Restaurant servers removing plates from the table before everyone is finished

[mjkacmom]

I love it when they take my plate. I especially appreciate it when they notice there is food left, but I’m not eating it. I usually like to bring leftovers home, and if it’s in front of me, I might pick at it. At home, I’ll put my plate in the sink and sit back down if others are eating.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don’t like it either. When my fork is flipped, I’m done. Yet now days not a lot of servers know what that means.

I've never heard of that one.

I was always taught you put your fork and knife parallel on your plate to indicate you are done. But then, I have somewhat of a European upbringing. Not sure it's as common in the US.

I have heard this. Parallel means you're done, crossed means you're not.

We don't eat out often, but I've RARELY had a server ask to take a plate away before I'm done. I'm not sure how having the plates taken away is "rushing" those still eating, but having empty plates piled up isn't.

And of course the plates should be taken away, you need the space to take your electronic out and check it.

 

[dish rag]

I was always taught you put your fork and knife parallel on your plate to indicate you are done. But then, I have somewhat of a European upbringing. Not sure it's as common in the US.

Has nothing to do with a European upbringing. It's common or should be common knowledge. Even in the home. Any more your lucky to get some people to remove a ball cap indoors let alone when at the table.

 

[IAHFTPT]

and, get off my lawn!

 

[jrmasm]

I'd prefer my plate be removed than have it sit in front of me.

And add me to the list that lays my silverware parallel across my plate when I'm finished.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I like for the plate to be removed when I am finished even if others are still eating because restaurant tables are so cramped and I like to have some space. My server pet peeve is when they bring the check while you are still eating without asking if we want another bar drink or desert.

 

[Hikergirl]

I'm the opposite, I want my plate gone when I'm finished. Why leave the table a mess and cluttered just so one person can finish eating? Does that person need all the dirt dishes on the table in order to get through their meal?
I think you are reading too much in to it, the server isn't rushing you, they are just making sure the rest of your party doesn't have to sit there staring at half eaten food while you finish.

 

[nile455]

I'm the opposite, I want my plate gone when I'm finished. Why leave the table a mess and cluttered just so one person can finish eating? Does that person need all the dirt dishes on the table in order to get through their meal?
I think you are reading too much in to it, the server isn't rushing you, they are just making sure the rest of your party doesn't have to sit there staring at half eaten food while you finish.

That's actually not the reason at all. The reason is, they've been pushed by their managers so that the restaurant can seat as many different parties at that table as possible. A slow dining party prevents this, and is thus bad business for their bottom line.

There are lots of good articles on this subject, and it's interesting to see how different people see a different ways. Here's a good one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-today/?sw_bypass=true&utm_term=.a514e88e70ee

 

[luvsJack]

When I was a server (way too long ago to say), we were trained to look for clues that someone was finished. Pushing the plate away, stacking if they had more than one plate or had a bowl or saucer in addition to a plate, putting their napkin on the table or plate and their utensils across the plate, etc. Without the clues, you just didn't go grabbing plates.

I have had over enthusiastic servers who seemed ready to jump if I paused between bites. Seems to happen more often when dh finishes before me. I want to say "his being finished doesn't bother me". And it can be irritating to me too.

I think sometimes they are encouraged to turn tables quickly or to upsell desserts as much as possible and it makes them more likely to make some people feel rushed.

 

[Hikergirl]

That's actually not the reason at all. The reason is, they've been pushed by their managers so that the restaurant can seat as many different parties at that table as possible. A slow dining party prevents this, and is thus bad business for their bottom line.

There are lots of good articles on this subject, and it's interesting to see how different people see a different ways. Here's a good one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-today/?sw_bypass=true&utm_term=.a514e88e70ee

Thanks for posting, but the truth is I just don't care much about the real reason why. I'm glad they do it, I don't want to sit at a table staring at empty plates just so one person can finish. I don't go out to eat so I can be surrounded by a mess, I go out to eat so I don't have to deal with it myself. Cleared table makes me a happy customer.

 

[Allison]

I prefer they clear plates out of the way.

 

[DisneyHardin]

One of my best friends is a server at Texas Roadhouse and they are told to pre-bus by their managers. If the manager was making the rounds and saw a table filled with dirty dishes that hadn't been bussed, then she is going to get in trouble.

 

[loves to dive]

My family has been in the restaurant business my entire life and most of my father's life. The rules were: never let anyone wait for their first drink and to be greeted as soon as they sit down, never make anyone wait for their check after they are finished, never leave dirty plates in front of customers - you just ask would you like me to remove that plate so you have more room. People usually don't mind waiting for their food but they hate waiting for their drinks, hate having empty drink glasses, hate waiting for their checks and most people don't like looking at dirty plates.

 

[mjkacmom]

That's actually not the reason at all. The reason is, they've been pushed by their managers so that the restaurant can seat as many different parties at that table as possible. A slow dining party prevents this, and is thus bad business for their bottom line.

There are lots of good articles on this subject, and it's interesting to see how different people see a different ways. Here's a good one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-today/?sw_bypass=true&utm_term=.a514e88e70ee

Well, since many servers get 99.9% of their pay from tips, the more tables they can turn, the better. If the restaurant isn’t full, the owners don’t care how quick you turn over, but servers only have a finite number of tables, the more the better.

