If I were still a waiter, the only thing that would make that behavior tolerable would be the limitless comic possibilities offered when someone handed me a straight line like
“Hey, can you make me a Flaming Asshole?”
(except for salad… as per my earlier post… 
)
I can tell you why salads aren’t always on cold plates…because we’re out of clean plates. It happens far too often, but sometimes you need to make salads, but all the plates are just barely coming out of the dishmachine. It would take way too long to chill them down.
Yeah, that’s what I figured. Can it still be a peeve even if there’s a logical reason?
Because running them under a cold tap takes soooo many seconds?
Sorry, I didn’t mean that YOU did that, just that my local restaurants do that, and the idea that they do that to fresh veggies makes it even worse.
I went out to dinner tonight with a friend, to our favorite Thai restaurant. I am not sure what happened to the waitstaff, but there were two new guys waiting tables. I don’t care if you have never waited tables, there is no excuse for having to ask three times for a glass of water. They weren’t even that busy!
Ah— well, I suspect that was just a cultural disconnect. The Thai are very superstitious by nature, and consider it unlucky to present any item or gift to someone who has not requested it three times. Don’t take offense, and also be careful not to ask a fourth time; the number four is considered very unlucky because of its phonetic similarity to a Thai word that is difficult to translate literally, but roughly means “flatulence causing sudden release of liquid stool,” which (unsurprisingly) is also traditionally considered to be unlucky. A fourth request for water will likely result in your being brought a glass of nam pla, which shares some characteristics of potable water, but which many Westerners find challenging to drink in large quantities, as the odor alone is known to induce vomiting.
Good luck and bon appétit!
snicker
snip
If there was a disconnect it was mental, not cultural. The former waitstaff were Thai and gave excellent service. Both the new guys are American - Southern American to judge from the accents - and my friend knew more about the menu than they did.
Bad intentions or not, you’re still being a pain in the ass (and your “jealous” remark makes you sound childish). “Running” a server is petty, selfish and rude - their other customers have to wait while they spend an inordinate amount of time on you. Read the fucking menu and make up your mind!
You do realize that servers are required by (corporate level) management to recite the specials? And that people are actually paid to come in as customers to see if (among other things) you’re reciting them? And that servers/restaurants are graded accordingly? And that assholes are ripped if they’re not recited? And do you really think servers enjoy rehashing that shit all day long?
My biggest gripe? My husband is a much quicker eater than me. I really hate it when the waiting staff come by and take his plate whilst I’m still eating. Grrrr!
Yeah, I hate that. It happens to me sometimes when I’m in a restaurant for the first time. Last year I was in a place and saw the list of drinks and decided on a tasty sounding beer. When I asked the waitress for one, she informed me that they didn’t have it. Huh? You ran out? Nope, never had it to begin with.
This is a great opportunity for a little toying with the server, in a slightly Machiavellian way. Great fun.
“My bad. Can you get me a more updated menu?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“This one contains errors.”
“Where?”
“Right here, where it lists the very item that you’ve never carried.”
Played right, you’ll both get a little laugh out of it. Played almost right, you alone get a laugh out of it. It’s win/win!
Difficult to translate? Never heard the word ‘shart’? 
In order:
Yes.
Yes, I’ve also heard of that.
Yes, that makes sense.
Yes, I can imagine they would be.
No, I’m sure the vast majority of them would prefer not to.
I was expressing my annoyance with the practice itself (which as I said, for me personally is especially futile since I often cannot even hear what they’re saying) and not attempting to lay blame on the servers themselves. I didn’t really suppose there was a convention of the National Waiters’ Union one day, at which one of the attendees spontaneously jumped to his or her feet and said “hey, everyone, listen— I’ve got a GREAT IDEA!”
Ah! I didn’t know you spoke Thai.
Oh, Jack talk Thai. Jack talk Thai real good.
No, because running them under a cold tap will make them shatter. Sometimes rather explosively. I’ve seen it a few times and, in a similar situation, had two glasses abruptly shatter in my hands when I filled them with icewater right after they came through the wash. We were slammed and there were no other glasses to be had.
Even if they didn’t, I’d rather get my salad on a too-warm plate than on a wet plate.
Because drying them also takes many seconds?!
Yeah, there’s no excuse for a wet plate. Ew.