# Is it odd to go to a restaurant just for dessert and coffee/tea?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 31, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628 "2012-12-31T02:41:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/41 "2013-01-03T07:23:57Z")
At the very least, when you tell them that you only intend to have drinks and dessert, they should just say, “There will be a surcharge added to your bill in the amount of $X for every person that does not order a full meal.”
I’ve been to places like that. It’s understandable and most of the time agreeable. If they really don’t want to seat people who only want coffee and desserts, why not just institute that policy? Most people will just turn away and say, “No thank you,” but they will probably feel less offended than by being refused to be seated at all.
---
### Author:  [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/42 "2013-01-03T19:36:40Z")
It would not make good business sense to turn away a drink-dessert-coffee patron the markup on these 3 items is where the restaurants make most of their profit.
The elaborate entree with a half page description - not so much.
---
### Author:  [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/43 "2013-01-03T23:54:34Z")
> [@April\_R](#):
>
> speaking of just desserts, I want to go to this place!
> [http://www.myjustdesserts.org/](http://www.myjustdesserts.org/)
I’ve actually been here! It’s very good, but if you ever go - beware, they run out of pies! When I was there we sat down for lunch, and by the time we were ready for dessert, most were crossed off the board. Order your pie when you order your lunch! 😛
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/44 "2013-01-04T02:59:33Z")
The fact that it was a restaurant _at the hotel_ changes things considerably, IMHO. Even if it’s an independently-managed facility that rents the space from the hotel, it still exists in a symbiotic relationship with the hotel: most of the restaurant’s customers are probably people staying in the hotel, and if people have good/bad experiences at the hotel’s restaurant, they’re more/less likely to stay there the next time they’re in town, recommend it to their friends, etc.
So they exist in part to give people warm fuzzies about the hotel. And given the logistical hassles of doing coffee, drinks, and dessert in one’s hotel room, that definitely is the sort of thing the hotel restaurant is there for, once they’re past the busy dinner hour and there are an abundance of empty tables.
If the restaurant has a problem with that notion, I’d go to the front desk _of the hotel_, and ask to have a word with the _hotel_ manager on duty. If he sees it your way, he can probably pull rank on the restaurant manager. If not, you can cross that hotel off your list for the next trip to Vegas.
---
### Author:  [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/45 "2013-01-04T03:09:09Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> If not, you can cross that hotel off your list for the next trip to Vegas.
Given everything, that’s pretty much what I’ve decided. They just annoyed me one too many times.
---
### Author:  [@aag3981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aag3981)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/46 "2013-01-04T04:12:28Z")
> [@Enright3](#):
>
> Personally speaking when I’ve gone to a restaurant and either didn’t order anything (when the rest of my party did) or if we ended up staying a long time, I’ve always tipped to make it worth their while. In other words, my being there didn’t “cost” the wait-person anything.
Unfortunately, so many people just don’t do this. They leave the percentage for the bill or nothing at all. I would say roughly 90% of my patrons that did this failed to tip for the time the table was taken.
---
### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/47 "2013-01-04T17:00:59Z")
> [@aag3981](#):
>
> Unfortunately, so many people just don’t do this. They leave the percentage for the bill or nothing at all. I would say roughly 90% of my patrons that did this failed to tip for the time the table was taken.
And how about people who start with dinner, then stay a long time over dessert and coffee? Do they tip extra for the extra time?
---
### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/48 "2013-01-04T17:17:39Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#):
>
> Given everything, that’s pretty much what I’ve decided. They just annoyed me one too many times.
One tip - next time, just go to the [M Resor](http://www.themresort.com/)t (far, far south on The Strip, you will need a car or take the free shuttle from Fashion Mall) and pay to go to their buffet, but just go to the dessert bar area\*. Everything made from scratch and a truly amazing selection of goodies that will make you cry. Worth the (somewhat) pricey admission to the buffet, just for the desserts. They also have free wine and beer…and even Root Beer on tap to make the perfect Root Beer float as the final drink of the calorie pigout.
\*The rest of the buffet is also quite good, but ohlordy - that dessert bar is a sweet tooth’s dream.
---
### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628/49 "2013-01-04T20:21:18Z")
> [@DMark](#):
>
> One tip - next time, just go to the [M Resor](http://www.themresort.com/)t (far, far south on The Strip, you will need a car or take the free shuttle from Fashion Mall) and pay to go to their buffet, but just go to the dessert bar area\*. Everything made from scratch and a truly amazing selection of goodies that will make you cry. Worth the (somewhat) pricey admission to the buffet, just for the desserts. They also have free wine and beer…and even Root Beer on tap to make the perfect Root Beer float as the final drink of the calorie pigout.
>
> \*The rest of the buffet is also quite good, but ohlordy - that dessert bar is a sweet tooth’s dream.
Duly noted. We still talk about the chocolate heaven dessert we had at Hugo’s Cellar the first time we visited Vegas. 🙂
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-odd-to-go-to-a-restaurant-just-for-dessert-and-coffee-tea/645628.md?page=2)