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Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

That sounds like wisdom, and the right call.

It should not be a huge issue for a NYC trip. While New Yorkers enjoy BBQ as much as the next American, we don’t really have a cow/pig/chicken in the race. That’s mostly a southern thing.

You might get cut for suggesting a Chicago pizza is the superior pie, so there are some food culture landmines to be wary off. But you can probably just smile, apologize with your foreign accent, and let the locals educate you on the correct best choice.

   
Made in us
Ollanius Pius - Savior of the Emperor






Gathering the Informations.

Yeah, but anyone saying Chicago "style" is real pizza is wrong anyways!


But for real, the few times I went to NYC it was hard to find bad food unless I actively went looking for spots.

   
Made in us
Powerful Pegasus Knight






Hamburgers are also utterly different depending as well. There isn't one way to cook it.

One shop might marinade it in 22 different spices. Another might put breading in it to make it have a crisp and soak in all the grease and fat.

The concept of Old Bay seasoning is utterly foreign to someone in Montana than someone in Maryland.

Beyond that far different cultures and dialects. Baltimore for example is often pronounced and spoke of as "Balmore" or "Balmer".

NYC while nice isnt much a taste of America, it is barely a taste of NY the state.
   
Made in us
Revving Ravenwing Biker




New York City

 Nevelon wrote:
There is a whole food culture about American BBQ, and the brisket is a big part of that. There are places where if you loudly said “Briskets all the same, I can get this in NYC” I would not place bets on your ability to walk out the door under your own power.


There's tons of restaurants in NYC owned and run by southern and south midwest Americans. The only thing I'd say from down south that is hands down superior would be buttered biscuits. Flour/wheat from the south is unique, and can't be cultivated anywhere else in the world. Of course you're gonna find Southern BBQ done better down south, but theres plenty enough places in NYC where the foods hardly anything to complain about. Unless you're petty and like to cause scenes, just to complicate your life a tiny bit further, which granted, there ARE a fair bit of those crazy types in NYC.

And no ones gonna cut anyone for suggesting some other places have better food.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2021/09/07 04:08:53


I will forever remain humble because I know I could have less.
I will always be grateful because I remember I've had less. 
   
Made in us
Terrifying Doombull




 LumenPraebeo wrote:

Atmosphere of a midwest restaurant in NYC isn't going to be the same as a restaurant in the American midwest, but yeah, I'd say the food would have a fairly authentic American taste to it. If there's any noticeable difference between hamburgers, briskets, salmon, or taters/gravy between regions, it's too small for me judge clearly. It'll be closer than any American restaurant in another country at the very least, I'd bet.


I mean, it depends what kind of restaurants you're going to. If you're going to a TGI Ruby Applebees Ponderosa Hoss's chain restaurant, then sure. Those'll be largely the same with some minor variations.

If you're going to a restaurant that's actually a part of the region rather than a franchise, you're talking gibberish. If you can't tell the difference, there is something medical wrong with your tongue.


---
That said, NYC isn't a place I'd bother with barbecue, BBQ, brisket or anything like that.

Because this is really a thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbp9UrwC-mI

Find some nice Italian (american) cuisine instead. Or something else appropriate to the local neighborhood.

Efficiency is the highest virtue. 
   
Made in us
Revving Ravenwing Biker




New York City

You have cooked before haven't you? Good food is still good food, and the difference is just in skillful preparation and cooking. The only difference you're emphasizing at this point is just snobbery. Theres more than enough places in NYC where people would line up for really good food.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/09/07 04:17:11


I will forever remain humble because I know I could have less.
I will always be grateful because I remember I've had less. 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Well, the idea for me is to enjoy NYC as an introduction. Then for whenever my next trip is, perhaps Houston TX to try proper Texas Barbecue and Tex Mex, whilst also being in day trip distance of Louisiana to scoff down some Cajun and Creole.

Doing it this way around, I can enjoy what New York offers, then Go To Source to try something I can be confident is properly authentic.

After all, I understand the difference to be noticeable (it’ll be even more noticeable if I can kick smoking and get all my taste buds back!). This way, I can enjoy Alright I Guess Barbecue, then appreciate just how much better Really Good Barbecue is. Same with Cajun and Creole stuff.

