The Pouring of the Wine
I recently read with much amusement an essay Christopher Hitchens wrote for Slate about being out at a restaurant with friends, having a grand time talking and having the flow of their conversation interrupted by a waiter who picked up the bottle of wine located in the middle of their table and poured the wine into everyone’s glass.
Probably, this has happened to all of us. I remember back in the spring being out with a friend at a rather nice restaurant in Newport. We were having a good time catching up with each other – enjoying our dinner and also that bottle of wine in the middle of our table.
Just like with Hitchens and friends, the waiter kept refilling our glasses with wine. With all this pouring, it led, of course, to us ordering another bottle.
When it was time for us to go, that bottle on the table was still half full. What should we have done? Since we were clearly going to have to pay for it, maybe we should have asked to take the bottle with us.
Hitchens points out in his essay that this constant pouring of the wine simple leads to the padding of the bill.
Question: Has this ever happened to you? Here’s a follow-up question: Why do we put up with it?
- Larry Gross
(Photo from www.ladv.org)
on my current budget, its a little hard to find a mcdonald's that serves wine.
Posted by: hard as nails | June 30, 2008 at 07:51 AM
Do not be offended. Good wait persons are trained to do this service. If you don't want to drink another bottle just leave the wine in your glass.
Posted by: Melanie Brubaker | June 30, 2008 at 11:32 AM
If you're ordering a whole bottle of wine, your server probably thinks you're a big time drinker -- which no doubt you are!
Posted by: Justin | June 30, 2008 at 12:47 PM
I'm a waiter and this is something I would NEVER do.
I ALWAYS ask the customer if I can pour them more wine from the bottle. I never assume anything.
Posted by: Jeff | June 30, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Only an asshole like Hitchens would find his conversation more important than a topped off glass.
Well, maybe Hitchens and the denizens of the "Dinette Set" in the comic page... assuming they would spring for wine in the first place.
My theory is: the more topped off the glass, the better the conversation.
Posted by: David E. Gallaher | June 30, 2008 at 07:22 PM
Agreed. Hitchens is a complete ass.
Posted by: Plowboy | June 30, 2008 at 08:44 PM