bringing dishes back after restaurant/cafe meal

Robsweezie

anyone else always bring dishes, glasses back to the counter after a meal at a café/ restaurant if theres not a waiter around, or if they're busy? I've started doing it recently and the staff react with surprise as if its not the norm. I suppose they're usually left to clean up after people and take the dishes back themselves (part of their job)

especially the case in a rare visit to mcdonalds, I wouldn't be the type to leave a tray full of happy meal boxes, straws, chips and burger wrappers behind me, it helps the staff too if you clean up after yourself. though you're not ''obliged'' too.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I do it if I'm in a good mood.
In a fast food place I'd always do it. Cafe, depends.

BunkMoreland

No

jigglypuffstuff

Robsweezie wrote: »

anyone else always bring dishes, glasses back to the counter after a meal at a café/ restaurant if theres not a waiter around, or if they're busy? I've started doing it recently and the staff react with surprise as if its not the norm. I suppose they're usually left to clean up after people and take the dishes back themselves (part of their job)

especially the case in a rare visit to mcdonalds, I wouldn't be the type to leave a tray full of happy meal boxes, straws, chips and burger wrappers behind me, it helps the staff too if you clean up after yourself. though you're not ''obliged'' too.

I always do this, ive been on the other end there and its always appreciated when customers do this

El Horseboxo

If there's a designated area to put them then I will. But I wouldn't just put on a counter as I could be occupying space that they use for something else. And used dishes there becomes a problem for them.

Jamesstoney

I thought for a second you meant bringing them home

The Sidewards Man

Is there not staff that do this trivial job?

timthumbni

Robsweezie wrote: »

anyone else always bring dishes, glasses back to the counter after a meal at a café/ restaurant if theres not a waiter around, or if they're busy? I've started doing it recently and the staff react with surprise as if its not the norm. I suppose they're usually left to clean up after people and take the dishes back themselves (part of their job)

especially the case in a rare visit to mcdonalds, I wouldn't be the type to leave a tray full of happy meal boxes, straws, chips and burger wrappers behind me, it helps the staff too if you clean up after yourself. though you're not ''obliged'' too.

In McDonald's/ Burger King etc then I always clear our table and put the rubbish in the bin provided. I thought this was good manners. Are some people above putting away their own rubbish? Snobbish imo. And if you eat in McDonald's then you have no reason to be snobbish...

mansize

In tesco cafe/fast foot outlet yes


In restaurant... no

Atlantic Dawn

I'd only do it in a place with disposables, never with actual real life cutlary.

The Sidewards Man

mansize wrote: »

In tesco cafe/fast foot outlet yes


In restaurant... no

What fast food outlet do you frequent that serves food in dishes?

mansize

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

What fast food outlet do you frequent that serves food in dishes?

I was referring to the OP's post, not just the title.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

El Horseboxo wrote: »

If there's a designated area to put them then I will. But I wouldn't just put on a counter as I could be occupying space that they use for something else. And used dishes there becomes a problem for them.

When I was waitressing I got in trouble for dishes on the counter once or twice.

'why are those dishes there?'

'a customer left them there as they were leaving'

'why didn't you bring them to wash up?'

'I was serving that big long queue of other customers I just got cleared'

'and why didn't you clear them then?'

Because that's the point when you started giving out to me about them!

It's not that the gesture isn't appreciated, but Jesus that gig is just one big damned if you do damned of you don't sometimes, hope I never have to go back to it!

Also the people who would actually walk in behind the counter to drop them back, NO! Had two wee girls who'd be in often and had to have a word with them about it, they were only trying to help but it was actually dangerous

No way, fast food places are nearly charging as much as restaurants these days. I got ribs and chips in a restaurant with orange juice this week and it cost me €15, I got a meal in KFC and it cost 11

If Mconalds/KFC/Burger King etc want to charge nearly as much as a real restaurant for ****ty fast food then dont expect me to clean after myself. Granted if I get good service and the staff are polite then I will feel guilty and clean up after myself, but I very rarely get polite/good service at these places. Not that I can blame the staff I worked in these places before and hated the job.

johnnyskeleton

You're doing people out of a job.

timthumbni

timthumbni wrote: »

In McDonald's/ Burger King etc then I always clear our table and put the rubbish in the bin provided. I thought this was good manners. Are some people above putting away their own rubbish? Snobbish imo. And if you eat in McDonald's then you have no reason to be snobbish...

