Is this an age related thing?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Is this an age related thing?
1277
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 9:45am

(Totally OT, not SAH/WOH related, so feel free to not respond)


I went out with 5 other women to dinner last night.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2000
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 2:51pm

I wasn't insinuating anything about anyone other than our party - we simply didn't need separate checks b/c we are quite competent in math to be able to figure out what we owed for the bill. After glancing over it, we realized it was roughly the same amount so rather than nickel and dime it, we just split it.

I realize others are on a tight budget and can't afford to pay more than exactly what they owe and understand why they might want separate checks. However, it's never been an issue here with the people we dine with, nor is it the norm here for restaurants to automatically give separate checks.

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Registered: 01-20-2004
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 2:56pm

Erin
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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:23pm

>>Where do you live?<<

in a high COL area in the northeast.

>>I need cash so rarely, that I don't think about it-- usually when I'm on my way to the event where I need it.<<

hmm, things are different here i guess. i almost always have some cash on hand, and before i had the tiny terror i always had a lot of cash on hand. most people here do.

>>I might decide to get an alchoholic drink at the last minute or a dessert or something else. Which would through off my total. Or perhaps the service was particularly wonderful and I'll want to leave a bigger tip than I had planned on.<<

i just guesstamate that stuff in. if i don't know what the particular place serves or charges, i bring more than enough money with me just in case LOL. (but if its just me and DH, or a small group of us i'll bring my debit card or credit - but i still always make sure to have enough cash on hand just in case).

>>It isn't. But it isn't my duty as customer to make the waitress's job as easy as possible. <<

it also isn't the waitress's - or the resteraunts - responsability in helping you decide how to pay the bill. the waitress is responsible for making a bill available to pay, the customer is responsible for paying it, and deciding how it should be paid. and it certainly isn't the waitress's job to help customers add up what they owe beyond the total bill. once the bill is there, the customers have all the info they need to do that themsleves. splitting the check is done as a *courtesy* to the customer - it is by no means a requirement on teh part of the resteraunt or the server.

>>Having worked in a fast paced customer service atmosphere, there were many things we did that were inconvenient for us and took a long time to do. Doing these things was a part of offering great service to our patrons.<<

many resteraunts - like the one i worked in - already required their staff to go above and beyond WRT customer service. the things we did on a regular basis were already time consuming enough without having to split checks up for a table, and waste 20 minutes of our time ringing them out.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:27pm
Your welcome, :) of course it stresses out a staff waiting on a backed up system. Think about it, you need to get to the computer to place a order or a add on or a cash out but you cannot b/c the other waitress's are on the computers cashing out seperate checks for big parties.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:30pm
Your right i did, it is Virtually impossible to complete a transaction of split checks with one click. It takes much more than one click and June has not proven it does not.


Edited 4/26/2007 4:31 pm ET by xenozany
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:31pm

its a standard assumtion in the resteraunt business that unless otherwise asked or requested - a table will recieve ONE check.

what percentage of resteraunts do you go to that automatically split the check for each person without you asking them to do that? (or without them offering to do that)

what percentage of resteraunts do you go to that will put everything from one table on one tab, if you've said nothing about the bill, and how it should be divied up?

i'm not talking about the percentage of resteraunts that allow, or offer the splitting of checks. i'm talking about teh standard practice of creating one check, per table unless the customer requests seperate checks.

if it wasn't the standard to have one check for one table, we wouldn't even be having the discussion abotu splitting checks, becuase all resteraunts would automatically do it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:36pm

<>

Then your experiences aren't really all that relevant to people living in much lower COL areas. And I have no idea why the cost of entrees in one area are even relevant to this discussion.

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Some people here carry cash all the time. I bet it's more of an individual preference and less of a regional difference.

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But we were talking about having the *right* amount of cash on hand. I can bring an extra 20, but that won't make my tab fit with the $20s I have in my wallet.

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Certainly the waitress has no obligation to help me decide how to pay my bill. So, if I choose, I could ask her to charge my portion of the bill separately or change my $20. It would make it easier for both of us though, if she just split the check-- which I believe is generally why restaurants have started offering separate checks.

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And many restaurants believe offering to split checks is a part of excellent customer service.



iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:40pm

Um, no one has proven that it takes one click to do a transaction WRT split checks. Not to my satisfaction. I know you cannot split checks with one hit of a button. think about it.

You have to first get into the computer to split a check and then you have to tell the computer what you are splitting, then you have to print and cash out.

It makes virtually no sense whatsoever. If you went to a computer screen to split a check you have to open up the check, by doing that you have to put in a ID. You cannot just hit a split check button once you have sighned in without telling the computer what you are splitting or combining or adding on to.

I have been very clear from the very beginning why we do things the way we do things. Still does not change the FACT, you cannot split a check with one hit of a button. You have to go to the proper screen to hit split check, just doing that takes more than one click.

It is common sense, and im stunned that many of you do not realize this.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:42pm

our service and standards were already above average - we were already required to do far more than the average casual dining place.

the standard proceedures and requirements also already took up more of our time than we could reasonably spare as it was. adding on 10, 20 or more minutes to split and proccess seperate checks is unreasonable at that point.

if splitting the check is a deal breaker instead of gourmet food and excellent service - thats the customers problem LOL.

we used to have to spend a good 10 minutes on greetings and specials, go the full mile with the opening of the wine (and of course al of teh presenting, sniffing, tasting, pouring took at leats five minutes) serve cocktails, take the orders, serve between 2 and 5 courses, all accompanied with the fresh grinding of pepper and/or cheese for every customer at the table, our dinner salads were prepared fresh, by the waitstaff for each individual customer, same with teh bread baked in house and sliced when needed so it didn't get stale , and of course this is all done while running fresh drinks, fresh batches of bread and then closing the tables out. this was also done for between 5-10 tables per section (dependson what section you had).

splitting the checks is not a requirement for good service. eevrything else i mentioned is. like i said in another post - it is a courtesy - not an obligation. the customers don't get to dictate how the bill is made. they can ask, and they can dictate everything else, but payment is non negotiable. if a resteraunt says "no sorry, we don't split checks" then thats their policy. just as if they said "no, sorry we don't accept amex cards".

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 04-26-2007 - 4:43pm

If their is no logic why you would continue to carry on about what iam doing. To each his own.

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