust don't measure up. Also, I find that when I order only water, the service usually sucks... as if they think I"m cheap so I order water... no.... I just LIKE water sometimes....

Beretta92FSLady said:

First, and I think most will agree, eating out is a delight.[snip]

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And I thought I was going to be the first to debauche this thread. Dang! Not quick enough! :lol::lol:

Back OT.... I hate it when a waitperson takes personal affront to me politely sending back a steak. I'm not blaming them, I'm being polite, and I'm paying good money for it. If it's not cooked medium rare or medium it's pretty much ruined and I'm not paying hard earned money for it. I can cook a steak to correct doneness and I don't cook them all that often so a cook who does it for a living should certainly be able to do it.

I hear you guys! I used to wait tables for extra spending money ... I never passed the wait station without picking up a drink pitcher and making sure drinks were filled. That was definitely one way to ensure a tip! A smile and greeting didn't hurt either!

And if a steak wasn't done right, I was more than happy to take it back ... if it wasn't done right the second time, I was all over the cook about them screwing with my tips ... do it right or I'll come back there and do it myself!! Honestly, there is no excuse for a steak not being done right ... grill or open flame, there are ways to determine the doneness of a steak without cutting into it!

With the years more of experience I had over the cook, the manager would back me up LOLOLOL

I was also a tough customer ... if drink wasn't done right for me, then tip was impacted. I am one of those who doesn't like ice in my drink, so I only want it refilled when I say yes. I have also been known to ask for a pitcher to be left at the table ... especially when I was hosting guests at Cattleman's and there were 10-15 folks. I was like, "leave us the tea pitcher so you don't have to keep running back and forth keeping up with the alcohol" LOL

And I also would lower the tip if the waitstaff tried to 'move us out' before I was ready ... in some instances, when it was a large group, that was the first time we had a chance to see those folks for a month or more, and it was time to catch up and trade stories! Yes, we may have been at the restaurant for 3 hours, but I also tipped for those 3 hours ... and generously as long as service was kept up. And the other guests would tip also. I know for a fact, we walked out and left a $300 tip for being there 3 hours on several occassions.

If my drink is full I'm usually content. If my steak is over done but tender, I will let them if know if they ask, but say it's ok.

I prefer a little ice in my drinks. But if I'm in a restaurant where someone else is refilling my drink, then I am fine with them filling it with ice. It just means they'll have to make a few more trips to my table.

As for being there for 3 hours... Well, I'm with you, if I am going out to eat with a bunch of friends, I'm going to sit there for hours chatting with them. Back when I went to church, my church group would always go out to Jalisco's after services and we'd sit there for 2-3 hours or more. Everyone would pitch in what they could afford in tips. The wait staff were always on the ball there, didn't complain about 10-20 people sitting in there for 3 hours and were very friendly with our groups. Many of us got to know them pretty well. It was always a good experience eating there, even if I always ate the samething. :lol:

Another thing I like, is always getting the same server. So that eventually they learn what you like and how you like it.

Wow, I thought I was the only one with that peeve...,

I really dislike to wait for or have to call for the waitstaff to refill my drink, or at least ask to refill my drink. I don't have to much problem with the food unless it'd just really cold or the wrong item, and I don't make a scene, but I will also definitely not send anything back the the kitchen..., not gonna take that chance.

I'm a pretty good tipper, but have been known to leave nothing at all. This was a case where we saw our waiter only twice. Once to order, and then again to be served. we never saw him again. I had to ask someone else to bring the check. When gratuities are added, I generally give nothing else, which is a poor move on their part and tells me something about the restaurant.

The best service i was ever given was at an Outback in Richmond, Va. by a young lady who seemed to be psychic. She always just appeared with whatever I needed, just as I needed it!!! She got a great big tip!!!

sidestreet

Jeremiah 29 v 11-13

we are not equal, we will never be equal, but we must be relentless.