It's not that I am above cleaning up my own rubbish, its that I have paid McDonalds for example near 10 euro for a crappy meal. I think that includes them cleaning up as well.

Its not as if you are saving someone work. If everyone kept cleaning up after themselves then McDonalds would just use less staff on the floor because they would need less people to clean, you are really just saving McDonalds money. :pac:

The Sidewards Man

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

You're doing people out of a job.

Exactly, at the rate the thread is going we may as well go inside the counter in macdonalds and cook it our selves and serve it in our Royal Albert.

Summer wind

I'd never leave a fast food place without gathering up all the empty cartons and putting them in the bin. I wouldn't walk away and leave a mess at home so why do it in public. If I eat in a restaurant and there's a lot of plates on the table I'd always stack them and put the cutlery on top ready to be collected.

The Sidewards Man

Summer wind wrote: »

I'd never leave a fast food place without gathering up all the empty cartons and putting them in the bin. I wouldn't walk away and leave a mess at home so why do it in public. If I eat in a restaurant and there's a lot of plates on the table I'd always stack them and put the cutlery on top ready to be collected.

A plate stacker I hate those, 'are you finished there, send it up along the table and let me be the big man/woman'. You should bring them to the kitchen altogether and wash them.

Summer wind

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

A plate stacker I hate those, 'are you finished there, send it up along the table and let me be the big man/woman'. You should bring them to the kitchen altogether and wash them.

Ah now I'm lovely really.

The Sidewards Man

Summer wind wrote: »

Ah now I'm lovely really.

You’re some tulip alright.

mansize

I think it's a bit rude to get up from a fast food joint and leave your tray of wrappers etc behind

mansize

I don't like plate stackers though

Herb Powell

Deleted User wrote: »

No way, fast food places are nearly charging as much as restaurants these days. I got ribs and chips in a restaurant with orange juice this week and it cost me €15, I got a meal in KFC and it cost 11

If Mconalds/KFC/Burger King etc want to charge nearly as much as a real restaurant for ****ty fast food then dont expect me to clean after myself. Granted if I get good service and the staff are polite then I will feel guilty and clean up after myself, but I very rarely get polite/good service at these places. Not that I can blame the staff I worked in these places before and hated the job.

I bet you also rip up coasters/wrappers and put them in your glass when you're done. Ya langer.

Herb Powell

Herb Powell wrote: »

I bet you also rip up coasters/wrappers and put them in your glass when you're done. Ya langer.

What glass? :pac:

Did McDonalds all of a sudden start using glasses and coasters?

mansize

What kind of restaurant serves ribs and chips???

mansize

mansize wrote: »

What kind of restaurant serves ribs and chips???

The best kind

Rosie Rant

I always clean up after myself in a fast food restaurant. It really bothers me when some lazy so and so has gone off and left a tray full of rubbish behind them. More often than not, the place will be busy, the floor staff will be stuck behind the till and another customer will sit at the messy table and scoff at the floor staff when they come to clean up.

I would probably tidy up my plates in a restaurant if I wasn't so clumsy and extremely likely to drop and break everything.

mansize

Deleted User wrote: »

The best kind

Cafes?

mansize

mansize wrote: »

Cafes?

Was more of a Gastro bar and the ribs were tastey as fuark

I generally wouldn't be a problem for fast food workers anyway because I barely ever eat in the things. Crap and over priced food, Cant bate a McFlurry now and again though

Herb Powell

Deleted User wrote: »

What glass? :pac:

Did McDonalds all of a sudden start using glasses and coasters?