For instance, in my range of home cooking is a recipe calling itself Jambalaya. And, whatever it actually is, is pretty damned tasty, hence I like making it and eating it. But I know that if someone from Louisiana asks if I’ve ever had Jambalaya before? The true answer is “no, I have not”.

And I really, really want a Crawfish Boil.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2021/09/07 08:32:39


   
Made in in
[MOD]
Otiose in a Niche






Hyderabad, India

One suggestion- General Tso's chicken.

It seems to be a uniquely Chinese-American dish, I never found it in China but you can get it at any Chinese take out place. Even the super-authentic spot I went to last year had on their "Chinese American" menu section probably because they were tired of Yanks asking for it.

Deep fried chicken in chili sauce with broccoli. Good stuff.

 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
One suggestion- General Tso's chicken.

It seems to be a uniquely Chinese-American dish, I never found it in China but you can get it at any Chinese take out place. Even the super-authentic spot I went to last year had on their "Chinese American" menu section probably because they were tired of Yanks asking for it.

Deep fried chicken in chili sauce with broccoli. Good stuff.


Also varies wildly by who’s making it. The sauce is both sweet and spicy, but how much of each is very chef dependent. This isn’t a regional thing, but more about what the guy working the wok likes to do. I’ve had it all over the spectrum, and it’s all good.

   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Definitely going to be trying that!

   
Made in us
Powerful Pegasus Knight






The only thing you will get authentic from New York is a good Jewish delicatessens, the Chinese NY markets (visit the first H Mart location, a great chain that started there and still has its OG market open too) and pizza, damn good pizza.

BBQ and anything else a no, regardless of some sudden transplant.
   
Made in us
Ollanius Pius - Savior of the Emperor






Gathering the Informations.

 Nevelon wrote:

Also varies wildly by who’s making it. The sauce is both sweet and spicy, but how much of each is very chef dependent. This isn’t a regional thing, but more about what the guy working the wok likes to do. I’ve had it all over the spectrum, and it’s all good.

Also has to do with if it's breaded or unbreaded!

This is something I like to make but can't really eat from places because of food allergens, but I use a couple of different store bought sauces. If it's breaded? It absorbs the sauce slower, almost marinating it while if it is unbreaded it absorbs the sauce quicker and more directly giving it a heck of a kick.
   
Made in us
Terrifying Doombull




 LumenPraebeo wrote:
You have cooked before haven't you? Good food is still good food, and the difference is just in skillful preparation and cooking. The only difference you're emphasizing at this point is just snobbery.

No. The difference I'm emphasizing is flavor.
Different regions use different ingredients in the same dish, and they taste very different. In decent restaurants, skillful preparation is a given, not a difference. Dismissing that as 'snobbery' is honestly baffling.

I will never, ever be able to get decent German brochen in this country, because Americans think bread needs sugar rather than pork fat. No amount of skill makes up for that. Nor the difference in which grains are used as the basis of the dough.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2021/09/07 15:34:10


Efficiency is the highest virtue. 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






It’s certainly true that Terroir is a thing. I’m not convinced it’s as pronounced as the French claim it to be in Wine, but that’s because all wine tastes horrible to me.

For instance, humble Butter. I understand the Irish brand Kerrygold is popular in the US, as it’s noted for its golden rather than off-white colour. A result, if memory serves, of the cows being grass fed.

So one could use Kerrygold in a recipe, then regular US (sorry if that sounds insulting, I don’t know any US butter brands) the next time, and end up with a different taste.

Likewise with chillis and spices in general. Freshly toasted and ground spices are always going to be better than something pre-ground out of a jar, because the flavours are just fresher. That’s not to say the pre-ground jar spices are bad. If they were, nobody would use them.

So I fully except a full blooded Ragin’ Cajun could use entirely authentic “passed down through the family, where let’s face it all the best recipes come from” recipes, and have setup shop in NYC. But if the ingredients are local ones? You will end up with a different taste.

Similarly, local taste preferences will inform what you put on your menu, and how you might adapt your recipes.

It doesn’t mean the resultant dish will be bad, or a poor example of the overall original cuisine. Just that for The Really Real Thing, you got to go to that area.

   
Made in us
Pragmatic Primus Commanding Cult Forces






Southeastern PA, USA

 Nevelon wrote:
 LumenPraebeo wrote:
If there's any noticeable difference between hamburgers, briskets, salmon, or taters/gravy between regions, it's too small for me judge clearly. It'll be closer than any American restaurant in another country at the very least, I'd bet.


