"Do you think you might find us a better table?"

On Jul 20, 9:32 am, "The Ranger" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have to agree with the writer's demographic observations: <40
> think bribing for a better table is wrong and >40 consider it
> part of doing business.
>
> http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2000/10/pocketful?currentPage=1
>
Nice article, calm, not overstated, clear reporting without a lot of
pseudo psychology. If I were doing a survey I would also ask if
people's attitudes varied when it was a business dinner versus a
personal occasion.

> I won't bribe to get seated but will calmly ask for a different
> table if I find I don't like where we're headed. My moral code
> just doesn't allow me to "grease" the wheel.

Do you really mean 'moral code'? I don't see considerations of right
and wrong entering at all. Certainly attitudes/inclinations/desires
vary a lot, but morals?

> Would you bribe your way in to a high-caliber restaurant?

I have done, but of course I'd rather plan ahead and have a legit
reservation. -aem

"The Ranger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Would you bribe your way in to a high-caliber restaurant?
>
> The Ranger

No, if they don't want me "as is" I don't want to patronize them either. If
I'm seated and treated well, I'll tip well.

Only time I "grease" the wheels is at the airport curbside check in to get
ahead of 300 other people.

On Jul 20, 9:32 am, "The Ranger" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have to agree with the writer's demographic observations: <40
> think bribing for a better table is wrong and >40 consider it
> part of doing business.
>
> http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2000/10/pocketful?currentPage=1
>
> I won't bribe to get seated but will calmly ask for a different
> table if I find I don't like where we're headed. My moral code
> just doesn't allow me to "grease" the wheel.
>
> My gahdmother's 80-yo boyfriend doesn't think twice about
> calmly palming a bill to the maître d'. He's so smooth that if
> you didn't know what was going on, you'd miss it completely.
> He's very subtle (and artist) and has never been turned away
> from any restaurant.
>
> Would you bribe your way in to a high-caliber restaurant?

Interesting article! It would be interesting to know if this happens
in a man's world only.

Karen

Karen <[email protected]> wrote:

> Interesting article! It would be interesting to know if this happens
> in a man's world only.

Money is money. Ask any prostitute.

-sw

Karen wrote:
>
> Interesting article! It would be interesting to know if this happens
> in a man's world only.


Phoebe Damrosch in _Service Included_ has a good chapter on being a
female waiter at Per Se, a top notch restaurant where it's usually men
who hold the job. She talks about the tips/bribe subject in particular.
It's more complicated than this, but the simple answer to your
question is yes. Men do the bribing, and men accept the bribes. She
talks about the exceptions. Her restaurant had a system of sharing the
bribes/tips with the rest of the staff.


--Lia

Julia Altshuler wrote:
> Karen wrote:
>
> > Interesting article! It would be interesting to know if this happens
> > in a man's world only.
>
> Phoebe Damrosch in _Service Included_ has a good chapter on being a
> female waiter at Per Se, a top notch restaurant where it's usually men
> who hold the job. �She talks about the tips/bribe subject in particular.
> � It's more complicated than this, but the simple answer to your
> question is yes. �Men do the bribing, and men accept the bribes. �She
> talks about the exceptions. �Her restaurant had a system of sharing the
> bribes/tips with the rest of the staff.


That's nonsense, you can't come to a conclusion based on one (1)
person's personal experience at one (1) eatery.

It's been my experience over many years at many, many restaurants that
most of the stasff staff is female, and most men tip more generously
than women, and all things being equal men tip females better than
they tip males. Yes, men do most of the tipping, and that's why most
restaurant service staff is female. And if I have to explain it to
you then you likely won't get it.

On Jul 20, 6:04 pm, Sheldon <[email protected]> wrote:
> That's nonsense, you can't come to a conclusion based on one (1)
> person's personal experience at one (1) eatery.
>
> It's been my experience over many years at many, many restaurants that
> most of the stasff staff is female, and most men tip more generously
> than women, and all things being equal men tip females better than
> they tip males.  Yes, men do most of the tipping, and that's why most
> restaurant service staff is female.  And if I have to explain it to
> you then you likely won't get it.

Tipping doesn't seem to have gender definitions, but bribing is a
dance between the male customer and male maitre d.

Karen

On Jul 20, 12:32�pm, "The Ranger" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have to agree with the writer's demographic observations: <40
> think bribing for a better table is wrong and >40 consider it
> part of doing business.
>
> http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2000/10/pocketful?currentPage=1
>
> I won't bribe to get seated but will calmly ask for a different
> table if I find I don't like where we're headed. My moral code
> just doesn't allow me to "grease" the wheel.
>
> My gahdmother's 80-yo boyfriend doesn't think twice about
> calmly palming a bill to the ma�tre d'. He's so smooth that if
> you didn't know what was going on, you'd miss it completely.
> He's very subtle (and artist) and has never been turned away
> from any restaurant.
>
> Would you bribe your way in to a high-caliber restaurant?


I wouldn't place myself in that position but if someone arrives
without previously making reservations and they really want to be
seated like now, then they pretty much have to find a greedy palm, and
if they want a choice location then the greed level goes up
comisserately... essentially it's line jumping and for sucessful line
jumping one needs to be prepasred to pay a rather stiff fee. The line
jumper is the real criminal, not the ma�tre d'.

I make reservations for eateries I frequently patronize, and when I do
I ask for a particular favorite table. On Long Island I very often
ate at the Harbor View, I dined there frequently enough that as soon
as they heard my name on the phone they knew that I wanted to be
seated at an ocean view window in the room with the live Oldies band.
They didn't have a ma�tre d', they had a hostess... when I arrived I
always slipped her a twenty, that ensured I'd get seated at the table
I wanted the next time too.... the trick to tipping is to tip
generously enough so they remember you. I typically arrived about 45
minutes early, on purpose, so I'd have time to sit at the bar until
the hostess came to bring me to my table... at that point I tipped the
bartender for the evening. Wouldn't be ten minutes and the bar maid
would arrive with a comped drink, I tipped her at that point too...
tipping generously and in advance ensured I'd receive exceptional
service and I ate and I drank generously... there I'd tip the
waitperson after the meal but before the check arrived.. I don't limit
my tipping to a particular percentage, I tip generously. Had I wanted
to dine on the cheap I'd have stayed home. I didn't dine out all that
often at as you say, "high-caliber" restaurants, once or twice a month
at most. But when I did I wnasted to enjoy teh experience adn for
that one has to pay a premium... kind of like how some are willing to
pay for premium seats at a sporting event or the theater. When I hear
what some pay to watch grown men carousing like juveniles, tossing a
ball around, first thing comes to mind is those low class louts need
to grow up and get a life.... why is it not bribery for them to pay
$200 to sit on a small wooden seat in a crowded noisy smelly place and
go hungry unless they're willing pay $5 for one stinkin' weiner,
served by some nose picking derelict who hadn't bathed in a week.