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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think restaurant service is too rushed.

39 replies

Calipsew · 04/10/2021 21:53

We ate out this evening for my son's birthday, at a Spanish restaurant. We were only there an hour, because the waiting staff were so very efficient at taking our order, serving the food and whipping the plates away as soon as we'd finished. I could understand it in a busy restaurant on a Saturday evening, but its Monday and only a small number of tables were occupied. Next time I think I will have to make a point of telling the waiting staff to take their time. Does anyone else ever feel like this in restaurants? It seems to happen every time we eat out, and I resent spending so much money for a rushed experience.

OP posts:
WeepySheepy · 05/10/2021 19:26

It's hard because they probably want to make up some of the lost earnings from covid but yeah it can seem a bit rushed sometimes.

PurpleDaisies · 05/10/2021 19:27

No, I’ve not noticed that. We’ve actually struggled to get the bill on the last couple of times we’ve been out.

NailsNeedDoing · 05/10/2021 19:31

I’ve noticed this can happen in places, usually because they have a lot of bookings so will only allow an hour and a half or two hours each. It makes for a less pleasant experience and it seems especially cheeky when places limit your time but still charge a premium for drinks.

Gizmo98765 · 05/10/2021 19:38

Yes, and very much more so after covid. Menus are shorter, staff don’t linger, service is very quick and rushed, food plonked down and food out never seems to taste as nice and eating out doesn’t feel as special or enjoyable as it once did even in restaurants we used to be very familiar with. No one wants you to linger and bookings are refused or made to coincide with an hour to two hour maximum slot. So you end up having to eat either much earlier or much later than you would like so they can comfortably fit several sittings in. I also feel quite ripped off and think if I wanted an express meal I would go to Mcdonalds.

Twilight7777 · 05/10/2021 19:49

Definitely not being unreasonable we’ve thought this too, fair enough at the weekend when it’s busy, but on a Monday you’d expect a more relaxed pace

phoenixrosehere · 05/10/2021 20:06

I actually prefer it that way. I always find it to be the opposite when we’ve gone out and it’s not busy. Takes almost 20 minutes before we even order food. Smaller menus are also easier for me to decide from and I notice places with smaller menus taste better to me than those with massive menus. I’ve gotten to the point I tell my waiter/waitress what I want after they introduce themselves. I’ve usually looked at the menu online beforehand and have questions ready if need be.

PartyPotato · 05/10/2021 20:22

If I go out for dinner I want to take my time and make an evening of it, I don’t want to be in and out in an hour.

ThreeLittleDots · 05/10/2021 20:25

I find service is much quicker when kids are at an evening meal

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 05/10/2021 20:26

I've found when booking tables places giving an end time, which I think is fair, especially for earlier bookings. Usually 90mins-2hrs, which is fine if the service is efficient.

Sylvvie · 05/10/2021 20:31

Yes and I hate it. Meal out is meant to be relaxing and a kind of social thing for many people, so about 2 hours start to finish. They seem to get everything ordered and out in 10 minutes, clear plates instantly, next course basically right after the first. No time to sit and actually let anything go down between courses.

Also, for some reason everywhere we go the portions are ridiculous! 3 pitta breads and an almost 150g serving of hummus - and it was DEFINITELY for one person as they had a hummus sharer too - followed by a bowl of salad as big as a large cooking pot and then a massive brownie. I would barely be able to start my main after a starter that big and it's such a waste! OH is a bigger eater than me and even he struggles.

Cactu · 05/10/2021 20:36

Since covid I’m just not enjoying eating out or visiting cafes as much at all.

Service levels have dropped off a cliff, and I know they’re short staffed etc etc but I’m paying the same money and I’m not just buying food out because I haven’t got any at home. I want the whole experience.

Everywhere has doors and windows open for ventilation. I cannot relax in a draught.

And yes restricted booking times. 6pm or 8pm and you’ll be rushed through and out the door. It’s meant to be a treat not the culinary equivalent of a hospital appointment.

Oblomov21 · 05/10/2021 20:38

Nope. I find it slow. I've never had it too quick.

FellInLoveWithABanana · 05/10/2021 21:19

Where are you all eating that serves you like this? Just ask for a few more minutes with the menu, and ask for dessert to come out later.

mrsbyers · 05/10/2021 21:28

I just tell them I want a 15 minute gap between courses or whatever

BobMortimersPetOwl · 06/10/2021 08:24

No I don't have this issue. I want efficient service! I want the plates taken away as soon as we've finished, I want a drinks order taken quickly once we've been seated, I want the bill to arrive without delay because once we're finished I want to go! A smaller menu is always always better than a big menu.

