The issue of separate checks for customers is a touchy one, for both customer and server. Just peruse Frank Bruni's column from last September - the first post generated 224 comments and part two, which was more about the restaurant's side, brought in 51 more! Everyone is right. Everyone is not so right. Let's discuss the BT policy.
Until last night, we really didn't have one! Our POS system is a godsend when it comes to splitting checks, as long as the server knows ahead of time that that is what the guests want. All you do is open the original check, hit the "Split Check" button, and the screen displays four checks, with the first one listing everything ordered thus far. You then touch an item you want to put on a new check, touch the first new check and voila, there it is. You do this with any number of checks you want to open. At the end, the register asks do you want to print the checks separately or together and if so, it will print all the separate checks. Wow! that is so cool!
Okay, so what's the problem? Well, there isn't one when the server knows the table wants separate bills ahead of time; s/he can keep track of who gets what by either opening up the split checks right away, or doing so on the order pad. And even if the request is made after the fact, a party of two or even four - two couples - might not be so difficult a split to figure out. But if a large group - for instance, the party of 9 we had last night - asks the server to split the check after all is said and done, this will be impossible. What goes with whom is no longer very easy to figure out, especially if the original order pad has been tossed. Sure, s/he could stand at the end of the table and go over the order all over again, but we know that is not the way to do it. Who pays for the bottle of wine? How about the dessert that three people shared? We weren't happy to say "no", but we honestly had no other viable options at that point in time.
Another problem comes with payment. Six or eight separate bills paid six or eight different ways can really bog down the system. During a busy service, this can hold things up for every other customer in the dining room. One way we've handled this, when we've had, say, a group of ten ladies at lunch who want ten separate bills, is to request that they come prepared with enough small bills to pay the exact amount, if they want to pay cash. That way the server is not making change for 8 checks at $7.45 cents each with 8 twenty dollar bills.
The bottom line is this: if the separate checks request is going to cause problems for the rest of the dining room - in other words, cause more problems for the other tables by backing up the system and disrupting the flow of service, as it would have last night - a request made after the fact may not be granted.
And so, what is the Brooks Tavern policy regarding separate checks? We decided that we could do a maximum of four per table, if we are told ahead of time. That would cover a table of four couples, which is the largest party we generally get anyway and the most common scenario for separate bills. The wait staff still will have a little extra work, but with our POS system it is not too dramatic. Of course every rule has it's exception, and on slow shifts more would probably be fine; we would just reserve the right to make that exception case by case.
Unless, uh oh! we find out that it is against the law to forbid separate checks!! Jeez, if it's not a law already, it's probably one being considered by the current legislature...
Until last night, we really didn't have one! Our POS system is a godsend when it comes to splitting checks, as long as the server knows ahead of time that that is what the guests want. All you do is open the original check, hit the "Split Check" button, and the screen displays four checks, with the first one listing everything ordered thus far. You then touch an item you want to put on a new check, touch the first new check and voila, there it is. You do this with any number of checks you want to open. At the end, the register asks do you want to print the checks separately or together and if so, it will print all the separate checks. Wow! that is so cool!
Okay, so what's the problem? Well, there isn't one when the server knows the table wants separate bills ahead of time; s/he can keep track of who gets what by either opening up the split checks right away, or doing so on the order pad. And even if the request is made after the fact, a party of two or even four - two couples - might not be so difficult a split to figure out. But if a large group - for instance, the party of 9 we had last night - asks the server to split the check after all is said and done, this will be impossible. What goes with whom is no longer very easy to figure out, especially if the original order pad has been tossed. Sure, s/he could stand at the end of the table and go over the order all over again, but we know that is not the way to do it. Who pays for the bottle of wine? How about the dessert that three people shared? We weren't happy to say "no", but we honestly had no other viable options at that point in time.
Another problem comes with payment. Six or eight separate bills paid six or eight different ways can really bog down the system. During a busy service, this can hold things up for every other customer in the dining room. One way we've handled this, when we've had, say, a group of ten ladies at lunch who want ten separate bills, is to request that they come prepared with enough small bills to pay the exact amount, if they want to pay cash. That way the server is not making change for 8 checks at $7.45 cents each with 8 twenty dollar bills.
The bottom line is this: if the separate checks request is going to cause problems for the rest of the dining room - in other words, cause more problems for the other tables by backing up the system and disrupting the flow of service, as it would have last night - a request made after the fact may not be granted.
And so, what is the Brooks Tavern policy regarding separate checks? We decided that we could do a maximum of four per table, if we are told ahead of time. That would cover a table of four couples, which is the largest party we generally get anyway and the most common scenario for separate bills. The wait staff still will have a little extra work, but with our POS system it is not too dramatic. Of course every rule has it's exception, and on slow shifts more would probably be fine; we would just reserve the right to make that exception case by case.
Unless, uh oh! we find out that it is against the law to forbid separate checks!! Jeez, if it's not a law already, it's probably one being considered by the current legislature...
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