Bolding mine.

There is a whole food culture about American BBQ, and the brisket is a big part of that. There are places where if you loudly said “Briskets all the same, I can get this in NYC” I would not place bets on your ability to walk out the door under your own power.

Because you are going to have to roll out after being stuffed full of the local speciality.


Yeah, you have variants within *states* that people argue about. Western vs Eastern Carolina BBQ, etc.

I mean, I roll my eyes when BBQ wars start and usually stay out of it by telling them that Korean BBQ is my fave (which is true). But BBQ styles are a REALLY BIG DEAL to people in the BBQ regions, no doubt. And some of the differences are pretty obvious and not things only an aficionado would recognize.

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Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Hence my Jollof solution. If like me you’d be a visitor? Agree it’s the best you’ve ever had.

It is rude to insult one’s host, after all.

   
Made in in
[MOD]
Otiose in a Niche






Hyderabad, India

Korean BBQ is awesome.

And all Vietnamese food of course.

There is one space they use in Kung Pao Chicken in China that is apparently illegal in the US so it never tastes the same

 
   
Made in us
Revving Ravenwing Biker




New York City

 gorgon wrote:
Yeah, you have variants within *states* that people argue about. Western vs Eastern Carolina BBQ, etc.

I mean, I roll my eyes when BBQ wars start and usually stay out of it by telling them that Korean BBQ is my fave (which is true). But BBQ styles are a REALLY BIG DEAL to people in the BBQ regions, no doubt. And some of the differences are pretty obvious and not things only an aficionado would recognize.


The difference these guys are emphasizing and making it out to be is not a big deal though. Its inches as opposed to anything revolutionary. I've been to Texas, and I've been to Florida, and yeah, the foods pretty darn amazing. Would i prefer Texas BBQ over NY BBQ? Definitely. Would I be disappointed that I'll only get the latter? No...I'd be perfectly happy with either. There's other stuff more important to me anyway, such as the friends and family I'm spending time with. I just don't agree with the notion all these guys are saying in this thread that you have no idea what American food is unless you go to certain places. Again, improvement in flavor is inches, not miles.

I love food as much as everyone here, and I'll appreciate good food when it's put in front of me, but I shun the idea of whatever it is thats going on in this thread; all this talk about some good food being better than other good food. Its snobbery and vanity.


I will forever remain humble because I know I could have less.
I will always be grateful because I remember I've had less. 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Quick question on tipping.

Starting to look into booking, and one of the hotel options includes a breakfast buffet. Assuming that’s stretch-or-starve self service, what’s the etiquette or policy on tipping where such a brekkie is included in the room price, so won’t result in a separate bill?

Is it bung a few bucks to the concierge staff? Give a couple of bucks to the busboy clearing my table once I’ve stuffed my idiot face?

Really don’t want to be seen as a cheapskate, and I want to ensure any tip goes to the relevant staff.

   
Made in us
Shadowy Grot Kommittee Memba




The Great State of New Jersey

 LumenPraebeo wrote:
You have cooked before haven't you? Good food is still good food, and the difference is just in skillful preparation and cooking. The only difference you're emphasizing at this point is just snobbery. Theres more than enough places in NYC where people would line up for really good food.

Have *you* cooked before? Skill in preparation and cooking is only part of the equation, what makes certain regional cuisines superior to the same dishes made in others is the presence of and access to certain ingredients of superior/differing quality,etc. Theres a reason why pizza and bagels in the NYC/NJ area are superior to what you will find in other parts of the country, and its not because of a lack of expertise or skill in other areas. Theres a reason biscuits and fried chicken in the south and midwest is superior to that found in the northeast - its a different type of flour that doesn't keep well and can't be exported. Texas and South/Southwest barbecue is driven by the immediacy of access to key ingredients (mainly the animals themselves, which are more freshly accessible than whats possible in the NYC metro region, and likewise have a different fat/muscle composition and ratio to cows and pigs found in the northeast owing to the warmer climates), as well as access to the fresh wood stocks needed to infuse the flavor and smokiness that its known for - those same types of trees don't grow in this part of the country and due to various import/export laws its usually not possible to import that wood into the state (and even if it was the differing levels of humidity, etc. here would mean that it wouldn't retain its qualities).
Can you get good BBQ? Yes. Is it the same? No. Pretending that it is would be the actual snobbery, rather than appreciating the factors that make certain regional cuisines what they are.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Quick question on tipping.

