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I can not stand having plates taken away until everyone is done. Even at "low end" places, bugs the heck out of me.

I was at a high end place in Maine this summer. I was tucked away into the corner of a 4-top. The server actually put her hand out for me to pass her my plate. I wasn't impressed.

I'm seriously considering getting biz sized cards made that says, "Please, do not clear the dishes until EVERYONE is finished with their meal. We do not care to be rushed & will ask for the check when we are ready for it."

Good idea.
I have some blank Avery business card sheets and I think I'll make some...

These are great rules, and there are three of these that stand out.

#3 - Refuse to seat 3 guest until the 4th has arrived. When two or three of us are seated while waiting for the rest of our party we start ordering drinks and apps. The restaurant is not losing any money by seating us while we wait, so why do some restaurants refuse to do this?

#9 - Recite special too fast. Sometimes they are said so fast the person sounds like a robot and we have to always ask them to repeat them. The specials sould be part of the menu, not spoken or written on a board on the other side of the room.

#17 - Take the empty plates before everyone is finished. This really bothers me. I had one waiter take the 3rd plate (4 in our group) then reach for my plate while I still had the fork in my hand, eating my dinner! As he lifted the plate I took the last bite off my plate and he said, "Are you finished now?"

The one about removing a full plate of food, untouched, makes me wonder, why not say something if the food doesn't taste good. I wouldn't just sit there while everyone else was eating. I've had this happen before, twice. Both times with fish dishes that just didn't taste right, and gotten something else instead.

Jerry wrote:Good idea.
I have some blank Avery business card sheets and I think I'll make some...

Great! Let us know how it works.

The rush created to remove plates of those finished is really annoying when you're still trying to enjoy your meal. I just wonder if the waitperson has even thought about it. I do know some mgmt has them doing it as part of their job.
Get 'em in & get 'em out!

My fav Vietnamese restaurant did this a long time ago & I asked the owner about it. She said, "Americans like to eat quickly - get in - get out. Bring check quickly. And they like alot of ice in their drinks!" I had to chuckle at that last line because I always order drinks without or very little ice.

Do you think the majority of the country likes the fast pace?