Is it rude to share a meal when eating out?
- Thread starter BackLogJoe
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Sharing a meal you ordered: yes, why not?
Sharing a buffet: no, that would be super rude and you should be thrown out.
So no worries in this case.
Sharing a buffet: no, that would be super rude and you should be thrown out.
So no worries in this case.
I don't think it's rude.
Though we were on a trip to NYC the other day, and were told by a restaurant that every person at the table would have to order a main dish of their own.
First time they ever happened to me, was quite.. Wtf? Especially because if was a pretty bad pizza place at night that was entirely empty anyway. Needless to say, we ended up wasting a lot of food.
Though we were on a trip to NYC the other day, and were told by a restaurant that every person at the table would have to order a main dish of their own.
First time they ever happened to me, was quite.. Wtf? Especially because if was a pretty bad pizza place at night that was entirely empty anyway. Needless to say, we ended up wasting a lot of food.
I've been to only one restaurant like that and I never returned again. Terrible service is when you force customers to order more or treat them like shit when they ask for a smaller dish plus drink.
I know, right? Tipping culture in the US is just ridiculous.
Wait... who eats a whole appetizer by themselves? I thought you are meant to share those anyway.
Anyway, it is not rude to share a meal. The system is fucking borked where a person has to depend on tips to live.
Anyway, it is not rude to share a meal. The system is fucking borked where a person has to depend on tips to live.
Depends. In my home town, most restaurants don't care either. Some literally sell plates designed to be shared and one or two have/had policies of 'no sharing'. Those two places had a note on their menus that said they would add a surcharge for sharing of plates, but I don't know anyone that actually had the surcharge added for sharing.
To the OP, no it's not rude to share. However, depending where you are don't be surprised if they have a surcharge built in for that, specially a higher end places.
I feel like this is just more stuff that further reinforces/justifies restaurateurs' refusal of giving proper wages for their staff, but I've been told many servers prefer tips since it means they get quite a lot per shift, but that it also highly varies and takes into account many factors including class and race divide and the demographics of a restaurant/food place. I might be too naive, but I feel like it would just be better if servers and waiters get better pay structure.
if you book a table on a very busy night and only eat one meal and then yes it's rude.
if there's plenty seating available do whatever but i'd never share just one meal if the place is fully booked.
They could still get tips, in the UK people still tip the servers if they want to - it's completely optional but the servers get an ok wage without it. Usually servers who do a really good job get tipped by people so they still make money that way.
No fuck that nonsense. Tipping rules and expectations are already stupid but if I'm in the USA for example and tips are 15-20% or whatever then the cost of what I'm buying is what matters not the amount of food I'm buying and the cost is what reflect the tips.
I'm a customer and if the wait staff have issues with my order of food and the value of the tips expected on it then they can take it up with their employer. I'm not ordering more food than I need and wasting it just so I can give extra money away.
I'm a customer and if the wait staff have issues with my order of food and the value of the tips expected on it then they can take it up with their employer. I'm not ordering more food than I need and wasting it just so I can give extra money away.
Yeah it's that way where I live too. Basically:
View: https://www.tiktok.com/@funnyasiandude/video/6862869896821361925
Though the bigger the check, the more people would feel like tipping extra. But there's no hard percentage at all.
How is this considered "cheaping out on the meal"? Should people order more than what they want to eat or able to pay? This makes no sense to me.
They'll still get a decent tip based on what you order. It's not their problem you walked in and didn't order 4-5 meals worth of food so they got a good tip.
This is my question too. It seems a bunch of people would rather you waste your own money and a bunch of food just so you can pay them a better tip which is ridiculous. But then so is the idea that somehow blaming customers for tipping you not enough instead of blaming the person who is meant to be paying you for your labour in plenty of places in the world so I shouldn't be surprised when more layers of stupid are piled on top of the already stupid base system.
Anyway I keep seeing the comment of "well I'll expect you to be a bad tipper" or "well good luck getting good service next time you eat there" as if that's somehow something I care about at all. In fact when I visit the USA the constant coming over to check on my wife and I while we eat does more to annoying me than not. It's not helpful or making me want to tip you better. All I need is you to take my order and bring the food to the table. I don't need anything more than the base level of service that's expected in every other nation on the planet as the expected role of the job. If I have an issue I'll flag someone down and let them know but that's not something that happens often.
