I’ve also found restaurant Facebook pages to be pretty useless. So I seek out menu pictures on Yelp, which is pretty much the only thing that site is good for. (Food pictures are valuable, too.)
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Here are my opinions. I try to use common sense and show respect for other diners when dining out.
Walk-ins or lines–a 5-10 minute wait is acceptable, but more than that I’m going elsewhere. I’m also in a large city where multiple options are usually available to me.
Dogs–seeing well behaved dogs in casual places is fine with me, whether inside or out. And I’ve yet to see a dog with a phone in hand, so there’s that.
Deposit for reservation–makes perfect sense, especially for a large party or a holiday price-fix meal.
Cake fee–I fully expect to pay a nominal fee if bringing my own dessert to a restaurant. If the group ends up spending a lot on food or wine, and management decides to waive it as a gesture of goodwill, that is appreciated. But someone has to cut, serve, and clean up. Fee should be disclosed on the menu or at time of reservation so there are no surprises.
Phone ban–I love taking pictures of food. But take a quick snap and put the phone away. If I wanted to scroll on Instagram, I would have stayed home.
Dress codes–I expect them in higher end places, and actually look forward to dressing up once in a while.
Banning children–ugh, this is a tough one. It should be obvious that toddlers don’t belong in a bar (at least here in the US) or that the average 6 year old isn’t going to want foie gras and will likely be bored at a multi-course tasting dinner. But kids need to learn how to behave in restaurants. However, options abound here in the US, and family dining spots are in no short supply.
Time limits–not a particular fan, I would probably choose a different place if I could. But I understand why a place might enforce them.
Adult/kid menu–I expect to see these at casual chains, diners and family oriented places. Smaller portions for adults are appreciated, especially for those like my mom, whose appetite isn’t what it used to be.
Online menus–I definitely appreciate this, especially if planning for a group. Having an idea of what’s available and what the pricing is makes these kinds of decisions so much easier.
Laptops at coffee shops–It’s great that these places exist, especially for those that WFH. For a shop to restrict the time spent there is reasonable, especially during peak hours.
No S & P–I generally expect it, but rarely use either when at a restaurant.
Charge for sauces/condiments–I don’t mind paying a little extra for something special, housemade etc. (This includes bread). But if a dish includes this special item, a sufficient amount should be provided in the serving.
Changing ingredients–I make it a rule not to order something that requires more than one substitution. Usually, that is just asking to leave sauce or mayo off a burger, or something equally simple.
Wine within reach–after the first pour, yes please!
Music–not so loud that you can’t hear yourself, bit not so low that it buzzes in the backgrounds and can’t be recognized. Unless, of course. I’m there to hear a band. Then speakers to 11 please!
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I definitely appreciate smaller portions or “lighter” items on menus, especially if I’m traveling and don’t have the option to bring leftovers home. I don’t always want to have just an appetizer.
I would hate to have a total ban on cellphones when I’m in situations where I’m meeting people for dinner.
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Can someone actually point me to a restaurant website without a menu?
Aside from restaurants that simply offer chef’s table tasting menus (or the like) or only omakase setups, what restaurant website does not have a menu on the site?
I am not doubting that such a creatures exists (or maybe I am), I just can’t think of one that I’ve come across (with the exception noted above).
I’ve gone to more than a few US restaurant websites far away from my geographic location in the US and there have been no menus, not even a sample. Can’t remember which they were because there was no chance I’d get there; I was just curious about the menu
I’ve seen several online menus for Boston area restaurants (where I live) without prices. That is supremely annoying and I will never go the those restaurants, however appealing they seem. Sometimes you can see prices if they have “order takeout” on line, however.
And some where the menus are obviously out of date…gazpacho on a menu in Boston in winter when no one wants to eat a cold soup (their gazpacho in summer is fantastic). This restaurant does respond to email inquiries and will send a pdf of current menu, with prices, quickly.
So why not post the current pdf menu on the website?
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Eulalie just opened (~2-3 months ago?).
So I think their website is still a WIP. In fact, the current website is the couple’s own personal blog masquerading as Eulalie’s website.
Plus, Simone (their former gig) had a menu on its website.
