A Warning to the Fastidious
Dec. 29th, 2007 03:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
steepholmI realise the world won't end because of my irritation at this practice, but I'm truly mystified by it, and I hope that maybe somebody with experience of working in cafes can explain.
I refer, of course, to the strange habit (which I've only noticed in the last 15 years or so) of delivering food to the customer's table, not with a paper napkin, but actually on top of it. Since the napkin is presumably intended to allow you to wipe stray bits of food and grease from your fingers and mouth, what is the point of presenting it in a pre-greased condition?
I do see that in an outdoor cafe, on a windy day, there might be an argument for tucking a corner of the thing under a sturdy-looking carrot or lump of cheddar, but this happens indoors as well - and as often as not the food is simply placed four-square on top of the napkin, as if its purpose were to soak up all the jam, sauce, grease etc and save time on the washing up later.
Can anyone out there provide a lemon-fresh wipe for my brain and tell me what's going on?
I refer, of course, to the strange habit (which I've only noticed in the last 15 years or so) of delivering food to the customer's table, not with a paper napkin, but actually on top of it. Since the napkin is presumably intended to allow you to wipe stray bits of food and grease from your fingers and mouth, what is the point of presenting it in a pre-greased condition?
I do see that in an outdoor cafe, on a windy day, there might be an argument for tucking a corner of the thing under a sturdy-looking carrot or lump of cheddar, but this happens indoors as well - and as often as not the food is simply placed four-square on top of the napkin, as if its purpose were to soak up all the jam, sauce, grease etc and save time on the washing up later.
Can anyone out there provide a lemon-fresh wipe for my brain and tell me what's going on?