This was published 3 years ago
Opinion
QR-code menus, self-service drinks: We’re all waiters now
Now that we are back to work and dining out once again, there may be a few new things to get used to. Like the sign at the restaurant door. Not the person at the door, because there isn’t one. The sign. “Please find a table,” it reads, “and order at the bar.”
When staff shortages and rising costs meet mobile apps and contactless payments, we have to expect service formats to change. Not in fine dining restaurants committed to a certain level of hospitality, but in, say, that flash pub that just opened down the road. I have one near me that’s just spent millions on terrazzo stairs and rooftop bars. And signs.
So you walk in, read the sign, wander around and find an empty table. You sit down and look for a QR code so that you can order a drink. If there isn’t one, you get up again and go to the bar. There may be a queue, or there may just be a cheery bar person who takes your order, makes your cocktails and pours your wines, and leaves them on the counter for you to carry back to the table. Without a tray.
It’s back to the bar to put in your food order. At that point, you ask for water (this is all thirsty work), and are helpfully pointed towards the water station. You grab a carafe and glasses and lug them back to the table. Soon enough, a real person arrives bearing plates, cutlery and your food. This is your only chance to ask for a pepper grinder, serviettes or butter, so seize the day or you will be pepper-less, reduced to using tissues and butter-free.
In a strange way, anonymously renting a service-less table can be quite relaxing, without the constant question, “How’s your day been?”
And that’s it, apart from, say, a trip to the bar for another glass of wine (or maybe that’s just me). You’ve already paid, so when you’re done, you just wander out. No need to say thank you or goodbye because the sign doesn’t care. It’s just a sign.
In a strange way, anonymously renting a service-less table can be quite relaxing, without the constant question, “How’s your day been?” and the back-and-forth that always follows, “All our dishes are designed to share.” Besides, it’s the way of the world, and we will just have to embrace it in the spirit of solidarity. We’re all waiters now.
theemptyplate@goodweekend.com.au
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Terry Durack has been reviewing restaurants and seeking out new food experiences for three decades. Author of six books and former critic for London’s Independent on Sunday and the Sydney Morning Herald, Terry was twice named Glenfiddich Restaurant Critic of The Year in the UK, and World Food Media’s Best Restaurant Critic. Australian-born and a resident of Sydney, he brings a unique perspective on the global food scene to his travel writing.