I’m a little OCD about dirty dishes, can’t even stand them in my sink for more than a few minutes. At home, I’ve pretty much cleaned up dinner before everyone is done eating, I can’t help it, my mom was the same way.

 

[loves to dive]

https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/cutlery/

 

[mamamary]

I like for the plate to be removed when I am finished even if others are still eating because restaurant tables are so cramped and I like to have some space. My server pet peeve is when they bring the check while you are still eating without asking if we want another bar drink or desert.

Two weeks ago when we visited my daughter at college we went out to eat. While my daughter was still eating we got the check and he even came to collect it. My husband said he didn't even look at the bill yet because she was still eating. He never even asked if we wanted dessert/coffee (or anything else) but he really seemed to want to finish up with us.

 

[ronandannette]

Even "better" - I was in a restaurant with some friends. Our waitress had three tables: a couple she apparently knew well, a table of businessman, and us four middle-aged women (so maybe you can tell which party got the worst service and the least attention?) We started with appetizers. The The waitress decided we were through, and took the plates - including one from my friend as she was bringing a forkful of food to her mouth.

Presumably your friend was able to say "No thanks, I'm not done yet." Why would she just let them take her food away?

Actually often times I'll start doing dishes as each person is finished. Still gives everyone a chance to talk since we are all in the same room. Plus the sooner I'm done cleaning up the sooner we can move into the family room to chat or clean off the kitchen table to play a game and have a drink.

Is this your routine for a family meal or would you do the same if you had company? I would be made totally uncomfortable by it if I were the guest. Not only would it seem like a clear signal that lingering wasn't welcome, I'd also feel compelled to get up and help - whether or not I'd finished my meal.

 

[MIGrandma]

Retired waitress here, we were taught to clear plates whenever a guest was finished, no matter if everyone at the table was finished or not.

I see some people want a server to do that, and some don't. The server can't please everyone that way, so we just do as we're taught by our boss/manager.

I remember when I first started waiting tables I had a customer who had put wastepaper (from sugar packets and creamer) on her plate so I assumed I could take that one away for her. Nope! She quickly stopped me from taking it, saying "I'm not finished with that!" Yes, the plate still had a small amount of food left on it, but who puts wastepaper directly ON the plate they're eating from?! I thought that was very odd, but it taught me to ASK the customer FIRST if they would like me to remove a plate that I thought they were finished with. Of course unless they were stacked and put to the edge of the table, then I just automatically took them away.

A PP mentioned hating it when a server brings the bill when you're still eating and they don't ask if you want dessert. I hate that too!! The server can have our bill added up and put in her pocket or behind her back, but please at least ask if we want dessert before you put it on the table. Where I worked maybe 25% of our customers wanted dessert, so I generally had bills added up and in my pocket when I went to tables that appeared to be finished. But I always asked if they wanted dessert before I put the bill on the table. Most times they didn't want dessert so I could just pull the bill out and give it to them, and if they did want dessert it wasn't that difficult to re-add their check.

One thing that annoys me when we go out to eat is when I get a salad with my meal sometimes I'm not finished with it when the meal comes, and I push my salad plate away a bit so they can put the plate down and then they reach to take away my salad plate. No, please leave it as I might finish it when I'm done with my meal (I won't let food go cold while I finish my salad, so I just leave the salad plate to the side). It's especially annoying when they do that when a salad doesn't come with the meal and I've paid extra to get one.

 

[ronandannette]

anager.
...I remember when I first started waiting tables I had a customer who had put wastepaper (from sugar packets and creamer) on her plate so I assumed I could take that one away for her. Nope! She quickly stopped me from taking it, saying "I'm not finished with that!" Yes, the plate still had a small amount of food left on it, but who puts wastepaper directly ON the plate they're eating from?! I thought that was very odd, but it taught me to ASK the customer FIRST if they would like me to remove a plate that I thought they were finished with. Of course unless they were stacked and put to the edge of the table, then I just automatically took them away...

One thing that annoys me when we go out to eat is when I get a salad with my meal sometimes I'm not finished with it when the meal comes, and I push my salad plate away a bit so they can put the plate down and then they reach to take away my salad plate. No, please leave it as I might finish it when I'm done with my meal (I won't let food go cold while I finish my salad, so I just leave the salad plate to the side). It's especially annoying when they do that when a salad doesn't come with the meal and I've paid extra to get one.

To simply ask seems like good practise for any server - why wouldn't they just always do it? And as for restaurants where the courses aren't properly timed, that's a whole separate issue and I agree it's irksome.

 

[nile455]

One thing that annoys me when we go out to eat is when I get a salad with my meal sometimes I'm not finished with it when the meal comes, and I push my salad plate away a bit so they can put the plate down and then they reach to take away my salad plate. No, please leave it as I might finish it when I'm done with my meal (I won't let food go cold while I finish my salad, so I just leave the salad plate to the side). It's especially annoying when they do that when a salad doesn't come with the meal and I've paid extra to get one.

I agree with this. And on a related note, I like the fine dining way where they will not bring you your entre until you are finished with your salad. A server shoving a hot plate of food at someone who is still eating their salad is an absolute No-No at nice restaurants.