Michael \"Dog3\" wrote:
>
> "Pete C." >
> ster.com: in
> rec.food.cooking
>
> > I think there is some confusion here as to the roles of the waitstaff
> > and the customer. The waitstaff has the job of waiting on me the
> > customer, if I happen to be on the phone, that is my business, not
> > theirs.
>
> Actually it is their business. I'm not saying you do this but many will
> probably want to finsh their conversation before ordering. The server
> has other tables to wait on and you're cutting into some of their
> potential livelihood.

Sorry, if I waned to eat in a mass production fashion, I'd go through
the drive through. The fact that I'm at a sit down type restaurant
indicates I'm there for more than just eating at light speed and getting
the hell out so they can stuff another victim, er, customer in. They are
on my schedule, I'm not on theirs.

>
> >
> > The waitstaff have the option of skipping me and handling their other
> > tables and coming back when I'm off the phone, or they can stop by and
> > ask if I'm ready to order.
>
> Well, you're one of the thoughtful people. Most people wouldn't be happy
> if the server skipped their table and went to someone else instead.

And honestly, they shouldn't skip me if it's been some time since I was
seated, just as if it had been some time and I was still looking at the
menu. They should still stop by and check to see if I'm ready to order
and be prepared to stop back shortly if I'm not.

There is nothing magic about a cell phone, it is no different than if
I'm talking to the person I'm having dinner with. If I'm having a
conversation with the person seated across the table from me does the
waitstaff get all in a huff waiting for me to stop talking to the other
person? Of course not, they stop by and see if we are ready to order. A
remote conversation is no different and neither the waitstaff, not the
other customers in the restaurant have any right to expect me not to
talk in the restaurant, whether I'm talking to the person seated next to
me or the person on the phone. The only potentially legitimate complaint
hey could have is if I'm talking excessively loudly, and again that is
no different whether I'm talking on the phone or to the person next to
me.

> >
> > It's no different than if I'm still looking at the menu, you can stop
> > and ask if I'm ready to order and I can either tell you to stop back
> > in a few minutes, or I can put down the menu and order.
>
> This is true but it makes me wonder if patrons are there to eat or talk
> on the phone.

I'm quite capable of multitasking. Indeed I may well be on the phone
(being on call frequently) and entirely ready to put the call on hold
for 60 seconds and rattle off my order.

> It may just be me but I find it incredibly rude and
> ignorant.

I find it incredibly rude and ignorant that someone might think that I
have a right to talk to the person seated next to me in a restaurant,
but not a person on the phone. There is no difference, deal with it.

> An emergency call, or a call to the babysitter is an entirely
> different thing though. I think a brief call in hushed tone is just fine
> but I don't want to know, or care, about how much your alimony payments
> are, who is divorcing who or what your kids need to wear etc.

Perhaps I'm traveling on business and am having a tele-pressence dinner
with my spouse? Again, it's not anyone else's business whether I'm
talking to someone physically next to me or on the phone, unless I'm
really loud (and I'm never loud).

The only reasons people complain about cell phones in a restaurant a

1. Stupid ring tones (my phone is always on silent/vibrate).

2. Nosy people only get to listen in to half the conversation.