"Pushy" restaurants? - General Discussion

Franglais · 29-11-2009, 13:04

8 of us had a pleasant enough meal in a restaurant last night. Was nice getting together and catching up with news, etc even though the service at this restaurant was'nt all that brilliant (with half the staff unable to speak English and getting all the orders mixed up, etc.......)

But we were a bit taken back when they kept dropping hints that we should pay and go when we had'nt quite recovered from the coffee at the end. Seemed they were more interested in ££££ they hoped to get from the next lot of customers.

Anybody here experienced this too? Naturally we'll be going to a different restaurant next time!

Taboo · 29-11-2009, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franglais

8 of us had a pleasant enough meal in a restaurant last night. Was nice getting together and catching up with news, etc even though the service at this restaurant was'nt all that brilliant (with half the staff unable to speak English and getting all the orders mixed up, etc.......)

But we were a bit taken back when they kept dropping hints that we should pay and go when we had'nt quite recovered from the coffee at the end. Seemed they were more interested in ££££ they hoped to get from the next lot of customers.

Anybody here experienced this too? Naturally we'll be going to a different restaurant next time!

Not here but in New York last year we did. Booked a 3 course meal for thanksgiving. As soon as they brought our starter out to us,quickly the main and dessert followed.
Ended up eating a 3 course meal in 25 mins

JonJonB · 29-11-2009, 13:12

How did they convey these hints to you? To be honest, if you were done, I don't see why they shouldn't expect you to be getting on your way.

Franglais · 29-11-2009, 13:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonJonB

How did they convey these hints to you? To be honest, if you were done, I don't see why they shouldn't expect you to be getting on your way.

how about "we weel soon geev yu da bill, senor?"

We did pay but minus the tips

rosalynn · 29-11-2009, 13:18

It used to be a common problem many years ago, but recently I've had the opposite problem where waiting staff are absent when we want to pay the bill! Often if it's just the two of us we'll just go up and pay at the bar.

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking your time to leave, saying goodbyes if you're in a big group and letting your food go down, but I would be concious of the fact if it was early in the evening and there were no tables free we'd be keeping people waiting for our table. We normally go out quite late though, so the restaurant is normally thinning out by the time we finish our meal.

summerain · 29-11-2009, 13:23

When I'm asked "how is your food?" by waiting staff, I misinterpret it as "hurry up and eat it then"

I hate being harrassed when eating a meal, I always assume they have a hidden agenda.

29-11-2009, 13:28

I dislike it when they wait until you have a mouthful of food then rush over and ask; "are you enjoying your meal?"

zx50 · 29-11-2009, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franglais

8 of us had a pleasant enough meal in a restaurant last night. Was nice getting together and catching up with news, etc even though the service at this restaurant was'nt all that brilliant (with half the staff unable to speak English and getting all the orders mixed up, etc.......)

But we were a bit taken back when they kept dropping hints that we should pay and go when we had'nt quite recovered from the coffee at the end. Seemed they were more interested in ££££ they hoped to get from the next lot of customers.

Anybody here experienced this too? Naturally we'll be going to a different restaurant next time!

If I was with a woman and I'd not finished consuming what I'd ordered, I'd then have agreed for them to bring the bill. I'd then have paid the bill with a smile on my face, and finally, I'd then have told them in a polite voice that I wouldn't be visiting the restaurant again. If they asked why. I'd have simply told them that I'd not finished drinking the coffee - which the cup would have shown with it being half full. I'd have then left with the woman and let them chant on all they wanted.

Stiffy78 · 29-11-2009, 13:54

I'd have said I wasn't finished and ordered a glass of tap water then sat sipping it for ages.

L. P. Robinson · 29-11-2009, 14:10

I'd give them a piece of my mind if they took that attitude with me.

