Getting lunch for the office

[tloonya]

Jan 20, 2015 15:00:45 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Jan 20, 2015 14:56:54 GMT -5 Bob Ross said:

Nah, the restaurant doesn't care if you're one guy ordering 17 sandwiches, or 17 guys ordering one sandwich apiece.  It's all the same to them.

This is more about respecting the poor shmuck behind you who thought he was next up shortly, then had to wait for your massive order.
Basically, me.  It's all about respecting me.  Respect, bitches.   

How did I know

It is always about Bob Ross!!!

It used to be about you but you lost your camera...

[thyme4change]

How is this different from 17 people walking in and ordering 1 sandwich?

[milee]

It's a little bit different than 17 people walking in and each ordering one sandwich because it's an invisible obstacle to the others in line or who might think twice about joining the line. If someone only has a limited time for lunch and they walk into a place that has 17 people in line, they can quickly tell that given how many people are in line it will take too long for them to get served, so they have time to leave and go somewhere else.  If someone walks in and there are only 3 people in line, they're likely to conclude things will move quickly enough that they can get out in time... until one of those 3 people starts with their 17 sandwich order.  D'oh!

[Lizard Queen]

Jan 20, 2015 20:57:02 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

How is this different from 17 people walking in and ordering 1 sandwich?

In addition to what milee said, 17 different sandwiches for 1 person need to be labeled. It doesn't sound like much, but it's not part of the usual routine and adds time.  What I hated was that it always went slower if someone was ordering for someone else.  Details would be left off, or the person reading would have to find where it said different things.

I think the way subway splits up jobs nowadays is slower as well, and would be slower for big orders.

[thyme4change]

But 17 different people paying probably takes longer than writing "Ham" on the wrapper.

[Miss Tequila]

Jan 20, 2015 13:56:11 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jan 20, 2015 13:44:55 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

So how many can you politely order at once? How about pizza can you go order 10 at a time or limit that to 2-3 also?

It depends on when you order (time of day) and the restaurant itself. At off-hours, or if the place is well-staff, or both, I think a large walk-in order is probably fine, especially if you are a regular and you tip really well. A restaurant that has a lot of its food prepared ahead of time can probably handle a big last-minute order. A place that makes everything to order probably cannot.

Case in point: I went to a sub shop over the weekend, to meet a friend for lunch, and review the place. It's a locally-owned chain of five stores. I'd heard outstanding things about it, and it turns out that everything I heard was true. Who knew a sub sandwich could be so damned awesome? They prep everything to order, except the bread, for each sandwich as it is ordered. The guys behind the counter are as fast as rats on a crack wheel, but the crowds are huge. I'd never go in there and ask them to do a five-foot party sub on the spot, or ten subs while everyone else waits. I'd call or text or fax ahead. 

To me, this is more about respecting the restaurant owner and employees. They are not there just at my beck and call. They serve other people, too. And if I don't want them spitting in my food, if I want good service, good ingredients and my order to wind up being exactly what I asked for, then I am going to do the right thing and the polite thing when it comes to a large order, which is to call ahead.

I guess I don't see the difference.  If someone in our office is doing a food run, we all give our order and she goes to get it.  Would it be better if 12 people went and waited in line versus one person taking the order for 12 people?  You would still be stuck waiting for someone to make 12 sandwhiches.  And yes, where I used to work a shit ton of us would all walk to the local deli and individually order our lunches....mainly because we all wanted to get out for a few minutes.  Was it just as rude for 12 of us to walk in and order one-by-one?

[yogiii]

Jan 21, 2015 7:36:20 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

Jan 20, 2015 13:56:11 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

It depends on when you order (time of day) and the restaurant itself. At off-hours, or if the place is well-staff, or both, I think a large walk-in order is probably fine, especially if you are a regular and you tip really well. A restaurant that has a lot of its food prepared ahead of time can probably handle a big last-minute order. A place that makes everything to order probably cannot.

Case in point: I went to a sub shop over the weekend, to meet a friend for lunch, and review the place. It's a locally-owned chain of five stores. I'd heard outstanding things about it, and it turns out that everything I heard was true. Who knew a sub sandwich could be so damned awesome? They prep everything to order, except the bread, for each sandwich as it is ordered. The guys behind the counter are as fast as rats on a crack wheel, but the crowds are huge. I'd never go in there and ask them to do a five-foot party sub on the spot, or ten subs while everyone else waits. I'd call or text or fax ahead. 

To me, this is more about respecting the restaurant owner and employees. They are not there just at my beck and call. They serve other people, too. And if I don't want them spitting in my food, if I want good service, good ingredients and my order to wind up being exactly what I asked for, then I am going to do the right thing and the polite thing when it comes to a large order, which is to call ahead.

