 | | | 
25.01.2015, 16:42
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
Posts: 5,273
Groaned at 15 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 5,284 Times in 2,568 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: |  | | |
The exception would be if somebody ordered lobster with caviar and Crystal champagne when everyone else was on pizza & 3dl of local plonk.
| | | | | If someone did that, I doubt if they would be asked out as part of a group again | This user would like to thank Deep Purple for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 16:47
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: 2.72548 K
Posts: 1,649
Groaned at 40 Times in 31 Posts
Thanked 1,641 Times in 814 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: |  | | | And in the meantime, at the next table, is a person, couple, small or larger group, who is furious because they want to pay the bill, and the waiter is stuck at one table with a large group suddenly insisting, without notice, to all pay individually. Surprised no-one on EF has yet come to the complaints corner about this- as it is pretty infuriating when it happens  | | | | | Bloody hell, I'm amazed if that's ever a problem - paying separately is so common these days that any waiter should be able to cope with it as a matter of course (also the thing someone else mentioned about the change; I never see anything but a sea of plastic in this scenario - Switzerland isn't in the 90s anymore).
I'm also surprised that this is a problem in Zuerich; I've never come across it myself but I don't go there that often, and as Holden Caulfield said in another context: "It's full of phonies".
| 
25.01.2015, 16:57
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Z-U-R-I-C-H
Posts: 2,335
Groaned at 173 Times in 124 Posts
Thanked 3,384 Times in 1,536 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: |  | | | And in the meantime, at the next table, is a person, couple, small or larger group, who is furious because they want to pay the bill, and the waiter is stuck at one table with a large group suddenly insisting, without notice, to all pay individually. Surprised no-one on EF has yet come to the complaints corner about this- as it is pretty infuriating when it happens  | | | | | As a server, I would give my swipe (register access card) to my colleague and ask s/he to help the other table (print off the check and collect payment). IME, that concept just hasn't made it over to this part of the world. That, and there are never enough servers on the floor in restaurants in Zurich; you can never find one when you need one, so good luck finding two...
| 
25.01.2015, 16:59
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Zurich
Posts: 13,991
Groaned at 1,361 Times in 904 Posts
Thanked 21,010 Times in 8,026 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | The usual custom here is for each server to carry around a separate purse and make change directly from that, rather than from a central register at the back of the restaurant. (This is also why you sometimes get asked to pay up halfway through the meal, if your server is going off shift and needs to settle up his accounts.)
. | | | | | I have never ever in my life seen or heard of anyone having to pay up halfway through their meal because a waitress was finishing a shift, it doesn't even make any logical sense as there is still a good chance people will order more stuff. What then, people pay a restaurant bill twice in the evening? Bizarre.
In a pub yes I can imagine it happening, but not in a proper sit-down restaurant.
| 
25.01.2015, 17:01
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SG
Posts: 10,029
Groaned at 579 Times in 419 Posts
Thanked 13,472 Times in 7,005 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group...
Money talks. If the guests want split bills that's just how it is.
What I fail to understand, particularly in light of what grumpy said (and he does have a point): wouldn't it be easier for the personnel to always do as if the tab were to be split(who orders pays)? If the table happens to indeed do their own splitting simply print a comined tab and let them do whatever they feel like? | Quote: | |  | | | I have never ever in my life seen or heard of anyone having to pay up halfway through their meal because a waitress was finishing a shift, it doesn't even make any logical sense as there is still a good chance people will order more stuff. What then, people pay a restaurant bill twice in the evening? Bizzarre. | | | | | You ain't seen nothing yet | 
25.01.2015, 17:05
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | I'm sure it happens in other major cities in Switzerland also... not "just" Zürich. I'd bet good money that Geneva, Basel etc have their instances of it too. | | | | | Nope. You should spend more time in other parts of Switzerland. Zurich is uniquely shitty in almost every aspect one might care to mention.
The rest of the country is actually quite nice in comparison.
I put it down to the fact that there's too much money there, so established businesses don't have to even think about trying any more.