In a pub! Forget McDonald's, new scenario

Herb Powell

Herb Powell wrote: »

In a pub! Forget McDonald's, new scenario

Generally I don't drink in bars ever really, Id stop in for some food now and again or to watch a match. Regarding the question the answer is no, I would not rip up the coaster and stick it into the glass. In the same sense I wouldn't rip up all my fast food wrappers and make it harder for the person to collect it.

I am not really that emotionally invested in this whole argument because I dont generally go to fast food places, but surely service is included in the price? and does service not also include cleaning up after me? Isn't it the fact that when you go out to eat that they cook/clean for you and you pay them for that service, isn't that the whole reason people actually go to McDonalds/KFC etc to eat.

freshpopcorn

In a fast food place I'd always tidy up after myself.
One thing tough I did a small bit of resteraunt work and I know of people landed messy plates on the counter it would have driven me mad. Firstly because it looks bad to customers coming in and there's already somebody else there to do it. Chances are the boss would snap the head off you of he saw the dirty plates.
I remember talking to a girl who worked in a very good hotel. She hated plate stackers because people didn't clear the plates properly or they were too heavy and when your working in a good hotel your expected to carry the plate in a certain way and if you didn't you could get given out to.
So, I wouldn't do it in a hotel!

freshpopcorn

freshpopcorn wrote: »

The new fast food place I'd always tidy up after myself.
One thing tough I did a small bit of resteraunt work and I know of people landed messy plates on the counter it would have driven me made. Firstly because it looks bad to customers coming in and there's already somebody else there to do it. Chances are the boss would snap the head off you of he saw the dirty plates.
I remember talking to a girl who worked in a very good hotel. She hated plate stickers because people didn't clear the plates properly or they were too heavyand when your working in a good hotel your expected to carry the plate in a certain way and of you didn't you could get given out to.
So, I wouldn't do it in a hotel!

What do you mean by plate stickers?
Not trolling or anything, just genuinely interested

1moo345

Deleted User wrote: »

No way, fast food places are nearly charging as much as restaurants these days. I got ribs and chips in a restaurant with orange juice this week and it cost me €15, I got a meal in KFC and it cost 11



If Mconalds/KFC/Burger King etc want to charge nearly as much as a real restaurant for ****ty fast food then dont expect me to clean after myself. Granted if I get good service and the staff are polite then I will feel guilty and clean up after myself, but I very rarely get polite/good service at these places. Not that I can blame the staff I worked in these places before and hated the job.

does service not also include cleaning up after me?

No! Fast food outlets are not a service restaurant. You are paying eleven euro for a quick, crappy meal. By choice (in general, no you personally btw). Trust me, after ten hours of running from the till, to tables, to the prep area, and back fifty million times, one person acting like a human being and cleaning the mess they have made will cheer you up that little bit to keep going. They are going to clean the tables, mop the floors, change the bins, clean every window in the place, clean the bathrooms, and the whole area behind the counter (which is definitely the procedure in both KFC and McDs, not sure about others), they ARE getting paid to do that.

Honestly, the people working there aren't even getting the price of a meal per hour, and expected to do the work of two or three people. Not your problem, maybe. But if everyone had a helpful attitude towards others in general the world would be much better place.

Ok, it's not your job and there's no obligation at all. It's just nice that some people do try and help others.

I will always bring the plates/cups back in a cafe. Not necessary, but maybe it's because I have worked in food service I know that a little thing like that will cheer up someones day even a little bit, so I like to do it for others.

But in all fairness, if you go to a fast food restaurant and don't clean a tray that you have used, that's pretty bad. I don't know why anyone thinks that is ok. If you were that bothered about the prices/service/other conditions then you wouldn't go there at all.

I realise sometimes the service can be just ****ty, but the majority of people try their best. They don't want to be there any more than you do and no one chooses a job in fast food. There's nothing wrong with it, I just know from experience that it's not something anyone could stick out for a long period of time without going insane, purely because people think they have the right to treat you like crap, because you're below them in a ****ty job.

It's a bad attitude to have, period.

I just feel like I needed to get that out so, again, it isn't at you in general - the post just got me thinking. I am speaking from personal experience and aswell and know how soul destroying it can be, so I always try and have compassion for people stuck where I once was.