I guess I don't see the difference.  If someone in our office is doing a food run, we all give our order and she goes to get it.  Would it be better if 12 people went and waited in line versus one person taking the order for 12 people?  You would still be stuck waiting for someone to make 12 sandwhiches.  And yes, where I used to work a shit ton of us would all walk to the local deli and individually order our lunches....mainly because we all wanted to get out for a few minutes.  Was it just as rude for 12 of us to walk in and order one-by-one?

No it isn't rude because you aren't hiding anything. Now if the 12 of you each ordered 3 sandwiches ... well ... off with your heads!

[NancysSummerSip]

Jan 21, 2015 7:36:20 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

Jan 20, 2015 13:56:11 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

It depends on when you order (time of day) and the restaurant itself. At off-hours, or if the place is well-staff, or both, I think a large walk-in order is probably fine, especially if you are a regular and you tip really well. A restaurant that has a lot of its food prepared ahead of time can probably handle a big last-minute order. A place that makes everything to order probably cannot.

Case in point: I went to a sub shop over the weekend, to meet a friend for lunch, and review the place. It's a locally-owned chain of five stores. I'd heard outstanding things about it, and it turns out that everything I heard was true. Who knew a sub sandwich could be so damned awesome? They prep everything to order, except the bread, for each sandwich as it is ordered. The guys behind the counter are as fast as rats on a crack wheel, but the crowds are huge. I'd never go in there and ask them to do a five-foot party sub on the spot, or ten subs while everyone else waits. I'd call or text or fax ahead. 

To me, this is more about respecting the restaurant owner and employees. They are not there just at my beck and call. They serve other people, too. And if I don't want them spitting in my food, if I want good service, good ingredients and my order to wind up being exactly what I asked for, then I am going to do the right thing and the polite thing when it comes to a large order, which is to call ahead.

I guess I don't see the difference.  If someone in our office is doing a food run, we all give our order and she goes to get it.  Would it be better if 12 people went and waited in line versus one person taking the order for 12 people?  You would still be stuck waiting for someone to make 12 sandwhiches.  And yes, where I used to work a shit ton of us would all walk to the local deli and individually order our lunches....mainly because we all wanted to get out for a few minutes.  Was it just as rude for 12 of us to walk in and order one-by-one?

Again, it might be. The factors include the number of restaurant staff, the amount of food they have prepped in advance and the time of day. One person ordering 12 or 12 people each ordering one sandwich might make no difference in some places. With the ability to text, call and fax ahead, I'm personally going to use the technology to make my life easier, and get my order faster with a better likelihood of also getting my order correct.

[Lizard Queen]

Jan 20, 2015 22:39:34 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

But 17 different people paying probably takes longer than writing "Ham" on the wrapper.

The biggest time-suck is getting the sandwiches together.  There is another person that rings up the order.  So, if there is 17 separate people, they're ringing up one person while the next is getting their sub made.  In other words, the bottle-neck is actually making the sub, not the cash register (unless, of course, you have an idiot that needs to scramble for cash at the last minute or something.)

[hoops902]

Jan 21, 2015 7:36:20 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

Jan 20, 2015 13:56:11 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

It depends on when you order (time of day) and the restaurant itself. At off-hours, or if the place is well-staff, or both, I think a large walk-in order is probably fine, especially if you are a regular and you tip really well. A restaurant that has a lot of its food prepared ahead of time can probably handle a big last-minute order. A place that makes everything to order probably cannot.

Case in point: I went to a sub shop over the weekend, to meet a friend for lunch, and review the place. It's a locally-owned chain of five stores. I'd heard outstanding things about it, and it turns out that everything I heard was true. Who knew a sub sandwich could be so damned awesome? They prep everything to order, except the bread, for each sandwich as it is ordered. The guys behind the counter are as fast as rats on a crack wheel, but the crowds are huge. I'd never go in there and ask them to do a five-foot party sub on the spot, or ten subs while everyone else waits. I'd call or text or fax ahead. 

To me, this is more about respecting the restaurant owner and employees. They are not there just at my beck and call. They serve other people, too. And if I don't want them spitting in my food, if I want good service, good ingredients and my order to wind up being exactly what I asked for, then I am going to do the right thing and the polite thing when it comes to a large order, which is to call ahead.

I guess I don't see the difference.  If someone in our office is doing a food run, we all give our order and she goes to get it.  Would it be better if 12 people went and waited in line versus one person taking the order for 12 people?  You would still be stuck waiting for someone to make 12 sandwhiches.  And yes, where I used to work a shit ton of us would all walk to the local deli and individually order our lunches....mainly because we all wanted to get out for a few minutes.  Was it just as rude for 12 of us to walk in and order one-by-one?

I think the difference is that if I walk into a sub shop and see 6 people in line, I probably stay.  If i see 18 people in line, I probably leave.  If the 6th person in line orders 12 subs, then I stayed but wished I hadn't.  I don't think any of it is rude at all, it's just annoying.

