Is It Ever Acceptable To Stay At A Restaurant After Paying Your Bill?

When planning a meal out with friends, you naturally want things to go smoothly. So you steer clear of the worst day and time to dine at a restaurant when making the reservation. Nobody orders the overpriced menu items you should always avoid, and everyone's meal is delicious. Now the drinks have been finished and the bill was paid an hour ago, but you're having such a good time that no one wants to leave. Is it acceptable to stay at the table after you've settled the bill? The Takeout spoke to Rocco Carulli, owner and executive chef at R House in Miami, to find the answer.

In short, yes, but not for long. You really don't want to linger any more than 20 minutes. "It gives you time to digest, snap a final pic, and say your goodbyes without holding up the next party. In a packed restaurant, especially on a busy night, lingering too long can slow the whole flow," Carulli told The Takeout. However, it can be alright to stay just a bit longer depending on the circumstances. He explained, "If the restaurant's winding down, the space isn't needed, and staff aren't doing the broom dance around you, then hang out a bit!"

Still up for staying out? The good news is that unless it's closing time, you don't need to leave the restaurant. "Ask to move to the bar or lounge, order another drink, and pretend you're starting your night all over again," Carulli suggested. "You'll still look cool, and the server won't have to passive-aggressively refill your water 12 times."

Restaurant workers sometimes call people who stay at the table after they've paid "campers," and the reason they want them to pull up stakes and go comes down to money. When patrons stay put, the staff can't turn over the table, meaning they can't seat another party there. The fewer hours paying customers are at tables, the less money the restaurant makes – more tables turned over means more tips for the staff. Some restaurants even have time limits, such as a two-hour window for each party, so there's no sticking around past that. This information will be on their website or booking page, and you can always politely ask the host or server.

Rocco Carulli's general advice on the ideal amount of time to spend at a restaurant is this: "Just keep it chill and considerate." For example, if you paid but still have drinks on the table, it's totally fine to stay and finish them. If you're dining at an off time and a lot of tables are available, you can remain for a while. 

However, if it's a full house or you see many people waiting to be seated, head out promptly. When you have a late dinner and finish eating close to or soon after the restaurant is supposed to close, it's best to get a move on once you pay the bill. Definitely don't stay any later than 30 minutes after closing time, because you're undoubtedly keeping the staff from being able to finish their closing tasks and go home.