Tag: dining

Posted in Life

QR deception

Posted on by William Douthwaite

When we sat down at a table by the window in Bahama Breeze in the Orlando airport, I saw a QR code on the table. Interesting. I could scan, order, and pay right on my phone. Sweet. About five minutes later, when no server had come to our table, I decided to give it a try.

I scanned the code, brought up the menu, and started clicking boxes for our meals. Salad, fish tacos, drinks. Done. Easy-Peary. I clicked on the shopping cart to check out.

A message popped up. “A server must open a tab for this table to use virtual ordering.”

Wait a minute. I thought the purpose of this was to bypass the need to wait for a server. If a server had come to our table, I wouldn’t need to order online.

Finally someone did come over. Paola greeted us, saying, “I guess I’m your server.” There were very few servers working a couple dozen table, so she was hustling. She did a good job and I gave her a nice cash tip.

But hey, don’t tease me with a QR code if you’re only going to lead me to a dead end.

Posted in Food, Life

A slow food restaurant

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As we walked into the restaurant, I noticed this sign at the host station. This was a small breakfast/lunch place with both indoor and outdoor seating, lots of diners enjoying a meal or a cup of coffee brought by the waiters. No drive through window. No tablet ordering kiosks. Nothing resembling a fast food restaurant.

So I couldn’t help but wonder, “What have you experienced here that would make you order and post such a sign?”

I didn’t get the chance to ask anyone that question, but I can just imagine some of the comments and behaviors they have had to deal with. Patience is a virtue, but it is not a common virtue. People want want they want when they want it, and generally, they want it right now.

There may be another dozen tables in the restaurant, but some want you to get to work on their order immediately. Ten minutes has become too long to wait for food?

It could be that people just don’t cook that much at home. They forget how long it takes to prepare a meal. The longest they ever have to wait is two minutes for something to come out of the microwave.

I wonder if the customers who need to read that sign are the ones who see those words? Does a sign like that silence the impatient and demanding clientele? Do words like that really change anyone’s behavior? Do folks read that and react, “OK. I guess I’ll go somewhere else”?

If you don’t have time to wait for a table, don’t have time to sit and have something to drink and look over the menu, don’t have time to wait for the cook to prepare your food, and have to eat and run, then why did you come here at all?

There is something so nice about not having to rush, not having to cook, and not having to clean up. You can focus on the people you’re with, enjoy the place and sometimes the view, and be off the clock for a while.