DEAR ABBY: "Steamed in Boston" complained about food servers asking if he wanted his change back. In my opinion, asking customers if they want their change in order to save a trip back to the table is unprofessional.
My first job as a food server was in a restaurant where the owner forbade us to ask that question. A fellow server told me to say instead, "I'll be right back with your change." That way, the customer could reply, "OK," or, "Keep the change," with no toes stepped on and nothing left in doubt. -- EX-FOOD SERVER IN NEW JERSEY
DEAR EX: Many servers wrote to offer the same suggestion. One said that 90 percent of the time the customer will reply, "There's no need to return the change; it's for you."
Servers reported that the question is used to determine if a trip back to the table is necessary, because they are often swamped, and not having to return to the table saves them time for another customer. To that, I respond, "There are no shortcuts to quality service."