[greeniis10]

It's pretty much the same thing, and just as bad as pulling into the Starbucks drive-through when there are only 1 or 2 cars in front of you, but one of them orders multiple drinks.    There's no way of knowing ahead of time and no way to get out of the line.  Then when you see them hand the driver multiple trays of drinks you know what the hold-up is.  They should do what some food places do and have the driver pull out into the parking lot and someone will bring them their order when it is done so that they can take care of the other people in the drive-through, but I've never seen them do that.  As a matter of fact, here, they design the drive-through so that once you're in it you can't get out.  Cement curbs or landscaping or whatever block you in.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 20, 2015 15:00:56 GMT -5 Sunnyday said:

yeah, that is why most places like Subway will let you fax in their orders. 

I feel the same way when I get stuck behind what I think is one person at the grocery line, but then the person wants to break up their purchases and/or pull out a million coupons. They should seriously be wearing a sign or holding on to the coupons in their hands to let everyone know to not get behind them.

Or at least warn the person who steps into line behind them that they're complicated.  Or apologize.  Or warn the person behind me when the person in front of me turns out to have weird purchases.  I may be stuck there (unloaded cart) but I can try to spare someone else the misery. 

[thyme4change]

All of this aside, why wouldn't you call the order in? Total PIA to stand there and order 17 sandwiches. Screw the people behind me - what about my time?

[thyme4change]

I also think the concept that large orders are disrespectful to the restaurant owners is hilarious. I bet if I asked 100 owners of single shop or small chain sandwich places if they would rather have more business in waves vs those same people going to the shop next door, an extremely high percentage would take the business.

[tskeeter]

Jan 20, 2015 13:22:26 GMT -5 Bob Ross said:

If you go into a sandwich shop and order 17 sandwiches for lunch for your coworkers, you think that you are being nice and considerate, but in reality, you are being a giant dick.

That is all.

From the some people just refuse to get it file:

Had this happen time after time when I was working in the kitchen of a hotel dining room.  Every year a bus from this tour company would show up unannounced.  As in you found out they were coming when you saw the top of a tour bus out the kitchen window.  Not even 15 minutes advance notice.  50 or 60 little old ladies who were very fussy about exactly how what they were ordering should be prepared (tuna salad, no onion, sour cream thinned with a bit of milk, not mayonaise, on toast, not too dark, and the toast must be warm when the sandwich gets to the table).  Of course we were staffed for our normal lunch time business of about 25 customers over two hours.  We weren't prepared to serve 60 people in 30 minutes.  So the complaining would start about how long it was taking to get orders taken and get meals on tables.  Every year we'd ask to get a few hours notice when they were coming so we could have people ready to serve that many people in an appropriate fashion.  Never got any consideration from the tour company.  Same fiasco year after year.  Until we closed the dining room.  And the tour bus showed up.  But there were no servers, no cooks, no tables, no chairs, no food.  Just an empty dining room behind closed doors.  Too bad, so sad.  If you'd have called ahead like we'd asked, we'd have told you we'd closed the dining room and you wouldn't be scrambling to figure out how to get 60 little old ladies back on the bus, through a bathroom somewhere else, and where to find them something to eat.

[weltschmerz]

Jan 22, 2015 16:05:11 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Jan 20, 2015 13:22:26 GMT -5 Bob Ross said:

If you go into a sandwich shop and order 17 sandwiches for lunch for your coworkers, you think that you are being nice and considerate, but in reality, you are being a giant dick.

That is all.

From the some people just refuse to get it file:

Had this happen time after time when I was working in the kitchen of a hotel dining room.  Every year a bus from this tour company would show up unannounced.  As in you found out they were coming when you saw the top of a tour bus out the kitchen window.  Not even 15 minutes advance notice.  50 or 60 little old ladies who were very fussy about exactly how what they were ordering should be prepared (tuna salad, no onion, sour cream thinned with a bit of milk, not mayonaise, on toast, not too dark, and the toast must be warm when the sandwich gets to the table).  Of course we were staffed for our normal lunch time business of about 25 customers over two hours.  We weren't prepared to serve 60 people in 30 minutes.  So the complaining would start about how long it was taking to get orders taken and get meals on tables.  Every year we'd ask to get a few hours notice when they were coming so we could have people ready to serve that many people in an appropriate fashion.  Never got any consideration from the tour company.  Same fiasco year after year.  Until we closed the dining room.  And the tour bus showed up.  But there were no servers, no cooks, no tables, no chairs, no food.  Just an empty dining room behind closed doors.  Too bad, so sad.  If you'd have called ahead like we'd asked, we'd have told you we'd closed the dining room and you wouldn't be scrambling to figure out how to get 60 little old ladies back on the bus, through a bathroom somewhere else, and where to find them something to eat.

You should have blasted them with a marine air horn. Half would drop dead on the spot.

Problem solved.