Does this question that waiters/ waitresses love to ask toward the end of the meal, bother anyone besides me?
Happened again Saturday night at the Rosebud in Somerville. A fine comforting port in the storm on a dark-as-sin evening. Things capsized when the friendly waitress looked over at my half-eaten salmon dinner and said: "Still picking?"
I realized right then and there I have a major bone to pick.
First of all eating is not picking. Picking is something that's done to a nose, a guitar and apples. Eating is the pleasurable enjoyment of food. It's not a task that needs to be completed in one fell swoop and ... take it away. DONE! Almost every time I've refrained from gobbling my meal in seconds, or before my tablemate, I'm accused of picking.
I know this shouldn't bother me w/ all the problems we face, but why can't we replace "picking" with the much more accurate and non-offensive "eating?" A simple, "Are you through?" would do. I think picking undermines what we are doing here. Worse, it feels like a slight. I can just hear my parents telling a 10 year-old me "Don't pick at your food."
Worse yet is when they make a big deal that you finished everything, or when they ask if you are going to be having dessert while you are still eating (picking) at your dinner.
I'm in complete agreement, I find it incredibly annoying when waitstaff ask me if I'm "still picking". Arghhhh! It feels like I'm being scolded for not eating like a pig.
My pet peeves are
"You still working on that?" Ugh! Enjoying - yes; working on - not so much.
And since I often dine out alone, "Just one?" sometimes (too often!) spoken in pitying tones...
You folks have to get your noses out of the air. Listen to yourselves. You're probably being waited on by some college kid, or some less fortunate grown up being paid less that $3 an hour. If you want to be treated like a king or queen, stay at home and have your own domestic staff feed you grapes. Or go somewhere and pay $50 a plate for overrated food and what you consider quality service.
As far as I'm concerned, if they're cordial, get my food and drink to me in a timely, health department approved manner, I'm happy. And more than happy to tip 20% in the process.
Which brings me to my other point. Having worked in the biz many moons ago, I find that the snobbier the customer, the lower percentage tip.
Welcome back Jack
I agree with Jumpin Jack Flash. So what if your server says "pickin" or "working on" your meal? They are at least being attentive and attempting to use a casual dialogue. Sounds like the server isn't the issue- it is the customer.
Jumpin' Jack Flash...on behalf of all of us in the business, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! Yes, we get paid $2.63 an hour by our employers. We depend on wonderful customers like you to pay our bills.
I can not believe "are you still picking" would be an annoyance. I find that customers or guests can be quite be quite annoying too. They go to a restaurant to eat, however they not really hungry and order a salad and water and sit for two hours while discussing with their "table mate" trivial matters then leave their server 15% tipand act if they left you a million dollar jackpot . So I do consider this "picking" not eating.
Ha! That's fabulous...JJF you took the words right out of my mouth. I don't care what they say, as long as they ask before they take my plate away.
I think I've been "guilty" of asking people if they were still picking at something at my house...might even have asked if they were still working on something...I think those are just very New England terms, I liken them to "all set"...go to NY and say "all set"...people will look at you like you have ten heads.
Thank you GG. Good to be back. Even if we don't always see eye to eye.