HendersonvilleRestaurant.com Blog

I recently organized a get together at xxxx restaurant for a group of us at work. Everything was OK until they brought the check, then everything went hey-wire. The manager came out and you would have thought we had committed a horrible crime! She shouted that the server was very upset and they would have to stop everything they were doing to figure out who owed what. She said the kitchen was backed up and they had other tables to take care of and were already “in the weeds”.She said we should have made arrangements BEFORE we booked the party. She said it would take a long time for the server to figure out everything and add the tip to each check.

When we called no one mentioned paying by one check. We are not wealthy people and had decided we would all order what we wanted and pay individually. We had no idea paying separately would cause chaos. Do your restaurants allow separate checks?

Management Response

Some restaurant people do go ballistic when a party of 6 or more requests separate checks…and when the restaurant is busy, yes, it can get hectic and yes, it takes more time, primarily because of the time required for each person or couple to pay.(40 folks eat, 21 pay by cash , the others by credit card. Of the 21 paying by cash, 6 have fifty’s, 3 have hundreds, the rest have various amounts.) It can get confusing and if you have an inexperienced server, well….try to be understanding and patient, please!

At our restaurants we learned long ago that separate checks are simply a way of life and we had better learn how to accomplish the transactions as fast and efficiently as possible. So when we book a party we ask how the check will be paid. If the person in charge mentions they will be in a hurry to leave after eating, we suggest one check but we don’t feel comfortable making it absolutely mandatory. If the party will be smack in the middle of a busy time, we try to staff appropriately. We also let quests know that it will take more time. BUT….Let’s face it, there are plenty of other places you could go. Secondly, we’re supposed to be the experts and make the party a nice, memorable event. How helpful are we if we make you feel guilty about your choice of paying or even refuse to accept separate payment?

In short, for faster, smoother service, it’s better to pay with one check. If everyone must pay separately, go to a restaurant that has experience with individual checks and doesn’t make you feel like you’ve asked for the impossible.