Why do steakhouses ask me to cut my steak right away?

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Why do steakhouses ask me to cut my steak right away?

It's an insurance thing. They want to make sure you are capable of handling sharp implements without hurting yourself.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ Claire: We have alot in common palate wise

Claire,

Blue rare steak, carpacchio & steak tartar ... Oh yes ... Alot in common palate wise ...

I had never experienced a questioning by a waiter or waitress as to how my steak or meat, was ... Normally, in Spain: the waiter or waitress stands away from the table --- and observes ... if not too busy with other tables ...

In Italia, it is very rare that I would order steak ... Carpacchio yes ... Pasta yes ... Pizza, yes ... the specialty of a specific zone in a province yes ...

Thanks for the interesting post and message.
Margi.

 

[PolishedTopaz]

Funny how we all think differently. I've never had anyone ask me to cut into my steak at a restaurant, and never thought about it. But, I'm with Margi on blue steaks (the first time I heard that description for very rare I cracked up)(It was a French waiter in Hawaii, if I asked for my steak blue around here they'd ... well, they already think I'm a little crazy, this would erase all doubt). I want it seared on the outside, warm through, and that's it. Anyway, I'd prefer the waiter ask than to have to return the steak. You can put an undercooked steak back on the grill, but you cannot uncook a too-well-done steak. SO I never bother to return a steak that for me is over-done. By the time I get my meal, the rest of the table is done. If it is a place I plan on returning, then I make my displeasure known to owner, manager, or maitre d' (I've finally lived somewhere long enough that I can actually wait and do this at a different time so I don't cast a pall on our dinner party). If I'm just passing through, I don't bother. A waiter asking me to cut into it might actually give the restaurant time to grill me another steak (or put someone whose might be under-done back on) before the entire table is finishing their meal.

I rarely do a good steak at home simply because the quality of the steaks is better at restaurants, and since I don't do them often at home, I'm worse at judging the steak's done-ness than any restaurant!

I can't see finding a waiter's "Is everything OK?" as an insult. It sure as heck beats having a person at the table wanting another drink and having to crane your neck to find your waiter. If I didn't want the attention of a waiter, I'd eat at home. I like eating out, and want that attention.

Now, this is with the understanding that I'm not talking $100+/plate restaurants where you have a waiter dedicated to your table or maybe one other, with no turnover, and all the chefs are that, high end. There's no place like that in the entire tri-state area (and, yes, I've been to them).

And, Margi, I LOVE steak tartare and carpacio.

I don't find it insulting if I am asked this question, I just feel that it conveys uneasiness with back of the house.

 

[Skittle68]

And why I wouldn't order steak at Red Lobster.
If you have to ask me to do the chef's job, then I don't need to eat steak at your establishment.
Just last night we had steak at a fine dining place here in Idyllwild. Not a word was mentioned or a question asked about doneness of the steak. And, yes, I know Red Lobster isn't a fine dining place, but they should still employ people who can properly cook meat. It ain't that hard, really.
Believe it or not, I go to Coco's for their meat. They cook it right every time. Seriously, it ain't hard. Now, veggies there are another issue. Yeesh.

You're right- red lobster is considered casual dining, and at our location our grill masters do know how to properly cook meat. In a perfect world, every steak would be done correctly, but with the number of steaks that go out it just doesn't happen every time (our restaurant seats 300-400 people at a time, and we sometimes have to stop seating people to let the kitchen catch up because they can't fit anything else on the grill, and the orders are stacking up). I've worked there for about a year and have had to bring back three steaks. I don't think that constitutes "not knowing how to cook meat". However, I do my very best to make sure the customers are happy with everything before I walk away from the table, and that includes giving the opportunity to check your steak. In a perfect world, I would be back in exactly two minutes to make sure everyone is happy, and 9 times out of 10 I would be, but once in awhile it might be more like 5 minutes because I'm back making salads for another table or something. Your opinion isn't wrong, it is just your opinion after all, but from a servers point of view, if there is even a small chance something might be wrong, I want to find out so I can fix it right away. I just don't see how saying, "No thank you, I'd prefer to cut into my steak later," is such a huge inconvenience. Trying to please everyone when there is such a wide range of preferences and opinions is a really tough job, and in my opinion, being annoyed because a server asks if everything is tasting ok is a little over the top.

 

[GLC]

I had never experienced a questioning by a waiter or waitress as to how my steak or meat, was ... Normally, in Spain: the waiter or waitress stands away from the table --- and observes ... if not too busy with other tables ...

