Etiquette

The Backwards Man

I had a chicken wrap in a fast food earlier, and I noticed everyone getting up from their tables and leaving their trays there, something I would never do ordinarily.

There was a person there clearing the tables, and with four or five pints in me nature was calling, so I said fcuk it and left my tray on the table.

I feel really guilty now, should I go back and apologise?

super_furry

No need, just send a formal letter of apology and maybe a bouquet of roses and you should be fine.

Pinch Flat

4 or 5 pints at lunch time? nice. Assuming this was in Ireland, don't worry. You're "entitled" to do this.

Sciprio

Isn't it their job to clean up anyway? I always clean up after me and always clean the table. Just a habit.

ThunbergsAreGo

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I had a chicken wrap in a fast food earlier, and I noticed everyone getting up from their tables and leaving their trays there, something I would never do ordinarily.

There was a person there clearing the tables, and with four or five pints in me nature was calling, so I said fcuk it and left my tray on the table.

I feel really guilty now, should I go back and apologise?

What time did you start drinking at???

Maximus Alexander

Wouldn't want to be doing someone's job for them and risk taking food out of their kids' mouths.

SEPT 23 1989

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I had a chicken wrap in a fast food earlier, and I noticed everyone getting up from their tables and leaving their trays there, something I would never do ordinarily.

There was a person there clearing the tables, and with four or five pints in me nature was calling, so I said fcuk it and left my tray on the table.

I feel really guilty now, should I go back and apologise?

brekkie pints:D

The Dagda

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I had a chicken wrap in a fast food earlier, and I noticed everyone getting up from their tables and leaving their trays there, something I would never do ordinarily.

There was a person there clearing the tables, and with four or five pints in me nature was calling, so I said fcuk it and left my tray on the table.

I feel really guilty now, should I go back and apologise?

If everyone cleaned up after themselves in fast food restaurants then they wouldn't need people to clear the tables.

You're generating jobs by being a lazy, inconsiderate, Monday day-time drinker. Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,

Edna Kenny.

Custardpi

Are you sure the other people didn't just leave in a hurry when they noticed how drunk you were getting? They probably wanted to get out of the place before you turned violent.

The Backwards Man

naughtb4 wrote: »

What time did you start drinking at???

12.30 CET

I'm an hour ahead so it's allowed.

The Backwards Man

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I'm an hour ahead

Don't tell us what happens, I like to be surprised.

krudler

Always clear my trays off fast food tables, the bins are usually near the door anyway so it's sheer laziness to not do it.

mad turnip

You had 4 pints in an hour and a half? On a monday morning? Need to become self employed.

Teyla Emmagan

You were drunk earlier today?

I'm jealous, that's all I can say.

The Backwards Man

The Backwards Man wrote: »

12.30 CET

I'm an hour ahead so it's allowed.

Donegal is an hour ahead?? :pac:

sopretty

I never clear off tables as they are usually filthy, covered with salt and slops and no facilities to wash or clean your hands after doing your duty. And that's before you sit down with your tray!

The Backwards Man

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

You were drunk earlier today?

I'm jealous, that's all I can say.

Never said I was drunk, just dying for a pish.

czechlin

You are eating in a fastfood while away instead of discovering what the local restaurants have to offer!? I am a bit disappointed Backwards Man I have to say...

Penny Tration

When i worked in a fast food place, nobody was hired specifically to clean the lobby. Whoever was free just did it.

I didn't mind customers who left their tray on their table. I loved customers who cleared it. I fcuking hated customers who left bits of food and sauce all over the table.

Inspector Dhar

4 or 5 pints & he can spell 'etiquette' correctly. Impressive.

heretochat

My first job was in a fast food place. Same as g_s above, we were expected to clear the tables depending on who was free.. The way I saw it then is that I was being paid for doing it so didn't bother me in the slightest.

Now on the infrequent occasions that I am in a fast food place I am very conscious of not making a mess. Must be a throw back to my salad days of working in the same place

The Backwards Man

czechlin wrote: »

You are eating in a fastfood while away instead of discovering what the local restaurants have to offer!? I am a bit disappointed Backwards Man I have to say...