Starting to look into booking, and one of the hotel options includes a breakfast buffet. Assuming that’s stretch-or-starve self service, what’s the etiquette or policy on tipping where such a brekkie is included in the room price, so won’t result in a separate bill?

Is it bung a few bucks to the concierge staff? Give a couple of bucks to the busboy clearing my table once I’ve stuffed my idiot face?

Really don’t want to be seen as a cheapskate, and I want to ensure any tip goes to the relevant staff.


Somewhat defends on the buffet - some are fully "self serve" where they give you unlimited access to plates and cups and you can help yourself to whatever you want in whatever quantities you want and you basically have no interaction with waitstaff (other than maybe some specialty preparation stuff like if they have a mongolian grill or meat carving station, in which case they might have a tip jar), and your used dishes go into a tray/tub when you're done - usually you don't tip here. Others are partial service where you have plate/food access but need to order beverages (and potentially certain specialty items) - in these types of places you would tip at the table (or tip at the register depending on how they handle their checks). In general, if its a pay at the register/counter type of restaurant (usually a diner), you would still tip at the table if you're tipping cash so that the server/busser gets the money, otherwise if you're tipping on card you would tip at the register when they run your payment. If its a regular sitdown type place where they bring you the bill and then take your payment, you always just tip at the table regardless of if you're doing cash/card, etc. If its a cash tip you just leave it in the little folder that they bring you your check in, if its on your card you write it on the merchant copy of the receipt and leave it in the same. If they don't give you the check in one of those things then usually you just stick the cash under a plate/cup so it doesn't blow away - if you're worried about someone taking the money or it getting lost, etc. then you can just wait til you see your server and hand it to them too.

And then theres all you can eat sushi places (avoid them, not worth the money) where you basically order from a menu and the servers bring it to you - definitely tip at that type of buffet.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/19 14:08:54


CoALabaer wrote:
Wargamers hate two things: the state of the game and change.
 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






That was pretty comprehensive!

So if there is someone clearing the tables, would it just be a couple of bucks, or would that depend on where in the US you are relative to the cost of living?

And since I’m well up for all you can eat Crab, do I tip by the bucket I consume, or just at the end of the sitting?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/20 08:31:06


   
Made in us
Shadowy Grot Kommittee Memba




The Great State of New Jersey

Depends on what you mean? If you mean a non-full service restaurant where nobody serves you (I.E. you order at a counter and the food gets brought out to you and at the end of your meal you bring your dishes to a tray return/bucket/basin) you don't tip in that setting. If its like that but instead you leave your dishes at the table when you're done instead of returning them then I think most people don't tip but if you're feeling generous you can leave a couple bucks at the table.

If its full service (i.e. theres a waiter that comes to your table and takes a food/drink order and brings out your meal, and clears the table for you, etc.) then you absolutely tip - the old rule that is followed by folks over 40+ is you tip 15% if the service was good, 20% if it was stellar, and if it was substandard you tip little to nothing. A growing number (if not the vast majority) of people under 40 tip 20% no matter what - if the service was really stellar you may tip more, but you still tip 20% even if the food sucked and the service was terrible (unless it was really truly abysmal to the point that it would be unconscionable for you to even consider giving the waiter a dime - we're talking like the waiter was themselves personally directly hostile/racist/threatened your life, etc).

Only exception is if you're at a bar ordering drinks, you tip per drink order, the size of the tip somewhat varies - best practice is if you're ordering 1-2 identical simple drinks (i.e. a shot or a beer or a simple mixed drink of 2 ingredients ala rum and coke) tip $2-3 per order. If its a more complex order (i.e. cocktails with 3 or more components, or several different drinks, i.e. you're ordering a beer and a long island iced tea, for example) tip $4-5 per order. The larger and more complex the order the bigger the tip - in a sense bar tips are tied more to complexity and the time that the bartender needs to dedicate to the order than they are to cost, whereas food service/restaurant tips are a percentage of cost regardless of the time/complexity involved. Even still, always shoot for around a 20% minimum tip in a bar (and I do mean minimum), in general theres somewhat of an unwritten/unspoken expectation that bartenders are tipped better than waitstaff and anything less than that isn't necessarily seen as insulting but might be interpreted as cheapness (and result in less attentive service).

