Reply to: Women; how it works in restaurants

[Mich the Tester]

Also, Italian restaurants who serve you your food and then expect you to know immediately whether you want black pepper on it before you've had chance to taste it.

You know I've never seen them do that in Italy.

[thunderlizard]

- Waiters giving me the bill and bogging off for another 20 minutes before I can attract their attention to give them my card, and then waiting another 20 mins for them to bring the payment terminal thingy.

Yes, and why is it a two-phase commit anyway? Why don't they bring the bill and the terminal at the same time.

Also, Italian restaurants who serve you your food and then expect you to know immediately whether you want black pepper on it before you've had chance to taste it.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I used to frequent a pub where we had to phone up to get someone to come to the bar and serve us - we only went there because it was cheap and close to work.

[Platypus]

Also I find if you phone the restaurant, ask for the duty manager, and tell him/her the customers on table X asked for their bill 20 mins ago and have still not got it and if they want a tip they'd better bring it over in the next 30 seconds, that tends to work too.

I like it - great idea!

[moorfield]

I can't stand waiting for the bill.
I ask for the bill and if I am still waiting after five minuets then on goes my coat and I walk up to the till. It works every time.

I have found that if you stand on your table and drop your trousers you do get pretty quick service (had to do this on my stag).

Also I find if you phone the restaurant, ask for the duty manager, and tell him/her the customers on table X asked for their bill 20 mins ago and have still not got it and if they want a tip they'd better bring it over in the next 30 seconds, that tends to work too.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I whoheartedly agree with the original rant. Both my ex wife and current partner spend ages deciding in spite of having claimed to be ready. They also refuse to ever order anything in a restaurant until I've said what I'm having. As for paying - I walked out of watford gap services one night having eaten for free as no-one went anywhere near the till the whole time I was there.

[Mich the Tester]

Last laugh: the diner's name was Egon Ronay, and the review was not very good.

Should he find himself in our neck of the woods he'll get a drink from me.

[d000hg]

I got up after lunch today, walked around and asked 3 members of staff if I could pay the bill and they all said 'I'm not authorised for the till'. I should just have walked out without paying.

Tell them, "I'm leaving now, either let me pay my bill or I won't pay".

[expat]

I got up after lunch today, walked around and asked 3 members of staff if I could pay the bill and they all said 'I'm not authorised for the till'. I should just have walked out without paying.

One diner I heard of had that happen to him. He was told unceremoniously to go back to his table and sit down and wait until someone came to allow him to pay the bill. He flatly refused, and while loudly proclaiming that he was happy to pay and would be in touch later to pay if they didn't take his money now, he walked out. At least he tried to: the doorman wrestled him back in, and made him wait.

Last laugh: the diner's name was Egon Ronay, and the review was not very good.

[Mich the Tester]

I can't stand waiting for the bill.
I ask for the bill and if I am still waiting after five minuets then on goes my coat and I walk up to the till. It works every time.

I got up after lunch today, walked around and asked 3 members of staff if I could pay the bill and they all said 'I'm not authorised for the till'. I should just have walked out without paying.

[DodgyAgent]

I haven't been to a restaurant in years, mostly because of the feelings of disgust and shame I feel when I see the bill and can't pay it. The closest I experience now is McDonalds and here I can empathise on service. The queues are occasionally too long and while queuing recently I had a worker scrote person direct me to an alternate queue that turned out to be the slowest out of the whole lot. If I had timed it, I think it would have been there at least 3-4 minutes. Nor did they seem to understand booking a table in advance or wine lists

I bet you get staff discount as well

[s2budd]

I can't stand waiting for the bill.
I ask for the bill and if I am still waiting after five minuets then on goes my coat and I walk up to the till. It works every time.

[swamp]

I haven't been to a restaurant in years, mostly because of the feelings of disgust and shame I feel when I see the bill and can't pay it. The closest I experience now is McDonalds and here I can empathise on service. The queues are occasionally too long and while queuing recently I had a worker scrote person direct me to an alternate queue that turned out to be the slowest out of the whole lot. If I had timed it, I think it would have been there at least 3-4 minutes. Nor did they seem to understand booking a table in advance or wine lists

At least in McDonalds when you've finished scoffing your burger you don't have to wait an hour before you can leave.

[TimberWolf]

I haven't been to a restaurant in years, mostly because of the feelings of disgust and shame I feel when I see the bill and can't pay it. The closest I experience now is McDonalds and here I can empathise on service. The queues are occasionally too long and while queuing recently I had a worker scrote person direct me to an alternate queue that turned out to be the slowest out of the whole lot. If I had timed it, I think it would have been there at least 3-4 minutes. Nor did they seem to understand booking a table in advance or wine lists

[thelace]

In Britain we have to work!

Have to get back to post on CUK