Cafe waiter interaction: official thread on requesting service or a check

[Aron]

There are experts in this forum with years of experience in Porteno etiquette and understanding the difference between appropriate assertiveness and aggression and rudeness. May I politely ask for guidance so I don’t seem touristy?

In return here is a picture of the butterfly that landed on my table at Rapanui before we saw the ballet at Teatro Colon in the rain last night, Google lens identifies it as a tropical Buckeye. I didn’t get a pic of the rat at the historical cafe in San Telmo that morning, though

 

[sts7049]

you have to ask, otherwise they will let you sit there for eternity. if you just catch their eye and ask for la cuenta por favor, or make the hand signal for signing something, they will bring it to you.

 

[Rich One]

On the subject , now is mandatory for waiters to bring to the table the postnet to charge D/C Cards. No one should touch your card. To prevent cloning , etc.

You get up and waive towards the waiter, if no reaction , walk towards the cashier.

 

[Silvie]

Always wave your hand and make eye contact or they will ignore you. Sometimes they ignore me persistently when I wave my hand too and at that point my following step is to gather all my belongings and stand up by my table like I'm leaving immediately. They don't like to see you standing because it's too obvious and I'm sure they don't want me to leave without paying but who knows...? If everything fails, then I go to the cashier's desk to pay and don't bother leaving a tip.

 

[camel]

This is the seminal work on the issue:

 

[SinPulgas]

This is the seminal work on the issue:

Buenisimo! This is what happens to me most of the time I go to restaurants in Buenos Aires.

 

[mc kenna]

I always enjoy the look they get when after ignoring you , you stand up and loudly say muchas gracias as you start to walk out lol all of the sudden they remember.....

 

[nikad]

These are some of my top porteño tricks ( I used to stop at 3-4 cafes on a daily basis a long time ago when worked in corporate sales )

1- To order small coffee, look at the distant waiter and mimic with your thumb and index finger a small cup, he will bring it and will be happy he saved the walk.
2- If in a hurry, sit order coffee and check at the same time and pay. Enjoy coffee at your own pace. Then only you decide when to leave.
3- Go in, sit, make coffee sign, drink it, leave enough cash to pay for it + tip, get up and when they look at you point at your cup and money. Proceed to go.
4- It seems to me like they hate to come and go, especially if watching soccer or chatting with some other waiters, so use as much sign language as you can. Especially to order your check, do the sign gesture just so they bring it.
5- If for some reason everything fails, and you are desperate order at the cashier, pay, do not tip and cara de orto. Never return.

Enjoy.

PS: These tips and hints are mostly valid in the city of Bs As and in or around downtown and normal neighborhoods, not super touristy. Waitresses would not understand most of these either.
PS2: Congratulations! You are very very close to acting like a true porteño

 

[Aron]

Thanks for all the tips and the hilarious video (my understanding is that George Bernard Shaw philosophy of pursuit of life for its own sake relates directly as well.) Thanks @nikad for the tl;dr - key for all beginners here.

Meanwhile I have sat outside a cafe for twenty minutes struggling to read LA NACION without getting an anxiety attack about the state of the world and writing this before a waitress showed. Is this considered normal or even good service? Is it because I’m wearing a Boca jersey in an affluent neighborhood?

Is it sexist that I feel I have different experiences with waiter stereotypes- old guy, young woman, young gay guy? I wonder if my poor Spanish and newness to BsAs and expectations from Italian and French cafe culture (and New York failures in that regard) are making me an insensitive idiot.

Also- in both cafes and restaurants there often seems to be a hierarchy of service, prioritizing regulars and others that often leaves me last? Is this something to worry about?

 

[nikad]

Thanks for all the tips and the hilarious video (my understanding is that George Bernard Shaw philosophy of pursuit of life for its own sake relates directly as well.) Thanks @nikad for the tl;dr - key for all beginners here.

Meanwhile I have sat outside a cafe for twenty minutes struggling to read LA NACION without getting an anxiety attack about the state of the world and writing this before a waitress showed. Is this considered normal or even good service? Is it because I’m wearing a Boca jersey in an affluent neighborhood?

Is it sexist that I feel I have different experiences with waiter stereotypes- old guy, young woman, young gay guy? I wonder if my poor Spanish and newness to BsAs and expectations from Italian and French cafe culture (and New York failures in that regard) are making me an insensitive idiot.

Also- in both cafes and restaurants there often seems to be a hierarchy of service, prioritizing regulars and others that often leaves me last? Is this something to worry about?

20 mins is way too much, unless they were very busy. After the rain, if most people are sitting inside, they will ignore you if you are the one outside ( they expect you to go in or leave ). The different experience with waiters of different genders and ages is real and it goes both ways: they way they treat you, the way you treat them. And yes, regulars always get priority service, depends on the place. That doesn't mean they will ignore you, but there is a tacit hierarchy. You can become a regular too in a bout a week if you go to the same place everyday and leave a tip Within a few months they will just ask you "Lo de siempre?" and may even call you by your name.