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SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

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Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#21

Post by perl4ever »

HumanDrivenDev wrote: post #10

The small menu is so appealing and the place itself so charming that you almost forget, as a diner, that you have to do much of the work of dining out yourself. You scout your own table. You fetch and fill your own water glass. And if you’d like another glass of wine, you go back to the counter. A lot of low-range restaurants work in Australia and New Zealand. Is this really that rare in America?

Sure, there are plenty of places where you get your food and take it to your table yourself.

I also know of a place near me where you order at the counter, and someone brings you your food when it's ready, but they don't "wait on you" beyond that.

Panera (sandwich & soup chain) used to have you order at a counter and collect your food when it was done, but they have been trying to get people to use touchscreens for ordering, and take a radio homing device* to your table so you can be brought food by the people who used to take your order.

*where the low tech solution that would work just as well is to simply ask your name when ordering.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#22

Post by everdev »

In Santa Cruz we have a bar with no bartenders. It's fantastic. Scan your bracelet (linked to your CC), pour yourself whatever beer on tap you want and pay only for the once you pour. Want one once of 16 different beers? No problem. Can't get that experience at a traditional bar.

The seating is more like a restaurant, so no one is sitting by themselves staring at a wall full of hard alcohol, everyone is facing the room and mingling.

And the notion of the wise bartender with an ear to lend from the movies I never saw transpire in real life.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#23

Post by seanmcdirmid »

perl4ever wrote: post #21
HumanDrivenDev wrote: post #10

The small menu is so appealing and the place itself so charming that you almost forget, as a diner, that you have to do much of the work of dining out yourself. You scout your own table. You fetch and fill your own water glass. And if you’d like another glass of wine, you go back to the counter. A lot of low-range restaurants work in Australia and New Zealand. Is this really that rare in America?

Sure, there are plenty of places where you get your food and take it to your table yourself. I also know of a place near me where you order at the counter, and someone brings you your food when it's ready, but they don't "wait on you" beyond that. Panera (sandwich & soup chain) used to have you order at a counter and collect your food when it was done, but they have been trying to get people to use touchscreens for o…

The homing devices are common at Korean waffle places in Beijing, at least they were 5 years ago.

Chic filet uses number placards.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#24

Post by baddox »

aeontech wrote: post #14
JackCh wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you buy something at a counter, there is no social expectation that you tip (bartenders are the sole exception, but just give them a dollar not a percentage.) Nor for takeout, but you should definitely tip for delivery (those guys get a raw deal anyway, their pay sucks and they're almost always putting miles on their personal vehicle. Tip them with cash when possible, to make sure they get to keep it...)

Giving bartenders a dollar no matter the order amount is not cool, really. That’s how you turn invisible to them the next time you want to order a drink ;)

Hopefully GP meant a dollar per drink. That seems to be the norm.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#25

Post by z6 »

Eridrus wrote: post #3

So, a question from a foreigner, if you buy something at a counter, should you tip? I would think the answer is no, but in states where minimum wage laws are different for tipped workers, I would expect the answer to be yes, but are there other guidelines? Does it matter if you eat in vs take out? What are the damn expectations?

I wouldn't. There is no service that's being provided, but you will still see plenty of tip jars and a line item for tips if you pay by card. As a business you'd be foolish to not have that, as you see by other commenters they happily part with their money.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#26

Post by listenallyall »

ianferrel wrote: post #4
Eridrus wrote: post #3

So, a question from a foreigner, if you buy something at a counter, should you tip? I would think the answer is no, but in states where minimum wage laws are different for tipped workers, I would expect the answer to be yes, but are there other guidelines? Does it matter if you eat in vs take out? What are the damn expectations?

I'm sure you'll get as many answers as people you ask, but I personally do not. I tip waiters who come around to refill my water and ask how the meal is. I tip delivery-people (like, delivery to an off-restaurant location. Not someone who brings my plate out and that's it). I don't tip other employees at eateries.

Delivery used to be free from most pizza places and the occasional other restaurant that delivered. Now, almost everyone charges a delivery fee. The idea of tipping on top of that just irks me to no end, although I do it so they won't spit on my food next time. I don't tip my Fedex or UPS deliveryman, why should I tip for food delivery when I've already been charged extra for that exact service?

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#27

Post by acchow »

listenallyall wrote: post #26
ianferrel wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sure you'll get as many answers as people you ask, but I personally do not. I tip waiters who come around to refill my water and ask how the meal is. I tip delivery-people (like, delivery to an off-restaurant location. Not someone who brings my plate out and that's it). I don't tip other employees at eateries.

Delivery used to be free from most pizza places and the occasional other restaurant that delivered. Now, almost everyone charges a delivery fee. The idea of tipping on top of that just irks me to no end, although I do it so they won't spit on my food next time. I don't tip my Fedex or UPS deliveryman, why should I tip for food delivery when I've already been charged extra for that exact service?

There are people who tip the fedex or ups courier? I didn’t even consider this was a possibility.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#29

Post by philliphaydon »

p1necone wrote: post #18
HumanDrivenDev wrote: post #10

The small menu is so appealing and the place itself so charming that you almost forget, as a diner, that you have to do much of the work of dining out yourself. You scout your own table. You fetch and fill your own water glass. And if you’d like another glass of wine, you go back to the counter. A lot of low-range restaurants work in Australia and New Zealand. Is this really that rare in America?

I'm from New Zealand and can also confirm that there are plenty of small cafes and restaurants where you have to order at the counter. It's not a new thing here either.

Wait there’s cafe where you don’t go to the counter? I’m from NZ and living in Singapore and traveled all around Asia, never been in a cafe where I didn’t have to go to the counter...

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#30

Post by smileysteve »

JackCh wrote: post #6
Eridrus wrote: post #3

So, a question from a foreigner, if you buy something at a counter, should you tip? I would think the answer is no, but in states where minimum wage laws are different for tipped workers, I would expect the answer to be yes, but are there other guidelines? Does it matter if you eat in vs take out? What are the damn expectations?

If you buy something at a counter, there is no social expectation that you tip (bartenders are the sole exception, but just give them a dollar not a percentage.) Nor for takeout, but you should definitely tip for delivery (those guys get a raw deal anyway, their pay sucks and they're almost always putting miles on their personal vehicle. Tip them with cash when possible, to make sure they get to keep it...)

> Tip them with cash when possible, to make sure they get to keep it...)

Nothing like trying to help income inequality than to promote progressive income tax evasion.

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