How is your food?

[niadainud]

I suspect this is going to make me sound entitled, but it's become a bugbear of mine so I'm curious as to whether other people feel the same.

I eat out on my own quite frequently, usually at mid-range places. I tend to eat during less busy periods (this is relevant) i.e. on weekday afternoons, after the lunchtime rush.

The thing that is annoying me is that when the server comes to check how the food is it's almost invariably when I have my mouth full. It's also pretty frequently when I've almost finished eating.

So obviously if I'm eating a meal I'm going to have food in my mouth quite a lot of the time, I do appreciate that. But is it really that difficult to time the query so that I can actually reply to it rather than having to do some sort of combination of gurning and nodding? I would genuinely rather that they didn't bother to ask if it's just a box-ticking exercise.

The relevance of me eating at less busy periods is that they're generally not run off their feet and could easily wait an extra second or two to enable me to swallow. I realise I could probably gesticulate that I want to communicate something, but that feels so awkward, trying to quickly clear my mouth while they are hovering. Perhaps that's just me...

I have worked serving tables, but it was a long time ago and I don't remember what we were instructed to do about this aspect of service.

Oh well, I guess I win the prize for the most uninteresting AIBU!

Probably

It's to avoid customers finishing a meal, complaining about it and demanding their money back. If you ask mid meal they can bring up any issues and it can be rectified.

Not sure why anyone would think you were being entitled, but I've had this happen everywhere from Wetherspoons to high end restaurants, at busy and quiet periods. It's just something they have to do, a box ticking exercise

Bizarre thing to get het up about. Irrespective of being busy they’re hardly going to wait around for you to swallow and find the magic 30 seconds between bites are they?

Usually it’s just a thumbs up - if there was an actual issue you’d have stopped eating it and spoken to them already surely, so it’s just courtesy.

I have always suspected they do this intentionally on the basis that you’re just going to give them a nod rather than rush for food down and actually complain. I also suspect they work on the assumption that if you haven't complained by the time they approach, you must be happy with your meal. When I have occasionally said something about the quality, the response is almost always the same: a non-committal "Oh, I'll pass that on to the kitchen”. Perhaps they do this to ensure you don't complain once you've eaten everything.

You are right though, it is annoying. I’m at an age now where I care little about what people think of me. Now, when they interrupt to ask about my meal, I make them wait. I give them a look that says, "Just wait until I'm finished chewing," and let them stand there, expecting a complaint. The look of pure relief when I finally tell them it's delicious is priceless.

I mean you used a lot of words to describe rather a common complaint.

But I agree it is annoying.

Although this is normally covered in training, it seems a few still don't adhere to it.

ETA: As a pp said, just give them a thumbs up if there's no problem.

I just give them a thumbs up.

Just swallow and then answer?

It's a sign of shitty training in service IMO.

I would only expect this in a crap chain restaurant.

Fucking hell. They walk among us

imagine taking pleasure in worrying a minimum wage worker

I guess I did, but I had several relevant (I think) points to make.

Anyway, as I said, mainly just interested in whether other people find it annoying too.

Ouch! 😄

Yes, I know why they ask (although sometimes it is almost at the end of the meal). But my point was if they actually want a response that's easier to give when you don't have a mouth full of food.

I hate this too OP.

Also interrupting your conversation with your companion and or/having mouth full.

Really gets on my tits 😁

Well yes, that's fine if there's nothing wrong with the food. I mean I usually smile and nod, but I prefer to communicate with words.

I know that seems obvious, but I'm a slow eater (I get teased for this) and find it a bit embarrassing to go chew-chew-chew-chew-chew-swallow with someone watching me expectantly.

Well they aren't really interested in a long conversation about the meal. They just want to give you the opportunity to make your complaint if they want one. Thumbs up works if you are chewing.

Yes, that's kind of what I was wondering; AIBU to expect it should be covered in training. Thanks.

It's just sod's law isn't it.

I don't want to have a conversation about it! I just want the opportunity to speak without my mouth being full. Thumbs up only works if everything is fine. I suppose I could do thumbs down, but I'd feel a prat.

Good to know I'm not alone.

I don't understand? What's sod's law?

I REALLY hate being asked this, whether I’m alone or not. If there is something wrong I would have told them already or it would go back uneaten. If the latter were the case, I can understand them saying ‘is everything alright with your meal’ but not when I’m eating. I have often been known to reply ‘why? should it not be?’ Then they get very confused 😂

Sorry @niadainud
Was just joking. Just swallow next time or just eyeball them!!