Aren’t we all familiar with waiting way too long for our orders at restaurants? While some of us are relentlessly patient, others would make a scene by creating a huge fuss that draws everyone’s attention, making their visit less pleasurable. The question is, how long should we wait for a meal? What should we do while we wait? Here’s what we think.
1. Observe your surroundings – Is the restaurant fully occupied? Are they understaffed? If you answered no to both the questions, then there is definitely no reason for you to be waiting long. Most of the time, we make excuses for eateries based on several reasons – it’s a well-established dining outlet, you’ve heard amazing things about it or you’ve never had a bad experience the previous times you’ve visited. Well, stop telling yourself that it’s okay because if the eatery is as good as people say, it should be up to par. You can only be that considerate.
2. The 15-minute mark – Unless your waiters let you know that your meal is going to take a while upon ordering, you should check back after 15 minutes. Ask your waiters politely about your food and request for them to hurry. This should get your orders processed instantly, if they haven’t, and get things going a little quicker in the kitchen. While you wait, get yourself a round of drinks and enjoy the company of your dining companions. One thing we really like to do is people-watch. Everyone has a story and it can be really fun to attempt to decipher other guests at the restaurant.
3. Request to see a manager – If your food hasn’t arrived after half an hour, you should demand to speak to the restaurant manager. He or she should be able to deliver a reasonable explanation regarding the inconvenience. Given that their excuse is somewhat acceptable, you should only consider to wait further if they are willing to compensate you in some way. Maybe a round of drinks, or even a complimentary soup or appetizer for their incompetent service.
If all else fails, dear readers, pay for what has arrived at your table, walk away from the restaurant and never look back. If you’re ballsy, leave a mess to let them know that you were an unhappy customer. Yes, you read that right. Time is precious and they’ve just put yours to waste.