JonJonB · 29-11-2009, 14:35

Yes, never mind them wanting to be able to serve more customers, let's have the previous ones sit there all night and deny them the chance. Two fingers up to the man!

asunshineday · 29-11-2009, 15:05

One restaurant I went to, the waitress asked 3 times while we were eating our dinner if we would be wanting dessert. On the third time, I said 'probably if i'm ever allowed to finish my dinner' she didn't bother us again

29-11-2009, 15:19

I took a girl out to a restaurant once when I was about 14 for a date. Very grown up. I guess they were afraid we were going to scarper without paying so we got put on the table right next door to the kitchen entrance where we were kept a close eye on. Despite the fact that the rest of the restaurant, where the much nicer tables were, was virtually empty.

adopter · 29-11-2009, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronG

I took a girl out to a restaurant once when I was about 14 for a date. Very grown up. I guess they were afraid we were going to scarper without paying so we got put on the table right next door to the kitchen entrance where we were kept a close eye on. Despite the fact that the rest of the restaurant, where the much nicer tables were, was virtually empty.

Do you mean the chef's table? Lucky you - people pay good money to be seated there.

Bom Diddly Wo · 29-11-2009, 16:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiffy78

I'd have said I wasn't finished and ordered a glass of tap water then sat sipping it for ages.

If I was waiting your table I would happily bring you the water and laugh as I would know what was in it as you slowly sipped.

sparkidee · 29-11-2009, 16:08

I went to a crummy restaurant and when this french waitor asked me what I would like to drink I said "Lager please" to which he was confused and said "wine it is" I had to correct him a few times to which he didnt like and his explanation wad "not many people drink lager in here wine is more popular"..... I explained Im not a wine man and dont like drinking it. I really couldnt see the problem, everyone else was saying "just get on with it waitor" when my dinner finally arrived something about the chicken wasnt right I saw something green on top and something on the gravy. I thought maybe it was some sort of fancy sauce but when I looked closely I saw that the waitor or chef snotted on it! lets just say I gave him a piece of my mind and me and the rest of my friends walked out without paying.

I later found out 1 month later that the restaurant closed due to hygiene reasons.

abarthman · 29-11-2009, 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkidee

... waitor or chef snotted on it! lets just say I gave him a piece of my mind and me and the rest of my friends walked out without paying.

And did this incredible event occur before or after you walked out of Pizza Hut after filling up on the free salad starters?

Stiffy78 · 29-11-2009, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bom Diddly Wo

If I was waiting your table I would happily bring you the water and laugh as I would know what was in it as you slowly sipped.

LMAO

Good point, thanks for that. Should the situation ever arise I shall order the water and not drink it at all thus enabling me to sit there even longer.

gemma-the-husky · 29-11-2009, 16:56

some restaurants do allocate time limits for dining, so they can get another sitting. its ok if they point it out.

GOGO2 · 29-11-2009, 17:01

What does ''recovered from the coffee'' mean?

Is it just me or is anyone else wondering what the issue was? If your finished eating and drinking is it not he next logical step to get the bill? What am I missing here???

mangomoon · 29-11-2009, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by summerain

When I'm asked "how is your food?" by waiting staff, I misinterpret it as "hurry up and eat it then"

I hate being harrassed when eating a meal, I always assume they have a hidden agenda.

I was a server at a top restaurant in America and it was a rule that we had to check how their food was after two minutes of putting it down on the table. It's a polite thing to do and doesn't mean you should hurry up! I'd be far more annoyed if they DIDN'T ask me how I was doing!

JonJonB · 29-11-2009, 17:13

Quote:

Is it just me or is anyone else wondering what the issue was? If your finished eating and drinking is it not he next logical step to get the bill? What am I missing here???

The issue is the OP apparently wanted to sit around taking up valuable space after concluding their business in the restaurant and was annoyed that the staff had other ideas.

abarthman · 29-11-2009, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franglais

Seemed they were more interested in ££££ they hoped to get from the next lot of customers.

Maybe the restaurant relies on getting two sittings per table on a Saturday night just to stay in business?

If you want to sit around and chat after you've finished eating, go to the pub.

GOGO2 · 29-11-2009, 17:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by abarthman

Maybe the restaurant relies on getting two sittings per table on a Saturday night just to stay in business?

If you want to sit around and chat after you've finished eating, go to the pub.

Quite!

