Is everything all right?

Capodecina
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If it wasn't I would have said so.

Going out for a Chinese meal the other night the waiter must have come over to our table four times asking the same question: "Is everything OK?"

Of course it's bloody OK, what do you think's giong to happen? I know that for a waiter there's a fine line to tread between being underattentive and overattentive but surely they can employ some common sense. I remember going to a Turkish restaurant once where we were badgered every five minutes by the waiters asking if everything was all right. Yes it's fine, thanks. Thanks. Thank you. Yes, thanks.

Is it me who just comes up against this? Has anyone else and I am alone in thinking it's extremely annoying? Once per main course is fine, not once per forkful. I'm amazed they can't see how irritating it is.
 
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Yeah I think there's a line they need to be aware of - had that at a Pizza restaurant the other day. You get it with other things too, like being overly suggestive about what you should have - "Oh try this!" and "Why not this instead?" to everything you order, as if I've chosen the wrong thing to eat...

Still though, they're only trying to be nice :p
 
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Really even though you think they are a pain in the ass they are really just being friendly and wanting to make sure your comfortable and attended to etc. Does seem annoying if it's constant but to their view they just think they are being good employees and serving their customers to satisfaction.
 
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Polite to ask once in a shop, a couple of times in a restaurant in a night.

I hate going into shops and being pestered. You really get this abroad when people try and sell you stuff. I usually leave even if I would have bought something and buy it somewhere else.

People need to learn. No need for it here though
 
Commissario
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Yes it's annoying for both the customer and the staff, but they're usually told to go check on such and such table. I've been in both positions and neither really want to be there! :p
 
Soldato
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Sounds like they're trying too hard and it's making you uncomfortable. The best way to make customers feel like they're getting good service is to ask once during the meal and once at the end. For the rest of the time, make sure you are alert to people looking over and attend the table, rather than making them wave their arms about and having to shout 'excuse me!'

I dislike overattentive waiters (though better than underattentive ones). I want to talk to the people I'm with, rather than having someone hovering nearby all the time.
 
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To be honest, I much prefer it when they do that rather than leave me sitting waiting to ask them for things. The last few times I went out for a rather expensive meals (and by that I mean more than £70 for 2 people) - the service was average or below. Our last lunch meal, we were given our main dishes and the waitress disappeared faster than Colin Jackson (even before we had a chance to ask for any sauces, or extra servings) - we had to leave the table and approach the main desk to get someone to serve us the addtitional stuff.

When I'm seated at my table, I expect to be offered a drink as i sit, I expect to have my chair pulled out & my jacket taken (or at least offered to be taken if they have space for it) - and I expect to have a menu given to both of us and the food order taken within 5-10 minutes.

You are paying good money for a meal and service, so why put up with establishments that can't deliver and have poorly trained staff. The UK really needs a kick up the rear end with regard to service and customer satisfaction, especially in eating and hospitality.

And just a pointer for your future outings - Maybe after the 3rd time they asked if everything was alright, you should try telling them you will will let them know if I want them again and to not bother you again before the end of the meal...... it usually works for me.
 
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Soldato
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The job of a waiter or maitre'd requires one to have a good judgement and great people skills- some restaurants/establishments are excellent at creating the atmosphere and providing the service 'invisibly' but you will inevitably have the unsuitable types in such a high turnover (in terms of employment) job position.

I much prefer the restaurants where your table is assigned the same waiter for the duration; this, generally, seems to solve the over-attentive problem people are chatting about. :)
 
Capodecina
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And just a pointer for your future outings - Maybe after the 3rd time they asked if everything was alright, you should try telling them you will will let them know if I want them again and to not bother you again before the end of the meal...... it usually works for me.

Good idea, I'll try that next time.

To the people who say he was just people polite - indeed, but it's overegging the pudding. As a nation we are far too concerned with politeness; utterings like "please", "sorry", "thank you", "no, not at all" and "no, after you" are used excessively to the point of madness. I can see when someone's being polite - and I'm certainly a polite person myself - but you can overdo it and it's important to be aware of that.
 
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It's like in work (Cineworld) the managers are always going on at you to repeat things and suggest goods.

E.g. on box office they want you to repeat what the customer has asked for. So here's a usual conversation

Customer: Can we get two tickets to Cloverfield at 7.20 please?
Me: So that's two adults to Cloverfield at 7.20?
Customer: Yes I just told you that.

Or you see kids counting change to see if they can afford our pretty high priced popcorn and you still have to ask if they want a drink and ice cream and sweets.

You cannot structure a conversation like that.

So, now you know what it's like for the people on the other side. The waiters probably don't want to keep pushing but they're forced to by managers.
 
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Good idea, I'll try that next time.

To the people who say he was just people polite - indeed, but it's overegging the pudding. As a nation we are far too concerned with politeness; utterings like "please", "sorry", "thank you", "no, not at all" and "no, after you" are used excessively to the point of madness. I can see when someone's being polite - and I'm certainly a polite person myself - but you can overdo it and it's important to be aware of that.

Well maybe its just the Asian culture to be more polite than us. I have noticed it too in Chinese restuarants. They like to make sure your enjoying yourself. Doesn't bother me.
 
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Polite to ask once in a shop, a couple of times in a restaurant in a night.

I hate going into shops and being pestered. You really get this abroad when people try and sell you stuff. I usually leave even if I would have bought something and buy it somewhere else.

People need to learn. No need for it here though

I work in a shop and they have silly rules for our mystery shop like "all customers must be approached within 20 seconds". I generally ignore it and use common sense. Smile, greet people, if someone looks like they are lost or interested, offer assistance. I'm aware how annoying it can be to be pestered constantly.
 
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I work in a shop and they have silly rules for our mystery shop like "all customers must be approached within 20 seconds". I generally ignore it and use common sense. Smile, greet people, if someone looks like they are lost or interested, offer assistance. I'm aware how annoying it can be to be pestered constantly.

exactly, you need to judge the person. If they are happily looking at something dont pester them. If they are looking confused go and ask if they need help.

Also no help is sometimes better than crap help. A la "where in the world...."
 
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Well maybe its just the Asian culture to be more polite than us. I have noticed it too in Chinese restuarants. They like to make sure your enjoying yourself. Doesn't bother me.

Not generally true with Chinese in China, as far as I can tell - it's more "I want" than "Please could I have" in restaurants.

That said, they may be aware of this and overcompensating..
 

bum

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Was it a small restaurant and half empty? They probably don't want to look like they got nothing else to do except standing there doing nothing (when there arent many customers around) or they could be just trying to earn more on service charges
 
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