Following up to Tony Day

Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Why would we believe anything you write if you think British pubs have
waiters. Have you even set foot in the UK?

Er.....
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
UK walking "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain,cuisines and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to congokid

Efficient waiter service would be a good idea at several of the UK's
busier pubs.

I've been to several where there are literally hundreds of people
sitting outside, not drinking, and dozens more inside, not drinking.
Those outside are waiting for those inside to order from the 2-3 staff
that are taking their own sweet time.

I think if they are understaffed for bar service the next stage
in staff fully for bar service. To staff for table service and
accommodate the needs of UK style pour it down your neck as fast
as possible drinking needs quite a few staff or maybe jug
service?
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
UK walking "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain,cuisines and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to Paul Shirley

I think you're right, foreigners expect to have the choice and for some
reason tourists choose the table+table service option wherever they are
(including the brits abroad).

I suppose getting into the shoving and pushing and waving a
tenner is a bit daunting in a foreign culture? When there is bar
service in Spain I have noticed people making a space and giving
priority to the foreigner (not in a touristy place of course) I
would like to think that happened here and perhaps it might in a
non tourist area?

The French are a whole different story, they never seem to be interested
in getting served anyway, they just seem to want a place to sit and
enjoy a smoke. Or maybe its just the ones I've seen

Not just France, Italy and Spain too, they are not focused on
getting ****ed.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
UK walking "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain,cuisines and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to Alan Harrison

The problem is that this isn't quite true. Waiter service is rare nowadays,

but getting commoner again as pubs shift the emphasis to food.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
UK walking "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain,cuisines and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

"Reid©" wrote:

Following up to Alan Harrison

The problem is that this isn't quite true. Waiter service is rare nowadays,

but getting commoner again as pubs shift the emphasis to food.
--
Mike Reid

I suppose in this respect, Hoggers can be seen as a mature progression towards a continental
style of service in British high st pubs...........or not!

Mark

Paul Shirley wrote in message ...
[snip]
Paying for each round immediately is pretty common anyway, for everyone
but tourists. It can save a serious amount of time & frustration when
you're ready to leave each bar in my experience.
[snip]

Personally, I wish virtually everyplace had as an option, a
cashier where one could go to "settle the bill". Despite every
effort in many cases to explain that we have theater tickets or
otherwise don't wanna loiter after our meal, I regularly have
trouble getting the tab settled. Even in Chez Snooty at times
I would prefer to take my bill, go to some cashier and just
settle the dern thing. If others don't wanna they can go through
the whole waiter driven schtick. This is almost especially true
when hosting some moderately large group. There is this sorta
"uncomfortable moment" when the tab comes and everyone kinda
looks at you while you review and care for the bill. I'd almost
prefer to excuse myself, and go "take care of business" in private
while my guests continue to enjoy themselves.

Reid© ) wrote:
:
: I suppose getting into the shoving and pushing and waving a
: tenner is a bit daunting in a foreign culture? When there is bar
: service in Spain I have noticed people making a space and giving
: priority to the foreigner (not in a touristy place of course) I
: would like to think that happened here and perhaps it might in a
: non tourist area?
:

Spain is a whole different thing -- I have a special place in my heart for
the Merenderos on the beaches along the SOuth Coast where there is one
waiter serving well over a hundred people -- service was slow, nobody felt
rushed, if you really needed him he wore bells on his shoes so you could
locate his position in the room and wave him over easily.

Another recountable experience in Spain was when I was staying in a hotel
in Barcelona on a business trip and couldn't sleep -- I went down to the
lobby bar at about midnight -- had my room key on that big old lucite
block that they hang room keys on -- it doesn't exactly fit in your pocket
-- you're supposed to leave it at the desk when you go in and out -- so I
ordered a glass of wine and put the key on the bar.

About 10 minutes later a drop dead gorgeous, highly perfumed, obviously
"professional" young lady slides onto the barstool next to me -- now I
knew not a word of Spanish and she seemed to be irritated that I wasn't
engaging her services. When it all got sorted out (with the help of a
bilingual stranger) I learned that putting your key on the bar is a quiet
signal to the bartender that you'd like a call placed on your behalf.

'nuff said!! Don't put your room key on the bar in Barcelona and don't
hold hands with your wife on the streets of Istanbul.

--
Bill

reply to sirwill1 AT same domain as above

On 3 Oct 2003 05:01:34 -0700, (me) wrote:

Personally, I wish virtually everyplace had as an option, a
cashier where one could go to "settle the bill". Despite every
effort in many cases to explain that we have theater tickets or
otherwise don't wanna loiter after our meal, I regularly have
trouble getting the tab settled.

ooh, that's exactly what I was about to say!
In a standard italian restaurant the bill procedure is quite slow, right
when it would not need to be, and you could have some reasons (theater,
travel etc) to be in some hurry. And after all, itìs their intereste to
have the money! ;-)

Usually you have to:
1 - wait for the waiter to come so that you can ask for the bill
2 - wait for the bill to arrive to table
3 - wait for the money to be collected (or C.Card to be collected)
4 - wait for the change (or C.card) to arrive to table.

that could take half an hour! sometimes we skip 3) and 4) and go to the
cashier (if any... or towards the exit) with the bill and the money,
saying to the staff that we are sorry but have a date a few minutes
later or something like that...sometiemes skipping also 1) and 2) - exp
in Pizzerias.

