If someone did that, I doubt if they would be asked out as part of a group again

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".

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...

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.

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?

You ain't seen nothing yet

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.

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.

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.

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.

It also toes the border of Alsace. Ever heard of it?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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!

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.

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.

That d**n Richdog stole a topic for the "Dutch Thread" that I planned to open next week

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).