On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 21:39:09 -0500, MareCat
> wrote:

>On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 14:02:23 -0400, Nancy Young
> wrote:

>>I seriously don't want to go stand someplace and place my order and
>>be given a number. That doesn't fly with me. It's not a place
>>I would frequent.

>That type of restaurant is becoming more and more popular in my area.
>One version is to stand in line, place your order, pay, then someone
>brings your food out to you (or in some places, you go retrieve your
>food).
>
>Another version is to stand in line, place your order, get a slip with
>your printed order on it for you to take to your table, then hand that
>slip to a server, who then brings your food out to you (and handles
>anything else you might order, like additional drinks, desserts,
>etc.). When you're finished with your meal, the server brings you a
>check, and you pay the server.

And leave a tip, I hope. :-) I haven't investigated, but it's quite
possible that all-you-can-eat buffets and take-a-number establishments
pay the same sub-minimum wage to those who bring the drinks and clear
the table as waitstaff in 'regular' restaurants enjoy.