Because they actually seem to have a genuine interest in the customer's experience. Not a personal interest, although it can become close to that after long mutual experience. But a professional interest beyond fishing for a tip. That kind of professional doesn't have to ask if everything is good. That kind probably shortstopped any questionable food before it got to the table, not that there's likely to be a problem in a place that employs good waiters. And they most certainly don't continually intrude. The waiter is NOT a member of the dining party.

 

[buckytom]

in my experience here near nyc, blue is not the same as rare. blue is effectively raw in the center, with maybe a tiny bit of rare just inside a barely cooked surface. the raw part should be no more than room temp. not warm.

black and blue is a well charred surface with a raw, cool center.

 

[taxlady]

I like the French term, saignante, it means bleeding. That's how I like my steak.

 

[buckytom]

i should add that i've never been asked to cut into a steak when it was served unless it was the second one they'd brought because of a problem with the first one.

however, almost all good waiters will ask if everything is ok, or better yet is everything to my liking, after they've seen you take a few bites of whatever you've ordered.

 

[taxlady]

i should add that i've never been asked to cut into a steak when it was served unless it was the second one they'd brought because of a problem with the first one.

however, almost all good waiters will ask if everything is ok, or better yet is everything to my liking, after they've seen you take a few bites of whatever you've ordered.

In principle, I like the idea of the wait staff asking if everything is to my liking. But, in practice, they usually interrupt my conversation and don't listen to the answer.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

It's too bad that restaurants don't have a "call waiter" button similar to the airline "call stewardess" button.

 

[Dawgluver]

It's too bad that restaurants don't have a "call waiter" button similar to the airline "call stewardess" button.

Some restaurants used to have that button! Bishops Buffet comes to mind.

 

[CraigC]

I like the French term, saignante, it means bleeding. That's how I like my steak.

No wonder the Spanish for lawyer is chubbasangre!

 

[Rocklobster]

I have been both cook and waiter. I like to go back and simply ask "How is everything" That goes for any table which has just gotten their food for and has been eating for a couple of minutes. Usually, you get "good" then you can leave them alone for a while. As a cook, I am curious to see how they liked the steak and if something is wrong, then I have time to rectify it.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Wait Staff in Mediterranean

Thanks for all the interesting posts.

Let me explain something about wait staff and all employees in EU. Firstly:
1) all legal ( nationals and residents ) employees have a contract
2) all wait staff are paid a decent wage
3) a waiter, may ask is everything okay However, not to pin point about a specific product that was ordered
4) tips are welcomed however, this is not a Mediterranean custom
5) tipping in Spain in non Michelin normal bars, taverns, eateries and trattorias is not usual ( it is if the service was very good, and up to individual -- because they are employed and earn a decent wage )

In the USA, wait staff are paid minimum wage and thus, depend on tips; in the EU ( European Union ) this does NOT exist.

*** In Italia, only in big cities --- not in small villages - it is same as in Spain.

Margi.

 

[FrankZ]

In the USA, wait staff are paid minimum wage and thus, depend on tips; in the EU ( European Union ) this does NOT exist.

Not quite so... in the US most wait staff are paid server minimum which is half of the Federal minimum wage.

When I waited tables it was the means to pay my taxes owed on tips, cover the employee pay for insurance and get a soda on pay day...

 

[buckytom]

It's too bad that restaurants don't have a "call waiter" button similar to the airline "call stewardess" button.

there are a few mom and pop italian places (pizza and pasta dives) here that have that button on the wall in the booths, but they have been disconnected for years.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Frank,

Thanks for post and feedback. However, I do not understand what you mean by paid server minimum which is half of the National wage.

Well, this is truly uncool.
MC

 

[taxlady]

Frank,

Thanks for post and feedback. However, I do not understand what you mean by paid server minimum which is half of the National wage.

Well, this is truly uncool.
MC

There is a minimum wage for regular jobs and a lower minimum wage for servers. Here in Quebec it is about 50 cents an hour less for wait staff than for other jobs, because they get tips.

 

[FrankZ]

Ouch.. I just had a look. When I was a waiter it was half the Federal minimum wage of $4.26/hr or $2.13/hr.

It is STILL $2.13/hr.. with the Federal minimum at $7.25/hr.

States and other municipalities can have a higher minimum.

 

[taxlady]

Ouch.. I just had a look. When I was a waiter it was half the Federal minimum wage of $4.26/hr or $2.13/hr.

It is STILL $2.13/hr.. with the Federal minimum at $7.25/hr.

States and other municipalities can have a higher minimum.

That's outrageous.