Do you like it when a wait person in a restaurant sits next to you....

[pkasbohm]

i don't mind if they sit with me if there is room but i am not going to have my kids or myself move over to make room for them!!

We just went to the outback last night and come to think of it the girl who took our order did squat--but she didn't lay her head on the table and she had eye contact.

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by ilovepcot
I like it. Did you know there are food items available at the Outback that aren't on the menu? We'd been going there for years and never knew that until our wait person sat and talked with us. DH and I are both really enjoy talking with people.....all people.

I enjoy talking to all people too--even waiters! But I just prefer they do it from a standing positon and not sitting next to me like one of my kids or putting their face on my table.

 

[HollyJoy]

I've had this happen before and I thought it was incredibly rude. Just rubbed me the wrong way. The girl was very friendly, but I still didn't like it.

 

[onecoolmama]

I actually appriciate them going down to my kids to get the order. My kids are much more likely to order for themselves, if the wait person is eye level, then if they are standing.

 

[ilovepcot]

ANYONE employed in ANY restaurant who would put their face or head on a table should be spoken with by management. If they aren't able to comprehend why that is wrong, they shouldn't be working in such an atmosphere!

 

[Annette_VA]

It's only happened to me at Outback, too. I'm not a fan of it.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I like it when they kneel down at the end of the table. I always feel so small in the booths and it's less intimidating, even now, if they're closer to my level. They've only actually sat down in three places that I've ever eaten at, and two were in Florida. Is this a big thing there? One time was this year at the Planet Hollywood in DTD, and the other was at Rainforest Cafe in AK. The only other time the waitress sat down doesn't really count, since it was at a local Applebees and it was my co-editor from the newspaper from the previous year and she and I hadn't seen each other in a year. She wasn't actually waiting on us, she had seen me and came over to talk for a few minutes.

 

[pandamom]

Depends what kind of mood I'm in but sometimes it does really annoys me.

 

[Kitty 34]

It doesn't bother me. Sometimes I think they do it if the place is noisy and then I don't mind it because I'm not screaming out my order as much!!

 

[Blondie]

I don't know about it being a regional thing, it's happened to me here in Virginia, as well as in Florida and Pennsylvania. I've never eaten at Outback before, one was a Bennigans, the other was a Pizzeria Uno and the other was at Red Robin.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I don't mind when they squat down to hear or see you better as they take your order, but sitting at the table to socialize with us is another story.

This actually happened only once that I can really remember though. It was in Ohana's in WDW. We had just arrived, and my ears were badly clogged from flying and a bad allergy attack.

Because I was feeling so lousy, I really wasn't in the mood to socialize with a stranger (my husband rarely is anytime ), so we were put off by it.

We didn't want to be rude, so we chatted with her (where y'all from?), but it was definitely something we didn't want.

When she left the table, my DH was like, "what the heck was that about?" and I answered that WDW employees are supposed to be friendly.

Fortunately, it didn't happen again that trip.

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=559161

 

[Blondie]

Insert Twilight Zone music now.......

 

[Amberle3]

Hate it. It felt way too familiar. Now I'm saying "I didn't want the waiter sitting next to me", I'm saying I don't want anyone I don't know sitting down at my table and making himself comfy.

Last time it happened was at a TGIF's and the guy not only sat down he put his arm along the back of the booth (where I was sitting). I think I gave him one of those "you'd better move or you'll be sorry" looks because after he took the order we rarely saw him.

Most times when I'm out for dinner I just want to relax and spend time with whoever I'm dining with. And frankly I find having to socialize with strangers stressful, and not condusive to the enjoyment of my dinner.

I'm sorry, but if they think they're going to get a better tip from my by pretending to be my pal and sit down with me while I order, they're wrong. There are enough people around the world willing to fake being my friend, I don't need to pay someone to do it and bring me food to boot.

 

[Blondie]

Originally posted by Amberle3
There are enough people around the world willing to fake being my friend, I don't need to pay someone to do it and bring me food to boot.

 

[DCLuvinit]

I used to work at Outback funny how that is one of the restaurants that keeps getting mentioned. We were supposed to squat to be more at eye level to make it feel personable I think, it's been so long I forget why. But I would always feel out my table, if I sensed they weren't comfortable, I would stand up. I would never sit with them unless they asked me to. As far as heads on the table...that's unprofessional and gross!

 

[mom2of2]

Friday's is mentioned a lot as well.....when I worked there eons ago it was encouraged, praised and rewarded...squatting NOT laying your head on the table. I also took orders from the kids and looked at the parent afterwards to confirm.

You have to remember that a restaurant such as TGIF, Outback, Red Robin, Ruby Tuesdays etc, are usually very loud and it can be very difficult to hear an order being placed. I would much rather have a server "squat" to hear my order and repeat it back to me then to have something I didn't order delivered only to be told that I was "misunderstood"
I also have to add that there was a few times that the guest looked at me strange when I bent down and I immediately stood up. Obviously they weren't comfortable and making them uncomfortable is the LAST thing I wanted to do. A good server can read his/her guest in the first few seconds at a table and should know how to treat them.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't mind if they sit. It makes them seem friendlier.

 

[Yardbird]

Outback is the only place that I have experienced this. No, I don't care for it either.

 

[Serena]

I don't think it's happened with me.