There's a question many people ponder ... and ponder ... at the end of many meals: Why does it take so long to get the check?

Where did she go? I can't remember what she looks like. Is that her with the ponytail?

Restaurant industry veteran Tim Wilkins, who does consulting and service training through Wilkins Hospitality Group, says it can be a variety of issues.

"The biggest issue is maybe other tables that require more attention. ... When servers are taken out of their pattern, even the most experienced ones can lose focus for a couple of minutes," he said.

Bills can also be delayed by computer issues. Behind the scenes, there's side work - tasks like refilling salt shakers - that servers must do before their shifts end. The work can take employees off the dining room floor, and 5 minutes can turn into 10.

On top of it all, the job is a juggling act. "There's food up in the window that they have to deliver; another table needs another round of drinks; you need your check. ... They get pulled in seven directions at once."

But those aren't excuses, Wilkins said. It's the server's job to sense the customer's timetable and meet it.

"We say, 'Read the customer.' ... But sometimes they read it wrong. Some customers give you the impression they're fine, and then all of a sudden they're ready to go," he said. "If the customer is in a hurry, the more they can communicate that, the more helpful it is."

Recipe search   Search over 3,000 recipes in our archive
Keywords:  
Or choose a date:   Choose ... All to April '02 Feb. 3, 2010 Jan. 27, 2010 Jan. 20, 2010 Jan. 13, 2010 Jan. 6, 2010 Dec. 30, 2009 Dec. 23, 2009 Dec. 16, 2009 Dec. 9, 2009 Dec. 2, 2009 Nov. 25, 2009 Nov. 18, 2009 Nov. 11, 2009 Nov. 4, 2009 Oct. 28, 2009 Oct. 21, 2009 Oct. 14, 2009 Oct. 7, 2009 Sept. 30, 2009 Sept. 23, 2009 Sept. 16, 2009 Sept. 9, 2009 Sept. 2, 2009 Aug. 26, 2009 Aug. 19, 2009 Aug. 12, 2009 Aug. 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 July 22, 2009 July 15, 2009 July 8, 2009 July 1, 2009 June 24, 2009 June 17, 2009 June 10, 2009 June 3, 2009 May 27, 2009 May 20, 2009 May 13, 2009 May 6, 2009 April 29, 2009 April 22, 2009 April 15, 2009 April 8, 2009 April 1, 2009 March 25, 2009 March 18, 2009 March 4, 2009 Feb. 25, 2009 Feb. 18, 2009 Feb. 11, 2009 Feb. 4, 2009 Jan. 28, 2009 Jan. 21, 2009 Jan. 14, 2009 Jan. 7, 2009 Dec. 31, 2008 Dec. 24, 2008 Dec. 17, 2008 Dec. 10, 2008 Dec. 3, 2008 Nov. 26, 2008 Nov. 19, 2008 Nov. 12, 2008 Nov. 5, 2008 Oct. 29, 2008 Oct. 22, 2008 Oct. 15, 2008 Oct. 8, 2008 Oct. 1, 2008 Sept. 24, 2008 Sept. 17, 2008 Sept. 10, 2008 Sept. 3, 2008 Aug. 27, 2008 Aug. 20, 2008 Aug. 13, 2008 Aug. 6, 2008 July 30, 2008 July 23, 2008 July 16, 2008 July 9, 2008 July 2, 2008 June 25, 2008 June 18, 2008 June 11, 2008 June 4, 2008 May 28, 2008 May 21, 2008 May 14, 2008 May 7, 2008 April 30, 2008 April 23, 2008 April 16, 2008 April 9, 2008 April 2, 2008 March 26, 2008 March 19, 2008 March 12, 2008 March 5, 2008 Feb. 27, 2008 Feb. 20, 2008 Feb. 13, 2008 Feb. 6, 2008 Jan. 30, 2008 Jan. 23, 2008 Jan. 16, 2008 Jan. 9, 2008 Jan. 2, 2008 Dec. 26, 2007 Dec. 19, 2007 Dec. 12, 2007 Dec. 5, 2007 Nov. 28, 2007 Nov. 21, 2007 Nov. 14, 2007 Nov. 7, 2007 Oct. 31, 2007 Oct. 24, 2007 Oct. 17, 2007 Oct. 10, 2007 Oct. 3, 2007 Sept. 26, 2007 Sept. 19, 2007 Sept. 12, 2007 Sept. 5, 2007 Aug. 29, 2007 Aug. 22, 2007 Aug. 15, 2007 Aug. 8, 2007 Aug. 1, 2007 July 25, 2007 July 18, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 