1moo345

1moo345 wrote: »

Honestly, the people working there aren't even getting the price of a meal per hour, and expected to do the work of two or three people. Not your problem, maybe. But if everyone had a helpful attitude towards others in general the world would be much better place.

Ok, it's not your job and there's no obligation at all. It's just nice that some people do try and help others.

I will always bring the plates/cups back in a cafe. Not necessary, but maybe it's because I have worked in food service I know that a little thing like that will cheer up someones day even a little bit, so I like to do it for others.

But in all fairness, if you go to a fast food restaurant and don't clean a tray that you have used, that's pretty bad. I don't know why anyone thinks that is ok. If you were that bothered about the prices/service/other conditions then you wouldn't go there at all.

I realise sometimes the service can be just ****ty, but the majority of people try their best. They don't want to be there any more than you do and no one chooses a job in fast food. There's nothing wrong with it, I just know from experience that it's not something anyone could stick out for a long period of time without going insane, purely because people think they have the right to treat you like crap, because you're below them in a ****ty job.

It's a bad attitude to have, period.

I have worked in food service myself as I stated above. I treat the staff very nicely, always talk to them nice and treat them well. I was them before and I could be again, so I don't think I am above anyone.

I just think part of the service that I am paying for is being cleaned after, that is in the price of the meal..... it would frigging have to be 10 euro for a meal in KFC :O I just would assume at that price surely clean up is included in the price?

On another note, serious question if everyone cleans up after themselves will McDonalds still give people the same amount of hours/ hire same amount of people? or will they cut hours/jobs because they don't need as much staff because everyone is cleaning up after themsevles? Are you helping out the worker or are you helping out the corporation by cleaning up after yourself?

freshpopcorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

What do you mean by plate stickers?
Not trolling or anything, just genuinely interested

Sorry, I meant stackers!

1moo345

Deleted User wrote: »

I have worked in food service myself as I stated above. I treat the staff very nicely, always talk to them nice and treat them well. I was them before and I could be again, so I don't think I am above anyone.

I just think part of the service that I am paying for is being cleaned after, that is in the price of the meal..... it would frigging have to be 10 euro for a meal in KFC :O I just would assume at that price surely clean up is included in the price?

On another note, serious question if everyone cleans up after themselves will McDonalds still give people the same amount of hours/ hire same amount of people? or will they cut hours/jobs because they don't need as much staff because everyone is cleaning up after themsevles? Are you helping out the worker or are you helping out the corporation by cleaning up after yourself?

Sorry I got on a bit of a rant there not directed at you, just people in general.

I agree that the price of the meals are outrageous, and have seen how little they actually buy the products in for, they make a huge amount of profit. It is extortionate and it made my blood boil.

To be honest, at least in my experiences, they would ALWAYS be understaffed. Always. So that one person behind the till, is also compensating for another three staff that SHOULD be there. It's so wrong, and the staff always get the brunt of it, because it is very easy to get overwhelmed. And, although you may be doing the best job in the world, there is only so much one human being can do. As a result, you probably know, with a line of ten customers, and only one other person making the product for you, that one mess on a table is just another excuse for a megalomaniac manager to come and scream at you in front of customers... (Also, not generalizing management there, I was in a mgmt role and seen it all too often...)

Each to their own, I just know how bad it feels so I will try to help.

Working in fast food makes you hate people. Not even just customers. The majority of the time, staff are treated ten times worse by their superiors than any customer.

1moo345

1moo345 wrote: »

Sorry I got on a bit of a rant there not directed at you, just people in general.

I agree that the price of the meals are outrageous, and have seen how little they actually buy the products in for, they make a huge amount of profit. It is extortionate and it made my blood boil.

To be honest, at least in my experiences, they would ALWAYS be understaffed. Always. So that one person behind the till, is also compensating for another three staff that SHOULD be there. It's so wrong, and the staff always get the brunt of it, because it is very easy to get overwhelmed. And, although you may be doing the best job in the world, there is only so much one human being can do. As a result, you probably know, with a line of ten customers, and only one other person making the product for you, that one mess on a table is just another excuse for a megalomaniac manager to come and scream at you in front of customers... (Also, not generalizing management there, I was in a mgmt role and seen it all to often...)

