What kind of diner are you?

Mmmm...sacrilicious...
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Bammer
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Bammer »

Proletariat move
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Chris_H_2
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Chris_H_2 »

tragabigzanda wrote:
Chris_H_2 wrote:all I know is I hate when the staff clears plates from the table when someone is still eating.
There are competing views on this within the industry. Is it worse to leave a messy plate on the table, or to make those unfinished diners feel like there’s a rush?

The problem move is to clear the plate and just acknowledge there’s no rush.
it's rude to the person still eating. it not only suggests that they want you the f out of there, but for the person eating it's awkward.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by tragabigzanda »

Chris_H_2 wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:
Chris_H_2 wrote:all I know is I hate when the staff clears plates from the table when someone is still eating.
There are competing views on this within the industry. Is it worse to leave a messy plate on the table, or to make those unfinished diners feel like there’s a rush?

The problem move is to clear the plate and just acknowledge there’s no rush.
it's rude to the person still eating. it not only suggests that they want you the f out of there, but for the person eating it's awkward.
yes this is a common reaction.

Back when I waited tables at a fancy spot, the house rule was an empty plate should leave the table after 3-5 minutes; and if a plate was not clear, but hadn't been touched for 3-5 minutes, we were to ask if they were still enjoying their meal (not "are you still working on that?" because that implied that eating the food was work).

If clearing a plate while others were still eating, I'd say something like "I'm just going to get this out of your way, of course there's no rush; we hope you'll stay as long as you like."

I agree that everything that happens before this point in the meal is vital for the exchange to feel natural and welcomed by the guests.

This is all Danny Meyer 101, btw.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Bammer »

Sounds like a stressful job. How many different timers did you have going at once?
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by doug rr »

my wife and i went to Le Bernardin..couldnt tell you to this day what we had..obviously seafood but no idea..the service was too over the top for me..refilling water after every 3 sips..asking if everything was ok if you got up to go the restroom..
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by tragabigzanda »

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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Chris_H_2 »

tragabigzanda wrote: If clearing a plate while others were still eating, I'd say something like "I'm just going to get this out of your way, of course there's no rush; we hope you'll stay as long as you like."
the issue is not them taking the plates without announcing what they're doing, but rather them taking the plates to begin with.

my mother would've stabbed the back of your hand with her fork.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by tragabigzanda »

from the ashes of tonkotsu
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Tue January 06, 2026 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Chris_H_2 »

tragabigzanda wrote:
Chris_H_2 wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote: If clearing a plate while others were still eating, I'd say something like "I'm just going to get this out of your way, of course there's no rush; we hope you'll stay as long as you like."
the issue is not them taking the plates without announcing what they're doing, but rather them taking the plates to begin with.

my mother would've stabbed the back of your hand with her fork.
oh she sounds like a lovely woman
she's super sweet, but every so often that 25% german side of her comes out
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by macphisto »

Chris_H_2 wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:
Chris_H_2 wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote: If clearing a plate while others were still eating, I'd say something like "I'm just going to get this out of your way, of course there's no rush; we hope you'll stay as long as you like."
the issue is not them taking the plates without announcing what they're doing, but rather them taking the plates to begin with.

my mother would've stabbed the back of your hand with her fork.
oh she sounds like a lovely woman
she's super sweet, but every so often that 25% german side of her comes out
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by tragabigzanda »

from the ashes of tonkotsu
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Tue January 06, 2026 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by spike »

Bammer wrote:
spike wrote:Welcomed back?
Same thing omg you are such a dork
Heys guys, a restaurant just invited me over for dinner.

You’re a moron.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by macphisto »

Sometimes restaurants email me special offers. It’s a dinner invite.
Dev wrote:You're whole platform is about normalizing idiocy.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by macphisto »

I love a good coupon.
Dev wrote:You're whole platform is about normalizing idiocy.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Bammer »

spike wrote:
Bammer wrote:
spike wrote:Welcomed back?
Same thing omg you are such a dork
Heys guys, a restaurant just invited me over for dinner.

You’re a moron.
Ha

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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by macphisto »

I don’t know how spike comes back from this.
Dev wrote:You're whole platform is about normalizing idiocy.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by spike »

Three years from now it must be real
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by macphisto »

I don’t know how Bammer comes back from this.
Dev wrote:You're whole platform is about normalizing idiocy.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by Bammer »

Let’s call Megan, she will decide once and for all.
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Re: What kind of diner are you?

Post by epilogue »

tragabigzanda wrote:
Chris_H_2 wrote:all I know is I hate when the staff clears plates from the table when someone is still eating.
There are competing views on this within the industry. Is it worse to leave a messy plate on the table, or to make those unfinished diners feel like there’s a rush?

The problem move is to clear the plate and just acknowledge there’s no rush.
My mom would say that's the exact wrong thing to do. In her warped mind, saying there's no rush implies that there is a rush. She sees it as super passive aggressive and unprofessional.

I hate dinning out with my mom.
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