4, 2007 June 27, 2007 June 20, 2007 June 13, 2007 June 6, 2007 May 30, 2007 May 23, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 9, 2007 May 2, 2007 April 25, 2007 April 18, 2007 April 11, 2007 April 4, 2007 March 28, 2007 March 21, 2007 March 14, 2007 March 7, 2007 Feb. 28, 2007 Feb. 21, 2007 Feb. 14, 2007 Feb. 7, 2007 Jan. 31, 2007 Jan. 24, 2007 Jan. 17, 2007 Jan. 10, 2007 Jan. 3, 2007 Dec. 27, 2006 Dec. 20, 2006 Dec. 13, 2006 Dec. 6, 2006 Nov. 29, 2006 Nov. 22, 2006 Nov. 15, 2006 Nov. 8, 2006 Nov. 1, 2006 Oct. 25, 2006 Oct. 18, 2006 Oct. 11, 2006 Oct. 4, 2006 Sept. 27, 2006 Sept. 20, 2006 Sept. 13, 2006 Sept. 6, 2006 Aug. 30, 2006 Aug. 23, 2006 Aug. 16, 2006 Aug. 9, 2006 Aug. 2, 2006 July 26, 2006 July 19, 2006 July 12, 2006 July 5, 2006 June 28, 2006 June 21, 2006 June 14, 2006 June 7, 2006 May 31, 2006 May 24, 2006 May 17, 2006 May 10, 2006 May 3, 2006 April 26, 2006 April 19, 2006 April 12, 2006 April 5, 2006 March 29, 2006 March 22, 2006 March 15, 2006 March 8, 2006 March 1, 2006 Feb. 22, 2006 Feb. 15, 2006 Feb. 8, 2006 Feb. 1, 2006 Jan. 25, 2006 Jan. 18, 2006 Jan. 11, 2006 Jan. 4, 2006 Dec. 28, 2005 Dec. 21, 2005 Dec. 14, 2005 Dec. 7, 2005 Nov. 30, 2005 Nov. 23, 2005 Nov. 16, 2005 Nov. 9, 2005 Nov. 2, 2005 Oct. 26, 2005 Oct. 19, 2005 Oct. 12, 2005 Oct. 5, 2005 Sept. 28, 2005 Sept. 21, 2005 Sept. 14, 2005 Sept. 7, 2005 Aug. 31, 2005 Aug. 24, 2005 Aug. 17, 2005 Aug. 10, 2005 Aug. 3, 2005 July 27, 2005 July 20, 2005 July 13, 2005 July 6, 2005 June 29, 2005 June 22, 2005 June 15, 2005 June 8, 2005 June 1, 2005 May 25, 2005 May 18, 2005 May 11, 2005 May 4, 2005 April 27, 2005 April 20, 2005 April 13, 2005 April 6, 2005 March 30, 2005 March 23, 2005 March 16, 2005 March 9, 2005 March 2, 2005 Feb. 23, 2005 Feb. 16, 2005 Feb. 9, 2005 Feb. 2, 2005 Jan. 26, 2005 Jan. 19, 2005 Jan. 12, 2005 Jan. 5, 2005 Dec. 29, 2004 Dec. 22, 2004 Dec. 15, 2004 Dec. 8, 2004 Dec. 1, 2004 Nov. 24, 2004 Nov. 17, 2004 Nov. 10, 2004 Nov. 3, 2004 Oct. 27, 2004 Oct. 20, 2004 Oct. 13, 2004 Oct. 6, 2004 Sept. 29, 2004 Sept. 22, 2004 Sept. 15, 2004 Sept. 8, 2004 Sept. 1, 2004 Aug. 25, 2004 Aug. 18, 2004 Aug. 11, 2004 Aug. 4, 2004 July 28, 2004 July 21, 2004 July 14, 2004 July 7, 2004 June 30, 2004 June 23, 2004 June 16, 2004 June 9, 2004 June 2, 2004 May 26, 2004 May 19, 2004 May 12, 2004 May 5, 2004 April 28, 2004 April 21, 2004 April 14, 2004 April 7, 2004 March 31, 2004 March 24, 2004 March 17, 2004 March 10, 2004 March 3, 2004 Feb. 25, 2004 Feb. 18, 2004 Feb. 11, 2004 Feb. 4, 2004 Jan. 28, 2004 Jan. 21, 2004 Jan. 14, 2004 Jan. 7, 2004 Dec. 31, 2003 Dec. 24, 2003 Dec. 17, 2003 Dec. 10, 2003 Dec. 3, 2003 Nov. 26, 2003 Nov. 19, 2003 Nov. 12, 2003 Nov. 5, 2003 Oct. 29, 2003 Oct. 22, 2003 Oct. 15, 2003 Oct. 8, 2003 Oct. 1, 2003 Sept. 24, 2003 Sept. 17, 2003 Sept. 10, 2003 Sept. 3, 2003 Aug. 27, 2003 Aug. 20, 2003 Aug. 13, 2003 Aug. 6, 2003 July 30, 2003 July 23, 2003 July 16, 2003 July 9, 2003 July 2, 2003 June 25, 2003 June 18, 2003 June 11, 2003 June 4, 2003 May 28, 2003 May 21, 2003 May 14, 2003 May 7, 2003 April 30, 2003 April 23, 2003 April 16, 2003 April 9, 2003 April 2, 2003 March 26, 2003 March 19, 2003 March 12, 2003 March 5, 2003 Feb. 26, 2003 Feb. 19 2003 Feb. 12, 2003 Feb. 5, 2003 Jan. 29, 2003 Jan. 22, 2003 Jan. 15, 2003
Taste recipes: Pasta salad with smoked chicken | No-Fail Sour Cream Chocolate Cake |
Popular searches: Blueberries | Ribs | Grilled shrimp | Recipes from local chefs