Every country has its arrogant "metropolis". Zurich just happens to be our local one.
| 
25.01.2015, 17:08
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Zurich
Posts: 13,991
Groaned at 1,361 Times in 904 Posts
Thanked 21,010 Times in 8,026 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: |  | | | Nope. You should spend more time in other parts of Switzerland. Zurich is uniquely shitty in almost every aspect one might care to mention. | | | | | Yeah right... Geneva also gets a bad rep for many things and the people are also known as being very arrogant. Luzern I had some of the worst service I ever had when I last went there. Basel seems to toe the line of mediocrity.
Switzerland as a whole is not known for its customer service.
| 
25.01.2015, 17:13
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Kt. Glarus
Posts: 4,415
Groaned at 34 Times in 32 Posts
Thanked 10,952 Times in 3,253 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | I have never ever in my life seen or heard of anyone having to pay up halfway through their meal because a waitress was finishing a shift, it doesn't even make any logical sense as there is still a good chance people will order more stuff. What then, people pay a restaurant bill twice in the evening? Bizzarre. | | | | | Eh, believe me or don't but it's happened to me quite a few times. Often it's because we stopped in somewhere for drinks and stayed on for a meal or vice versa. They do try to time their shifts so that it doesn't happen to most people.
But in answer to your question, yes, that's exactly what you do: pay for what you've already had and then start another tab with the new waiter.
| This user would like to thank MathNut for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 17:24
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Basel
Posts: 10,356
Groaned at 428 Times in 333 Posts
Thanked 16,045 Times in 6,322 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group...
My experience is that I was doing much more tips by having people paying individually than one big bill.
It would be more profitable for the waiters to take the time to split the bill.
| The following 2 users would like to thank Nil for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 17:28
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: 2.72548 K
Posts: 1,649
Groaned at 40 Times in 31 Posts
Thanked 1,641 Times in 814 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | Basel seems to toe the line of mediocrity. | | | | | It also toes the border of Alsace. Ever heard of it?
| 
25.01.2015, 17:30
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Swiss Confederation
Posts: 11,501
Groaned at 409 Times in 335 Posts
Thanked 17,648 Times in 8,925 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: |  | | | And in the meantime, at the next table, is a person, couple, small or larger group, who is furious because they want to pay the bill, and the waiter is stuck at one table with a large group suddenly insisting, without notice, to all pay individually. Surprised no-one on EF has yet come to the complaints corner about this- as it is pretty infuriating when it happens | | | | | Not only that, it is (kind of) infuriating seeing how they capture all the attention, send the poor guy/girl x times for one thing each time, ask the dumbest questions even if it is written on the menu, etc etc...Bah.
| 
25.01.2015, 18:09
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Zürich
Posts: 3,223
Groaned at 34 Times in 30 Posts
Thanked 9,408 Times in 2,870 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group...
I'm gobsmacked with this thread, I really am.
Is it really beyond most people's ability to work out what they've had and pay accordingly.
I have never had a problem with a combined bill at all. If a bunch of us go for pizza and a beer or two then it's a straight split, plus a couple of francs each tip. If it's something with more price diversity then everybody works out what they've had and puts in the required amount and then round up for the tip.
This is how adults work.
| The following 8 users would like to thank Slaphead for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 18:15
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Geneva
Posts: 804
Groaned at 28 Times in 13 Posts
Thanked 706 Times in 327 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group...
Recently, I had lunch with a friend who had a more expensive dish than I did. To be fair, she suggested we each pay for our own when the bill came. However, I told her to split it. I therefore gave her half, plus a couple of francs for the waitress, as she had a large note to change. Imagine my surprise when the change came and she put the lot in her purse, thus gaining twice!
Some people are just mean. BTW, I wouldnt eat with anyone who I wouldnt feel happy about equally splitting the bill with. If they arent friends, I wouldnt waste my time eating with them.
Last edited by Marsalforn; 25.01.2015 at 18:31.
| 
25.01.2015, 18:19
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Zurich
Posts: 13,991
Groaned at 1,361 Times in 904 Posts
Thanked 21,010 Times in 8,026 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | I'm gobsmacked with this thread, I really am.
Is it really beyond most people's ability to work out what they've had and pay accordingly.
I have never had a problem with a combined bill at all. If a bunch of us go for pizza and a beer or two then it's a straight split, plus a couple of francs each tip. If it's something with more price diversity then everybody works out what they've had and puts in the required amount and then round up for the tip.