It was a 'local' fast food restaurant. Interestingly named McLovin.

o1s1n

green_screen wrote: »

When i worked in a fast food place, nobody was hired specifically to clean the lobby. Whoever was free just did it.

heretochat wrote: »

My first job was in a fast food place. Same as g_s above, we were expected to clear the tables depending on who was free..

When workforce management and the likes are figuring out the headcount for potential hire figures, they account for all jobs each role does.

Even if there isn't a 'table clearing' person and everyone is expected to do it, it is still factored into the workload/capacity involved in hiring people. So some of your headcount (or even part of 1 headcount spread across several people) is hired to deal with this kind of thing.

Personally I always clear my table off though, just seems rude not to do so.

czechlin

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It was a 'local' fast food restaurant. Interestingly named McLovin.

Well everyone deserves a second chance... :rolleyes:

Chucken

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It was a 'local' fast food restaurant. Interestingly named McLovin.

I know where you areeeeeeee
S-L-I-*-*-*

The Backwards Man

Chucken wrote: »

I know where you areeeeeeee
S-L-I-*-*-*

Not exactly, but I walked there:)

STJ******

sopretty

Is he in Sligo or St. Josephs? lol.

rubadub

Sciprio wrote: »

Isn't it their job to clean up anyway? I always clean up after me and always clean the table. Just a habit.

I nearly always do it too, many will say thanks if they see you doing it. If people do not do it then of course someone else has to, namely the staff, so in that case you could say "it's their job". Its not like your in some fancy restaurant being forced to pay some crazy "service charge".

McDonalds have ones that automatically open now too, so its not like you even have to touch a "dirty bin".

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Wouldn't want to be doing someone's job for them and risk taking food out of their kids' mouths.

Well just fuck it on the floor so, this takes longer to clean up, so you might well be creating new jobs.

Chucken

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Not exactly, but I walked there:)

STJ******

Aw, I'm jealous

Davarus Walrus

Not only do women expect you to put down the toilet seat after you finish, they also expect you to have lifted it in the first place!

Just cannot win.

The Backwards Man

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

Not only do women expect you to put down the toilet seat after you finish, they also expect you to have lifted it in the first place!

Just cannot win.

Eh?

And by the way, I can't get the toilet seat in my room to stay up, so I have to pee sitting down.

The Backwards Man

Chucken wrote: »

Aw, I'm jealous

It's OK, there aren't too many old people around this week, just us young wans.

Maximus Alexander

rubadub wrote: »

Well just fuck it on the floor so, this takes longer to clean up, so you might well be creating new jobs.

I don't follow the logic here at all. I can only assume when you're finished at a restaurant with table service you insist on taking the plates into the kitchen yourself to wash them?

You're paying for the privilege of eating in the place and they, in turn, are paying someone to clear the tables. Where's the issue? How's it lazy or insulting to enter, pay, eat and leave? That's the purpose of the business.

Chucken

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's OK, there aren't too many old people around this week, just us young wans.

:eek::(:mad:

stimpson

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I'm an hour ahead so it's allowed.

Worst Backwards Man ever.

czechlin

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

Not only do women expect you to put down the toilet seat after you finish, they also expect you to have lifted it in the first place!

Just cannot win.

Trivial annoyance? Wrong thread perhaps... Just sayin':D

Muahahaha

krudler wrote: »

Always clear my trays off fast food tables, the bins are usually near the door anyway so it's sheer laziness to not do it.

I never do it but not out of laziness but hygiene. If you clear your own table then there isn't a hope in hell a staff member will sanitise it after you're gone as all they'll see is an empty table. A doctor friend of mine reckons one of the most likely places outside of your own workplace to pick up a cold, cough or flu is in a fast food restaurant where you're eating your food hand to mouth while the table you eat off is infested with thousands of germs from the previous customer. We might not see germs and bacteria but they're there and multiplying by the minute. If staff haven't wiped the table then that's what you're eating in. It won't kill you or anything but don't be surprIsed if you pick up someone else's cold because of it.

o1s1n

Muahahaha wrote: »

I never do it but not out of laziness but hygiene. If you clear your own table then there isn't a hope in hell a staff member will sanitise it after you're gone as all they'll see is an empty table. A doctor friend of mine reckons one of the most likely places outside of your own workplace to pick up a cold, cough or flu is in a fast food restaurant where you're eating your food hand to mouth while the table you eat off is infested with thousands of germs from the previous customer. We might not see germs and bacteria but they're there and multiplying by the minute. If staff haven't wiped the table then that's what you're eating in. It won't kill you or anything but don't be surprIsed if you pick up someone else's cold because of it.