Just ask for more time. Don't wish for crap service for those of us who enjoy efficiency!

Gizmo98765 · 06/10/2021 09:12

Agree with this

@PartyPotato

‘If I go out for dinner I want to take my time and make an evening of it, I don’t want to be in and out in an hour’.

Its different if you are time restricted at lunch time and have to rush back to work or are having a hurried meal with young children, are at an airport or motorway service station etc and are eating out functionally.

But if I am making the effort to go out out with DH or catching up with friends I am happy to linger in a restaurant and more often than not we will be spending well on food and alcohol. I don’t want to spend time and effort getting ready to go out, eating quickly being rushed in and out the restaurant to be in and out in an hour, paying a fortune for the privilege and to be back home in my PJ’s/loungewear thinking what was all that about why did I bother.

bonfireheart · 06/10/2021 09:22

And when you're still eating, there's food in your plate and they're like "can I take that away?" after 20 mins!

DigOlBick · 06/10/2021 09:29

It’s all very American now. Good customer service in America is quick and they constantly bother you to get you in and out as quickly as possible to refill the table as they rely on tips. Americans talking about European customer service on Reddit day that they think we are very rude by leaving them alone. They just don’t do the whole spending the evening out at restaurants and relaxing. A lot of chains over here now are American companies with American training.

VestaTilley · 06/10/2021 09:31

YANBU, Jay Rayner wrote about this a few years ago. He said going out for dinner used to a be a whole evening experience, with drinks in the restaurant or hotel bar before, but now they want to cram in more customers (don’t blame them post Covid, but still) and turn tables more quickly, so it is more rushed than it used to be.

lockdownmadnessdotcom · 06/10/2021 10:21

I think it depends on the restaurant. We were away last week and a couple of times the main course was brought out too quickly after the starter and I felt full really quickly, whereas another 5-10 minutes inbetween would made a difference. We did ask for more time before dessert.

I still want efficient service but I don't want one person taking away the starter plate as someone else brings the main course plate.

lockdownmadnessdotcom · 06/10/2021 10:22

I want the bill to arrive without delay because once we're finished I want to go

Totally agree with this, hanging around for the bill at the end of a meal is so tedious. No I'm not ordering anything else so stop ignoring us and bring the bill. Paying upfront like you do in most pubs is so much easier.

HarrietsChariot · 06/10/2021 10:30

If you have kids the service will be faster, the restaurant wants you in and out as quickly as possible before the children start being disruptive. If a restaurant is quiet bored and therefore loud children often are more noticeable than if the place is packed.

Obviously not all children are like that - but the restaurants err on the side of caution, it's best to assume they will become troublesome and get them out than wait until they do become noisy.

purplecorkheart · 06/10/2021 10:58

I was away last weekend and really noticed how rushed the service was. One of the restaurants you where told when you booked how long you had the table (2 hrs). They took our order and had our food out in 10 mins. The person I was with finished their food before me. They cleared her plate before I had finished eating.

mynameismaybe · 06/10/2021 11:03

Depending on the company I'm with aka if someone is very hungry and wants their food ASAP - I just tell them when I'm placing my order that I want a minimum of 20 minutes between courses. I can't eat 3 courses in 35 minutes and I wont be forced to. I've never yet had a problem with telling them this, although sometimes they may hover around hoping I might say to bring things quicker, but I don't.

TheCategoryIs · 06/10/2021 11:03

Spanish restaurants tend to be quite quick in particular, we went to one where we could see them just heating up a tortilla and all the dishes were served within seven minutes.

I generally find restaurants very unrelaxing. It’s rare I go to one where the service is well paced, these are the scenarios:

  • seated but then left for ages without any offer of food or drink, as if that isn’t what they exist for. Especially annoying if you are hungry….
  • same as above only this continues throughout proceedings so you feel you have to beg for everything. We are always amazed they don’t want to at least upsell additional alcohol
  • things start off well but once the food is served you are completely abandoned. No one asks if you want dessert and it’s a challenge to try to flag someone down for the bill. You feel you could quite easily walk out without paying and no one would notice. We deliberately try to avoid tucked away tables. This is one of the benefits of Nando’s as you have to pay first!
  • everything is delivered at breakneck speed. We prefer this as at least it means we are getting proper attention and the place is well oiled although even then the bill can be hard to acquire