To expect cakes and coffee to be served together in a cafe?

[orangeandlemons]

So: We ordered a sandwhich, a coffee, a tea, a milkshake and cakes.

Ist came the sandwich...no drink to wash it down
Then came the tea and coffee(5 mins after sandwhich was eaten)
Shortlyafter this the milk shake arrived
After tea, coffee and milkshake drunk, I finally went to locate cakes
5 minutes to speak to someone "Oh they're are coming in a minute"
Finally cakes arrive. Nothing to wash it down with, as consumed 15 minutes earlier.
Eat cakes in pissed off scowling silence. Stomp out muttering about tips

Am I asking the impossible for all these things to arrive simultaneously?

yanbu, sounds odd for this to occur

why didnt you say something earlier?

I would expect drinks to arrive first, food shortly afterwards.

YANBU. The service in some places is dreadful. They should come together.

I didn't say anything, because it all seemed a bit surreal tbh. Also poor women serving had too much to do.

However, initially asked for scone and jam to be told we don't do those on Sundays . AND, when asking for a milkshake off the menu, was told we don't do those, we only do the ones on he ice cream counter: Cue hike to ice cream counter

We had this while "taking tea" in quite a posh country house hotel as a treat for MIL.

The drinks arrived ignored spilled mikshake but not the cake. We politely asked if it was coming. It eventually arrived after we had finished our drinks, maybe 15/20 mins later, rather spoiling the whole point.

I said to the waitress with a smile (okay it was a bit passive-aggressive) "It's not hard to bring the cake with the drinks" and she snapped back "Yes it is!"

To be fair on her own initiative the waitress spoke to her manager who waived the cost of the cakes, but I'm still belwildered that the waitress thought the co-ordination of cake and drinks was too complicated.

I will be MOST put out if I dont get cake and coffee together!

Yes, it's the co-ordination thing! Is it that hard to serve them together? Really?. Cut cake, put on tray, make drinks, take to customer.

She made 4 journeys when she could have made one!

I just wondered if my expectations were too high

I'd have removed my custom from this excuse for a cafe at the point I was told they didn't do scones on Sunday since it'd have been a definite warning about what might be to come.

YANBU, OP. Any fule kno that cakes arrive at the same time as the drinks that have been ordered as their accompaniment.

I think often the issue is lack of basic and advanced training. Perhaps young waitresses don't serve food formally at home and really don't have much experience of even the simpliest good service. The onus is on the manager to make sure they learn the skills to make it work.

The waitress was quite old......Should I complain then? She seemed so harrassed.

And they had a huge step with miniscule mind the step signs which I didn't see, and of course went flying....

It still seems a bit surreal tbh

training??? ffs common sense. would you make yourself a cup of tea drink it then wait 20mins to have a cake/biscuit with it? it aint rocket science!

But what is it with scones and Sunday? Surely Sunday is a sort of scone day? Isn't it?. How does one differentiate between a scone and non scone day?

perhaps they dont get a supply on a sunday.though you would think it would be a necessity in a cafe on a sunday.

My thoughts exactly. Isn't Sunday the bestday for cafe hopping?

I get cross when food is brought seperately and when the start trying to clear plates when you are still eating. We sit and wait until everyone is served before starting and wait until everyone has finished before clearing. Waiting staff nowadays (and my MIl ) think we are nuts.

If I had been there today we wouldnt have drunk the tea, until the cakes arrived.....probably would have had to asked for fresh hot drinks!

Ha, yes, you would have been waiting a looong time.

Ah, but the table of eyes following the waitress in anticipation as the drinks sat untouched might have been the hint she needed!

Unfortunately we were in a sort of annexe bit, hence tripping overs tep, where she couldn't see us.

Out of sight, out of mind...

I had a similar experience in Harry Ramsden's. Never been back. Ordered Fish and chips and a cold drink. Fish and chips came a good 5 minutes bfore the drink.

fish and chips with cold drink = gut rot according to my old dad.
I went to a cafe and asked for a pot of tea and 2cups to be told they couldn't do that as the pot was for 1 cup only. swines. Yanbu.

scuzy well, obviously where staff lack common sense they should be fired given some training!

Was it on the trolley?

Maybe these waitresses are like my husbands family and don't see that drinks and food are best served together. If I'm making us lunch for example, I will co-ordinate myself so that tea and whatever we're having to eat is served at the same time. DH will make lunch and then not bother with tea until I order him to get my tea politely enquire where my tea is.

Going to his folks for food was awful until I got comfortable around them and started asking for a drink with my meal.