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Posted on 08/25/2011 5:35:20 AM PDT by hfr
" ... A nationwide Zagat survey of diners says 60 percent of foodies favor putting time limits on people eating at restaurants during peak hours. "
(Excerpt) Read more at newyork.cbslocal.com ...
Which got me to thinking about the negative aspects of democracy, and the positive aspects of the genius of the Founders who gave us a republic instead.
And in particular I am thinking about the Senate, which was to be filled with appointees, who sit above electoral politics in some measure, and thus ameliorate some of the negatives of democractic politics. They can reject unwise legislation pushed by popular demand.
Unfortunately that is not something we have held on to - the concept seems to have been lost or forgotten.
But the innate stupendous lack of wisdom in popular thinking - (as in the oxymoron "common sense", where sense isn't all that common)isn't a new thing at all. It has been the subject of thinkers for several millenia hasn't it.
To make a long story short, no there shouldn't be a law, most of the time.
I just wonder if these guys really get out of New York City and/or LA too much. Restaurants in my area are dying off quickly and would probably be happy to simply have the customers.
In other news, the U.S. is still bankrupt.
There ought to be a re-inforcement of property rights.
Hey! Use smaller words, would ya? I’m TRYIN’ to eat here! *SMIRK* :)
where’s the survey that says how many people think surveys are stupid and intrusive and suggestive and manipulative and a sure sign of having no meaningful existence?
They should outlaw the Fatties while they’re at it, too! Ban them ffrom restaurants because you may be next in line, and then before you know it, all the food is GONE!
Public hangings at dawn for those that displease Mrs. 0bama for carrying a tad more luggage in the trunk than she already does...
/SARCASM (If necessary...)
Yep. I’m in a p*ssy mood this morning, LOL!
Longer meals are good for business - more appetizers, drinks, wine, desserts, more drinks ordered over a long meal.
We need to pass laws that say that all the stuff that I personally don’t like is illegal.
To echo the author of your tag line: "That's the most ridiculous thing I ever hoid." ;-)
I sure as hell hope taxpayer money wasn’t used for this ....
It's exactly what it is, ever see them force feed geese with a hose shoved down the beak at a farm for frau grau?
But even if its just patrons favoring the restaraunts themselves putting time limits on other patrons, it shows just how self-centered we've become. Who the "F" cares how long someone else is at their table. If you don't like it, don't go to the restaraunt, or go somewhere else. Its the "Its All About Me" syndrome writ large. Just like drivers who go ballistic because the person in front of them is going too slow and "Won't get out of MY WAY." But the guy behind them is going too fast and "Riding my ass." I bet these same people would be highly offended if a waiter came up to their dinner party and told them to leave because they were taking too long. The quotes bear this out:
You’ve seen it a million times: someone or a group of people hogging a table for two hours. It’s almost like you want to get their attention, point to your watch and say, “hey, tick-tock, dude.”
“I wish they would move along and leave so I can sit down,” one person said.
Get a freakin life.
One reasons restaurants were happy about 'no smoking' laws was smokers tend to stay an extra 10 minutes or so having a cigarette after dinner.
If so called 'upscale' restaurants are nothing more than 'stop and slop' then the cheaper the better... and you're point FatherofFive is well taken - McDonalds will do just fine.
It would be interesting to know how much of the time spent in restaurants is due to eating, or to waiting for service.
I’ve got nothing against wait staff, and I know a lot of kids do it as their first gig or to put themselves through college, but it seems to me to be a pretty inefficient way to run a restaurant as it is.
Make the menus electronic (so they can be changed at a whim without reprinting, or putting those stupid “special” inserts that half the time fall out of the menus). Plus if an item is unavailable for whatever reason - it’s off the menu. Put in an order-taking station at the table. Let the patrons tell the kitchen what they want directly, as quickly as they can decide. Add on a staff paging system so you don’t have to flail your hands in the air to get the attention of someone when you need them. You could pay the bill at your table too, allowing fewer hands to touch your credit card in the process. Imagine something like an ipad - not only could you learn about the offerings, and order what you wanted, and pay right from your table, but if they were set up on little stands, they could run ads of drink specials, deserts - kind of like the little cards they have now, all real time.
Then the wait staff could focus on what they should be there for - answering questions, bringing the items ordered, making sure the meal runs smoothly, and recycling the table after the patrons have left.
Whenever we eat out, the biggest problem generally is getting someone to take our order (and take it accurately), and then getting them to come take our money at the end. I’d say half the time at a restaurant is wasted time. Now, sure, that can be filled with great conversation and socializing, but not every meal has to be a grand social event. Sometimes, you just want to eat.
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Husband inhales his food and leaves me sitting there still trying to scarf down what’s left on my plate while he wriggles in his seat. :o)
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