Except for ordering our coffee ( a FLAT flat white for me please) we really never quite figured out food and beverage service in Tasmania. In the tiny village of Belle Rive on the eastern shore near Hobart I would say we found what you would expect at dinner. You sit at a table where you peruse a menu, someone brings you a glass of wine, takes your order and serves your meal, your job being to order and to pay. Sans tip, we were assured, by locals at Three Ducks.
That double S in TaSSie-- that stands for self-serve. It comes in many variations which is all kind of confusing and sometimes even embarrassing, as in, "Excuse me. Can you tell me how it works here?" "Oops, sorry, sorry. I have to pay now? " Small cafes are pretty consistent so we figured those out quickly--order and pay at the counter, grab a table, and someone will deliver your lunch. But in Swansea we had to do everything but bus our own table. And pay, at every step, at the bar. In the only restaurant still open past 8 pm, we sat at the bar while waiting for a table. We ordered drinks, and paid. A pager told us our table was ready and someone pointed to it then directed us back to the bar, to order and pay for our dinner. We were handed another pager, and later picked up our dinners at the kitchen counter. Another drink? Dessert? Order at the bar, and pay. If your credit card charges foreign transaction fees, you do not want to eat at the top-ranked Bark something tavern in Swansea.
Strahan, on the west coast was totally bizarre. We're still confused. There was a line up at the only restaurant in town open late (closes at 8pm). We could grab a drink at the bar, pay for it of course (no tabs until you have a table number) and stand around or sit outside. We could order dinner at the bar, pick it up, and eat outside or put our name on the list and wait for a table. Once we got a table our server eventually took our order and delivered our dinner, but not our drinks. It's back to the bar. At least we could put those on our dinner tab. At the fish place down the street we waited patiently for a table, assured by the cashier that our dinner and a table would miraculously appear at the same time. We watched as a group of Aussie's negotiated for a table with seated customers while we watched. Way too Canadian is all I can say. We need to get our elbows up and push a little. It was BYO which we get. No corkage fee.
I'm sure there is a rhyme and a reason, but alas, I don't know what it is.
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