Family Only Restaurant?

On Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:52:11 -0500, pltrgyst
wrote:

On Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:25:49 -0400, Russell Patterson wrote:

So, if you are in MD on business and need separate receipts for
accounting, steer clear of this place.

There are lots of restaurants all over the country which have that rule. And in
low-end rstaurants -- like diners -- I don't find it at all oppressive.

Considering how many cheapskates there are out there who routinely stiff the
person collecting the money at group lunches, and don't own up to how many
drinks, etc. they had, I find it completely understandable that low-end
restaurants don't want the extra work of maintaining, say, four checks for one
table.

If you don't like it, choose your restaurants more intelligently.

Gee, isn't that the gist of posting this here? Now other people can
choose accordingly! Nice intelligent response, Larry.


-- Larry

On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 07:03:30 GMT, Brian K
wrote:

On 4/11/2007 1:17 AM DevilsPGD wrote:
In message pltrgyst
wrote:


On Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:25:49 -0400, Russell Patterson wrote:


So, if you are in MD on business and need separate receipts for
accounting, steer clear of this place.

There are lots of restaurants all over the country which have that rule. And in
low-end rstaurants -- like diners -- I don't find it at all oppressive.

Considering how many cheapskates there are out there who routinely stiff the
person collecting the money at group lunches, and don't own up to how many
drinks, etc. they had, I find it completely understandable that low-end
restaurants don't want the extra work of maintaining, say, four checks for one
table.


huh?

The wait-staff are the ideal ones to keep track of how many drinks
anyone is drinking, they're the ones serving it.

Is it that much more trouble to jot down the seat number beside each
item and tally 'em up individually?

Now if you spring it on the waitress at the end of the meal, I can
understand why it could be difficult.

I'm not sure but perhaps a tip of 15% for a group of 20 might be larger
than 15% of 20 separate checks. I been to places that do separate
checks. I've also been to places that don't. As an artist, I don't
have an expense account of which to keep tabs. So, it doesn't bother
me. If I forgot to ask before being seated, I'd look on the menu. Some
menus mention if a gratuity will be added and some also state that it's
their policy not to write separate checks. Anyway I'd find out before I
order and go elsewhere if I didn't like the establishment's policy.

And, if you are aware of a policy that does not work for you BEFORE
you choose which restaurant you will go to, you won't be wasting your
time.

pltrgyst wrote:

Considering how many cheapskates there are out there who routinely stiff the
person collecting the money at group lunches, and don't own up to how many
drinks, etc. they had, I find it completely understandable that low-end
restaurants don't want the extra work of maintaining, say, four checks for one
table.

Separate checks are the best way to avoid being stiffed at group lunches
by people that don't add tip and tax when putting in their money. It
also prevents the wait-staff from being stiffed, though most restaurants
now tack on a service charge for groups because of the problem of groups
stiffing the wait-staff.

On Apr 10, 5:16 pm, Dave Smith wrote:
PeterL wrote:

So, if you are in MD on business and need separate receipts for
accounting, steer clear of this place.

I often wonder, with customers like you and your co-worker, why would
anyone want to own a restaurant?

Why should it be so much trouble to give separate cheques to customers when
each is paying his own bill? It is just a matter of convenience for the
restaurant. If I go grocery shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go car shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go to a hotel as part of a group I get a bill for my
own room.


But if you share a room with someone do you each get a separate bill?

On Apr 10, 10:17 pm, DevilsPGD wrote:
In message pltrgyst

wrote:
On Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:25:49 -0400, Russell Patterson wrote:

So, if you are in MD on business and need separate receipts for
accounting, steer clear of this place.

There are lots of restaurants all over the country which have that rule. And in
low-end rstaurants -- like diners -- I don't find it at all oppressive.

Considering how many cheapskates there are out there who routinely stiff the
person collecting the money at group lunches, and don't own up to how many
drinks, etc. they had, I find it completely understandable that low-end
restaurants don't want the extra work of maintaining, say, four checks for one
table.

huh?

