We went to visit Mum yesterday, and as is our usual routine we stopped at the services on the way home. On a good motorway day, which it was yesterday, it's only just over an hours journey between our home and the hospital, but on the way home it's nice to have a break mid-way, to get that all important coffee and something to eat after being out since just after breakfast.
As we sat down in our favourite place ... it's perfect for people watching, which we love ... I noticed this table. It's a usual sight at the services and indeed sometimes they are even worse, food takeaway containers and mess all over the floor. It makes us both sad, and if I'm honest annoyed, that people especially these days, don't seem to have the desire to tidy up after themselves in any way at the services, or in cafés. Don't get me started about the terrible littering problem along the side of the motorways and roads either!!
It doesn't take much to either stack your plates carefully in a café, or go to the many bins in the service stations with all your paper, cardboard and detritus. I have always done this, true we didn't eat out much as children but when we did we left the table as tidy as we could. I drummed it into my sons too, and the times I have eaten out with my grandchildren they always see me tidy the table and join in to help.
Seemingly there was a lot of debate on the matter a while ago, with some people countering that 'servers' don't like you to do it as they prefer to do it their own way. Some servers said they didn't like the customers tidying up as they put the cutlery into the cups, make wobbly stacks of mismatched plates, saucers and dishes, and sweep all crumbs and food onto the floor. Now that would get me annoyed too, so I do think common-sense has to be brought into play if you are tidying your table.
We always tidy up and do it sensibly ... do you?
There's a whole other debate too, do you return your shopping trolley (cart) or do you leave it abandoned to it's own devices in the carpark?
Here in the UK a lot of supermarket trollies need a pound coin or a similar sized token to free them from the line-up. I use the old pound coins and have one in every single jacket pocket and a spare in my bag as Alan often forgets to bring a pound. This does tend to get virtually everyone to return their trolley to it's correct place after use.
Whether you're tidying tables, returning shopping trollies or picking up litter that you didn't actually drop yourself, it's all just good manners really isn't it.
Sue xx
I tidy up when I eat in a cafe with the places to stack your trays and I always return my trolley... Suspect it is an age thing - I am 60. I've always done it this way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maeve. Old habits die hard!
DeleteMost of the time yes, I would tidy up after myself and definitely would if there were a few of us and lots of mess. Once or twice if I’ve been in a tearing hurry I’ve not done the honourable thing …….😕 shame on me.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
Yes I clear up after myself if I eat out but then I litter pick most days in my local area.
ReplyDeleteI always tidy up. And I make a point of thanking servers when I can.
ReplyDeleteWe ALWAYS tidy up. We stack the plates at the table when we're done, and try to make it as easy for the server to carry as is possible. It's the way we were raised, and it's the way we'll continue.
ReplyDeleteWe always tidy and return the trays etc. if necessary we also wipe the table with a napkin. It’s really not nice to sit down and wait for a table to be cleared from a previous customer. For trolleys we keep a token in the car. When the kids were younger we used to give the pound to the child returning the trolley
ReplyDelete⬆️ Emma - Northamptonshire
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Having worked in the catering industry for years we always appreciated our diners making a effort to leave a tidy table, poorly stacked plates never bothered us - unlike the scutters who found it quite acceptable to use their plate as an ashtray and extinguish their fags in their leftovers. xxx
ReplyDelete