Restaurant doesn't change tablecloths between seatings -- Ewww! Or are you okay with that?

[RGC1982]

Unnamed restaurant in Trenton, NJ would brush crumbs off their dark brown tablecloths from the first party, and then just seat you at that table with the same used cloth. I only had to see them do this once to never go back again.

I was totally turned off. Would you feel the same way about this? It actually made me want to stain the tablecloth deliberately so that they would be forced to change the table linens after I left.

[steakman55]

You should go to Spark's Steak House in New York next time you are there. They are famous for three things: 1) their sirloin strip is the best in town, 2) it is where the Mafia Boss got wiped out years ago, and 3) they have a fresh tablecloth on each table AND they change it after the main course so you can have desert and coffee on a new cloth. Even if you are dining solo.

[Harters]

"I was totally turned off. Would you feel the same way about this?"

Yes.

[sunshine842]

and whether or not there's some sort of a surnappe (a small cloth that goes over the tablecloth) or a runner or a placemat of some sort.

[mattstolz]

i think it depends on the type of tablecloth doesnt it? some i would say are meant to be wiped and re-used (the checkered red and white plasticish ones come to mind here), but some are meant to be discarded (the white paper ones here)

[smartie]

I am trying to think if that's preferable to those disgusting, grubby cloths that get sloshed over a table just before you sit down in lots of restaurants and sometimes when you are already sitting. Those cloths seem to sit in a grey watery slush just under the hostess desk or busboy stations.

I think I would prefer the unchanged cloth!