Business meetings in restaurants?

Question

If you did your business by phone, would you stop all phone calls until you took care of my call? If you owned a store, would you stop all customers from coming in until I finished my shopping? Then why don't people stop to think about holding a business meeting in a restaurant that can last up to 2 hours or more? A servers station is their place of business. A lunch hour doesn't last for very long and in order to make money we must turn over a certain amount of tables. When you camp out at a table all afternoon, you are keeping that server from turning over that table and making another tip or two. If you must meet there ( instead of your place of business) and if you take up that table for 2 hours or more, why don't you think to compensate the server for the time you took away her business? I mean think about it, if you were to rent a meeting room somewhere if would cost you a hell of alot more than the five dollar tip you left her (or him).

Answer 1

Agreed!! And the same goes for tables who sit all night. I only have a three table section at night, if you are out for the night that is fine, go sit at the bar! Or tip an extra $20 + depending on how long you are sitting.

People who have not worked in restaurants have no idea. They never even consider leaving more than "double the tax". I know this through friends and family. there have been nights where I've been out to dinner and sat an extra hour, I then double the tip I originally left, yet I would never ask my friends to help out because they do not understand, even when I explain, if you don't waitress you don't know

Another note, your tip does not go directly to the waitress's pocket. She does have to report tips, and usually tip 10 + % to the bartender, bus, and hostess.

I wish people had to take a class on proper tipping before they were allowed out!!

And do not tell me tippng is getting too expensive because you can afford the meal

Answer 2

This is a good pace to air your frustrations.. I hope some of those meeting people are reading and will take heed.
When we hold business lunches, our group usually one person pays the bill....and the rest of us tip up to the cost of our lunch , we understand that we have taken money away from our server. I've seen our tab be about $100, and then see about $50 on the table before, Maybe you'll get us next time, we're a pain in the butt to wait on, but we tip well for it.

Answer 3

There are a lot of people that like to show off their money, but they don't know how to tip well. I feel like this, if you’re going to have a business meeting at a restaurant, it should be less than 2 hours, unless you have a lot of people at the business meeting.
If you are going the have a business meeting that is longer than 2 hours, it should be a catered affair.

Basically, all business meeting dinners held at restaurants should be quick and easy. But then again, it does depend on what restaurant it is held at…

Answer 4

The problem with meetings is that they have no real purpose or focus. Chairpeople are poor at congtrolling the agenda and any other business seems to take over. The answer is clear agenda, clear start timer and end time plus a few simple rules

Answer 5

That is rude. I had two attorneys come in one night (one of them was the county atty!) and all they never decided to order food, just drank beer and complained at me. Their bill came to $25 and they were there for over THREE HOURS and only left me $1. My God, they're rich! They could have afforded a 5 at least!

Answer 6

It's very awkward not to know how long it's ok to sit at a restaurant. If you don't want people overdoing it, you have to set SPOKEN rules - how long for how much money. You can't blame people for not figuring out the unspoken.