Do waiters/waitresses in America talk a lot ?

Question

In Australia they just arrive at the table and look at you, then you start ordering.

I hear in America they speak at you and then you order, is this true ?

Answer 1

if the restaurant has specials of the day, they usually will tell you what they are, then you may have choices of say soup or salad and choice of kind of potato, then they will ask if you wand desert

Answer 2

Yep! The reason they do talk a lot is to appear friendly so they will hopefully get a nice tip for nice service. Waiters/waitresses only get a small hourly rate of pay and the tips make up a large portion of their income.  

Answer 3

Yes, they come over and ask how you are doing and ask what you'd like to drink, if you want an appetizer, etc....

They try to be personable. I wouldn't like them coming over and just staring at me until I order.

Answer 4

Yes, they talk way too freakin' much!  As another person mentioned, they do it because they think it will get them a bigger tip if they seem "friendly".

Little do they know that it backfires.  The more talkative and annoying the server is, the less I leave for a tip.  The absolute worst is when they start talking about themselves.  I don't freaking care!  Bring me my food, and leave me the h**l alone.

Answer 5

Yes they do talk a lot. But it just really depends on the waitress/waiters. Most restaurants I've been to the waiters have been really social and things like that. But other times they're not. If you don't talk to them and stuff like that then they probably won't talk to you.  

Answer 6

In that respect, Australia sounds awesome.

Yes, they talk a lot here.

Here, they sometimes sit down at your table across from you and try to be personable. I dated a waitress who said they're TRAINED to do that at some places.

Also, a lot of the time they'll talk a lot to other waiters/waitresses and it will be h**l to get their attention for a refill.

One time a waiter sat down at my table, picked up my car keys and began asking what each key went to. I got a little rude, which I don't usually do because I'm terrified a worker will spit in my food or something worse.

Answer 7

Yes you greet a table, ask for drink orders, tell specials repeat orders, tell people what they are setting down, ask for dessert orders, and sometimes talk a lot. I have waited tables for many years

Answer 8

In the nicer restaurants the wait staff talk to you but keep it low key and professional. Polite but no chatter.

Answer 9

They'll talk as much as they think is necessary to get a tip from the person they are waiting on.

Answer 10

Oh yes!

They talk - sometimes too much!

Answer 11

I see them sit down with customers for chats.  Silent people don't get tips.