Waitstaff: is it annoying when guests ask for separate checks

[Anonymous]

Not understanding the need to ask for separate checks in this day and age when there is Venmo and several other easy services like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not understanding the need to ask for separate checks in this day and age when there is Venmo and several other easy services like it.

So, in your view, the customer is the one that should have to do the extra work rather than the employee of the business that is providing the service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not understanding the need to ask for separate checks in this day and age when there is Venmo and several other easy services like it.

So, in your view, the customer is the one that should have to do the extra work rather than the employee of the business that is providing the service.

It’s not hard to divide the check x ways and send a Venmo request. It’s certainly faster than the amount of time it takes a server to split the bill, print each check, put it in the check presenter, drop the checks at the table, collect each check, run each card, print the receipts, and run the cards and receipts back to the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I’m not sure why people are arguing with the pp who is giving the correct answer. It is one of the most annoying things a customer can do.

How you feel is not my problem.

NP. How you feel about it is not anybody else's problem here, and yet you felt the need to share.

If you don't want to see the answer to the question that is the literal title of the thread, then don't open the thread.

[Anonymous]

It is very easy to split the check evenly and totally expected and happens all of the time. It’s a pain when it’s done by each food item. Let the wait staff know as you order so the separate checks can start at the beginning. It doesn’t take a long time to split checks and run two cards. It’s part of the job.

[Anonymous]

There is a difference between splitting a check and dividing the items.

2 couples out to dinner put two cards down and say split it in half. 4 people saying I am paying for the salad and iced tea and she is paying for the other salad and Diet Coke.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the restaurant and their Point of Sale system that they put the order into. If it’s a little mom and pop place, it’s a pain. When I worked at a major chain, like an Applebees, I assigned each item to a diner and then I could combine or split people on the checks as needed.

What is annoying is if you want to have separate checks, but someone buys something “for the table”. The worst would be a party where everyone has separate checked and a few, but not all, decided to split a bottle of wine or one person’s check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not understanding the need to ask for separate checks in this day and age when there is Venmo and several other easy services like it.

So, in your view, the customer is the one that should have to do the extra work rather than the employee of the business that is providing the service.

Young kids do that nowadays. But you do whatever you've been doing since 80s- write a personal check. Paying with several cards is extra work made up by customer and there is no need for it. Why don't you ask for condiment one by one as you are a paying customer. Oh, you do.Do you get a discount at self-service check-out at Safeway since you did the work?

[Anonymous]

Annoying or not, this practice has always struck me as rude. Figuring out payment isn't the waiter's problem.

[Anonymous]

I HATE it when my friends want to do this to the poor busy waitstaff. ALSO, I was a waitress through college and grad school and I may be the only one at the table that actually knows that it takes extra time, no matter what or how the system looks like.
Come on People!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, it is annoying when my clients call me after hours or ask me the same question for the fourth time or don't brush their teeth. Sometimes, we do annoying things so that we can pay our bills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or to split checks?

Yes, very annoying when it's busy and manager is nowhere to be found. No, it's not just a button POS like another person writes.
No, doesn't matter if you tell me before. I need to put everything on the same check for the kitchen's sake and then later try to figure out who had what. Really depends on a place and POS they have.
So, tell me, the check is $42.35 and after me going through the splitting, one pays $20.35 and the other pays $22. What was the reason for your split exactly? Why not just give me two credit cards and fix the amount with the tip if $2 is so important?
The people who split are also the hardest customers usually. I can tell you who is going to split and who is not before they ask for the check. Also, please tip the same amount on the split check if possible.

If I’m asking for a separate check it’s usually because I am going to be spending a lot more or a lot less than the people I’m eating with. So it would be impossible to put the same amount of tip on both bills. I also don’t think people compare how much tip they are leaving when they are signing their restaurant slips. Doesn’t it all go into the same pot and get divided up at the end of the night anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not understanding the need to ask for separate checks in this day and age when there is Venmo and several other easy services like it.

So, in your view, the customer is the one that should have to do the extra work rather than the employee of the business that is providing the service.

Young kids do that nowadays. But you do whatever you've been doing since 80s- write a personal check. Paying with several cards is extra work made up by customer and there is no need for it. Why don't you ask for condiment one by one as you are a paying customer. Oh, you do.Do you get a discount at self-service check-out at Safeway since you did the work?

You are probably in the wrong line of work. Drop the attitude or watch your tips dry up. I go to a restaurant to drink, eat and relax. Not fiddle with my phone and transfer money on Venmo or Zelle. I expect to be waited on by a cheerful waiter (you can pretend, I don't care) and have a good experience. If not, someone has to pay and that will more than likely be the waiter. But I'm sure you knew all that when you signed up for the job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is very easy to split the check evenly and totally expected and happens all of the time. It’s a pain when it’s done by each food item. Let the wait staff know as you order so the separate checks can start at the beginning. It doesn’t take a long time to split checks and run two cards. It’s part of the job.

THIS. There is splitting a total check x ways on separate forms of payment = easy. The more time-consuming is putting items on each check and have 6 different checks with their individual items. Sometimes there is a limit to the amount of separate checks, sometimes people get weird about appetizers and desserts (ex. they ordered it but it was meant to be split amongst the table or vice versa it gets split amongst the table but couple 4 didnt have any so they dont think they should pay). There are also limited number of computers so while you spend 5 minutes individualizing checks it makes everyone else wait.
The person who wrote- when your waiter goes missing for 5 minutes they are probably splitting a check is correct, especially at brunch. Add in needing to pick up drinks from the bar, run food, etc. and the waiter cant get back for a few minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or to split checks?

Yes, very annoying when it's busy and manager is nowhere to be found. No, it's not just a button POS like another person writes.
No, doesn't matter if you tell me before. I need to put everything on the same check for the kitchen's sake and then later try to figure out who had what. Really depends on a place and POS they have.
So, tell me, the check is $42.35 and after me going through the splitting, one pays $20.35 and the other pays $22. What was the reason for your split exactly? Why not just give me two credit cards and fix the amount with the tip if $2 is so important?
The people who split are also the hardest customers usually. I can tell you who is going to split and who is not before they ask for the check. Also, please tip the same amount on the split check if possible.

If I’m asking for a separate check it’s usually because I am going to be spending a lot more or a lot less than the people I’m eating with. So it would be impossible to put the same amount of tip on both bills. I also don’t think people compare how much tip they are leaving when they are signing their restaurant slips. Doesn’t it all go into the same pot and get divided up at the end of the night anyway?

It’s been awhile since I waited tables but no the money doesn’t go into a lot, but the server's tips do have a percentage taken off of the top which then gets apportioned out to other staff members (bartenders, or service bar, bar backs, dishwashers and host stand). The waiter keeps the rest minus the 5-15% shave off the top.