Things I Love About Poland #01: Waiters leave you alone

4 Nov 2010
BiblioBird
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Waitress taking order at a restaurant
Waitress taking order at a restaurant. Photo by Alan Light.

This is the first in a series of articles called "Things I Love About Poland." In this article, I talk about the differences between America and Poland when it comes to restaurants.

In Poland, if you only order one round of drinks, food and then pay, the waiter will come to your table exactly four times:

  1. To take your order (usually food and drinks are ordered at the same time)
  2. To bring your drinks
  3. To bring your food
  4. To give you the bill (Note: This doesn't happen automatically! You have to flag the waiter down and ask them for the bill)
My wife and I at a restaurant in Warsaw
My wife and I at a restaurant in Warsaw.

In the USA, the waiter can come to your table ten or more times. Sometimes just to ask if everything is OK! In Poland, everything is assumed to be OK until you say that it isn't. If you want anything else, wave to the waiter and ask for it. You can sit and enjoy your food and the company of the people you came with, without being interrupted by the waiter.

Believe it or not, most Americans prefer to be bothered constantly by the waiter. It is considered good customer service.

Anonymous's picture

In Poland the waiter will not give you a bill automatically, because maybe later you will decide that you want to buy something more. In that case, everyone save time :)

Anonymous's picture

bardzo ładne zdjęcie :-)

Posted by: viddhi108 (not verified) | Thursday, May 19, 2011 - 17:13
Anonymous's picture

It's a interesting article :).I haven't a clue that it is different culture between two nations.

Posted by: mjosek (not verified) | Monday, August 1, 2011 - 12:28
Anonymous's picture

Hi everyone ;-)
I extremely agree with people who don't want to be bothered constantly by the waiter;-))) Here,were I'm living the situation is the same like in States.....wrrr.....I go to the restaurant to enjoy the taste and the nice companion of my friends.I don't like when someone interrupting me still.....wrr;-))
Greetings for polish waitress and for all of you here of course ;-))))

Posted by: Boshka (not verified) | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - 06:57

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