The importance of your Table getting their Meals at the same time ?
 

How important do you think it is for your table to get all its meals at the same time ? let's say a table of 6-8 people, not too big

What is an acceptable variance for you between say the first person getting their main course and the last person ?

In many parts of Asia, it is brought over immediately after it is ready. Some times I have finished my food while my wife's meal hasn't even arrived. I just learned to chew slow.

I prefer it this way, then the food is eaten hot instead of "warming" under some lamp in the kitchen so everybody can eat the meal at the same time.

Who eats at the same speed anyway?

at a well run restaurant any "warming" time is a minimal effect. At a Denny's or iHop, sure quite a bit.

Given the OP's statement of 6-8 people, I would say at a "traditional western" style restaurant, it is very important for everyone's food to arrive at the same time, especially in a business setting. Variance should be minimal, maybe a minute or two, tops.

If with an informal group of friends at a more ethnic type eatery (where amongst my friends & family it is expected you will share your meal (and we like it that way)) bringing the dishes out as they are ready is fine.

Unless it is completely expected that dishes will come whenever they do, a wait of anything more than 5 minutes is IMHO unacceptable.

I think they should try to make it so people get their food together. It's not at all uncommon for one person to want to wait until everybody has their food, which usually means you have six people staring at their food getting cold while one person is waiting.

If they order something that takes twice as long to cook that's a different story, but in most cases the kitchen should be able to get stuff to come out about the same time.

For the same reason, I hate it when they pick up my empty plate when other people are still eating, I feel it makes it seem like I am rushing them or something.

I personally will not start eating my meal until everyone has their meal. It just seem impolite to me to eat while others are waiting. Just my personal view.

I would hope that service would be such that people get served at the same time.

Unless a sharing protocol is in effect (as with many Asian places) the food should absolutely emerge simultaneously. The point of not going to dinner alone is to eat with someone, not to watch them eat or vice versa. If plates do not come out all at once, politeness dictates that those served not start until those not served get theirs, which makes things awkward and allows hot food to cool and/or congeal. Serving entrees at different times is a sign of a bad or at least chaotic kitchen.

I was taught the same thing. My mother would be mortified if I started (or horrors!, finished) before her meal was delivered. Even if someone urges me to start before it gets cold, I am reluctant. I break the rule if someone is missing a side dish. That's about it. So, all meals should arrive in less time than it takes for the first to lose its heat.

In Italy, the cook would be horrified if you sat with your plate in front of you and waited until the table was "complete." You eat food when it is given to you and is at its peak. Pasta continues to cook once removed from the water etc. In fact, I think that if you were out to eat, the others at your table would think there was something wrong if you sat there with a plate of food in front of you and waited.

I've found that I'm accustomed to this because most restaurants in the U.S. get the desire for entrees to be delivered at the same time and can usually handle it. Yesterday I went to brunch with 12 other folks, and the server got another server to help get everyone's food set down within a minute. Didn't seem to be a problem for the kitchen to get everything synchronized either, though that obviously depends on what is ordered.

Although we think that waiting for everyone to be served before starting is proper, etiquette says that hot food should be consumed when served.

Most better restaurants in usa and france use infra red heaters. a lot of the pre cooking is done hours earlier. the food is plated in stages, and held in an ir heater until all is ready.

at a tasting dinner, how you think 5 guys get all that food out for 50 people?

chefs can organize beautifully.

this does not work in italian or most oriental cuisine. the food is prepared from scratch, and ready NOW!!! risotto is going to take 30 min. most kitchens are not big enough to prepare 8 or 10 main courses to be ready at the same time.

Not sure about the US, but in most parts of Europe, proper etiquette is to wait if there are less than 6 people at the table.

I don't go to restaurants that can't manage to serve food simulataneously (McD seems to manage;))

Critically important -- there should be only a few minutes, maximum, before all diners are served. I won't start eating until everyone in my party is served -- that's simple courtesy. If, by the time the last diner is served, my meal is cold, I'll send it back.

On those rare occasions when an order was lost or forgotten, I will ask the server to take my plate back as I do not intend to eat while my dining partner is waiting.

Then by your logic, everyone else should then wait for you to have your food reheated while theirs gets cold. Yes restaurants should try and serve everyone together, but letting your food get cold sitting in front of you is ridiculous IMO.