The Pier - first world moan [delivery of meals]
Apr 12, 2018, 8:34 am
#1
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The Pier - first world moan [delivery of meals]
Currently in The Pier (HKG). Does anyone else get annoyed at the staff’s habit in the restaurant, of bringing the starter with the main course? On this occasion, I even expressly stated that I had plenty of time and not to rush. Eating the western choice, so not as if it would be customary to bring the dishes at once.
Long route home to LHR as BA pricing uneconomic and Finnair fully booked from PEK for the next few days in C. So Cathy to HKG and then Finnair the rest of the way. Plenty of TPs though.
Long route home to LHR as BA pricing uneconomic and Finnair fully booked from PEK for the next few days in C. So Cathy to HKG and then Finnair the rest of the way. Plenty of TPs though.
Apr 12, 2018, 8:40 am
#2
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Currently in The Pier (HKG). Does anyone else get annoyed at the staff’s habit in the restaurant, of bringing the starter with the main course? On this occasion, I even expressly stated that I had plenty of time and not to rush. Eating the western choice, so not as if it would be customary to bring the dishes at once.
Long route home to LHR as BA pricing uneconomic and Finnair fully booked from PEK for the next few days in C. So Cathy to HKG and then Finnair the rest of the way. Plenty of TPs though.
Long route home to LHR as BA pricing uneconomic and Finnair fully booked from PEK for the next few days in C. So Cathy to HKG and then Finnair the rest of the way. Plenty of TPs though.
This should be moved to the CX forum.
Apr 12, 2018, 8:42 am
#3
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As this has nothing to do with BA, we'll personally deliver it to a more appropriate home in the CX forum.
NWIFlyer
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NWIFlyer
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Apr 12, 2018, 8:44 am
#4
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Apr 12, 2018, 8:48 am
#5
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It’s a Hong Kong thing. Restaurants tend not to care about when dishes are delivered (even western restaurants often).
But in The Pier I would rather the dishes come faster than slower even if it means overlap. And asking them to slow down delivery will be met on deaf ears.
Maybe I’ve been in HK too long to care about these things anymore.
But in The Pier I would rather the dishes come faster than slower even if it means overlap. And asking them to slow down delivery will be met on deaf ears.
Maybe I’ve been in HK too long to care about these things anymore.
Apr 12, 2018, 9:35 am
#6
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Most definitely is. If I were at some actual fancy restaurant, then maybe I would like the courses to come in order. Otherwise, The Pier included, I would much prefer this approach of getting everything ASAP - whether all at once or out of order - so I can just gobble it all down and get on with life work.
Apr 12, 2018, 10:21 am
#8
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It’s a Hong Kong thing. Restaurants tend not to care about when dishes are delivered (even western restaurants often).
But in The Pier I would rather the dishes come faster than slower even if it means overlap. And asking them to slow down delivery will be met on deaf ears.
Maybe I’ve been in HK too long to care about these things anymore.
But in The Pier I would rather the dishes come faster than slower even if it means overlap. And asking them to slow down delivery will be met on deaf ears.
Maybe I’ve been in HK too long to care about these things anymore.
When Pier F re-opened, I was there and courses were correctly delivered. Perhaps this situation was because of management changes?
Apr 12, 2018, 10:30 am
#10
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Why not order them separately? That is my approach in most (non-high-end) restaurants in Hong Kong when I would like to eat the food in a certain order. I generally order the main course when the starter arrives if I'm in a hurry, or when I finish the starter if I'm not.
Apr 12, 2018, 1:53 pm
#11
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What christep says above. I would just order the starter and tell my server I'll keep the menu and order the rest later.
Apr 12, 2018, 6:45 pm
#12
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They can't win for losing in there. Folks yell at them (...ahem, me included) for being painfully slow bringing out dishes, to the point where on numerous occasions - especially in the months after PP took over - I was leaving for my flight before food arrived.
And other folks are peeved when they want a slow meal.
Pretty much agree with all the regulars' posts above.
IME, when crossing cultures just freaking tell people exactly what you want: "Bring this first, this second, this third, in that exact order". What is easily understood in another culture, say "I have plenty of time and don't rush" (OP's quote...perhaps makes sense in my home country of the US, but I can easily see how it misses the mark in HK), is not always going to directly translate in another culture.
My bet is what happened is the two dishes were ready at roughly the same time, so they brought them out instead of sticking one on the heatpad (if a hot dish). No doubt inspired by the fact many of us...aka myself....have yelled at them endlessly because of how damn slow service was before.
And other folks are peeved when they want a slow meal.
Pretty much agree with all the regulars' posts above.
IME, when crossing cultures just freaking tell people exactly what you want: "Bring this first, this second, this third, in that exact order". What is easily understood in another culture, say "I have plenty of time and don't rush" (OP's quote...perhaps makes sense in my home country of the US, but I can easily see how it misses the mark in HK), is not always going to directly translate in another culture.
My bet is what happened is the two dishes were ready at roughly the same time, so they brought them out instead of sticking one on the heatpad (if a hot dish). No doubt inspired by the fact many of us...aka myself....have yelled at them endlessly because of how damn slow service was before.
Apr 12, 2018, 8:34 pm
#14
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It is not quite a Hong Kong thing. I have, in many occasions, enjoyed western style lunches and dinners in Hong Kong with courses delivered serially in the correct order, even in non-fancy restaurants.
When Pier F re-opened, I was there and courses were correctly delivered. Perhaps this situation was because of management changes?
When Pier F re-opened, I was there and courses were correctly delivered. Perhaps this situation was because of management changes?
My actual experience in The Pier is inconsistent. Sometimes the courses are brought one by one, sometimes the main course comes as I'm still eating the first. It's not perfect service, but considering you are sometimes short on time, I prefer the courses to come rushed rather than drawn out.
Yes this is the best way around it. But for occasional visitors to the HKG lounges, they won't know this.
Apr 12, 2018, 8:45 pm
#15
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Whilst many upper scale restau can time it better, the hk culture cannot tolerate spending 3 hours over dinner. And In airport/lounge, many ppl r rushing for planes- and asking them to take it slow would be pushing the limits of the lounge’s ability.