Comments on: Separate Checks (Meals Apart)*

By: Todd

Todd — Sun, 16 May 2010 21:47:07 +0000

Wow. Just googled “no separate checks” and came across this lively(tho dated) discussion. Take it from a restaurant owner – separate checks=slower service. Not just for a 12-top wanting their check split, but for any other table that the server is responsible for. You people who automatically expect separate checks have no idea what you are asking for. Forget technology, etc. it is a giant pain in the ass and affects the restaurant’s overall service negatively. Which would you prefer, bad service or separate checks? Except on the slowest of nights, the two are not mutually exclusive.

By: Seosamh

Seosamh — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:18:31 +0000

Separate Bills were the biggest headache in our restaurant. They announce at the end of the meal they want to pay separately, then line up at the till to pay their share. They never fess-up to what they actually had (mostly because they haven’t a clue, and certainly don’t know what their kids ordered.) Having been short hundreds of euro on several occasions we now say one party one bill. We supply a calculator and a list of what was ordered, and let them sort it themselves.

By: Flava

Flava — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:12:38 +0000

I’m a stickler for customer service and it seems to be diappearing at an alarming rate evrywhere I go. If I am a patron at your restaurant, give me 10 minutes and come over and take my drink order, appetizer, and meal and desert order. Return in 10 minutes with my appetizer and drink and 10 minutes after that with my meal AND the bill. If I am required to separate the bill for you then I expect the restaurant to discount my meal appropriately as I am now providing a service to you. I understand the demands on the wait staff, but this is not the remedy. With all the technlogy we have today there has to be a register that can separate the bill by (Table 1) order # 1, (Table 1) Order # 2 and so on. If you want to leave it up to me, I will purposely leave a few items off and they will have to figure out any way.

By: Brian R Ingram

Brian R Ingram — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:45:08 +0000

Why is it that women dining out together almost always ask for separate checks, but when in the company of men they couldn’t care less? Just as it’s not my job to go outside during your meal and wash your car because it would make you happy, it’s not my problem that your “dear friends” want to argue about a few dollars. It’s so common to have the check totals be almost the same after you did all of that work. Either everyone bring cash – there are ATM’s everywhere, or simply hand me several cards and say “$50 on this one, $40 on that one,” etc. Everyone HAVING to use credit cards costs the restaurant %4-%5 in fees which get passed on to you anyway. And where I work the owner deducts this percentage from my tips. I already have too many jobs to do because it’s a small mom&pop restaurant. I have to answer the phone, seat people, make my own cocktails and desserts, bus my own tables, take out the trash, and vacuum the entire restaurant, all for less than $3/hr wages. Separating checks on top of all that is just unfair.

By: A Perfectly Reasonable Grievance : Blog Free Springfield

A Perfectly Reasonable Grievance : Blog Free Springfield — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:46:52 +0000

[...] this because apparently until we get this world hunger thing solved, we’re not allowed to complain about our own lives. But since we’ve supported a poor child, Katarina, through World Vision [...]

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:27:17 +0000

Did I mention I’m dyslexic – that should be top right corner of the blog. (If I didn’t mention it, its because I’m not.)

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:25:38 +0000

Um G, I think paying customers feel entitled because they are PAYING CUSTOMERS. If you were providing free meals, you might have a point, but I guess if you were then this separate checks issue really becomes a moot point, doesn’t it? But I digress – customers pay for your food AND your service. Don’t get me wrong;I fully understand that the job of a server can be tough and tiring, and I also believe in treating restaraunt staff with respect, keeping my kids in line so they don’t make your job more difficult, and tipping well for a job well done. But if your service is lacking or unaccommodating, your little pay becomes no pay. So instead of insinuating that your customers are just lucky to have you show up and deliver the food in the first place, maybe you should focus on how to keep the customers happy so that they remain customers – trust me, it’s in your best interest. And perhaps you didn’t read the top left corner of this blog, where Dan aptly describes what it’s all about. Having the gaul to complain about this is EXACTLY why we have this blog.

By: G

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:17:06 +0000

I love it how people can judge a situation from their own point of view and not by someone else’s. Maybe you should work as a server for a few days and then ask why seperate checks aren’t issued. I for the life of me don’t understand why people feel so entitled. REstaurant employees work long, hard hours for little pay. On top of that they have to deal with people like you who raises a big stink over minute issues. How about calling ahead next time and if they don’t issue seperate checks plan accordingly. Honestly there are starving, suffering people in the world and you have the gaul to complain about this. wow.

By: Johann

Johann — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:20:25 +0000

In situations like that, I always tell the waiter/waitress right up front that we want separate checks. If they say they can’t, don’t, or won’t do that, I leave without hesitation. I don’t care if it is a party of 26– they should be able to have 26 separate checks. Or 13. Or 4. Or 17. Or 22. Or however many they WANT to have.

There is absolutely no valid reason for ANY restaurant not to allow separate checks. Ever. If they won’t do separate checks, eat somewhere that will.

And yes, that was the worst air-keyboard in history, and likely will be for generations to come.

By: M.B.

M.B. — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:32:33 +0000

Talk about your crazy coincidences. I too had an experience like the one you described in your blog. The only difference was that we asked when making reservations at CAFE BRIO if we could do separate checks and the call taker said yes, only to later be rebuffed by our waitress. (Must have been the same bit@h!) To add insult to injury I asked to speak to the manager who politely backed his waitress. I then again expressed my unhappiness and was told that I could leave my name and number the owner would call me. I never received a call.