Eating out at a restaurant can be a very fulfilling experience - both literally and figuratively. Service is one of the most important parts of that experience. And if it is unpleasant, it can ruin the whole experience, even if the food was outstanding.
Recently, two women found themselves in a situation which quickly ruined their dining experience. They shared about it on TikTok and went viral, sparking various discussions about bill etiquette in restaurants.
More info: TikTok
Eating out at a restaurant usually is an appealing experience, unless it comes with some unpleasant surprises
Image credits: daisyku_
Two women found themselves in a situation where they had been waiting for their bill over 45 minutes
A few days ago, TikTok user @daisyku_ posted a video of her and her friend waiting for a bill. The video had a viral sound put over it. It was visible that the two women had finished their meals and had their plates stacked up. Over the video, it was written that they had been waiting for 45 minutes and at this point they were asking when it’s okay to dine and dash.
Dine and dash basically means eating a meal and leaving without paying for it. Why would someone do that? Well, some people are just jerks. Others can have a more proper reasoning behind it, like poor service or the bill not being brought to the table for a long time, bland food and so forth.
Image credits: Foodguide App (not the actual photo)
Coming back to the TikTok video, in 8 seconds, the creator managed to show more piled up dishes, and her and her friend waiting. She also showed that the dining room was empty, so the place couldn’t make an excuse that they were packed and that servers were busy. It was empty and the women were waiting nearly an hour for a bill.
The women asked how long one should wait before dining and dashing
Image credits: daisyku_
Image credits: daisyku_
The women were extremely annoyed by such a long wait, just like any of us would be if we were in their situation
Image credits: Nathan Dumlao (not the actual photo)
You can check out the TikTok video below
Talking about waiting for a bill in dining places, there were some studies done that found some interesting facts about it. For instance, 22% of restaurant visitors despise waiting for a bill, even if the waiting time is just 5 or 10 minutes. 70% usually skip desserts or additional drinks just to make the checkout process shorter.
So, what should a customer do when they are not getting their bill? Well, a person can flag a server that they are ready for the check. How to do it? They can lift an index finger or slightly wave the hand. But they never should snap their fingers!
Therefore, we can see that the women in the viral TikTok video experienced something that a lot of dining places’ visitors fear. And that is a long wait for the bill.
Image credits: CA Creative (not the actual photo)
A couple of restaurant and dining experts shared their insights about dining and dashing and long-awaited bills
Bored Panda reached out to restaurant expert Ben Floyd from Lumiere Consultancy. He agreed to share his insights about dining and dashing and long-awaited bills.
When asked if dining and dashing is a common practice nowadays, Ben said he thinks it is quite uncommon due to the onset of technology. The technology includes booking systems that take credit card information. He also added that dining and dashing could not be justified in any way. “It is theft in any form, you wouldn't walk out of the supermarket with your shopping because the queue to the till was too long.”
Talking about long waiting times for bills, Ben expressed that the most common reason why bills take so long to arrive at the table is partially the customers' fault, meaning that they fail to get the servers’ attention. Of course, it does not apply to every single case.
When asked what should a customer do when it's been a long time and they’re not getting their bill, Ben answered what he would do. And that would be getting up, going to the waiters’ station, and making the payment there.
Image credits: Vincent Rivaud (not the actual photo)
For another opinion, Bored Panda talked to a second expert, Jeff Gieche. You can check out his website, Facebook and Instagram.
Jeff stated that dining and dashing is uncommon today. And it has been uncommon historically. “The majority of people are consistently kind, courteous, and conscientious.” He added that it’s hard to find a justification for cases when people decide to dine and dash. “The restaurant community and hospitality industry as a whole are authentically about giving back to the community and nourishment.”
When asked about how long a customer should wait for a bill, the expert answered that it should be no longer than 10 minutes. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but it still should focus on such a time frame. He also provided a few common reasons for a long wait for the bill. They are split checks, accessibility to POS (point-of-sale) reconciliation registers (registers, credit card readers), and lack of staff.
Lastly, he shared some advice on what customers should do when they’re not getting their bill. Jeff said they should look for their server. “This can be accomplished without even getting up from your table in most cases. If you cannot find your server, look for another and get their attention with a smile and perhaps raise your hand. Very rarely does seeking out and asking a manager for a visit become necessary, but it is still great to make that connection. Hopefully, your visit will have already included a manager's visit to check on your dining experience.”
Going back to the TikTok video, a lot of people online shared their similar experiences. They talked about waiting for a bill for ages or just leaving without paying. Other netizens just plainly stated that they would have left the restaurant if they had been put in a similar situation. Some others just wondered why the TikTokers did not think of getting up and going to the desk to ask about the bill.
What is the longest you have ever waited for a bill? Share your experiences down below!
While some commentators shared similar stories, others wondered why nobody got up to ask for the bill
Image credits: Toa Heftiba (not the actual photo)