The wait-staff are the ideal ones to keep track of how many drinks
anyone is drinking, they're the ones serving it.

Is it that much more trouble to jot down the seat number beside each
item and tally 'em up individually?


There are no "seat number" in any restaurant that I have ever been
to. There are table numbers, but no seat is ever numbered.



Now if you spring it on the waitress at the end of the meal, I can
understand why it could be difficult.
--
Insert something clever here.

Something clever.

PeterL wrote:


Why should it be so much trouble to give separate cheques to customers when
each is paying his own bill? It is just a matter of convenience for the
restaurant. If I go grocery shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go car shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go to a hotel as part of a group I get a bill for my
own room.

Before computers it was a lot more work and a lot more difficult. Now
if the restaurant is computerized it shouldn't be any more work. But
not all restaurants are that sophisticated.


How so? The waiter takes the order from an individual at the table, keeps
his purchases on his bill, tallies the prices, tax etc, hands the customer
the bill, takes his money and give his change. If some one wants to treat,
they pick up the other person's bill. FWIW.... I have heard others
comment that it is is the computerized systems that make it more
difficult to distribute individual bills.

DevilsPGD wrote:



Assuming people do 15%, then it's the same thing.

OTOH, when it's my own money I tend to over-tip... If it's a group
thing, then I'll go with the herd.


I used to eat in restaurants regularly with co-workers and associates as
well as socially. there is at least one cheap SOB in every group. Some of
my co-workers were generous with tips. One was cheap, and one disgusting
weasel was once observed going to back to "leave a tip" and it turned out
he was taking some of the tip that had been left. One friend wouldn't
leave a tip if his life depended on it.

From my experience, waiters are likely to get larger tips from individuals
who would be too embarrassed to be caught stiffing a waiter for a tip, but
would weasel their way out of leaving a group tip.

SMS wrote:


Separate checks are the best way to avoid being stiffed at group lunches
by people that don't add tip and tax when putting in their money. It
also prevents the wait-staff from being stiffed, though most restaurants
now tack on a service charge for groups because of the problem of groups
stiffing the wait-staff.

When arranging a Christmas Eve luncheon for co-workers at a restaurant near
out office I specifically requested separate cheques and told the waitress
I was dealing and who was likely to be one of the servers, that I knew
there were some cheap SOBs in the crowd who would be guaranteed not to
leave tips if they could get away with it in a single tab. We got separate
cheques.

On Apr 11, 8:02 am, Dave Smith wrote:
PeterL wrote:

Why should it be so much trouble to give separate cheques to customers when
each is paying his own bill? It is just a matter of convenience for the
restaurant. If I go grocery shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go car shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go to a hotel as part of a group I get a bill for my
own room.

Before computers it was a lot more work and a lot more difficult. Now
if the restaurant is computerized it shouldn't be any more work. But
not all restaurants are that sophisticated.

How so? The waiter takes the order from an individual at the table, keeps
his purchases on his bill, tallies the prices, tax etc, hands the customer
the bill, takes his money and give his change. If some one wants to treat,
they pick up the other person's bill. FWIW.... I have heard others
comment that it is is the computerized systems that make it more
difficult to distribute individual bills.

You have never been a waiter have you? Do it one time per table, or
if the table seats 2-4 people, do it 2-4 times per table. It's much
more time consumming. In addition, if each person uses his/her own
charge card, it gets more expensive for the restaurant (e.g. one
charge vs 2-4 different charges).

PeterL wrote:

Why should it be so much trouble to give separate cheques to customers when
each is paying his own bill? It is just a matter of convenience for the
restaurant. If I go grocery shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go car shopping with a friend I don't expect a
combined bill. If I go to a hotel as part of a group I get a bill for my
own room.

But if you share a room with someone do you each get a separate bill?

The diners are not sharing / splitting meals. They are each ordering their
own meal. The are paying for it. They are IMO entitled to a reckoning of
their own purchases.

BTW... I have known hotels to split bills between the people sharing the
room.