Nearly empty restaurants that seat you immediately adjacent to the other customer(s) when there are 50 other empty tables. Why do they always insist on bunching their customers together? I once asked to be seated farther away, and was refused. So I left.

Difficult to prevent a client or date from doing that, though.

True, but that sounds like something that will be out of your control regardless if the price was stated or not. Best to just order something cheap if you're paying :D

Here's my ^)^^^^ *n&

Not in winter when it's cold by the windows and/or the table is near the door and in the path of blasts of cold air whenever someone comes in or leaves.

I am actually going to one of these places tonight. The place itself is wonderful. It is a Japanese teppanyaki place, but the only website they have is facebook. And to make matters worse, their "online menu" is low quality pictures of various parts of the menu, and by no means taken straight on.

If it wasn't a local place, and I found the name and saw the facebook page, I would never consider eating there.

I think it sounds horribly pompous for servers* to use "I have ..." when discussing options (usually wine, but sometimes food, too):

"What beers are on draught?"

"I have a cheeky doublebock, a hoppy IPA, a smooth white beer ...."

* the actual owner of the joint is excused

Also --

Is it a west coast North American thing, or do servers elsewhere ask "How's it tasting?" when checking on diners?

Being transparent about how much you wish I would leave so you could go home.

I ate at a Chinese restaurant in Easton, MD last Friday. We arrived at 8:30 and ate until around 9:15 (they're open until 10). However, after around 8:45 we were the only ones there and it was clear a lot of the wait staff wanted us to leave so they could start closing up and send some of the staff home. We weren't offered refills, boxes, dessert etc. The only time I can think of I was having a beer and I wasn't eagerly offered another one.

Restaurants with flash websites with music, that don't work on mobile platforms.

Unfortunately, I have noticed that in more than one Chinese restaurants. About half an hour - 45 minutes prior - you start getting a feeling that if owners had their way - they would rather hound you out and close for the day....

I had 2 dining experiences lst week that left me wanting. Both were a case of bad timing.

In the first instance, our wineglasses were empty and the plates had long been removed from the table when the bill finally came. I understand the server was very busy (she's also the bartender) but I'd like the bill within a couple minutes of finishing everything. I'll even accept it a little early (still drinking but food is finished).

In the second instance, the server asked if I had room for dessert. "The second half of the steak I'm still eating will do nicely." I said to myself while mentally deducting 5% from the tip.

What bothers me is the question "are you still working on that?"

No, I would not call what I'm doing to this meal "work".

How are you enjoying that?

I don't like that one either. I've also long since tired of "you guys" as a form of address, or the cutesy "you two." :rolleyes:

The morning after returning from a European trip we ate breakfast at a Denny's and obviously cleaned our senior-menu plates. We mentioned to the middle-aged waitress that we'd just returned, and she looked at us and our empty plates and drawled "Didn't they feed you over there?" :D

It was just too funny for me to feel insulted and, after all, it was Denny's. :)

There, I fixed it. :)

Also see http://theoatmeal.com/comics/restaurant_website.