Best practice in a bar if you're planning to be there for a while is to open the night with a bigger tip ($10-20) on your first round and scale down to smaller $2-3 tips on subsequent rounds. In a sense you're frontloading your tips a bit, the bartenders will remember/recognize you and be more responsive to you/give you a bit better service for doing so - if you're going to be there for a really long time then its good to throw in slightly larger tip ($5) every few rounds as well. Another best practice with bar tipping if its busy is to be mindful of the bartenders time - "keep the change" will earn you friends if the difference in cost and what you paid is only a few bucks, theres no sense in making them bring you back $4 in change only to hand $3 back to them in tips, theres a pettiness associated with keeping that extra $1.

Also if you run a tab (not sure if this is a thing in the UK, some places in the US will let you run a tab so instead of paying each time you order a drink they just have a running counter on your drink orders and you pay at the end of the night), you should still tip on your drinks (you might need to ask them to make change for you if all you have is larger bills on hand), and then tip out a bit more at the end of the night when you close the tab (how much is up to you, in this case you're more tipping them for the convenience of not having to pay per order and for them keeping track of your orders for you than you are tipping against the cost of the bill - a good rule of thumb is to use that 20% standard I mentioned earlier as a rule of thumb - if you kept a count of how much you tipped over the course of the night or have a rough ballpark estimate and see that you undertipped them relative to the cost of what you ordered, tip to "make them whole" when you close the tab, if you were tipping generously all evening this really shouldn't be an issue and I usually just let them keep the change if I'm closing my tab out in cash (unless of course the change is only a couple bucks, in which case I'll throw a few more dollars in to make it a bit more subtantial), or just add an extra $5-10 in tip if I'm closing it out with a card.

The only potential exception to this is if you're at a real cheap dive bar kind of place that serves $1 piss on tap in plastic cups and $5 pitchers, etc. no sense tipping more than the cost of your drink, in this sort of situation consider a $1 per drink/$5 per pitcher tip a good guideline. Likewise, if you're at a high end place where the cheapest drink starts around $20 you should scale your tips up a bit - $5 is a good number in cases like this unless the drinks are so expensive that $5 would come in less than that ~20% target.

And yeah, you would tip at the end of your sitting, not by the bucket.

Also, if you're planning on taking in anything on Broadway, I highly recommend seeing Hadestown - its a new orleans jazz folk-opera of the intertwined tales of Hades & Persephone and Orpheus & Eurydice from Greek myth set vaguely in a somewhat post-apocalyptic Great Depression/Prohibition era middle America. I think its probably the best of what Broadway has to offer and despite its Greco-Roman overtones is distinctly American in its form and presentation. If you do see it, shoot for center-mezz seats, its the best bang for your buck unless you're willing to pony up for good orchestra seats. In general, if you're seeing anything on broadway center-mezz is a good bet, but you should always check sightlines from your seats to the stage as some of the seats, frankly speaking, shouldn't ever be sold as they have obstructed sightlines/ are behind columns/walls, etc. that block half the stage, etc. AViewFromMySeat.com will allow you to see what the view of the stage from various seats around the theater is like to help you make informed decisions about your ticket purchases.

BTW I just noticed your signature, are you a traveling man (and I don't just mean on vacation)?



Automatically Appended Next Post:
EDIT - Also, think it was mentioned prior, but proof of vaccination is increasingly required to do anything in NYC. Not sure how its being done in the UK, in the US we get these paper "vaccine passports", if you have something like that you'll want to keep a copy of it on you or photos on your smartphone, etc. There are various apps being used to track it as well.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2021/10/20 13:13:29


CoALabaer wrote:
Wargamers hate two things: the state of the game and change.
 
   
Made in us
Daemonic Dreadnought





Eye of Terror

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
That was pretty comprehensive!

So if there is someone clearing the tables, would it just be a couple of bucks, or would that depend on where in the US you are relative to the cost of living?

And since I’m well up for all you can eat Crab, do I tip by the bucket I consume, or just at the end of the sitting?


