In message , Charles Hope writes
It was a common way for the shops to be organised in Russia in those days.
rather awkward if you don't know what you want is called. standing one side of a bakers at the cashier trying to pint to the loaf across the other side you want. Then going and getting it and waiting to find out wht it was that you actually bought.
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I would most likely be the only person in the group with their mobile switched on.
WE spent a day out in Wales earlier this week, at Ruthin. To say there is a dearth of pubs serving food is true. The only one in Ruthin was a Weatherspoon but we were looking for something a bit better. We then drove to Corwen where there were 6 or so pubs, but they were either closed or did not sell food. We were getting desperate. Happily on the way down the A5 we spotted a pub off to the side, it was delightful. So just be glad that you had a choice!
Ah yes, I am Italy at the moment. I feel a rant coming on...
Italian motorway services are the worst. Autogrill, the very name invites despair. (They are all 'Autogrill' in my experiance, even the ones with a different name on the sign are so indistinguishable that they must be just a cunning branding plan to make it look like there is a competitor.) When I have spent several hours in a hot buzzing tin box, I like to take a break, I don't want to be channelled through a turnstile with no way out without going right round the shop. I would like to sit down somewhere quiet away from the traffic noise, not queue to pay (for some [IT] values of queue), queue to order, and find a perch amid some buzzing horde. If there is more than a cafe I expect it to be open when I want, not filled to bursting for two hours around noon and closed for the rest of the day.
Foyles bookshop used to be organised like that.
Because it avoided anyone being there long enough to qualify for any statutory security of employment. Also most staff were foreign for much the same reason.
Because they relied on the publishers' reps to do the organising and maintain the stock levels.
When I worked at the Economists' Bookshop in the 70s if a customer asked for a book that was out of print we would suggest they try Foyles, there was a good chance that there would be a copy there unsold for years
With, in some departments, the overhead wire system to send little cans of paperwork around the shop.
"Why don't you try W.H.Smiths ?" "I did. They sent me here." "Did they ?"
As it happens, we when for a pub meal last night, with brother and SIL, and a couple of friends.
Leather Bottle, Earlsfield, SW London. A Youngs pub. Being Wimbledon fortnight, booked online in the afternoon. Got a nice table in the garden - it was a balmy night. Place was packed.
Never went near the bar - everything done via table service, including drinks from the bar.
Was surprised they demanded a credit card at the start - not had that in a pub before.
I had a venison burger with garnishing and chips. Assorted toasted breads as a communal side dish.
Main course was 12.50. Really quite impressed.
That's common in London. Can't trust the customers....
I found this common in California back in 1978! And it was always willingly given to the waiter/waitress/barkeep, too.
Not in the various restaurants I usually use. Or pubs, come to that. But some of the party said they'd had it before. Seems it quite usual in other countries and hotels etc in the UK. Wouldn't know about either these days. ;-)
In most of the pubs round here is you want to "run a tab", you leave a credit card behind the bar. otherwise keep paying cash for each order.
Its common up here in Cambridge too. Dave ought to get out more;!...
Yes - I've seen that. Sounds like a way of spending far more than you can afford after a couple.
Oh you philistine.
Didn't you know "you eat with your eyes"
(no, I don't buy it either)
tim
It used to be the way that it worked in many shops in the UK up until the
50sstaff just weren't trusted with money and only the guy locked in the cash kiosk could touch it
tim
Not uncommon elsewhere. It seems very sensible to me. Organised places (I'm thinking of continental Europe here) put the card in locker and hand you the key.
I obviously only go to restaurants who trust me.
Even Chez Bruce seems to do that. ;-)
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