So I like US restaurants, where you usually get the bill without asking
with the coffee... or Uk pub when you pay the drinks (and sometimes the
food) when you order.

ciao
max

--
Please reply he rosamax (at ISP fastwebnet.it
"A Quart of Ale is a Dish for a King" - Shakespeare (A Winter's Tale)
www.maxbeer.org |Homebrewing/Italian Microbreweries/BeerDatabase/Labels
www.abbatya.com |Buy your beers online

Rosalba e Massimo ) wrote:
:
: So I like US restaurants, where you usually get the bill without asking
: with the coffee... or Uk pub when you pay the drinks (and sometimes the
: food) when you order.
:

You would, then, really appreciate the Vietnamese restaurants in SoCal.
Each table has a number. When you're done, you just walk up to the
cashier and tell them your table number -- you're out the door whenever
you decide it's time to go.

--
Bill

reply to sirwill1 AT same domain as above

In article , Ken Wheatley
writes
On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 23:41:21 +0100, "Tony Day"
wrote:

Why would we believe anything you write if you think British pubs have
waiters. Have you even set foot in the UK?

Tony

Who not try reading and getting to understand a post before responding
next time?

Hee hee. I expected a flame, but not from that direction!

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

In article , Reid©
writes
Following up to congokid

Efficient waiter service would be a good idea at several of the UK's
busier pubs.

I've been to several where there are literally hundreds of people
sitting outside, not drinking, and dozens more inside, not drinking.
Those outside are waiting for those inside to order from the 2-3 staff
that are taking their own sweet time.

I think if they are understaffed for bar service the next stage
in staff fully for bar service. To staff for table service and
accommodate the needs of UK style pour it down your neck as fast
as possible drinking needs quite a few staff or maybe jug
service?

What about metered pipes directly from the cellar to the table? Cut out
the middle man altogether.

The problem possibly lies with those pubs that aim to maximise their
profits by expanding the area they have available for customers to sit
(one pub near Beachy Head comes to mind, as does the Anchor at
Bankside). Unfortunately, they still have the same number of slow bar
staff, which is where the bottleneck occurs, so there would be no
significant increase in sales, but lots more ****ed off, if not ****ed,
customers.

I must say that the recent refit and expansion of the Anchor was not
before time, although service is still very poor.

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

"Bill Benzel" wrote in message
...
Rosalba e Massimo ) wrote:
:
: So I like US restaurants, where you usually get the bill without asking
: with the coffee... or Uk pub when you pay the drinks (and sometimes the
: food) when you order.
:

You would, then, really appreciate the Vietnamese restaurants in SoCal.
Each table has a number. When you're done, you just walk up to the
cashier and tell them your table number -- you're out the door whenever
you decide it's time to go.

that should work inthe UK too. get up, go get your coats, start putting them
on, head for the door. Someone will either stop you and remind you you
havn't paid, or will politely remind you you havn't paid, or you get a free
meal

"congokid" wrote in message
...
In article , Reid©
writes
Following up to Tim Vanhoof

One of the saddest sights of the British summer (or the funniest,
depending on your sense of humour) is the group of thirsty tourists
sitting at a table in a pub, patiently waiting for someone to come and
take their order.

I wonder how unaware people are of the service arrangements in
pubs? I suppose if they see people bringing food to tables they
could well be confused.
Do people really not spot people waiting at the bar and the lack
of any waiters? People bringing back their drinks?

Efficient waiter service would be a good idea at several of the UK's
busier pubs.

I've been to several where there are literally hundreds of people
sitting outside, not drinking, and dozens more inside, not drinking.
Those outside are waiting for those inside to order from the 2-3 staff
that are taking their own sweet time.


Well, the Slug and Lettuce in Henley on Thames has (very pretty) waitress
service, and not just for food. However, getting a waitress to take your
order isn't 100% reliable - I think they're there for food only technically,
or you have to ask nicely for more beer..

I have had waitress service at the Duck on the Pond in Long Itchington...
there's got to be other places too.

I find that its always unexpected, and very pleasant.

"congokid" wrote in message
...
In article , Reid©
writes
Following up to congokid

Efficient waiter service would be a good idea at several of the UK's
busier pubs.

I've been to several where there are literally hundreds of people
sitting outside, not drinking, and dozens more inside, not drinking.
Those outside are waiting for those inside to order from the 2-3 staff
that are taking their own sweet time.

I think if they are understaffed for bar service the next stage
in staff fully for bar service. To staff for table service and
accommodate the needs of UK style pour it down your neck as fast
as possible drinking needs quite a few staff or maybe jug
service?

What about metered pipes directly from the cellar to the table? Cut out
the middle man altogether.

Why not cut out the middle man and pour the stuff straight down the toilet?

In article , Mike O'Sullivan
writes

"congokid" wrote in message
...
In article , Reid©
writes
Following up to congokid

Efficient waiter service would be a good idea at several of the UK's
busier pubs.

I've been to several where there are literally hundreds of people
sitting outside, not drinking, and dozens more inside, not drinking.
Those outside are waiting for those inside to order from the 2-3 staff
that are taking their own sweet time.

I think if they are understaffed for bar service the next stage
in staff fully for bar service. To staff for table service and
accommodate the needs of UK style pour it down your neck as fast
as possible drinking needs quite a few staff or maybe jug
service?

What about metered pipes directly from the cellar to the table? Cut out
the middle man altogether.

Why not cut out the middle man and pour the stuff straight down the toilet?

Good idea.

--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com