Based on the above logic, you should piss all over public toilet seats for hygiene's sake.

Maximus Alexander

o1s1n wrote: »

Based on the above logic, you should piss all over public toilet seats for hygiene's sake.

Are you planning to eat off the toilet seats?

o1s1n

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Are you planning to eat off the toilet seats?

So toilet seats never need to be wiped down then, no?

Wossack

Inspector Dhar wrote: »

4 or 5 pints & he can spell 'etiquette' correctly. Impressive.

as his name suggests, he actually becomes more coherent the drunker he gets

Renegade Mechanic

Uhh.... Piss all over the tables, then?

Maximus Alexander

o1s1n wrote: »

So toilet seats never need to be wiped down then, no?

I don't think the comparison quite fits.

Tiddlypeeps

I do clean up after myself in fast food places, mostly because it's not much effort and it seems to be the social norm.

I can't for the life of me understand why this is a thing tho. Does anyone know when this first started?

Fast food is the only place where this is universally expected. Some people bring their glasses to the bar in a pub, but that's about the only other place I've seen anything similar and even at that it's not very common. It's perfectly acceptable in all other eating establishments to leave your table as is when you are done and expect the staff to clean it when you leave.

Price isn't the deciding factor on when/where you are expected to clean up after yourself either. A sandwich in O'Briens will cost you about the same or more than a big mac meal, but people aren't expected to clean up after themselves there or in other similar cafe type places.

It's totally arbitrary and it's one of those things that people get really worked up and offended over. Totally bizarre.

blastman

Jake1 wrote: »

Donegal is an hour ahead?? :pac:

Nah, it's about thirty years behind.

rubadub

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

I can only assume when you're finished at a restaurant with table service you insist on taking the plates into the kitchen yourself to wash them?

No, and I don't think you genuinely believe your bizarre assumption, as you have probably never seen or heard of someone doing what you claim to assume I do. Yet have probably seen loads of people get rid of rubbish in fast food places. In regular restaurants I often do help clearing up, I will gather glasses together, but cutlery on plates neatly, scrap leftovers on one plate, hand them up the plate, just like I would in a friends or family members house, where I would also do more.

I thought you would have assumed my comment about throwing stuff on the floor was tongue in cheek, but instead came up with a different outlandish assumption. I have seen litterers use this excuse of "keeping jobs", and no, I am not saying you are littering.

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

I can't for the life of me understand why this is a thing tho. Does anyone know when this first started?

Fast food places have no formal seating, and no reused cutlery or glasses etc. When people are finished they will often see people holding tray waiting on a table, so many will take their finished tray away as a courteous gesture. Rather than just leave it there and expect the new people to either clean it themselves or wait for staff to do it, just the decent thing to do. Some will do it if there are no people waiting, as they expect they might be there soon. Some know these businesses are offering really low prices on the basis of needed less staff, if nobody cleaned up the prices would go up to be on the same profits.

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

How's it lazy or insulting to enter, pay, eat and leave?

The very common situation above is why some consider it lazy and/or inconsiderate.

Also people are not usually tipped in these places so it can be a gesture towards the staff who in small places like abras may may have also served you and cooked the food. I used go to an abras which often had just 1 or 2 people, the person behind the counter would shout out thanks to me as I left, it was minimal effort, they would have had to come all the way around the counter to jet my rubbish.

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

. A sandwich in O'Briens will cost you about the same or more than a big mac meal, but people aren't expected to clean up after themselves there or in other similar cafe type places.

I have seen people in cafes clean after themselves, the tray can be harder to manage if there are heavy plates etc, and in a cafe it is not binned but placed back. In college & airports etc I often saw people take finished trays back with cutlery, but there would be a obvious place for it to go. In some places I have seen staff run over to take trays from customers, probably in case of breakages or them not stacking things rightly.

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

It's totally arbitrary and it's one of those things that people get really worked up and offended over. Totally bizarre.

I've never seen anyone get worked up over it.

dmc17

I'd usually clean up after myself within reason. It doesn't cost me anything and if everyone does it, it makes someone's job a bit easier.