This is how adults work. | | | | | It's also appearingly beyond your ability to read a thread and get the gist properly, been when this has already been re-clarified.  The main issue I am complaining about is not the fact of receiving a combined bill, it is about not then being allowed to go through the bill and then pay the waiter separately to avoid the chaos of people not having the correct money, change, etc etc. They just insisted we get a total of money that was at or above the total amount of the bill, and then leave us to sort it out between ourselves. As everyone had nowhere near the correct change, it was a complete pain to sort out afterwards.
| This user would like to thank Chuff for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 18:31
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: d' Innerschwiiz
Posts: 7,770
Groaned at 419 Times in 282 Posts
Thanked 18,298 Times in 5,668 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group...
A clever waiter will happily collect the money from each guest as requested and be charming on top of it because he knows this is the key to increase the amount of any tips he'll get.
(What Nil said.)
| The following 3 users would like to thank olygirl for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 18:31
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: 2.72548 K
Posts: 1,649
Groaned at 40 Times in 31 Posts
Thanked 1,641 Times in 814 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | IThe main issue I am complaining about... | | | | | To be fair, dude, it's not really clear what you're complaining about. It does seem to be important to you but the general consensus is that most people don't see it as a problem.
Anyway, getting time to pop out for a meal. Somewhere just across the border, I think. (It's the duty of all of us to complete the task the SNB is too scared to do and sell-off Swiss Francs...). It's on me!
| This user would like to thank speakeron for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 18:38
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Zurich
Posts: 13,991
Groaned at 1,361 Times in 904 Posts
Thanked 21,010 Times in 8,026 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | A clever waiter will happily collect the money from each guest as requested and be charming on top of it because he knows this is the key to increase the amount of any tips he'll get.
(What Nil said.) | | | | | Precisely, and not just a clever waiter, but one who gives even an iota of a chuff about customer service (though often it's admittedly down to how the manager runs the place and their views on the matter). It's really not complicated.
| 
25.01.2015, 18:44
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Basel
Posts: 9,131
Groaned at 170 Times in 153 Posts
Thanked 25,643 Times in 6,892 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: | |  | | | I'm gobsmacked with this thread, I really am.
Is it really beyond most people's ability to work out what they've had and pay accordingly.
I have never had a problem with a combined bill at all. If a bunch of us go for pizza and a beer or two then it's a straight split, plus a couple of francs each tip. If it's something with more price diversity then everybody works out what they've had and puts in the required amount and then round up for the tip.
This is how adults work. | | | | | It can take too long. I arrange a lot of meal events here and, before I came here, in Germany when I lived there. With small groups (say under 10) then it's easy for people to pay roughly what they think they owe, add it up and juggle around until the entire bill is covered. You then present that as one to the waiter/ess. However, when I've had close to 40 people, this takes forever. Plus a sea of credit cards pop out. Are you suggesting you take the credit cards yourself (you're so gobsmacked after all) and cover the cash? Or do you hand over a large amount of cards at the same time as the cash? And if you do that, is the same amount going on each card?
I've never had a problem or even anything close to a grumpy look for asking the staff to go around each person while they say what they had, and pay. As Germany and Switzerland work in a similar way with tips (ie you just round up) they get a shit load more with everyone giving a frank or two than just taking one bill.
You need to think things through a bit more before being so dismissive.
| This user would like to thank adrianlondon for this useful post: | | 
25.01.2015, 18:45
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Switzerland
Posts: 8,805
Groaned at 324 Times in 248 Posts
Thanked 20,238 Times in 7,058 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group... | Quote: |  | | | And anyway, shouldn't this really be in the First World Problems thread? | | | | | That d**n Richdog stole a topic for the "Dutch Thread" that I planned to open next week | 
25.01.2015, 18:46
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Basel
Posts: 15,043
Groaned at 295 Times in 199 Posts
Thanked 19,144 Times in 8,049 Posts
| | Re: Restaurants insisting you pay the bill as a group...
People without cash shouldn't be allowed to eat in groups.
Another simple way for longer term groups is for one person to pay it all and then rotate (kinda like a long term 'rounds' system).
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 15:49. | |