To be perfectly honest I reject the notion that service in the US is better than many other places (namely Europe and Australia). While I appreciate US customer service as going above and beyond what should be expected, the service in restaurants is often overbearing and too much. I don't want to know the waiter's life story, I don't want to be asked is everything is okay every five minutes etc. I want you to tell me the specials, get my order right and top up my glass (if it is a higher end restaurant). That is sufficient and this style of minimal service is what I expect in a restaurant in Australia. If the above type of service can't be met then I will be happy to take my business elsewhere. It is up to the restaurant to get their staff to do their job, it shouldn't be the customer's role.