You only tip at the end of the meal. It's generally based on the amount of the check, people are encouraged to tip 15% - 30%. If it's a true buffet - i.e. no table service - you are not expected to tip.

Beware any offer of All You Can Eat Crab in NYC. The city is in the Northeast, good crabs come from the South and the prime season ends in August.

More specifically, the best crabs are North Carolina Blue crabs. They are raised in Maryland, North Carolina and Louisiana. They're not cheap - a bushel of large males costs about $145. The cost to transport them to other states is expensive, a bushel in NYC is going to cost about $360 (if it can be had.) What you really want to get are called Swamp Dogs, which have the most meat and flavor. People I know who in NYC that like crab have Swamp Dogs shipped air-mail.

An All You Can Eat place is going to be offering Alaskan Crab Legs or small / medium females. Either is an inferior product. ACLs are rubbery in comparison and lack the flavor you'd get from NCBs. Females lack meat, you will spend most of your time picking. You do not want to spend a lot of money and end up disappointed. At the very least, call ahead and confirm what they are serving before you pay for it.

Also, something I've found is the quality of seafood (for the money) improves the further you are from Manhattan. Seafood restaurants in Coney Island are generally better than ones in the city. Westchester has some of the best seafood on the East Coast and it's about a 30 minute train ride from downtown.

   
Made in us
Ollanius Pius - Savior of the Emperor






Gathering the Informations.

I think it's really just safer to say "beware of any all you can eat place", to be honest.
   
Made in us
Shadowy Grot Kommittee Memba




The Great State of New Jersey

 techsoldaten wrote:
 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
That was pretty comprehensive!

So if there is someone clearing the tables, would it just be a couple of bucks, or would that depend on where in the US you are relative to the cost of living?

And since I’m well up for all you can eat Crab, do I tip by the bucket I consume, or just at the end of the sitting?


You only tip at the end of the meal. It's generally based on the amount of the check, people are encouraged to tip 15% - 30%. If it's a true buffet - i.e. no table service - you are not expected to tip.

Beware any offer of All You Can Eat Crab in NYC. The city is in the Northeast, good crabs come from the South and the prime season ends in August.

More specifically, the best crabs are North Carolina Blue crabs. They are raised in Maryland, North Carolina and Louisiana. They're not cheap - a bushel of large males costs about $145. The cost to transport them to other states is expensive, a bushel in NYC is going to cost about $360 (if it can be had.) What you really want to get are called Swamp Dogs, which have the most meat and flavor. People I know who in NYC that like crab have Swamp Dogs shipped air-mail.

An All You Can Eat place is going to be offering Alaskan Crab Legs or small / medium females. Either is an inferior product. ACLs are rubbery in comparison and lack the flavor you'd get from NCBs. Females lack meat, you will spend most of your time picking. You do not want to spend a lot of money and end up disappointed. At the very least, call ahead and confirm what they are serving before you pay for it.

Also, something I've found is the quality of seafood (for the money) improves the further you are from Manhattan. Seafood restaurants in Coney Island are generally better than ones in the city. Westchester has some of the best seafood on the East Coast and it's about a 30 minute train ride from downtown.


Shhh, you wouldn't want to be called a snob. Remember, its all about the skill in preparation, haven't you ever cooked before?

I think it's really just safer to say "beware of any all you can eat place", to be honest.


Agreed. Dunno how it is in Europe, but theres a distinct lack of awareness of proper etiquette (and, in fact, state laws) in the NYC area (and presumably the rest of the US) when it comes to buffets. Aside from the grossness of people who have no comprehension of personal cleanliness or public health touching gak with their hands or personal utensils, etc. instead of using tongs/serving utensils, etc. and bringing up dirty plates for second servings instead of grabbing a clean plate for each serving like you're supposed to, theres also just the general lack of quality in the ingredients used (as well as the preparation). Its hard to say its worth it to spend $30 at a buffet to get a metric fuckton of food of inferior quality to what you could get in a fixed serving for $10-20 at a typical sit down or takeout place - American portion sizing being what it is, you're going to still be more than full after your meal even without the all you can eat access.

CoALabaer wrote:
Wargamers hate two things: the state of the game and change.
 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Oh I’m happy to travel for good seafood! Spesh Crab and Lobster.

   
Made in us
Ollanius Pius - Savior of the Emperor






Gathering the Informations.

