If you go to a restaurant, sit down, have bread and butter and decide to leave, how much pay for the bread?

Question

I was sitting at a restaurant (quite fancy in the heart of NYC) and was enjoying a fabulous (yet expensive meal). While I was dining, a very young couple sat down next to me on what seemed a date. They were enjoying the complimentary bread and water when they got upset after seeing the prices on the menu. Apparently, they couldn't afford the prices and wanted to leave.

I overheard the argument between the couple and the waiter who INSISTED on charging them for the bread they consumed.

I guess they agreed on a price and the couple left.

I think they were charged 7.00 for the bread and water...is that an appropriate price?

Answer 1

I've actually done this before, but instead of paying for the bread and whatever drink we had, I just left the waiter/waitress a nice tip. I felt it was better to tip than pay. Since the bread and water was given to us at the exact time we sat down, I almost consider this disposable starter food, like peanuts at a bar. If you ordered the bread thats different. If you havent initiated an order, and are just checking the menu, its ok, just leave a tip, because you have cost the server future earnings. I leave a generous tip if i do this. Around 10% of the expected bill, instead of the normal 20%.

Answer 2

Definitely.

The restaurant has only so many seats. Each seat is in effect "rented" to the consumer...their consumption being the compensation for that "rented" space.

For that space, there are an army of people relying upon earnings from each seat or "top" as we call the table in the industry. In a city like NY where rents and costs are so high, they truly need to maximize the "turns" at each table.

In other words, you want to seat them, get the drinks order, deliver the drinks and get the app's order. When you deliver the app's you take the dinner order. After you have delivered the dinner order you "touch" the table again 2-3 minutes after delivering to make sure all is well and to remind them to save room for desert. When your picking up the dinner plates your handing the desserts menu and highlighting the special. You then either take the desserts order or deliver the check and get that table "burned and turned" so you can seat the next top.

The waiter, the busboy, the cooks, dishwashers, night-time cleaning crew, accountants, owners of the establishment and owners of the buildings location all depend upon the "turns" being at acceptable levels.

Generally, you know the "pay grade" of a restaurant before going in. These people may well have made an honest mistake...and getting off for only $7 is really reasonable.

Best Regards.

Answer 3

The bread is a courtesy to paying customers as a precursor to a meal, so if you just eat the bread and then get up to go, I think it's fair to ask them to pay for the snack. Especially so if the bread is listed as an item on the menu.

Lots of NYC restaurants put a copy of the menu in the window so you can decide whether it's appetizing/affordable before you even walk in.

Answer 4

I recently had an experience, in NYC as well, where we got up and left. We were seated and waited for about 10 minutes before someone brought us bread and water. After about 25 minutes of waiting, and no one came to help us, we just got up and left.

On the way out the manager asked us what the problem was. I politely explained that we had been waiting 25 minutes without being served, while people at tables next to us had arrived after us and were starting their appetizers.

They didn't charge us for the bread/water... probably because that would have meant actually coming to our table.

Answer 5

In a situation like that it comes down more to company policy than anything else. Most restaurants will have a minimum charge price so if someone sits down and is being served and then leaves they will still have to pay that minimum price. Considering how much the minimum charge is around here I imagine that the couple didn't get charged that full price.

Answer 6

I think it sounds like a lot for bread. But, I believe it's at the restaurant's discretion. Typically, I will ask to see a menu before I'm seated if I have doubts about the restaurant. On the other hand, the couple should have simply asked for a bill from the waiter before they got up. A good waiter/hostess/proprietor will comp the bread in a good faith effort to encourage the diner to come back at a later date.

Answer 7

I worked for "CRACKER BARREL 10 YEARS AGO", and I can not remember what the prices were in 1997, but I am sure it has gone up alot. It all depends on the type of restaurant, but I do not think the restaurant was out of line, and the couple should have at least left a $2.00 tip for the server that took the time to serve them. "THAT WOULD BE THE POLITE THING TO DO, AND TELL THEM THANK YOU FOR SERVING THEM"!:)

beankittyky(=^v^=)

Answer 8

No, there is no price for bread and water...that is what they give prisoners of war to keep them alive.

If they are in a restaurant that insults customers with high prices for....food, then they have every right to leave. It may be good etiquette to leave a tip just for the waiter.

Answer 9

I was a server at a restaurant that had fabulous bread (2 kinds) with house made dipping sauce. We had these incredibly cheap people sometimes come in and do the same thing. They would run us to death eating 2,3 sometimes 4 baskets of bread refilling their water etc.. (they brought lucky charms in for their son to eat), Well, tje first couple of times tehy just got up and left. The third time we were prepared for them, and we charged them the same amount that we would charge for 2 loaves of the bread which came to 15.00. And we included gratuity. :-)

Answer 10

If the bread was complimentary then they should not have been charged. However, some places actually do charge for bread and will charge for water (if it's bottled).