Yet another table manners topic - clearing plates.

Posted by marzipanda, August 14, 2008 at 5:13 PM

One of my major restaurant pet peeves is waitstaff who clear plates before everyone at the table has finished eating. My partner eats faster than I do, and I hate when someone swoops by and takes his plate when I'm only half-finished. Then I have to sit there, feeling so self-conscious about being the only one eating that I can't enjoy my food.

I also had an incident last year where I was at a business lunch and the waitress took my plate, even though I was nowhere near done and still had the fork in my hand. I didn't want to cause a scene (and I felt like saying "excuse me, I was eating that" might start a scene), but hot damn I resented her and wanted my baked potato back.

Does anyone else hate this, or is it just me? I'm not suggesting waitstaff wait for everyone at the table to look bored and annoyed before clearing, I just want them to wait until everyone has put down their utensils!

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