All you can eat....really???

[aggiedog]

Interesting this thread is still around! We very occasionally would get two entrees, often just one extra for the table to taste. I agree with DCL desserts - not worth the calories. Our servers, particularly on our Northern Europe cruise, were perfect. Not too pushy, but definitely knew what we liked. One night ds decided he'd rather go back to the club than eat dessert. He told the server he wanted nothing for dessert. So they brought him an empty plate with the word "nothing" written in chocolate syrup. It was cute. Our main server had a boy our ds's age, so they hit it off well.

 

[SuperDry]

I'm a bit nervous now with what you are all saying about the servers. my children (5 & 9) don't eat a huge amount plus they get a bit overwhelmed at restaurants sometimes, what is the best way of approaching this if the servers are pushy with the food? Just keep saying no until they get the picture?

It's nothing to get nervous over. The servers just are very interested and motivated to make sure you're happy. What they don't want to happen is have you not finish something because you don't like it and go away unsatisfied, but not say anything. Myself, in a regular restaurant, if I'm not happy with something, I'll generally not say anything, because I don't want a big production made over the situation, the manger to come over, and so on. I just won't go back to a restaurant that's not to my liking. I think a lot of people are like that. But that's exactly NOT what the DCL servers want to happen. They just want you to be happy, and sometimes come off as pushy because they know many people are reluctant to say anything. It's not as if they get a commission from every plate of food they serve. They have no incentive to push more food onto you, other than to keep you happy.

As to how to handle them, in the rare occasion it's been an issue, I've simply said "Don't worry - you've provided excellent service." or even better, "You've provided 5-star service." Then they know that you know how the game is played, and that you're not going to hold it against them, if indeed there's any issue at all other than your being full.

 

[SuperDry]

BTW, regarding food waste, it really is disgusting how some people are such pigs. I understanding in the MDR that sometimes not everyone cleans their plate, as food is served in fixed portions that you have no control over. But wasting large amounts of food from the buffet, or the quick service counters? There's really no excuse for that. And this is a case where there's really nothing such as a bad kid - a kid doing it is a sign of a bad parent. We should all remember that scene from Biloxi Blues at the chow line: "Take you want, but eat what you take. We don't waste food around here!"

MDR portions do tend to be on the small side, especially as compared to what too many restaurants do. But I kinda like it that way. I don't normally have an appetizer, AND soup/salad, AND an entree, AND dessert at a restaurant. I'll usually just have soup/salad and an entree. So, I find that the MDR portions are more than enough, all things considered. If I leave still hungry, I find that it normally goes away in a few minutes, so it was for the better. What do they say - it takes about 20 minutes after you're full before it registers? And, if I'm still hungry after half an hour, I just go to the pool deck and get quick service. It's not like a regular restaurant where you feel that you need to get your money's worth right then.

On my last cruise, I made the mistake of ordering a second steak entree the first night. By the time I got a third of the way through it, I was no longer hungry. And of course, it's not just the steak, but the entire plate with the sides, since they come pre-plated. But I persevered an finished it all, since I didn't want to set a bad example of food waste. It also taught me a lesson, and I didn't order a second entree for the rest of the week.

 

[RACHEL_GB]

It's nothing to get nervous over. The servers just are very interested and motivated to make sure you're happy. What they don't want to happen is have you not finish something because you don't like it and go away unsatisfied, but not say anything. Myself, in a regular restaurant, if I'm not happy with something, I'll generally not say anything, because I don't want a big production made over the situation, the manger to come over, and so on. I just won't go back to a restaurant that's not to my liking. I think a lot of people are like that. But that's exactly NOT what the DCL servers want to happen. They just want you to be happy, and sometimes come off as pushy because they know many people are reluctant to say anything. It's not as if they get a commission from every plate of food they serve. They have no incentive to push more food onto you, other than to keep you happy.

As to how to handle them, in the rare occasion it's been an issue, I've simply said "Don't worry - you've provided excellent service." or even better, "You've provided 5-star service." Then they know that you know how the game is played, and that you're not going to hold it against them, if indeed there's any issue at all other than your being full.

Thanks for all your reassurances! Food is a little bit of a battle ground with my 5 year old and my husband as it is - he is very slow and the only think he wolfs down is cake - so I was just getting a bit nervous.

3 weeks on Monday yay! Thanks again everyone.

 

[NS8VN]

As to how to handle them, in the rare occasion it's been an issue, I've simply said "Don't worry - you've provided excellent service." or even better, "You've provided 5-star service." Then they know that you know how the game is played, and that you're not going to hold it against them, if indeed there's any issue at all other than your being full.

That is perfect. I try to do something similar whenever I know I will be surveyed and I was happy with service, just to let them know I will be giving them a top rating. It is a shame that in surveys you get a scale of 1-5, with 5 being pass and 1-4 being fail. Having been a 3.5 GPA student all through high school and college I tend to be of the mind that a 4 out of 5 is completely acceptable.

Keep in mind too, the crew is extremely diverse from all over the world. Some cultures take a clean plate to mean you were not given enough food. With a server that grew up with that it can be difficult to see someone eat every bite and not assume they require more food. As luck would have it, the same cultures seem to often be the ones where you are expected to initially refuse gifts that you intend to accept as well. Remind yourself that they mean well.

 

[Elizakapeka]

The single greatest experience of my life:

"Sir, you have finished your lobster, would you like another?"

I cant imagine anything better than that!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

To me, I like chocolate but there is a limit, at a point, I stop liking chocolate, even the palo soufflé. I can understand trying new and different foods, not lobster after lobster.....

 

[SuperDry]

I can understand trying new and different foods, not lobster after lobster.....

2.5 lobsters is my record, and I did that only once, and I found that I didn't want more lobster anytime soon after that, even if I was hungry. It's surprisingly a rather rich food, especially with butter, and the body can take only so much of a good thing. Normally 1.5 lobsters is about right.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Lobster = nature's perfect butter delivery system.

Best lobster I ever had was grilled, not boiled and doused with butter. I'm looking forward to tasting how they're done on the ship.

 

[kiford]

Some cultures take a clean plate to mean you were not given enough food.

DH's family is German and I've realized after many visits to them that, if you don't want more food, you have to put something on top of your empty plate or it will magically acquire more food. Don't express interest in any food item that you don't want to eat right then or they will go out of their way to get it for you. They consider it part of hospitality to ensure that you are fed all of the time. Then I feel that I have to be polite and eat it (OK - sometimes this isn't a problem - his family are very good cooks). I've learned how to subtly indicate that I'm done. With your servers you might need to be slightly less than subtle but with the pressure they have to ensure that you're happy and potential cultural differences, you may have to just make it clear that you're happy with what you've had.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

2.5 lobsters is my record, and I did that only once, and I found that I didn't want more lobster anytime soon after that, even if I was hungry. It's surprisingly a rather rich food, especially with butter, and the body can take only so much of a good thing. Normally 1.5 lobsters is about right.

Each to their own, I do not get that, it's like me ordering two palo soufflé, there the same? Same taste? 2.5 of Lobster. It's the same thing, now if it's different items I get that.

 

[phinz]

Each to their own, I do not get that, it's like me ordering two palo soufflé, there the same? Same taste? 2.5 of Lobster. It's the same thing, now if it's different items I get that.

At that point, why not just order one bite of everything on the menu? I mean, the second bite is just like the first, so you might as well not bother.