I was a waiter. Checking back every N minutes is not to get a bigger tip; it is almost always forced by management. Chili's, for example, requires that you check back within 3 minutes of serving the main course. Also, at my store, they required that you take the order down on one knee in order to seem more "casual". Bleh. I didn't do it.

Yup, this. Macaroni Grill had 17 steps of service that HAD to be hit at every table including checking back within a certain time to make sure everyone's pasta bolognese was to their liking. It's a management step to legislate to the lowest common denominator, both in waitstaff (ensures no one is in the back smoking while a patron has a raw steak) and customer (as in software, the user rarely understands they need more butter until 2 minutes after the food is delivered).

Huh. Fair enough

I have noticed that this happens at Nandos over here in the UK too, it seems to be part of their formula. That is typically the last interaction you have with the staff though, as their model is that you pay when you order.

I am spanish and when I go to a restaurant where the witer knees to tale the order, I find that it's coming too close, like when they seat. It's a cultural think for sure but I read it as an intrussion in my space.

Taking a knee is the opposite of casual.

> Taking a knee is the opposite of casual.

Yes, but saying that the purpose is to be "casual" as an explanation sounds a lot better to the employees who are listening to it than saying that the purpose is to be "submissive", which is what kneeling before the person you are taking orders from really is.

Not in America. It's supposed to mitigate the natural inferiority imposed from looking up at someone.

IMHO, someone standing and addressing you while you sit comfortably is the opposite.

I'm an American. And usually if they're on their knees, they're looking up at you. At least when they were the ones looking down, they had the plausible excuse of having to move around all the time.

Something I do not want is to be chatting with friends, and to have the wait staff plop down on a chair with us and try to chat me up. It's such an obvious ploy to get tips.