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Old 01-30-2019, 01:24 PM   #33
Biggd
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Waltham Ma./Meredith NH
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Originally Posted by Crusty View Post
I was about to say that I wasn't insinuating anything, that it was a medical fact. However, I realize that you must be humor impaired and this would simply aggravate the situation.

I simply used a humorous --albeit true-- experience to illustrate my point. Restaurants deal in one-off products. No two meals will EVER be of the exact same quality, nor would I want them to be. I have had meals I didn't like in fine restaurants and meals I loved in greasy spoons. It's called "personal preference" and it is just that: personal. Now, if they served you raw chicken or a foil-wrapped dirt clod for a potato (happened to Mom), you certainly should speak up. However, if you aren't running the (successful) restaurant then you probably don't know what the majority of their clientele find toothsome.

On the matter of table service: If you treat your server like I suspect a lot on this forum do, your dining experience will never be as pleasant as it can be. Servers are good, hard-working people, in many cases more intelligent, educated and/or pleasant than those they serve. If you engage them, are pleasant, and don't blame them for what they can't control, they will do their best to correct any of your perceived problems. There are few things more rewarding than to return to a restaurant and have servers greet you warmly and try to get you to one of their tables. [I remember one mortifying experience while dining with a relative, when I felt compelled to go back inside to retrieve a "lost" wallet so that I could apologize to the waitress and slip her an extra $20.] Finally, tip your server reasonably. No matter how you figure it, $5 is a minimum, regardless of the bill. I start by figuring 20% and take into account the time and effort consumed. If I just have say, soup and salad over 45 minutes, I figure the tip based on the amount of time I tied up the table (30-50%). A more expensive meal might remain in the 20% range --lot's of differing opinions and situations, I'm sure, but if you're the last customer in the place, and the server had to hang around because of you, tip generously.

Finally, I'll disclose that I know a number of successful restaurant owners. I have also worked in several different restaurants, from dishwasher to fry cook to grill cook, and on one memorable night, as a carhop. If any of you knew what was said about you in the kitchen, you'd be a lot nicer to the staff.
I prefer to sit at the bar when ever possible. Bartenders tend to stay at one place longer than servers so you get to know one another if you frequent an establishment on a regular basis. You usually get better service and friendly banter at the bar, JMO!
I like it when I sit down and my beer is already in front of me before I even ask for it.
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