Originally Posted by
lhrsfo
I agree with the OP - it's a frustrating issue, especially it seems with Italian restaurants in London. I remember one where I had to ask five times and it took over an hour from asking for the bill to getting out of the door.
Having said that, it's better than at so many US restaurants where they hand you the bill while you are still eating, desperate to shoo you out of the restaurant. That really irritates me and deserves a far bigger reduction in the tip.
Originally Posted by
emma69
This - I HATE being given the bill before I ask for it. I often have another drink after my meal, be it a coffee, or another glass of wine. Don't assume that just because I finished my pudding I am finished.
Originally Posted by
Badenoch
Are the words, "I'll just take this when you're ready," restaurant code for "GTFO, we've got people waiting."
I don't care. It's their problem if I want to order another drink and they'll just have to reprint the bill accordingly.
The more I deal with current restaurant service the more I wish the British pub style of service was more common on this side of the pond.
This is just a cultural difference. Diners in the US expect to have the bill presented so the diner can decide when to pay and leave. The restaurant is not attempting to "push them out the door." Please look at it as a convenience to you, and just the usual practice here. lhrsfo, would you really prefer to wait long periods for a bill rather than have it presented on time or, in your perception, a little early?
On the opposite side of the coin, inexperienced American travelers sometimes become quite annoyed when they are not presented the bill in places like Latin America where the norm is for the diner to request it first, "La cuenta, por favor!" I've had to explain this to a number of people.