7 Tips for Getting a Great Restaurant Meal Even When You're in a Hurry

Got to catch a flight or get to a show? The pros know how to do it and still have a stress-free time.

Sometimes when we go into a restaurant for a meal, we don’t have all the time in the world. Leisurely meals are great, but maybe there’s a flight to catch or a show to see and time is moving faster than a kid in a burlap sack on one of those metal slides at a state fair. No one plans on being in a hurry in a restaurant, having to suck down iced tea and inhale burgers, but it happens. If you need to get in and out of a restaurant in the shortest possible time, this is how to do it.

Tell your server

It’s no guarantee they’ll be able to change how fast the sand in the hourglass will fall, but they are the ones who can make a difference and you should alert them as soon as you can. Keep in mind, your time management issues don’t necessarily fall under their job requirements, so broach the topic gingerly and with gratitude. They can certainly do their best to help, but there’s only so much they can accommodate.

Related: Close Out Your Bar Tab Before You Go to Your Table — Here's Why

Know what you want to order

Look at the menu as soon as your seat hits the seat — or even online beforehand — and be prepared to order it on the server’s first trip to the table. If you have questions about the menu, have them top of mind. Most servers work their section in rotation meaning that once they leave your table, they have a few others to attend to before circling back to you. Take advantage of them being there.

Order the right thing

Surprise, surprise, some things take longer to cook than others. If you’re in a rush, avoid ordering roasted chicken, well-done anything, or the baked chocolate soufflé that requires two hours' notice and impeccable timing. Set your sights on salads. Ask your server for suggestions on what might be the quickest and then order your food at the same time as you order your beverage.

Consolidate your requests

Every time you ask for something, the server has to walk 200 steps to go get it and the clock is ticking. Need salt? That’s 200 steps. Need extra dressing? That’s another 200 steps. Need a straw? Well, there aren’t any nearby because straws are request-only and now the server has to go down to the basement to find a box of them and that’s like another 525,600 steps and you’re definitely going to be late for your movie. Think about the things you need and ask for them all at once.

Related: What to Do When There's a Hair in Your Food

Ask for the check with your food

In accordance with the above, the check can be dropped on any number of trips to the table after your order has been placed. As soon as you have it, you can pay it. Waiting until the last minute to ask for your check is undoubtedly going to be when your server is busy doing something else. And whatever you do, don’t order anything else after the check has been closed. That’s adding additional time and you are in a hurry.

Pay with cash

This allows you to be in control of the final transaction. Cash money can be left on the table and you can skedaddle on out of there. Paying with a credit card can add any number of steps when the card is carried to the South Pole and back to be processed. Even if the card can be swiped tableside, cash is faster and you can avoid that whole awkward “tipping while your server is standing right in front of you” thing.

Related: Should You Tip in Cash or on a Credit Card?

Tip your server

While tipping after all has been said and done won’t help you with your time constraints, it can show your server that you appreciated the efforts they put forth in helping you get to where you’re going on time. However, paying the bill and tipping heavily as soon as you sit down, means you’re putting your money where your mouth is and your server will most likely prioritize you above all else. If you think a kid in a burlap sack going down a metal slide is fast, wait until you see how quickly a server moves when they’re tipped 30% before you’ve even eaten.

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