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Offshoot- What is the max time you will wait for a server

Posted on 3/18/17 at 7:57 pm
Posted by vistajay
Member since Oct 2012
2500 posts
Posted on 3/18/17 at 7:57 pm
Admittedly this is more of a problem when I am traveling for work and dining alone, but how long will you wait, once seated, before a server comes to your table and at least takes a drink order and gives you a menu?
I get ansy after five minutes. Ten munutes and I am walking out.
Posted by nerd guy
Grapevine
Member since Dec 2008
12715 posts
Posted on 3/18/17 at 8:03 pm to
I usually don't walk out but a month I did. I think we waited around 10 min.
Posted by Brettesaurus Rex
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2009
38259 posts
Posted on 3/18/17 at 10:32 pm to
Not being at least greeted within a few minutes is a cardinal sin. I better have a drink within 5, 10 mins if busy.
Posted by tlsu15
Capital of Texas
Member since Aug 2011
10023 posts
Posted on 3/18/17 at 11:01 pm to
quote:

Not being at least greeted within a few minutes is a cardinal sin. I better have a drink within 5, 10 mins if busy.


I'm sorry they didn't recognize you as the Queen of England, your highness.

I agree they should at least greet you within 5 minutes and let you know if they are too busy to move forward with your meal. Once they do that, it's up to you to decide if it's worth the wait or not. Some of you seriously over value your importance.
Posted by iLikeMike
BR
Member since Feb 2008
763 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 12:23 am to
We left Tope La a few months ago after 15 minutes. There was no one in there either, it's not like they were busy. Complained to the manager and he just said ok.
Posted by RockyMtnTigerWDE
War Damn Eagle Dad!
Member since Oct 2010
105414 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 1:11 am to
I think it's funny you feel people think they leave due to their entitlement of importance. As a consumer a person makes a decision to spend their money at a selected restaurant. As a server, hostess/host you have chosen to work in a service oriented business. It should be no shock that expectations will be put upon you.

A server makes money based on how they enhance or detract from a consumers eating experience. If a server has done well then their expectations are to be paid well through tipping. Dang right I will expect someone to acknowledge my presence even if they are busy. It has nothing to do with my importance but expectation of someone being courteous and letting me know why I am waiting at the table. It comes down to common courtesy and nothing to do with a sense of importance. If a server were to come by and explain there will be a slight delay , then most people would be fine with that and wait.

Posted by LNCHBOX
70448
Member since Jun 2009
84121 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 6:42 am to
quote:

I'm sorry they didn't recognize you as the Queen of England, your highness.

I agree they should at least greet you within 5 minutes and let you know if they are too busy to move forward with your meal. Once they do that, it's up to you to decide if it's worth the wait or not. Some of you seriously over value your importance.


When trying too hard goes wrong.
Posted by nwacajun
St louis
Member since Dec 2008
1492 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 9:52 am to
10 minutes is a really long time . Most casual dining restaurants want guests in and out in 45 minutes to an hour depending on size of group and time of day. Anything over 2 minutes and something has gone or is going wrong.
Posted by GRTiger
On a roof eating alligator pie
Member since Dec 2008
63046 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 10:33 am to
You call him out and then agree with him? You some kind of retard?
Posted by tlsu15
Capital of Texas
Member since Aug 2011
10023 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 11:04 am to
You can call him out for one thing (NEEDING to have a drink within 10 minutes of being seated) while agreeing with him about another (you should be acknowledged as a customer within 5 minutes and told of service will be slower than usual).

It doesn't have to be all or nothing.
Posted by yellowfin
Coastal Bar
Member since May 2006
97647 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 11:23 am to
quote:

10 minutes is a really long time


Yeah I don't know if I've ever had to wait that long. I'll just walk to the bar and order my first drink if they are too busy
Posted by Joshjrn
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
27072 posts
Posted on 3/19/17 at 3:19 pm to
I get a bit antsy if you haven't been around to take my drink order in 5-10 minutes. I'd say about 15-20 minutes to be back with my drink and take my food order.

To directly answer the OP, I'd probably get up after 15m of no one ever speaking to me. However, once my drink order has been taken, I'm probably not going anywhere, no matter how long things are taking.
Posted by Treacherous Cretin
Columbus, OH
Member since Jan 2016
1503 posts
Posted on 3/21/17 at 5:46 am to
It depends. It usually happens when I'm alone and the place isn't busy enough to justify a wait. I've left in five minutes when I sat down at an uncrowded bar and the bartender was chatting with another patron and never even looked my way. I know a crappy service provider when I see one. And I've learned it by passing on my initial instinct to flee and giving a lot of bad servers the chance to disappoint me before I decided to start trusting myself. Yeah, 10 minutes is probably usually about right. But as soon as I see that I'm watching the clock hoping the 10 min will pass without service so I can leave, I'm out.

I left a place without paying a while back because I was done eating and waited 15 minutes for my waitress to bring my check but she never did. She just disappeared. I hate when the server is all over you during the meal but when you're ready to pay your check and leave they keep you waiting. It's sort of a dive bar that makes surprisingly good food for a dive bar. I wasn't drinking so the check was less than $15. It ticked me off and I haven't been back since. That was probably two years ago. Maybe it's time to go back. They make a good green sauce.
Posted by LSURoss
SWLAish
Member since Dec 2007
15329 posts
Posted on 3/21/17 at 6:37 am to
I dine a bit alone for work as well. Sitting at the bar is the only way to go.
Posted by bdevill
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Mar 2008
11807 posts
Posted on 3/21/17 at 6:39 am to
quote:

Ten minutes and I am walking out.


I don't know if I would walk out, if it's a place I or my company really want to go. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. That being said, not being greeted promptly is a clear indication that it's going to be a difficult dining experience, unless the waiter really makes a comeback. If the rest of the experience is as bad as the untimely greeting, the server will really not like the tip they get when the meal is done.
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