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Show DININQ HERE AND IN EUROPE Arnold Uennett, In his fifth admirable admir-able paper on tho United States ns ho saw It In his recent visit, raises n most Interesting point ngnlnst the w niter In tho American hotel. For tho American hotel, llko tho American homo, ho has words of slncercst pralso. Ho finds It "a wondrous haven hav-en for the European who In Huropo has only tasted comfort In his dreams, n classic, to prnlso which may seem inept" Hut tho waiter In tho public dining room lacks that personal Interest Inter-est in his guest that one seldom falls to find on tho continent. Tho waiter is not Impolite; ho is not neglectful Rut ho Is too often passively hostile, or, at least neutral. He, or his chief, tins apparently not grasped the fact that buying n mcnl Is not llko buying a ton of conl. If tho purchaser Is to get valuo for his money, ho must enjoy hla meal; nnd If ho Is to enjoy tho meal, it miiBt not merely bo efficiently served, but It must bo efficiently served In n sympathetic sym-pathetic atmosphere. Tho supreme business of a good wnlter Is to cro-ato cro-ato this atmosphore. Tho fnult docs not rest entirely with tho wnltor. Tho very theory upon which tho continental hotel Is run differs from tho American plan. Thoro tho proprietor still reserves tho right of a host nnd serves his dinner, the grnnd meal of tho dny, at a given hour, and expects you to be in your place. Thoso coming lato suffer tho consequences and obtain no distinction distinc-tion by so doing. Breakfast and luncheon may bo eaten In n smaller dining room If desired, but thoro tho wnlter tnkes over tho personal attention atten-tion supposed to hnvo been snown by tho proprietor on tho previous night. He anticipates that ou are upon your holidays; that you have tho leisure, lei-sure, to enjoy tho food set beforo you; that you will deslro to compensate him on tho day of jour departure for tho very Intorest that ho has shown In your cdrafort. This It not ttho atmosphere of tho first clnss American hotel, however perfect Us cppolntments may bo, or however bountiful and varied mny bo tho food offered to tho diner. |
