Having a bad time in a restaurant watching a harried waiter while carrying dishes it is continually a human reaction. Very human, and although a plate is a plate (and a glass is a glass), it is possible that certain courtesy details with the waiters may be doing them a disservice when it comes to carrying out their work.
Not because they prefer us to be surly, ungrateful and self-righteous customers, but because this gesture, which may seem kind and courteous -which it is- it may not be as practical as we think and you are not helping them.
In fact, you may be complicating the way to clear the table, reason why we should not be interfering in their dynamics of lifting tables, plates or cutlery.
The gesture in question, which could not be more natural, is that of putting ourselves stack towers of plates with the intention that the waiter does not have to go later picking up each plate one by one and thus save time.
The bad thing is that with these towers of dishes we run several risks, each one worse. One of the most basic is that we don’t always put all the leftovers on the same plate, which is why the tower is leaning —not like the Tower of Pisa, but almost— and an imbalance can occur.
The risk of being too polite
Also because that same imbalance implies that the waiter change the way you work or have to make an extra trip. The professional way to lift dishes from a table is to use one skillful hand to pick up the dishes, while you deposit them with the other.
In this way, it is also possible to have a little more control over a fundamental element: the collection of cutlery. Spoons, forks and the always dangerous knives are a fundamental part of this collection and if we leave them on certain edges of the plates or table, or directly put them under the tower of dishes, we risk them falling or causing an accident.
Arcos Steak Table Knives Series, Polypropylene Handle, 110 mm Blade, Dishwasher Safe, Black, 6 Pieces (705500)
For all these reasons, what seems like a gesture of understanding and courtesy with which we pretend to be friendly and facilitate the task of a waiter ends up becoming an added job that, in addition, can imply certain increased risks.
Images | freepik
In DAP | “To disgust the one with his comment.” Protest for allowing dogs inside a cafeteria and takes a good zasca from the owner
In DAP | “I don’t feel like it, I’m not going to do it.” The indignation of a Spanish waitress in Ireland at the request of her bosses