Each to their own, I just know how bad it feels so I will try to help.

Working in fast food makes you hate people. Not even just customers. The majority of the time, staff are treated ten times worse by their superiors than any customer.

Yeah, if McDonalds wants to cut down on more staff and have me clean up after myself than give me that Big Mac meal for 5 euro :pac: (I am just using McDonalds as an example). I actually very rarely go to generic fast food like McDonalds/KFC etc, I much prefer local Fish and Chips type places if I am going to get fast food.

For sure I know how bad staff get treated, I got treated like total crap when working in fast food. I truly do admire people who can stick out that job long term (I couldn't) and I don't go to fast food places in busy cities so places I go are normally quite empty or at least not anywhere near full.

Anyway, I gave my opinion on this thread and explain my reasoning behind it. As I said in very first post, if staff seem nice I will clean up after myself...

Herb Powell

Deleted User wrote: »

Generally I don't drink in bars ever really, Id stop in for some food now and again or to watch a match. Regarding the question the answer is no, I would not rip up the coaster and stick it into the glass. In the same sense I wouldn't rip up all my fast food wrappers and make it harder for the person to collect it.

I am not really that emotionally invested in this whole argument because I dont generally go to fast food places, but surely service is included in the price? and does service not also include cleaning up after me? Isn't it the fact that when you go out to eat that they cook/clean for you and you pay them for that service, isn't that the whole reason people actually go to McDonalds/KFC etc to eat.

I just mean tis nice to be nice

1moo345

Yeah, I do get where you are coming from.

Deleted User wrote: »

For sure I know how bad staff get treated, I got treated like total crap when working in fast food. I truly do admire people who can stick out that job long term (I couldn't)

You and me both... I have never been as unhappy in my life as I was in fast food!

Herb Powell

Herb Powell wrote: »

I just mean tis nice to be nice

tis

Chocolate fiend

In fast food restaurants I would always clean up and get the kids to do the same (8,7 and 4) but, in actual restaurants I don't stack plates or put them anywhere, in fact I can't even think of where you would put plates etc in any of the restaurants we go to.

If we were out for a drink we would put the glasses on the bar before we leave.

corner of hells

It's been quiet for five hours , anyone else want to quote what they do in restaurants ?

I, myself bring , a tube of superglue with me when I'm eating out and glue the plates to the table when I'm finished eating.

FTA69

In some of the McDonalds in London they have a member of staff on the floor whose job it is to go around collecting and emptying trays. I think a lot of the impetus people feel to tidy away their stuff in McDonalds comes from the fact they try and condition it into you as something that is right and proper to do. Personally I think they can f*ck off, as someone else said above, they can hire more staff.

Shint0

If I was working in a restaurant and which I have done I would prefer customers didn't clear after themselves. I prefer to be kept really busy. If there is less to do dead time can make a day really long. I work much more effectively and efficiently when I'm really busy and working in fast paced environments is the most ideal for me and suits me best. Otherwise I can be a lazy sack. There's no in between. That's just me though.

osarusan

In a restaurant there are staff for that, so I'd just do stuff like put the cutlery on the plates or put used napkins on plates.

In a cafe, I might bring the cups up to the counter if nobody had come to take them as we were leaving.

In a fast food place, just put all the stuff on the tray and dump it in the bin. Use a napkin to tidy up any spilled sauce or whatever.

Leaving the tray and wrapping and stuff on the table and just walking out is a w@nker thing to do.

Mint Sauce

If you bring your own from the counter, and there is a collection area accessible by customers, then yes. Otherwise no.

Boom_Bap

In a fast food place I'd always bus my tray, and if I'm there with people who don't, I'd bus thier's as well.

I don't clean up the chips I drop on the floor though.

dub_skav

Boom_Bap wrote: »

I don't clean up the chips I drop on the floor though.

5 second rule?

Boom_Bap

dub_skav wrote: »

5 second rule?

I only obey that rule in my kitchen.