Our local NBC affiliate often has Jeannie Moos pieces during the news.

Yesterday, it was about restaurants, what really happens to food, the
web sites where staff complain, lousy tippers, etc. She asked if there
is *one* thing that is universally hated? The answer: people ordering
tea. They hate having to grab a cup and saucer and teabag.

(Tried to find the piece, but alas google was *not* my friend.)

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 08:57:35 -0500, Serendip wrote:

> Our local NBC affiliate often has Jeannie Moos pieces during the news.
>
> Yesterday, it was about restaurants, what really happens to food, the
> web sites where staff complain, lousy tippers, etc. She asked if there
> is *one* thing that is universally hated? The answer: people ordering
> tea. They hate having to grab a cup and saucer and teabag.
>
> (Tried to find the piece, but alas google was *not* my friend.)

And I hate having to leave a tip. So, in the galactic scheme of
things, wait staff and I are even.

--
Derek

"In the beginning there was nothing. God said, "Let there be light!"
And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a
whole lot better." -- Ellen DeGeneres

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 09:03:34 -0600, Derek > wrote:


>whole lot better." -- Ellen DeGeneres

We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 16:29:15 GMT
wrote:

> On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 09:03:34 -0600, Derek > wrote:
>
>
> >whole lot better." -- Ellen DeGeneres
>
> We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.


Good to know we still embrace hatred, though.

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 16:29:15 GMT, wrote:

> On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 09:03:34 -0600, Derek > wrote:
>
>
>>whole lot better." -- Ellen DeGeneres
>
> We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.

So we are only to quote those who are sinless? Since all have sinned
and therefore fall short of the Glory of God, that excludes a big
portion of the New Testament as well.

--
Derek

No single raindrop believes it is to blame for the flood.

It was a funny quote.

I do understand the sentiments about tipping. It is a cultural idiocy
that we practice.

Nonetheless, here's a tip about tipping and getting better service as
well as cheerfully served tea (not necessarily better tea), tip before
your meal.

On 26 Feb 2005 11:16:32 -0800
"elgoog" > wrote:

> I do understand the sentiments about tipping. It is a cultural idiocy
> that we practice.
>
> Nonetheless, here's a tip about tipping and getting better service as
> well as cheerfully served tea (not necessarily better tea), tip before
> your meal.


There was a salad bar here a couple years ago that, after 10+ years in
business, remodeled and switched from pay-after-you-eat to
pay-as-you-enter. Same prices, same food, just switched around when you
pay.

So you'd wait in line, get to the cashier, and he'd ask you "Would you
like to leave a tip?"

"Dunno. How good of a job did the waitress assigned to my section do?
Did she refill my drink? Was she pretty?"

Two years later they razed the building. I figured they were going to
put up something else but a year after that, it's still just rocky ground.

I usually tip 20%, but not for poor service. And i really can't wrap my
head around front loading it. Maybe if i was buying for a large group, but
then it's a matter of giving the waiter/waitress $20 up front because you
know they're going to have to put up with a lot.

Maybe the waitress also don't get a good tip for serving the tea because
it's also lousy?

On 26 Feb 2005 11:16:32 -0800, elgoog wrote:

> I do understand the sentiments about tipping. It is a cultural idiocy
> that we practice.

Actually, that wasn't the point of my sarcasm. I don't have a problem
with tipping. Neither should wait staff have a problem with doing
their job. If they don't like their job, they should seek another
profession.

It's not as if serving tea is an unexpected or hazardous job
expectation.

> Nonetheless, here's a tip about tipping and getting better service as
> well as cheerfully served tea (not necessarily better tea), tip before
> your meal.

If I have to bribe to get good service rather than reward it, I'm
going to eat elsewhere.

--
Derek

"An intelligence test sometimes shows a man how smart he would have
been not to have taken it." -- Laurence J. Peter

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 12:35:02 -0700, Eric Jorgensen wrote:

> Maybe the waitress also don't get a good tip for serving the tea because
> it's also lousy?

Or, maybe they don't get a tip because they practically dump it
ungraciously on the table clearly indicating that they don't like
doing their jobs.

--
Derek

"The opposite of the religious fanatic is not the fanatical atheist
but the gentle cynic who cares not whether there is a god or not." --
Eric Hoffer

On 26 Feb 2005 11:13:24 -0800, elgoog wrote:

> It was a funny quote.

True. But as we all know, they surgically remove the funny bone to
make room for righteous indignation.

--
Derek

I think they ought to start making homes out of the same material that
they make toilets out of. Think about it. Whenever they show pictures
of the aftermath of a tornado or a hurricane, what's the one household
item that's still in one piece? The toilet.

That seems strange to me...and grabbing a bottle of ketchup for people is
not hated? Is it because they have to prep the hot water in a pot
themselves? (or in a cup)...but they have to pour soda too don't they?

Doesn't seem like too many more movements to me....and I've worked in the
food industry. ::shrug:: Not as a wait staff though.

My waitress yesterday brought me TWO teabags when I said I didn't care for
Lipton (Earl Grey from Stash and a Nestea (?) teabag...I used the Stash) And
she was quite nice about it.

Melinda

--
"The country has entered an era in which
questions are not asked, for questions are
daughters of disquiet or arrogance, both
fruits of temptation and the food of sacrilege." Djaout
"Serendip" > wrote in message
...
> Our local NBC affiliate often has Jeannie Moos pieces during the news.
>
> Yesterday, it was about restaurants, what really happens to food, the
> web sites where staff complain, lousy tippers, etc. She asked if there
> is *one* thing that is universally hated? The answer: people ordering
> tea. They hate having to grab a cup and saucer and teabag.
>
> (Tried to find the piece, but alas google was *not* my friend.)

