Do you leave money on the table in a restaurant?

[zero]

Whether card or cash, I tend to walk up to the cashier and pay there on my way out.

This is because in the past when I asked for the bill, they would bring the bill and then disappear and then it took 5-10 minutes to find someone to get the card machine.

It may be better now as paying by card is the default in most places, but I still just go up to the cashier (and even in the instances where I pay by cash I usually want the notes in change so it's just faster to go to the till).

 

[richa2002]

Restaurants are where I find cash comes in most handy. Puts the power in your hands as to when you leave rather than waiting around like a lemon for the waiter to return with a card machine. I'd rather not go up to the waiter/bar with my card either as it seems pushy and isn't a particularly nice end to a meal. I appreciate the chance to tip in cash too, it feels more personal and human than tapping in some numbers on a card machine.

Judging by posts on here, I seem to be unusual in not being overly concerned that the cash will be stolen. Perhaps somewhere downmarket but anywhere else I find it exceedingly unlikely that someone will have the brass neck and time to steal it before the waiter picks it up.

 

[kristiang85]

On the rare occasion I do this, I would normally hand the folder to the staff as I leave unless I can see him/her obviously coming to collect it. But usually this is for my peace of mind that they don't think I'm doing a runner than thoughts that it might be stolen.

 

[johncrossley]

they don't think I'm doing a runner than thoughts that it might be stolen.

Unless there is evidence to the contrary, the two things would amount to the same thing in a police investigation.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Jun 2023 ==

I find it exceedingly unlikely that someone will have the brass neck and time to steal it before the waiter picks it up.

The waiter could put the cash in his pocket but still claim that the customer has done a runner. You need a receipt.

 

[richa2002]

The waiter could put the cash in his pocket but still claim that the customer has done a runner. You need a receipt.

How would this stand up in a court of law though in the exceedingly rare event it came to that? Their word against mine.

 

[johncrossley]

How would this stand up in a court of law though in the exceedingly rare event it came to that? Their word against mine.

Their word would be more likely to be believed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Their word would be more likely to be believed.

That isn't how the law works. To convict for a criminal offence, they must prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that the crime occurred, and theft requires intent, it isn't strict liability. There's definitely reasonable doubt here.

They could sue for the money unpaid on an "on the balance of probabilities" civil case, but that would only get them the money allegedly unpaid and costs.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Some establishments use the tips to spread across all the staff including back room staff so cash could just go in the servers pocket?

That said I do prefer to leave cash over card as I don't trust restaurants to share

 

[Bletchleyite]

Some establishments use the tips to spread across all the staff including back room staff so cash could just go in the servers pocket?

If that's the arrangement then the waitstaff* will likely play along, otherwise everyone in the job will hate them pretty quickly.

* I dislike the term "server", it's an Americanism, we have our own terms for it - waiter/waitress, or waitstaff for a group of them.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Server is perfectly fine, "waitstaff" is a ridiculous moniker.

They are serving food so they are servers. Far better than "waiting" on me like some sort of flunky if we want to boil down perfectly acceptable and long standing phrases

 

[Bletchleyite]

Server is perfectly fine, "waitstaff" is a ridiculous moniker.

They are serving food so they are servers. Far better than "waiting" on me like some sort of flunky if we want to boil down perfectly acceptable and long standing phrases

Server is an Americanism. Like "train station"

To me it carries a view of looking down your nose at them unlike the traditional terms, servitude rather than waiting on you.

 

[kristiang85]

Unless there is evidence to the contrary, the two things would amount to the same thing in a police investigation.

I meant that I just have that 'British awkwardness' of wanting to make sure I'm seen to pay.

 

[MikeWM]

Unless everyone else contributes on that basis then that's going to be unfair (either on you or others) - it's something that needs to be agreed with everyone - does everyone pay for what they had, or is it split with/without drinks separate, and is the tip separate or not.

...and what if not everyone agrees?

Surely the only sensible default is 'pay for what you had, and add a reasonable tip'. As someone who is teetotal, for example, I'm not going to pick up a share of the bill for everyone else's three rounds of beers or wine. Equally those who don't have dessert shouldn't be paying for those that do. Those who have a sandwich shouldn't be paying for a share of someone else's steak. Etc. etc.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

The last time I did that was recently in a diner in New York, so I could hurry off to catch the next Amtrak over to Newark. At that moment, it seems absolutely worth it to do so.

 

[Bletchleyite]

...and what if not everyone agrees?

There has to be an agreement in the end. If you're not amenable to that, perhaps best eat at places where you pay in advance for your food individually, there are probably more of those than where you pay by the table these days.

Surely the only sensible default is 'pay for what you had, and add a reasonable tip'. As someone who is teetotal, for example, I'm not going to pick up a share of the bill for everyone else's three rounds of beers or wine. Equally those who don't have dessert shouldn't be paying for those that do. Those who have a sandwich shouldn't be paying for a share of someone else's steak. Etc. etc.

In your opinion. Most of the time when I eat out it is just agreed to split the bill, though if anyone isn't drinking alcohol often that's separated out or we work out a discount for the non-drinkers. Half the time soft drinks cost as much as alcohol anyway, particularly where Coke etc are served in the small bottles so a soft-drinks drinker typically gets through more than the alcohol drinkers do.

