To feel unnerved when the wait-staff don't write down your order?

[TartanTrousers]

First world problems, I know!

But, AIBU to feel unnerved when the wait-staff don't write down your order but stand there nodding instead?

I can be a fussy eater so there's usually at least one change requested and I can't help but think that something is going to be forgotten.

Today, my steak was cooked more than I asked for and the mayonnaise was forgotten (nothing serious and the meal was delicious!) but I can't help but feel that it's a trend and designed to show off attentiveness whereas I'd much rather it just be written down in the first place!

yanbu.

I think this is why I like wagamamas so much. They write it down in front of me too.

I agree. I need to know they've got it, dammit. Especially as one DC has Coeliac so when I say Gluten Free I really do mean Gluten Free - just write it down so I know you know.

As fomer wait-staff I agree!

Thank god I never worked anywhere that required it - no way I could have handled the pressure.

YANBU

How do you know they are writing down the right thing though?

I can't write and talk at the same time. It's fine in my head though.

The only time I've ever known a waiter not write things down was a couple of years ago. Nice, but not particularly posh restaurant. Seven of us. We all ordered - including several different side dishes, how we wanted steaks, slight substitutions etc. He then reeled it all back to us and when it all arrived it was spot on.

The kids were beyond impressed! They asked him about it and he reckoned that the best restaurants expect their staff to be able to remember orders.

He did say though that if it's a party of more than 15 he writes some things down.

That is impressive! I can barely remember my own order and need to keep referring back to the menu.

Annunziata - you're right of course, they could be writing down any old shite but it's the comfort of the paper!

It's meant to be a sign of a posh restaurant. They're so great that they only employ the best staff kind of thing. Most of the time I'm OK with it, but sometimes you're talking to someone and you just don't get the feeling that they can remember their own name, let alone orders for several people.

It is shite when I try to write it down I can hear the customer talk faster and I'm still on their starter

I could remember upto tables of around eight quite easily when I was waiting on- steaks, sides, sauces, starters, desserts and a drinks round.
And could remember if someone had swapped seats to try and trick me
Once you are in a routine and know the menu its easy.
You aren't the only people who want no mayo, or gluten free or to know if there is mushrooms in something. We get asked stuff like that all the time, it's not taxing to remember. That's why you should tip 10% atleast

As long as they get it right I don't mind. You can generally tell if they are comfortable doing it or not too, if they're happy and confident then it's probably going to be fine.

Yanbu! It stresses me. It's not posh. It's annoying.

I'm unreasonably annoyed about this. Probably because I know I couldn't do it. I forget the tea round at work all the time. And there's only 4 of us and 3 of us have the same thing every time.

My friend can remember what everyone of us (a regular group of at least 6 who go out every couple of months) has at every restaurant, and how good it all was, for years. It's rather impressive. But, I do wonder what important things associated with her job or private life she fails to remember instead... (she is not in this industry at all)

YABU. From my experience it is the most experienced waiting staff who can do this. It tends to be the ones who also don't have to ask who ordered what.

It just means they have great memories and therefore, for the role they have, are very good at their job.

It's really not that hard. I used to waitress where this was expected.

In pactice its quite simple, each item on the menu is a letter or two, as the person reels of what they want you just memorise that face with that letter or pick something notable about them and link it to the letter. Any subs are an additional letter.

You need to remember who ordered what anyway for when the food arrives. I worked there for 2 years and can't remember it ever causing a wrong order.

I know I don't go out to restaurants very often, but "wait-staff"?

We have been told we are not meant to write it down as it's a premium establishment. We do, otherwise It would be hopeless!

Yanbu. It bothers me too. I don't see why writing it down is a problem.

Good to know others experience - some of you clearly have a much better memory than I do!

Suburban - I mean waiters, people who take your order and serve your food.

I work in an Indian and we write it down.

If every person orders a starter, main, side, rice and naan it gets complicated quickly. Plus there's 100s of dishes and each dish can be veggie, chicken, lamb or prawn, or panner, with spinach or mush room, different strengths, etc

If it was a menu with 15 dishes eg lasagne, pie etx etc it would be much easier to remember

I'm not fussed either way, but what happens in the kitchen? Surely it needs to be written down in there?

YANBU! This seems to be the case everywhere we go to eat recently and it makes me nervous! I will sometimes ask if they are sure they can remember (much to DPs disgust )

We go to a small local café where the local staff don't write anything down. They then invariably get your order wrong .

I asked to pay my bill the last time I was there, and queried it because it was so low. I was assured that it was correct, I queried it again listing what DS and I had ordered. I was assured that it was correct again. I paid, but now I'm too embarrassed to go back because I'm 90% sure that it was incorrect .

I was in Pizza Hut once and asked for water. The waitress wrote down O2; I was kind of worried I was going to get a glass of oxygen. Maybe not writing stuff down is in order to stop annoying noseyparkers like me questioning their notes? (I didn't, obviously)