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05-30-2019, 06:13 PM #1
How long will you wait at a (relatively empty) bar/restaurant for your tab before wal
Asking for a friend-
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsNo Roger, No Rerun, No Rent
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05-30-2019, 06:14 PM #2Good-lookin' wool
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- Oct 2005
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- 11,735
I'm assuming you left before typing the king
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05-30-2019, 06:19 PM #3
Guy literally saw my phone with this on the bar and came right over. Seems to be a trend in Montréal right now-
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsNo Roger, No Rerun, No Rent
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05-30-2019, 06:27 PM #4
5 minutes max.
If they ignore you or disappear try using a sound bite with your smartphone that sounds like glass or plates smashing as loud as possible.
Trust me they'll come running
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05-30-2019, 06:33 PM #5
This a good one
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05-30-2019, 06:39 PM #6
I usually ask any server first but I have been known to leave cash estimate if I am pressed for time, like a train in Europe. No tip anyways, hope I covered it...
Only walked one time. College grad dinner. Busy, new restaurant (my bad, my reservation) 12 or so sat down, didn't get wine for 15 minute, ordered 30 min later. Got salads maybe 30 min after that. Had a bad feeling. Went in the kitchen and asked where my order was on the cooks line, the paper. They balked and then finally showed me it like 20 deep. I had worked in restaurants in high school and college. Politely told the maitre de we were leaving to go get food as some people had driven up from LA that night and we walked out. Did not leave money for wine or salads. I don't even think they had ingredients to make our dinner after the 20 other orders. Again my bad, sounded great and had a few reviews, they we're just not ready for grad night.
But in general, if they suck, no tip but leave what you think you should. I never walk out door with less than $200 in my wallet in case I have to buy my life or someone elsesEducation must be the answer, we've tried ignorance and it doesn't work!
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05-30-2019, 06:48 PM #7
I've walked back into kitchens to track down servers. That gets some attention real quick..
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05-30-2019, 07:07 PM #8
Much longer in Italy.
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05-30-2019, 07:40 PM #9Funky But Chic
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- Sep 2001
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- The Cone of Uncertainty
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Service always sucks when places are empty. You'd think it would be the opposite, but from experience I know when it's slow you just get in slacker mode quickly and it's hard to keep your mind on your customers. You just get distracted. Now I always try to get in front of it and ask for things when I know I'll see the server, like I'll ask for the check when they bring the food.
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05-30-2019, 07:46 PM #10
In Costa Rica it is customary for the guest to ask for the check when they are ready. I didn't try to put it to the test too much, but every time I asked when I was ready and never got it before that.
Was it a CR server? Maybe getting acclimated. I am all about solutions.
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05-30-2019, 07:51 PM #11
37 seconds
watch out for snakes
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05-30-2019, 07:59 PM #12Registered User
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- Oct 2017
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- 181
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05-30-2019, 08:06 PM #13
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05-30-2019, 08:09 PM #14
Few years ago at Tru in Chicago we watched our wine sit unopened on the table right next to us for 30 solid minutes as we pleaded for any server, buster or staffer passing by to open it and pour it for us. I know because that’s when I finally found a use for the chronograph on my watch. When someone finally showed up with a gotdamned wine key our first course had already been sitting there for 10 minutes.
I asked to send them back on account that I told our server, nowhere to be found since she took our order, that we didn’t want our food fired until we had our wine.
Meanwhile as I’m in the process of sending back the first course the 22 year old Francophile maitre’ d approaches and instead of asking what’s wrong he tried to play the game of “do you know what fine dining is”, which was a really bad move on his part.
While discussing his lack of dining experience the main course shows up. While the first is still sitting there untouched and the bottle is barely opened as the backup server long ago went to go find a decanter.
Dude looked like he just ate a sous vide shit sandwich. I stood up, told my wife we were leaving, turned to Sèrge and said, “we’re taking the wine” and just walked the fuck out.
Didn’t look back. No one said shit. Really fucking pathetic for a place with a star.
Good news was the wine was excellent - got a healthy buzz passing it back and forth by the time we wandered over to Lodge Bar to class up the joint.I still call it The Jake.
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05-30-2019, 09:10 PM #15
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05-30-2019, 09:22 PM #16Registered User
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- Apr 2006
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- SF & the Ho
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- 9,296
Can't stand a waiter that can't close at the end of a meal. The stupidity annoys me cause it's the last chance to influence a good tip.
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05-30-2019, 11:01 PM #17
15 minutes. I tried to find someone. Russians. 2am.
I got pissed off and walked.
Years ago. But yes.Is it radix panax notoginseng? - splat
This is like hanging yourself but the rope breaks. - DTM
Dude Listen to mtm. He's a marriage counselor at burning man. - subtle plague
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05-30-2019, 11:10 PM #18
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05-31-2019, 07:11 AM #19
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05-31-2019, 11:07 AM #20
Did this once in NYC. Had tickets for a BDWY show. Couldn't get the waiter to come over and give us the check. I think they were way understaffed. There was one other table where it looked like they were in the same situation. We finally left a cash amount that we thought was enough to cover the meal.
Had a similar problem in Rome. Couldn't get the waiter to get us the check despite asking multiple times. We finally just decided to get up to leave, and he came running over. Several tourists were about to sit down and asked about the food and service. We told them food is good, service not so good, and the waiter shot us a dirty look. We paid the bill, no tip, but in Euroland service is included anyway."We don't beat the reaper by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well and living fully." - Randy Pausch
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05-31-2019, 11:18 AM #21User
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- Oct 2003
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- Ogden
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Yep, I prefer it. Pretty much any interaction with the wait staff has to be requested after taking your initial order and bringing the food, but the good ones are watching you for clues that you need them. I hate the US style of being checked on every 5 minutes to ask if everything is OK. And fake nice is fake, give me French waiters who give good service without the fake smiling.
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05-31-2019, 11:26 AM #22
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05-31-2019, 11:41 AM #23Registered User
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- Feb 2008
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05-31-2019, 12:00 PM #24
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06-01-2019, 01:11 AM #25
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