She asked if there
is *one* thing that is universally hated? The answer: people ordering
tea. They hate having to grab a cup and saucer and teabag.


Very odd. I thought it was going to go on to say that they hate
serving tea because people complain that the tea is lousy. But most of
us just suffer in silence when drinking restaurant tea, so that can't
be it.

It is not as though they go to any extra pains to prepare tea. How
much trouble can it possibly be to serve a cup of tepid water with a
slice of lemon, a container of half-and-half and a teabag on the
saucer?

> Nonetheless, here's a tip about tipping and getting better service as
> well as cheerfully served tea (not necessarily better tea), tip before
> your meal.

That would be exceptionally awkward.. also, once they have your cash, why
would they provide good service?

The awkwardness is easily overcome with a smile and a request for
exceptional service. All I can tell you is that in my experience it
works exceptionally well when I am with a special guest.

On 1 Mar 2005 05:55:23 -0800, elgoog wrote:

> The awkwardness is easily overcome with a smile and a request for
> exceptional service. All I can tell you is that in my experience it
> works exceptionally well when I am with a special guest.

That is going to depend on the types of places you take your "special
guest."

If I have a "special guest", chances are good that I'm going to be
taking them someplace special where the service is going to be good
anyway. Tipping early just clinches the deal.

--
Derek

"Education is a method whereby one acquires a higher grade of
prejudices." -- Laurence J. Peter

Nah, I don't think if I was in a really special place that I would
necessarily pre-tip. This technique has been effective in a range of
places from Maccaroni Grill to Maggiano's or PF Chang's. Pretty common
places, really, I think.

It is also an effective technique to establish your right to pay the
bill with the waiter. No matter how much the guest protests, the waiter
still gives me the bill. Maybe it is a psychology thing.

I don't remember who or where I heard this was a good thing to do. I
just know I'm happy with the results I've received.

BTW: Loved the quote. Again.

On 1 Mar 2005 06:38:23 -0800, elgoog wrote:

> Nah, I don't think if I was in a really special place that I would
> necessarily pre-tip. This technique has been effective in a range of
> places from Maccaroni Grill to Maggiano's or PF Chang's. Pretty common
> places, really, I think.

Common places, yes. Common places to eat every day, not so much. I
wasn't suggesting that "special place" meant something like
Goodfellas, where they give you an 8 course meal.

I'm suggesting that "special place" is someplace better than Ihop.

> It is also an effective technique to establish your right to pay the
> bill with the waiter. No matter how much the guest protests, the waiter
> still gives me the bill. Maybe it is a psychology thing.

My parents and aunt & uncle have a system when they visit. One of them
manages to pay the first bill, and then they alternate meals while
they're out. They can be a little sneaky at getting the bill the first
time, but it keeps them from paying too much every time they visit.

Me? I'm in graduate school - I let them pay.

> I don't remember who or where I heard this was a good thing to do. I
> just know I'm happy with the results I've received.

I can imagine it works. But I can also imagine that it only really
works well in certain types of establishments (i.e. not Perkins or
Ihop).

> BTW: Loved the quote. Again.

Thanks. I'm trying to branch out and expand my .sig file.

--
Derek

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the
rest." -- Mark Twain

On 1 Mar 2005 06:38:23 -0800, elgoog wrote:

> Nah, I don't think if I was in a really special place that I would
> necessarily pre-tip. This technique has been effective in a range of
> places from Maccaroni Grill to Maggiano's or PF Chang's. Pretty common
> places, really, I think.

Common places, yes. Common places to eat every day, not so much. I
wasn't suggesting that "special place" meant something like
Goodfellas, where they give you an 8 course meal.

I'm suggesting that "special place" is someplace better than Ihop.

> It is also an effective technique to establish your right to pay the
> bill with the waiter. No matter how much the guest protests, the waiter
> still gives me the bill. Maybe it is a psychology thing.

My parents and aunt & uncle have a system when they visit. One of them
manages to pay the first bill, and then they alternate meals while
they're out. They can be a little sneaky at getting the bill the first
time, but it keeps them from paying too much every time they visit.

Me? I'm in graduate school - I let them pay.

> I don't remember who or where I heard this was a good thing to do. I
> just know I'm happy with the results I've received.

I can imagine it works. But I can also imagine that it only really
works well in certain types of establishments (i.e. not Perkins or
Ihop).

> BTW: Loved the quote. Again.

Thanks. I'm trying to branch out and expand my .sig file.

--
Derek

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the
rest." -- Mark Twain

On 1 Mar 2005 06:38:23 -0800, elgoog wrote:

> Nah, I don't think if I was in a really special place that I would
> necessarily pre-tip. This technique has been effective in a range of
> places from Maccaroni Grill to Maggiano's or PF Chang's. Pretty common
> places, really, I think.

Common places, yes. Common places to eat every day, not so much. I
wasn't suggesting that "special place" meant something like
Goodfellas, where they give you an 8 course meal.

I'm suggesting that "special place" is someplace better than Ihop.

> It is also an effective technique to establish your right to pay the
> bill with the waiter. No matter how much the guest protests, the waiter
> still gives me the bill. Maybe it is a psychology thing.

My parents and aunt & uncle have a system when they visit. One of them
manages to pay the first bill, and then they alternate meals while
they're out. They can be a little sneaky at getting the bill the first
time, but it keeps them from paying too much every time they visit.

Me? I'm in graduate school - I let them pay.

> I don't remember who or where I heard this was a good thing to do. I
> just know I'm happy with the results I've received.

I can imagine it works. But I can also imagine that it only really
works well in certain types of establishments (i.e. not Perkins or
Ihop).

> BTW: Loved the quote. Again.

Thanks. I'm trying to branch out and expand my .sig file.

--
Derek

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the
rest." -- Mark Twain