I usually find, though, that if one person does insist on paying for their own then that's what is agreed by default and a menu is requested to enable everyone to do so. But usually people want an easier option to simply split, I find.

Tipping I've always found to be agreed as done individually either when the card machine gets to you or by leaving cash, as individuals prefer, given that there is no consensus on tipping in the UK. The one time this really wound me up was when I stated I wasn't tipping due to poor service (I usually do, but not if the service is bad) and someone else loudly said "I'll put in for you then" in an attempt to guilt-trip me and did so, I gave him a proper earful about that and made it clear that under no circumstances would I be reimbursing him for such a thing.

 

[cb a1]

When splitting restaurant bills, don't forget to apply the laws of Bistromathics.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Server is an Americanism. Like "train station"

To me it carries a view of looking down your nose at them unlike the traditional terms, servitude rather than waiting on you.

In your opinion

 

[MikeWM]

There has to be an agreement in the end.

And the default should be 'you pay for what you have', in my opinion, unless there is unanimous agreement otherwise.

In your opinion. Most of the time when I eat out it is just agreed to split the bill, though if anyone isn't drinking alcohol often that's separated out or we work out a discount for the non-drinkers. Half the time soft drinks cost as much as alcohol anyway, particularly where Coke etc are served in the small bottles so a soft-drinks drinker typically gets through more than the alcohol drinkers do.

The people you go out with must drink less booze than the ones I tend to Usually I'll have one coke and everyone else will have 2 or 3 (or maybe even 4!) beers each.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The people you go out with must drink less booze than the ones I tend to Usually I'll have one coke and everyone else will have 2 or 3 (or maybe even 4!) beers each.

Or more I drink a lot more soft drinks? I would tend to drink as much Coke or similar as they would beer. Each to their own though.

 

[island]

Or more I drink a lot more soft drinks? I would tend to drink as much Coke or similar as they would beer. Each to their own though.

Same – so I have a preference for places such as Nando’s, Beefeater, Toby, or 5 Guys with free refills

 

[Bletchleyite]

Same – so I have a preference for places such as Nando’s, Beefeater, Toby, or 5 Guys with free refills

Yep, I do like that. Did (!) nearly 1.5l of fizzy stuff last time I went to Five Guys, though you don't half pay for it!

One of those was while waiting for the food to be made as they give you your cup when you order.

 

[route101]

Usually leave the money on the table. Yesterday I went up to the till and handed the money over. I would of used card but I was abroad and get slapped with a small fee each time I use my card.

I always thought it was rude to go up to the till and pay.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jun 2023 ==

I sometimes leave the tip - in cash - on the table if I’ve paid by card.
I'd rather give it to a person, but some restaurants seem to operate a policy in which the staff hide when you want to pay the bill, in which case I'll leave what I think appropriate and leave (having paid the bill by card, that is).

Why do some places , the staff disappear when you want to pay the bill?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Usually leave the money on the table. Yesterday I went up to the till and handed the money over. I would of used card but I was abroad and get slapped with a small fee each time I use my card.

I always thought it was rude to go up to the till and pay.

Where there's doubt of how you pay, I'd have thought it generally polite to ask.

 

[DelW]

Are there really any restaurants that are cash only these days?

I don't think I'd call them restaurants, but in Porthmadog a few weeks ago, I was surprised how many shops (including hot food takeaways) had "cash only" signs in their windows.

If that's the arrangement then the waitstaff* will likely play along, otherwise everyone in the job will hate them pretty quickly.

* I dislike the term "server", it's an Americanism, we have our own terms for it - waiter/waitress, or waitstaff for a group of them.

In South Africa, the non-gender term "waitron" seems to be widely used, though I'm not sure that's any better. To me it has overtones of automaton, though the food was definitely served by humans.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't think I'd call them restaurants, but in Porthmadog a few weeks ago, I was surprised how many shops (including hot food takeaways) had "cash only" signs in their windows.


In South Africa, the non-gender term "waitron" seems to be widely used, though I'm not sure that's any better. To me it has overtones of automaton, though the food was definitely served by humans.

Would be interesting to know if the background of that is a perjorative meaning i.e. indicating people who just do the job of a robot with no free will, or if it has some other sort of derivation e.g. from Afrikaans that has nothing to do with that.

 

[Ediswan]

Would be interesting to know if the background of that is a perjorative meaning i.e. indicating people who just do the job of a robot with no free will, or if it has some other sort of derivation e.g. from Afrikaans that has nothing to do with that.

Google suggests a US origin. It does sound perjorative to me, but that may not have been the intention.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Google suggests a US origin. It does sound perjorative to me, but that may not have been the intention.

I did wonder if it was an opposite of "patron", i.e. another word for a customer, so you have patrons and waitrons, which rhymes?

 

[VauxhallandI]

I did wonder if it was an opposite of "patron", i.e. another word for a customer, so you have patrons and waitrons, which rhymes?

I’m only surprised that you don’t know the answer