Capo

Interesting article. Probably not very likely, but I wonder if this trend could (or has) hit European restaurants. <BR><BR>"Fast food meets pricey spots<BR>as restaurants end lingering"<BR><BR>http://www.msnbc.com/news/770451.asp?pne=msn&cp1=1

Jean Valjean

Most probably not. One of the things that I enjoy the most about European restaurants (even in the trendiest, busiest of spots) is that once you sit down, you will not be rushed.<BR><BR>AFAIK, it is considered very bad taste to bring the bill unless you specifically ask for it.

tracy

Capo, I think with the introduction of our "fast food" places in Europe we could well see the younger generation getting quite used to eating quickly like most of us do here. However, I hope to always be able to linger at a great place and have hopefully shown my children that this can be quite enjoyable with the right company.

Art

Capo, can you imagine Europeans, especially Spanish and Italians visiting here and going into one of those restaurants and being rushed out. What an impression that would make.<BR>

EP

I don´t believe for a second that that trend would hit Europe. And looks like it backfires also in US. Of course people may eat a hurried lunch, but for normal eating – no, and not even in lower priced places. It would be a very short lived place. <BR><BR>And not even younger people who eat also occational hamburgers would fall for that. I have been amused by my 20 something children and theit friends. They severely compare restaurants and menus (mind you, not upper scale ones), they love it when parents invite them for fine dining, and they regularly invite their friends to their tiny flats and cook together. Just last week my son gave me a lecture of different oils.

Zaza

I doubt it very much. First of all, fast food places aren't the same thing as restaurants, and secondly, the European fast food places don't traditionally shoo one out in a hurry. I haven't been in McDonald's in a decade, but I remember spending hours at a go in a London Macca's when I was about 15. <BR><BR>If a place can't handle "lingering", people will get carry-out ... or not go at all.

Capo

Thanks for the commments. I also have a hard time thinking this trend would hit European restaurants...but you never know. <BR><BR>By the way, the "fast food" in the headline doesn't refer to what we conventionally think of as fast food places (McDonald's, etc.) It just refers to the fact that many restaurants are speeding up how fast they turn over tables.