Drink reasonably full... if I'm dehydrated, I'll ask them to leave a pitcher. I have drunk an entire pitcher of water in a single sitting at a restaurant.

sidestreet said:

I really dislike to wait for or have to call for the waitstaff to refill my drink, or at least ask to refill my drink. I don't have to much problem with the food unless it'd just really cold or the wrong item, and I don't make a scene, but I will also definitely not send anything back the the kitchen..., not gonna take that chance.

I'm a pretty good tipper, but have been known to leave nothing at all. This was a case where we saw our waiter only twice. Once to order, and then again to be served. we never saw him again. I had to ask someone else to bring the check. When gratuities are added, I generally give nothing else, which is a poor move on their part and tells me something about the restaurant.

The best service i was ever given was at an Outback in Richmond, Va. by a young lady who seemed to be psychic. She always just appeared with whatever I needed, just as I needed it!!! She got a great big tip!!!

sidestreet

Jeremiah 29 v 11-13

we are not equal, we will never be equal, but we must be relentless.

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The only time I have seen a restaurant that added gratuities to a check, it was on large parties, usually 8 or more.

If I ever went to a restaurant that as a policy added gratuities to checks, I would, as soon as I found out, leave, never return and tell everyone I know to not eat/dine/whatever at that place of business.

A gratuity is an acknowledgement of good service. Not a fee to be arbitrarily charged.

1. Water is free, so that glass should never be less than a third full.

2. If I have a carafe of coffee (IHOP), I expect periodic check-ins to see if I need more coffee.

3. I expect to get what I ordered! If I order eggs over medium, they should not be scrambled or cooked sunny side up.

4. I expect to enjoy my meal. That's means minimizing the interruptions. Waiters do not need to ask me "How's everything" every time my water glass is less than half full. Just fill the dang glass.

5. And yes, I absolutely hate mandated gratuities. I have been known to pay such a bill in cash with just a 10% gratuity, along with a written explanation of: "A gratuity is an amount I choose based on your performance. Your action of demanding a higher gratuity than what you've earned is attempted theft and results in NO gratuity at all. Be grateful you're getting 10%. If you disagree, please call the police so we can discuss it in front of your store. Their number is 444-...."

I usually carry my camera, so will take a picture of my note then walk out.

I've eaten out perhaps 60 times in the last two years, but have only done that once. Of course, I've only needed to do that once, as most restaurants aren't that stuffy.

Gratuity taxes are a major annoyance for me. Like Since9, a tip must be earned and should never be expected. That's exactly what breeds such horrible waiters and waitresses in the first place. They get the impression that they deserve a tip for whatever dumbass reason they've had drilled into their heads and don't bother with trying to give exceptional service. :cuss:

Brass Magnet said:

And I thought I was going to be the first to debauche this thread. Dang! Not quick enough! :lol::lol:

Back OT.... I hate it when a waitperson takes personal affront to me politely sending back a steak. I'm not blaming them, I'm being polite, and I'm paying good money for it. If it's not cooked medium rare or medium it's pretty much ruined and I'm not paying hard earned money for it. I can cook a steak to correct doneness and I don't cook them all that often so a cook who does it for a living should certainly be able to do it.

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Oh man I missed that entirely. Usually I'm the one that catches things like that, well done.

Jack House said:

Gratuity taxes are a major annoyance for me. Like Since9, a tip must be earned and should never be expected. That's exactly what breeds such horrible waiters and waitresses in the first place. They get the impression that they deserve a tip for whatever dumbass reason they've had drilled into their heads and don't bother with trying to give exceptional service. :cuss:

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According to my wife, who was a waitress in her youth, leaving a tip of $0.01(a single penny) is considered more insulting than leaving a tip of zero. The penny tells them you did not forget, but you considered the service to be so poor as to be insulting and you are replying to the insult.

BTW, she tends to tip well, 20%+ for good service and has been known to get up, talk to the manager and leave for poor service.

Fill my drink up!!!
It's not the worst thing to wait for a refill, but I really hate it when a waitress "thinks" their going to remove my drink from the table and take it to the back to fill it. " NO WAY, you fill it at the table".