Personal comment regarding tipping, by the by:

I gravitate towards 18% as my 'standard' tip. Exceptional service goes to 25% while poor service gets a conversation started with the employee to let them know that the service wasn't great.

If they're having a bad day or it's their first day and things are backed up or whatever the issue was might be out of their control? I'll still tip that 18%, going higher if they actively go out of their way to correct the issues with service. If they just don't seem to actively care, then I'll usually start getting a bit irritable or just in the future ask for another server.

Also, if possible I try to leave two tips:
One for the person bussing the table and one for the server. I leave the server's in with the bill and the busser's with the plates and the like.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/20 19:45:38


 
   
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So Kanluwen would be fairly unique in leaving two tips, I've never encountered that before - do you leave 18% for both or do you divide it in two?

18% was like a short-lived gen X standard, I think millennials mainly pushed that to 20% because that extra 2% rarely translates to much more than a dollar, if that, and its way easier to calculate (move the decimal over and multiply by 2). Another common thing is to just round up to the next whole dollar (unless its like just a few pennies above the whole dollar, then you can just round down and nobody will care that you shorted them a nickel).

As for conversations, etc. I've never really encountered that either and I'm not sure how I feel about pulling aside someone getting paid $2 an hour to tell them that they suck at their job while they are trying to manage lunch/dinner service. If they're actually bad at their job I will still leave them a 20% tip (again, unless they are actively hostile) regardless but I may mention something to management in a polite way and explain something specific and say that I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble and that I left a 20% tip but that the employee needs to work on something, etc. I do the same if the service is very good, as all too often nobody communicates the positive experiences to managers and waitstaff.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/20 19:57:39


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Eh, I'm Gen X and tipped 20% when no millennials were even of legal drinking age. I think the 15-18% rule and such go back another generation or two. Millennials try to take credit for everything, LOL.

I also think there are slight regional variations with tipping. Around bigger metro areas you'll see much better tips. Out in the sticks you could see more 15-18% tip culture. But I'd never tip as low as 15% unless the waitperson themselves really fethed up my meal and then laughed about it or something, LOL. They rely on those tips, and if there's a problem with the kitchen, etc. it's not their fault. Basically just be generous, and if the restaurant was a bad experience, don't go back.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/20 20:47:19


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chaos0xomega wrote:
So Kanluwen would be fairly unique in leaving two tips, I've never encountered that before - do you leave 18% for both or do you divide it in two?

18% was like a short-lived gen X standard, I think millennials mainly pushed that to 20% because that extra 2% rarely translates to much more than a dollar, if that, and its way easier to calculate (move the decimal over and multiply by 2). Another common thing is to just round up to the next whole dollar (unless its like just a few pennies above the whole dollar, then you can just round down and nobody will care that you shorted them a nickel).

18% each. I usually do go out of my way to 'hide' the one for the person doing the bussing though. Someone just coming by and picking up the check won't find it, but someone doing the hard work of picking up the plates and glasses will.

Like I said though, it's the 'standard' that I go by. 18% is the least someone serving me can expect, 25% is the most--unless I'm taking a large party out for dinner in which case it's a whole different ballgame.

As for conversations, etc. I've never really encountered that either and I'm not sure how I feel about pulling aside someone getting paid $2 an hour to tell them that they suck at their job while they are trying to manage lunch/dinner service. If they're actually bad at their job I will still leave them a 20% tip (again, unless they are actively hostile) regardless but I may mention something to management in a polite way and explain something specific and say that I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble and that I left a 20% tip but that the employee needs to work on something, etc. I do the same if the service is very good, as all too often nobody communicates the positive experiences to managers and waitstaff.

See, I don't feel comfortable talking to someone's manager in most cases. For all I know, they're a great employee who usually is doing everything aces.

Eating at a sit-down spot, for me, is usually something I'm doing by myself while trying to get something done while out. I'd usually just ask the person how things are going, what their day's been like, etc. You can glean a lot from someone based upon answers from that.

If there was a problem with my meal, I'll straight-up talk to them about it. I do have to be a little careful because of allergies(nothing life-threatening, just sensitivities to certain things that can cause hives and itchiness) so it's something I've had experience with over the years.

I do always make 100% sure that if I had great service, I write it on the reciept.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/20 22:29:16


 
   
 
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