Amen to that!

I just realized that I haven't blogged in forever! So, even though I haven't had any exceptionally special food, that I felt like sharing, I am going to share parts from an article in my recent Bon Appetite magazine.
Somebody wrote in to one of the Restaurant Editors, Andrew Knowlton, and they asked him if he had any pet peeves when dining at restaurants. His list of annoying items follows. And, to be honest, I have to agree with him on these, especially the "removing of plates"... it always bugged me and I wondered if anyone else ever felt the same. Now I know at least someone else does! :) Enjoy!!
Oh - and I should mention - these are his words, not mine. So, please don't sue me, man.
1. No one greets you as you arrive or say thanks as you leave. Both are equally important (just because a restaurant has taken your money doesn't mean its responsibilities are over).
2. Waiters who say one of three things: "Hello, my name is X, and I'll be your waiter tonight", "Have you dined with us before"?, and "Everything on the menu is great".
3. Removal of one single piece of cutlery or plate before everyone at the table has finished eating. It's disruptive and rude.
4. Offering up freshly ground pepper, grated cheese, or anything else before I've even had time to taste it. How am I supposed to know if it needs pepper? Isn't that what chefs and kitchens are for?
5. Dirty tables going uncleaned. (And on a cleaning side note: Restaurants should never, ever start mopping or dragging trash through the dining room until every customer is gone. Period.)