29-11-2009, 13:04	#1
Franglais Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: London UK Services: VM BB L, TV L, Phone M £38 pm Posts: 1,586	"Pushy" restaurants? 8 of us had a pleasant enough meal in a restaurant last night. Was nice getting together and catching up with news, etc even though the service at this restaurant was'nt all that brilliant (with half the staff unable to speak English and getting all the orders mixed up, etc.......) But we were a bit taken back when they kept dropping hints that we should pay and go when we had'nt quite recovered from the coffee at the end. Seemed they were more interested in ££££ they hoped to get from the next lot of customers. Anybody here experienced this too? Naturally we'll be going to a different restaurant next time!

29-11-2009, 13:12	#3
JonJonB Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,899	How did they convey these hints to you? To be honest, if you were done, I don't see why they shouldn't expect you to be getting on your way.

29-11-2009, 13:18	#5
rosalynn Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Gender: Female Location: Sussex Services: Freeview, Broadband Posts: 3,043	It used to be a common problem many years ago, but recently I've had the opposite problem where waiting staff are absent when we want to pay the bill! Often if it's just the two of us we'll just go up and pay at the bar. I don't think there is anything wrong with taking your time to leave, saying goodbyes if you're in a big group and letting your food go down, but I would be concious of the fact if it was early in the evening and there were no tables free we'd be keeping people waiting for our table. We normally go out quite late though, so the restaurant is normally thinning out by the time we finish our meal.

29-11-2009, 13:23	#6
summerain Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Gender: Female Location: Wiltshire Posts: 5,622	When I'm asked "how is your food?" by waiting staff, I misinterpret it as "hurry up and eat it then" I hate being harrassed when eating a meal, I always assume they have a hidden agenda.

29-11-2009, 13:28	#7
AaronG Posts: n/a	I dislike it when they wait until you have a mouthful of food then rush over and ask; "are you enjoying your meal?"

29-11-2009, 13:54	#9
Stiffy78 Forum Member Join Date: May 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 7,953	I'd have said I wasn't finished and ordered a glass of tap water then sat sipping it for ages.

29-11-2009, 14:10	#10
L. P. Robinson Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bong Tree Island Posts: 431	I'd give them a piece of my mind if they took that attitude with me.

29-11-2009, 14:35	#11
JonJonB Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,899	Yes, never mind them wanting to be able to serve more customers, let's have the previous ones sit there all night and deny them the chance. Two fingers up to the man!

29-11-2009, 15:05	#12
asunshineday Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 344	One restaurant I went to, the waitress asked 3 times while we were eating our dinner if we would be wanting dessert. On the third time, I said 'probably if i'm ever allowed to finish my dinner' she didn't bother us again

29-11-2009, 15:19	#13
AaronG Posts: n/a	I took a girl out to a restaurant once when I was about 14 for a date. Very grown up. I guess they were afraid we were going to scarper without paying so we got put on the table right next door to the kitchen entrance where we were kept a close eye on. Despite the fact that the rest of the restaurant, where the much nicer tables were, was virtually empty.

29-11-2009, 16:08	#16
sparkidee Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: London Posts: 975	I went to a crummy restaurant and when this french waitor asked me what I would like to drink I said "Lager please" to which he was confused and said "wine it is" I had to correct him a few times to which he didnt like and his explanation wad "not many people drink lager in here wine is more popular"..... I explained Im not a wine man and dont like drinking it. I really couldnt see the problem, everyone else was saying "just get on with it waitor" when my dinner finally arrived something about the chicken wasnt right I saw something green on top and something on the gravy. I thought maybe it was some sort of fancy sauce but when I looked closely I saw that the waitor or chef snotted on it! lets just say I gave him a piece of my mind and me and the rest of my friends walked out without paying. I later found out 1 month later that the restaurant closed due to hygiene reasons.

29-11-2009, 16:56	#19
gemma-the-husky Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Gender: Male Location: UK Services: Freesat, SKY FTA - I'm Male - Gemma was my dog! Posts: 940	some restaurants do allocate time limits for dining, so they can get another sitting. its ok if they point it out.

29-11-2009, 17:01	#20
GOGO2 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Gender: Female Location: Britain Posts: 3,254	What does ''recovered from the coffee'' mean? Is it just me or is anyone else wondering what the issue was? If your finished eating and drinking is it not he next logical step to get the bill? What am I missing here???