How long is too long to wait for your food at a restaurant?

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Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
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Been waiting here for 40 mins or more with my father. Obviously too long. I've had to wait similar lengths of time at some other restaurants though. Usually it's no more than about 10 to 20 mins on average.

OK to answer some question below. It was not a McDonalds type fast food restaurant but wasn't anything super fancy either. It was an Indian restaurant, Entrées were in the $10-15 range. We didn't order any appetisers or drinks, just water. It was 40 mins from about the time we ordered out Entrées to the time we got the food and there was no explanation or apology until the food got there. The waiter was apologetic when he gave us the food and said they had some problems with the Tandoori oven.
 
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Wordplay

Golden Member
Jun 28, 2010
1,318
1
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Locut0s said:
Been waiting here for 40 mins or more with my father. Obviously too long. I've had to wait similar lengths of time at some other restaurants though. Usually it's no more than about 10 to 20 mins on average.
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I would've said thank you for the free drinks and left.
 
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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
around the 20 minute mark, I'd flag down a waitress and see what's up... repeat around 30 minutes. by 40-45 minutes, I'd probably throw some change down on the table and leave.

this is assuming a typical restaurant and that no food whatsoever has been served... I don't mind if they take awhile with my entree if I have bread or apps to munch on, and I've been to restaurants where they warn you outright that certain dishes take at least half an hour to prepare.
 
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,064
9,459
126
McDonalds, 10 minutes. A nice restaurant, 1 hour. Interpolate the time for in between quality.
 
GodlessAstronomer

GodlessAstronomer

Lifer
Oct 27, 2007
17,009
1
0
It's not really clear in the OP, have you ordered and are still waiting on your mains after 40 minutes? Or have you been seated and haven't seen a waitress or been served drinks in 40 minutes? Makes a big difference.

Edit - I didn't read the title properly. 40 minutes isn't unreasonable for a nice restaurant that's quite busy, as long as your waitress is attentive, you have had appetizers, etc. If you're waiting 40 minutes for an entree, that's a problem. If you're waiting 40 minutes for a main meal, it's not.
 
S

Skillet49

Senior member
Aug 3, 2007
538
1
0
It depends. I have found that usually when restaurants are super slow, they give you free something. Once a restaurant gave us free drinks for the entire meal because they asked us to switch tables.
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
91
GodlessAstronomer said:
It's not really clear in the OP, have you ordered and are still waiting on your mains after 40 minutes? Or have you been seated and haven't seen a waitress or been served drinks in 40 minutes? Makes a big difference.

Edit - I didn't read the title properly. 40 minutes isn't unreasonable for a nice restaurant that's quite busy, as long as your waitress is attentive, you have had appetizers, etc. If you're waiting 40 minutes for an entree, that's a problem. If you're waiting 40 minutes for a main meal, it's not.
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Hay GA nice to see you back! Missed you :D

How long do you plan on staying around this time before being banned? :p
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
91
OK to answer some question below. It was not a McDonalds type fast food restaurant but wasn't anything super fancy either. It was an Indian restaurant, Entrées were in the $10-15 range. We didn't order any appetisers or drinks, just water. It was 40 mins from about the time we ordered out Entrées to the time we got the food and there was no explanation or apology until the food got there. The waiter was apologetic when he gave us the food and said they had some problems with the Tandoori oven.
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
91
Father still paid them a tip which I though was crazy but he's that type, wouldn't complain about anything unless something horrible was wrong. I wouldn't have made a scene or anything, I wouldn't even have complained much but I wouldn't have given a tip.
 
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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
you should have complained to your waiter before 40 minutes were up, and your waiter should have preemptively told you that there were problems with the oven (and brought out some bread or a salad or something)
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
91
loki8481 said:
you should have complained to your waiter before 40 minutes were up, and your waiter should have preemptively told you that there were problems with the oven (and brought out some bread or a salad or something)
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Yup. Like I was saying, not my fathers way. He's non confrontational to the extreme. I've inherited much of that as well.
 
W

Wordplay

Golden Member
Jun 28, 2010
1,318
1
81
Locut0s said:
Father still paid them a tip which I though was crazy but he's that type, wouldn't complain about anything unless something horrible was wrong. I wouldn't have made a scene or anything, I wouldn't even have complained much but I wouldn't have given a tip.
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If I stayed in that situation and I wouldn't have tipped as well. For him to not even come by and give you guys a heads up is pretty shitty service. A quick explanation as to why it is taking forever goes a long way IMO.
 
Schadenfroh

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
38,416
4
0
I spent 3.5 hours waiting with my father at the opthamologist today for a regular checkup. His appointment was at 2PM, we got out at around 5:30. The doctor spent 10 minutes with him once he finally got around to administering the checkup.

My last time at home for months, spent it with him in a waiting room...

I fucking hate waiting.
 
Leros

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
I would start getting annoyed about the 40 minute mark.

It happened to me only once. Turns out the waiter's shift was over so she left and never handed our table over to somebody else.
 
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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
sleep said:
the place i go to it just takes 10 minutes.
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what kind of place is it, though?

my absolute, bar-none favorite restaurant usually takes 30-45 minutes, but they warn you right on the menu that all of their fried and bbq chicken dishes take 30 minutes to prepare (except that's what they're known for, so why order anything else?) so it's a good excuse to order a couple of appetizers while you're waiting.
 
sleep

sleep

Senior member
Aug 23, 2010
582
0
0
a small restaurant one. no big names like denny's.

if i know my food is going to take more than 15 minutes i would call in and just pick it up.
 
X

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,582
4
81
lxskllr said:
McDonalds, 10 minutes. A nice restaurant, 1 hour. Interpolate the time for in between quality.
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this, and depending on how busy it is. the bar and grill i go to is often PACKED on fridays, often with a long line. i dont usually eat there when its that bad, but some people will wait 20 - 30 minutes for a table then another 20 - 30 for food. good food, but not much exception other than some fresh seafood. people just like the place and its like a big party kinda so they put up with it

/but ill drink there, oh yes
 
SandEagle

SandEagle

Lifer
Aug 4, 2007
16,809
13
0
usually i joke with the waiter and ask if the microwave is broken. 40m isnt too bad. they shouldve offered free appetizers while u waited. then again, its an indian restaurant. theyre stingy with the napkins as it is, so i wouldnt expect anything free
 
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