Unless you're ordering from a place that serves family style, one person = one entree.
What kind of bizarre rule is that? You pay what you order. How you decide to eat that meal is up to you. What, would they force you off your plate if you're sharing with your SO or your kids?
well maybe America should sort it's portion sizes in that case so food isn't grossly oversized for one person. That's ignoring the ridiculous notion that somehow you can decide what people want to order and eat just so you can get a bigger tip. If a restaurant wants to post such a policy then they can do so, and I'll happily avoid the place, otherwise I'll order whatever the hell I want to order and pay accordingly. If the wait staff don't like it they can take it up with their employer, it isn't my problem.
Don't forget wasting food!
America's relationship with its waitstaff just seems rotten from top to bottom. I also like the relationship I have with servers in my country where they bring the food and leave, rather than hovering like servants hoping to score crumbs.
Things are different everywhere but there's no hard set rule. If anything it's about good will and overall does the restaurant appreciate the business or resent it. I don't appreciate the idea that customers owe anything other than paying the bill and treating the staff decently.
Predicting the next tipping thread: "Is it rude to eat out with only my partner instead of a large group, since it lowers the tip?"
And this isn't just a snarky reply, its a genuine answer. If you wouldn't consider it baseline rude to eat out with less people instead of a large group, how is it rude to eat out as one person? Because if two people are ordering one meal and splitting it, that's the exact same thing as one person eating at a restaurant alone anyway. And you wouldn't call that person rude right?
And this isn't just a snarky reply, its a genuine answer. If you wouldn't consider it baseline rude to eat out with less people instead of a large group, how is it rude to eat out as one person? Because if two people are ordering one meal and splitting it, that's the exact same thing as one person eating at a restaurant alone anyway. And you wouldn't call that person rude right?
i mean small portions are important but let's not go crazy here, no need to say things like this, i mean i understand that small portions are important but we really don't need to say things like that, we just don't need to, let's chill out ok? let's relax and not say things we can't take back
I need to remind myself if I ever go to the USA, which I probably never will, to never eat anything.
A pizzeria my wife and I eat at when we visit the in laws in the USA has "kids" portions of every meal they have an adult version of. Works out great as we always order the kids portions as it's more than enough and we aren't wasting food taking leftovers that don't get eaten. It's one of the main reasons I always go and eat there. If more places in America offered at least an option for suitable sizes (while still being adult meals not basic kids stuff) then I'd go to those places over ones that don't more often too.
Obviously that works for the pizzeria because the kids meals are the same as the adults but just smaller sizes on the plate which can't work for some places but there's plenty of places that can offer an option to just put less on the plate for a few dollars less.
Depending on where you're from, bottled water would be preferrable to tap water anyway!
Splitting it is fine. Me and my GF also went to Orlando last month and some of the portions and prices were absolutely ridiculous (we're from the Netherlands, for context). Just pay for the food you guys want and how much you want.
You can order and split what you want, but there's a point where it all depends on what you're ordering.
If you both go to a restaurant and order a single burger with fries and a single drink, sure, you'll get the weird glance, but you won't be refused.
If you order a couple of drinks and a couple of dishes (be they appetizers or mains), it'll be fine. Couples split food all the time, especially desserts.
If you both go to a restaurant and order a single burger with fries and a single drink, sure, you'll get the weird glance, but you won't be refused.
If you order a couple of drinks and a couple of dishes (be they appetizers or mains), it'll be fine. Couples split food all the time, especially desserts.
Nobody said anything about a rule; it's just a good way to spot a cheap diner.
Just eat what and how much you want.
Tipping ratios should be the last thing on your mind for vacation
Tipping ratios should be the last thing on your mind for vacation
If you are at the Disney park/resort sit down restaurants there is a plate sharing fee (for adults). At least I'm pretty sure there is. So it doesn't save that much money. It will save portion sizes though,
IMO ditch the appetizer and each order an entree.
Edit: tipping, just don't be a jerk about it. tip based off the price post tax at a set percentage (I do 20%, but 15% is probably fine just harder maths). You will never feel bad as long as you are consistent.
App+ entree is likely not that much different cost wise than two entrees (though obviously less than app + 2 entrees) cost neutral there abouts
