I find that irritating too, but I figure it's to make the server's job easier rather than have them running across the restaurant.
1.) The only thing I hate is people who work as a waiter or waitress at a restaurant and they have attitude. 2.) or the people that work that job and can't handle people being rude to them. if you are a server you are going to have people be rude to you. big deal. 3.) when workers get mad that you come during odd hours to eat out when the place is not busy. they give you attitude because you make them have to work rather than stand around doing nothing.
Yes there is. Lots of restaurants automatically add a 20 percent gratuity for large groups. I always tip. I tip servers - because I want to come back and when I was in highschool I saw a lot of cheap peoples' food get fucked with. I leave beers for the rink rats at the arena. I leave a beer for my garbage man when I need him to throw out something extra for me. Grease makes the world go 'round.
ever consider that maybe they use the down-time to do the other 500 things that need to get done before dinner/close?