Originally Posted by
lhrsfo
Removing others' dishes before everyone has finished is, in my book, one of the rudest things a server can do and immediately means a halving of the tip. However, I do recognise that in the USA they seem to be trained to do it - so I only halve the tip if they continue to do it after I've told them not to.
Of course, real etiquette is for the faster eater to slow down so as not to pile pressure on the slower eater....
I am with you on this, although living in Canada I have become more used to it. My father, on the other hand, reserves a special shade of puce for this activity, so much so I have to warn the waiting staff ahead of time and out of earshot of my father!
I think quite the rudest waiter I have ever had was in the US when I ordered an asparagus starter. I ate the asparagus with my fingers. He came over, mid bite, and demanded to know if I had "unusable cutlery" very loudly in front of a busy restaurant.