re: Why do some people linger at their restaurant table long after the check's been paid?

Usually only do that when I am really enjoying the evening which typically is reflected in my tip.

At a restaurant you aren’t selling a meal as I can probably have all the exact same food delivered, you are selling a dining experience.

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Without saying it outright, you just told anyone who knows anything about how restaurants make a profit and stay in business, that you don't have a clue

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Maybe I just don’t care. Another one will
Take your place if you close.

Once a month 3 of us retired dudes meet at a nice restaurant and we stay 1.5 hours at our table. We have our usual waitress and she expects us to hang around. Our meals are about $15-18 but we tip her $20 apiece.

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I think that’s annoying on behalf of the wait staff, depending on the place.

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I wish they would hand me the check the second after I turn down desert. Would much rather them waiting on me than me waiting on them.

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I’m waiting for my husband’s shift to end

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do you get free queso or just chips and salsa?

True story.

High School friend of mine was the Asst Manager at Ninfa’s before it changed names. On a packed Friday night a group of mid twenties dudes have a table of about ten. They were celebrating something. One of them might have been getting married I don’t remember. They all have quite a few drinks. But they too linger long after the foods eaten. Waiter doesn’t know what to do. So he calls over my friend who just says hey guys we would love for you stay as long as you want we would just appreciate it if you could move to the bar area. We prepared a spot for you and a free round on us. Thanks we just need to clean the table and let someone else have it. Main dude tells him frick off. So he goes gets the manager and every male waiter and comes back and the manager says sorry you didn’t take us up on the offer. Now you can leave immediately or get arrested. I just called the police.
Dude turns and then straight cold cocked the manager with a haymaker right in the jaw. Full on brawl breaks out for five minutes. Ninfa’s v ten dudes. My friend, whose a small dude, said he was just swinging for his life trying to protect himself. Police come. All ten dudes get arrested. No Ninfa’s employees charged. Manager has a broken jaw and has to be taken to the hospital and never works for Ninfa’s again.
And that’s how my friend became the manager at Ninfa’s.

Moral of the story is that people who can’t respect that you are a guest at this restaurant are a-holes. Act civilized people.

In case I need to go to the bathroom.

I usually don’t do that because McFries don’t stay warm that long..

Nice thing about France, in their culture once you sit down at a table that table is yours for the rest of the night if you want. They don't pressure you to leave because dinner with friends and family is very important to their culture.

Well, I take a lot of customers out to lunch. At least 3 days a week. If I didn't ask for the check, then I'm not ready to leave. I'll leave when I'm finished doing business.