Am I the only pro-dog person? One of my favourite local pubs (which serves food) allows dogs and that (along with the adorable bartender) is one of the great attractions. I don’t have dogs so it delights me to see and play with the babies (or at least say hello to them). I haven’t seen dogs in higher end restaurants, but I’m not sure I’d complain. Dogs are a true joy, and often more appealing than the humans I share space with.
(ETA: I don’t have dogs of my own, which is why I might be so open to the pups. I have a glorious kitty at home. She is my everything and she would not accept a dog so I must go out to enjoy their company.)
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No, you are not alone. I don’t have dogs but enjoy seeing them wherever I am. I recently told a woman who was apologizing to me for her dogs that were with her on a narrow trail that getting to interact with dogs is part of the fun of hiking some trails (people, not so much). I enjoy them in restaurants too but I understand how people might not for various reasons. I have had many situations on trails where, if I were scared of dogs, I would have lost my shit.
You asked. I responded. Not only do they not have a menu on their website, they don’t take reservations except by phone. And the on-site menu is hand-written and looks like this:
Also? “It just opened” is lousy reason to not have a completed website. Are they charging money for food? Then they should be up and running, online and off. Especially since they’ve been reviewed already.
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This is one of the websites I saw without a menu. The review was interesting and the food sounds good, and I actually like the look of the menu handwritten in cursive. Even if I planned to be in NYC and thought it was a good value for the money, I wouldn’t go without knowing what how meat-heavy the menu is and if that could be modified.
Pickerel sounds really interesting and I actually expect to be in Providence soon. But I am not on Instagram and can’t see a larger image of their menu, which is pictured there. Here are three reviews that include photos of the menu.
Yeah, that is an annoying website overall.
Although they do have the menu on their IG.
Which brings up a bigger annoyance. Restaurants with only an IG and no “real” website.
I must sound like get off my lawn guy ….
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‘Cakeage’ Interesting new concept to me, but the practice screams scrabbling for every haypenny. And inhospitality.
Speaking of coin, how about ‘droppage’? Since it takes staff effort to pick up, everything that falls to the floor belongs to the house.
I understand the appeal of IG but they’re shooting themselves in the foot. I see it the most in “openings” in the Portland Food Map.
I don’t think cakeage is a terribly new practice, but it seems to be getting more common. I don’t really have a problem with it. The restaurant presumably is providing plates, utensils, and labor for the cake, not to mention place in the kitchen/walk-in to store it during the meal, which all have a cost component. Charging cakeage also probably gently (or not so gently, depending on the size of the charge) dissuades customers from bringing an outside dessert.
Back in the late '70s and early '80s, I worked in a small restaurant that used to allow people to bring in cakes, and would provide kitchen knives to customers so they could cut and serve their cakes themselves. Lo and behold, we lost probably half of those knives, and they weren’t anything special, either, just basic 6" chef’s knives from the local supply house. Eventually they stopped lending the knives and had the staff cut and serve. I don’t remember if they charged for it, though.
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Cakeage has been around for at least 20 years.
It’s really not unreasonable especially when a restaurant has cake (or other dessert) on their menu, because you are effectively bringing in your own dessert, whatever the good reason
I don’t think people expect to bring other food into a restaurant and have it be ok, so why cake?
(I’m pleasantly surprised when I call ahead to ask if it’s ok to bring a cake and they don’t have a charge for it, which does happen about half the time. Sometimes they say no outside cake because their pastry chef will bake a cake, same price as dessert or bringing a cake + cakeage.)
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If I have to spend so much time trying to read a handwritten menu because of its overly flowery penmanship, it’s starting me out on the wrong foot already with the place. Couldn’t read the review, but I suspect this wouldn’t be a place I’d be comfortable in anyway.
A simple website is not difficult to provide, and if a place has an ever-changing menu, put up SOMETHING online that gives an idea of dishes that might be (or have been in the past) served.
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If it’s a large party with a sheetcake, sure. Or someone who abuses the allowance by buying an espresso and bringing in a pastry tray. But charging extra for a 4-top of diners with a small birthday or anniversary cake who’ve already patronized the place for a meal and beverages? I say suck it up and be hospitable.
IMO, decent restaurants should be places where people needn’t have to worry about piddly stuff like this. Want an extra plate to share some of your food? Gonna charge extra for that because it needs bussing and washing?
