Bread charge at restaurants

[torpid]

You're thinking of "capitalist pig dog american", he's just calling you greedy fat arses.

Then he should stop complaining about the bread charge. We've clearly demonstrated it doesn't happen here, and obviously this has led to our fatassery.

 

[Perknose]

Then he should stop complaining about the bread charge. We've clearly demonstrated it doesn't happen here, and obviously this has led to our fatassery.

Gives me an idea for an upscale giant burger joint: The Fatassery!

 

[shopbruin]

Hmm I was just reading this yesterday:

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blo...t-create-spectacular-bread—and-charge-for-it/

 

[Fern]

I hate when I enter what looks like a good restaurant, the waiter puts bread down on the table, and I find out when the bill comes that the bread cost money.

How does ATOT feel about this deceptive practice? I usually don't tip and complain until they remove it from the bill. Sometimes I even negotiate them down further on the rest of the meal.

I am not pig American by the way. So don't assume that.

I've never heard of this. I have seen a restaurant charge for bread, but I think only once. I have also see some restaurants charge you for additional bread. That is, the first bread is no charge, but after that you pay. However, in every instance I was informed that there would be a charge.

If they put down bread without telling me there w/b a charge we would have a problem, particularly if I didn't even ask for it.

I lived in Europe some years ago and I don't recall ever seeing a charge for bread. Mostly I live in France, I cannot believe that they would charge for bread. All the French people I knew demanded free bread, and when the bread basket emptied were pretty angry if it wasn't refilled quickly.

I still go back occasionally, mostly to Italy because my wife is from there, and I don't recall being charged for bread.

Fern

 

[CLite]

Yes I encounter this mostly in Europe. Apparently there are NYTimes/Post article about it in New York as well though.

My wife and I have dinner in Manhattan around once every week or two, and we have lots of friends in the NYC area. We've never heard of this.... ever....

 

[Fern]

Most Mexican restaurants I've been in start you off with free chips and salsa (which are not nachos).

Most sit down restaurants I've been in that bring you bread to start off do not charge you for it, even when you ask for more, which I often do, especially when the service is slow, because I love good bread and butter.

But this convo does remind me of the first time I was in Paris, near the beginning of my 5 years abroad. My friend and I arrived in the Gare du Nord train station in the morning, famished.

We sat down at a cafe in the train station. There were croissants already on the table. As per American custom, we assumed they were free, and scarfed the entire bowl down. We did also order main stuff, btw, but were shocked when the bill came and we were charged per croissant as well. It was a minor cultural learning experience. <shrug>

Haha, free croissants? Not gonna happen.

Bread is free, and you probably already know this, the govt has (or at least 'had') strict price controls on baguettes so they were abundant and cheap. IIRC, the govt actually subsidizes them so the poorer people always have easy access to inexpensive baguettes.

Might also have something to do with WWII. Apparently the Germans had a fondness for French bread so the French often had none. My French father-in-law was young during the occupation and, remembering the lack of bread, would practically freak out if there weren't several loaves of bread in the house 24/7/365. Every night before the bakery closing time he would do an inventory of bread and quickly run down for more if he didn't think there was enough.

Fern