How is your food tasting?

[pennylane]

As a non-American who has never heard that particular question asked in a restaurant, I must say that it does strike me as a little weird. It seems... overly specific, somehow.

I shall certainly be on the lookout for it on my next trip to Ohio this summer.

[cdh]

I've never ever heard the query "How's your food tasting?'... that doesn't sound like something a native speaker of English around my parts of the world would say... frankly it sounds really foreign to me.

"How's everything?" is common, as is "Are you enjoying everything". "How is your food tasting?" sounds strangely German, insofar as folks who don't a speak language with an -ing verb form don't really know how to use it, and German has no such form...

[OnigiriFB]

I knew I shouldn't have clicked on this thread....

You post makes you sound like a snob. I agree with another poster who said it sounded like you were just dogging midwesterners.

You can thank Applebees, TGIF, and the like for the generic greetings and service. They train their employees to do that. It's now become the industry standard.

BTW there are some people who still enjoy iceberg lettuce and bottled salad dressing.

[Dianabanana]

I have to say I agree with Penny Lane that "How is your food tasting?" sounds overly specific (perfect way to put it!). In fact I believe I have groused about that very thing in another thread here, maybe one on server pet peeves. It sounds like an inappropriate inquiry into my bodily functions, and makes me feel somehow manipulated--you know how they have these sales techniques that force you to say something positive about the product and it makes you actually feel more positive about it. Also, it almost seems to foreclose discussion of all the other functions a server is supposed to provide--making sure you have everything you need to enjoy your meal.

I'm not sure what the perfect server inquiry is. Perhaps something along the lines of "Is there anything I can do for you?" The you could say "yes, please move us to one of the empty tables overlooking the water" or whatever.

But yeah--corn fed steak. Don't see why you'd go out of your way to eat meat from an animal that was raised on a grain that nature never intended to eat and then massively dosed with antibiotics to keep it alive on that diet until we're ready to kill it. Yum.

[takadi]

I think grain fed beef is superior to grassfed when it comes to grilling

[munchymom]

"How is your food tasting?" doesn't even sound like something a native English speaker would say. "How does your food taste?" would be a more normal sounding phrase, unless you were served a dish that was called a "food tasting" (not so far-fetched, with so many places having "tasting menus"-- I've seen menus that offer a "dessert tasting", i.e. small portions of multiple desserts-- if I ordered one of those, I wouldn't look twice at the question "How is your dessert tasting?") Also, I bet they serve the salad dressing in little plastic cups because so many people ask for the dressing "on the side"... at some point that becomes the default.

[Kamara Deon]

Wow, I didn"t know food had the ability to taste, I thought the customer did the tasting.

[turkeybone]

I have to say in various threads (this one too) that people here scoff at all kinds of things the server says when they come back to check -- I'm honestly curious as to what is an acceptable thing to say, because all I've ever heard is giggling and eye rolling.

Also, I want to say again that you can order Nueske's and Niiman Ranch stuff from Sysco, so blame the restauranteur.

[orla]

K8 - I am with you!!! If we all go that route, everyone will be better off!!!!!!

[Matt Furtsy]

As a non-American who has never heard that particular question asked in a restaurant, I must say that it does strike me as a little weird.  It seems... overly specific, somehow. 

I shall certainly be on the lookout for it on my next trip to Ohio this summer.

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I guarantee that you will not be asked "how is you food tasting" while on your trip to Ohio.

[pennylane]

As a non-American who has never heard that particular question asked in a restaurant, I must say that it does strike me as a little weird.  It seems... overly specific, somehow. 

I shall certainly be on the lookout for it on my next trip to Ohio this summer.

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I guarantee that you will not be asked "how is you food tasting" while on your trip to Ohio.

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Matt, I can't believe that was your first post to the board, but I'm honoured that it was in response to something I said.

[hummingbirdkiss]

Ok last Friday I went out to dinner at a lovely place in Olympia ...we ordered our food was brought to the table ..with in a few min the server came over and asked

"so how is your food tasting?"

I laughed so hard I almost fell off the chair ...I know this was rude and I had no way of actually explaining or even controling myself ...maybe it was the wine ...maybe it was the whole irony

but it just hit me as hysterical and I felt compelled to post this

Edited May 21, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[lcdm]

I've never ever heard the query "How's your food tasting?'... that doesn't sound like something a native speaker of English around my parts of the world would say... frankly it sounds really foreign to me. 

"How's everything?" is common, as is "Are you enjoying everything".  "How is your food tasting?" sounds strangely German, insofar as folks who don't a speak language with an -ing verb form don't really know how to use it, and  German has no such form...

←

I've never heard "How's your food tasting?" either, maybe it's a Pacific North West kind of thing - since the other people mentioning it are from that area?

Usually get - How is everything? ... Can I get you anything? or the younger waitstaff.... How you guys doing.

[RAHiggins1]

I was recently asked "How is your tasting?"

[Daniel]

I recently went to an expensive restaurant and no one came by to see how anything was tasting, how anyone was doing, or anything of that sorts.. My steak was over cooked and I needed another gin.. If someone is annoying I can get rid of them, if someone isnt around, nothing I can do..

Edited May 22, 2008 by Daniel (log)

[Toliver]

I recently went to an expensive restaurant and no one came by to see how anything was tasting, how anyone was doing, or anything of that sorts..  My steak was over cooked and I needed another gin.. If someone is annoying I can get rid of them, if someone isnt around, nothing I can do..

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You shouldn't have to do this, obviously, but...when this happens to me, I get up and locate the manager and ask them if they can help me find my server as they haven't been back to my table since dropping off my food and I need a refill on my cocktail. It makes a point on so many levels and works quite well to get much needed assistance.